USC Application Status

[A Plan Unfurled]

Does anyone know the deal with the online app status? I just logged into my submitted app page today (out of complete boredom) and was disheartened to find it listed as "Incomplete". Is that normal? Is anyone's status listed as "Complete"?

It goes on to say that my application is in the first stage of evaluation and I'll be notified if there are any problems, but the adage "no news is good news" never set well with me...

 

[Sunayana Nadkarni]

i just received a graduate catalog mentioning my USC id number, so hopefully i m in their records but as far as the online app status is concerned mine just says 'submitted'/ complete. i've heard they notify student as late as April for interviews in May, again its not come from an admissions officer so m not sure, but at this stage i'd like to say "no news is really good news"!

 

[A Plan Unfurled]

Hmm... guess that means I have a phone call to make, but I will say that I was under the impression that (with the exception of extreme circumstances) USC hardly ever conducts interviews.

 

[Icarus Ascending]

Mr./Mrs. Unfurled,

I, too, am marked "incomplete." While that may have some merit existentially, I don't quite see how it applies to my USC app. The note goes on to say that my Recs are complete, my transcript is complete, my test scores are complete... but that the "Other Supporting Documents" have not been received. What on earth would those be? Obviously, all the SCA materials were submitted online with my application. What more do they want from me? (Maybe financial aid info?)

Please let us know the fruits of your call.

--IA

 

[A Plan Unfurled]

IA,

Your situation sounds identical to mine, but fear not, I spoke with admissions and they said ignore the "incomplete" that my application was considered complete on their end and had already been forwarded to the Film Department for review.

And feel free to call me "Sir Unfurled" (because I've always been a fan of consonance, and, well, knights...haha).

 

[Jayimess]

A few notes from a USC MFA admitted in 2007, to ease your worries...

My status never changed online.

I got my admissions letter on April 13th, got financial aid stuff a few days before that.

No interviews that I know of.


You kinda just gotta wait.

 

[Icarus Ascending]

Jayimess--

If my recollections from archive-scouring are correct, you got in to USC off the waitlist--ja??? Was April 13th, then, your first notification ("welcome to our waitlist") or your second notification ("welcome to our school")?

And while I've got you here... one Q about USC for which your insider knowledge would be most appreciated: it is my understanding that USC offers screenwriters some sort of "writing-directing" concentration... How does that work, precisely? I mean--when is this decided? What does it mean?

Yrs gr't'flly,
IA

 

[Jayimess]

IA,

Yes, I was waitlisted. That was my first notification on April 13th...I think that's the day...I know it was before the 15th.

Of AFI, UCLA, and USC, USC was the first decision to come down. UCLA's acceptance followed shortly, then AFI's rejection (though AFI's admissions called in early June and said "errors were made" and offered me acceptance---really weird).

Anyway, he letter said that I would be notified by telephone if I got a bump, have 24 hours to make a decision, and that this would happen by May first.

I had already accepted UCLA admission before I heard from USC...I had little faith in the concept of a waitlist and was a tad bitter not to gain admission outright.

And when I did get bumped, the first two of three notifications were via mail May 7th or something, with a phone call a few days later...and though I can't recall the exact date, but I had over a week to decide.

In the end, though it was a hard, hard decision, I had to go with USC, and I have not a single regret.


Okay. There's your waitlist info.

On to Writer-Director.

As writers, we have several concentration "tracks" to choose from. While everyone in the program writes features and television specs, the tracks determine your thesis package. Feature...Television...Animation...Interactive...Writer-Director.

The first two tracks are the most often taken, and thus the most clear cut.

The others aren't as popular, so they are basically tailored to each student.

I'm taking the Writer-Director track. I declared it at my Fall advisor meeting, along with one other student, though several others have hinted that they are considering it.

I will take 500 level production courses in lieu of genre writing electives, as well as a thesis feature course, so I will enter First Pitch not only with features and specs, but with several films.

I don't know what exactly the prerequisites are, but I do know that you need film experience, as my fellow writer-director is teaching himself the nuances of using film this semester, while I fulfilled the requirement with my undergraduate thesis...since you're not a Production student, you won't take the 508 team 16mm class.


You have to decide by the Spring advisor meeting, because while the first year is mostly laid out for you, the second year is in your hands.


I hope this

 

[Jayimess]

Post must've been too long.

I hope this helps.

Also, I forgot, there is also a more production minded track for television writers, called the Showrunner track.

 

[Icarus Ascending]

Jayimess--

Thank you *thank* you for taking the time to explain. USC isn't exactly forthcoming about these tracks in their materials; in fact, if someone on this forum hadn't mentioned said tracks, I'd never have known they existed at all.

Any other secrets we should know? (-:

Danke,
IA

 

[Ryan C.]

I am in the exact same boat with my application. When I log into my account it also says that the application is incomplete. I called up the school and they said that I should not worry about it-- they will send me a letter or card if I have missing portions of my application.

I am applying for the MFA Production program. I am sure hoping I get in!

 

[Jayimess]

The info about the tracks came in my acceptance packet, and were a huge factor in my decision to attend USC.

My best recommendation is to move to LA as soon as you possibly can, rather than just before school starts.

Also, apply for the loans the second you get in, not late July as recommended.

And bring sweaters...it's not as warm as you think ALL the time, just most of it.

 

[renegadewill]

Will transfering into USC film program from a JC be easier than straight out of high school? Does USC's film program even exist freshman year? If I get in as a freshman, will I be in the film program, or do I apply when I'm a sophomore for junior year?

 

[BKFishmaster]

So I'm kind of resurrecting this old thread because of course now that my application is submitted I had to do a search to find info on notification dates.

Jayimess, I was wondering if you could expand on your point that it would be a good idea to move to LA as soon as you can once you're admitted. I've never been there before so obviously if I were hypothetically admitted I would want to get there a little early to set up housing and all that and get situated. But were there any particular professional or academic benefits to going early? And if I may ask, how early did you make the move and what did you do with the extra time?

If you think this would be more effective as a PM conversation that's fine with me, but I thought others might benefit from the information. And THANK YOU so much for all of the assistance and personal insight you've provided on these forums, you're ridiculously helpful!

 

[Jayimess]

1. Getting situated and having a nice personal space is helpful in the transition of leaving home...if your place isn't comfy, you can be far more emotionally drained when it comes to missing the familiar, which is bound to happen.

2. You get to experience LA without the pressures of school, and you find great places, interesting people, which lead to location ideas and new film ideas you can easily execute because you already know the lay of the land. It is appalling how little most of my classmates, and myself, know of LA outside our neighborhoods and school. I saw the same at AFI with my roommate and her friends.

3. You're less likely to get lost on campus if you've been there before school starts. Also, you get the hang of navigating highways and streets.

4. You can establish a routine outside of film school that helps you have outside activities. Film school is all consuming. You have to have SOMETHING outside of film school to turn to when you're under great stress. (see number 1)


I got here on August 9th, 19 days before school started, 11 days before first orientation. I did none of the things I mention above besides explore campus. And it's probably my only regret, that I didn't come a month earlier.

On the other hand, maybe you're one of those people that like to hit the ground running, then, hey, come out the week before. That also works for plenty of people.