USC SCA Versus Chapman Dodge

[tjay8ch]

Hi Guys,

My son was very fortunate to get accepted at both Chapman and USC Spa for Film And Television Production. He was thrilled to get into USC but upon visiting Chapman, now it's become a hard decision. Are there any SCA students who would be willing to chat with him about their experience? He has some friends who have had a good experience at Dodge Chapman but he has not heard as many good things about USC SCA and we want hi to be fully informed, Ultimately these are two good choices and the choice will be his but feel like he doesn't;t have enough information about USC SCA and this is making his decision more difficult. Grateful for any tips or thoughts. Thanks.

 

[Olivia1]

Congratulations to your son for getting into two great film schools! I have friends who chose USC/SCA over Chapman/Dodge because SCA is ranked a bit higher, but they didn’t care for some of their classmates, many of whom were either rich, entitled “nepo babies” or intimidating cutthroats who competed over limited equipment/resources. Although they liked the campus itself, they didn’t feel safe going off campus (especially alone or at night) due to the crime-ridden neighborhood surrounding it. They also didn’t like that USC made them personally fund a lot of their film projects, but didn’t allow them to own their work.

I also have friends who chose Chapman over SCA because they fell in love with the beautiful, safe campus and neighborhood around it and really liked being near Disneyland and the beach. They said their classmates were very friendly, down-to-earth, and collaborative. They also liked how Chapman provides generous stipends for student film projects and allows them to own their work. They also said that although it costs less to go to Chapman, they have very impressive equipment and facilities and super nice, new dorms.

At the end of the day, your son should choose what personally feels like the best fit for him. (My friend who’s currently at Stanford Law School turned down #1 Princeton in favor of #15 Berkeley as an undergrad because she just didn’t “like the vibes” at Princeton, and she’s never regretted her decision.) Hope this helps. Good luck to your son.