Cal Sate Northridge has a decent undergrad program with an emphasis on screenwriting. It's not UCLA, but you may want to check it out. They are close to the heart of the industry and their screenwriting program looks pretty good.
In addition to the writing courses, you are required to take some of the introductory production courses. It's a two year program you can transfer to your junior year.

Cal State Long Beach also has a decent undergrad program you can transfer to. Theirs is set up to where you take one year of production courses, and then choose a specialization your second year. You can choose screenwriting as your specialization.

The truth is, your chances of getting into UCLA are slim. I'm not saying you shouldn't apply there, but I'm saying you should really look into other, less known programs. UCLA tends to break up their transfer slots into three categories--International, Out of Sate, and California Community College transfers. You're basically competing for one of five truly available slots for out of state transfers.

I had a screenwriting instructor at my junior college who was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award. She taught us the same exact curriculum she teaches at UCLA, except, it only cost me $20 per unit at my school.

I guess what I'm saying is that you don't have to go to one of the elites to get a good education. By all means, try! Apply to every school you can that offers what you're looking for. Just don't get down on yourself or give up on your dream if you don't get into one of the "Big 5."

Most instructors in film programs have graduate degrees from some of the top schools, and they tend to teach what they learned in the programs they studied. For example, if I were to choose Cal Sate Long Beach, I can learn cinematography from a USC alumnus, directing from a UCLA alumnus, writing from an NYU alumnus, and editing from an AFI alumnus. All of the instructors, in addition to having advanced degrees in their fields of study, also have years of industry experience.

Also, I've seen a lot of posts in this and other forums where people have put off their education for years, applying, reapplying, and applying again to the same schools. One person I know applied to UCLA and USC as a transfer four years in a row, and was rejected every time. He could have easily earned a BA in Film or a related discipline at one of the other schools in the area, built a strong portfolio, and then applied for the MFA programs at his "dream schools." That choice is up to you, but personally, I'd like to have something to show for myself four years from now other than a collection of rejection letters.

Finally, all of the programs in L.A. offer great internships in the top studios, plus industry relations offices for graduating students. Long Beach may not get you the same connections as USC, but if you're talented enough, and if you're motivated enough, you can open your own doors to success.

Good luck to you as you pursue your endeavors. It's a tough business, but nothing worth having comes easy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: airborne911,

Thanks A TON for that reply.

yeah, I realize how slim the chances are at schools like UCLA, which is why I have been looking into other options. I was unsure about Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Northridge's programs, thank you for clarifying that they can be completed in two years. I have heard great things about both!

I learned what got me into "dream schools" and five of my friends working into LA in Cleveland, from Columbia and AFI grads.

It's not just where you study...it's who you are.

Definitely.

HOPEFULLY, I won't even have to worry about this, I'm still waiting to hear back from Chapman and Emerson. I have gotten into Chapman once, hopefully I can do it again, and get some good financial aid out of them.

Hey topo , as i look into your thread i find myself in the same situation two years back , i was wondering if you would give a second thought to your geographic location , things might turn out very well , Asia is one of the best place where you can pursue this program , in fact Whistling Woods International is where i did my film course from , they have the best faculty and the placements are Awesome. they maintain international standards so you have this rest assurance that you can do wonders when you are back to your country , well u can check them out .. here is the link .. have fun ..
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp

@uttam ... hi my name is jasher .. wanted to know what are the programs available at Whistling Woods International ..... do they have any loan system .. as you see i am from india .. and i wouldn't be able to pay that much amount of money at one shot .... please guide me ..

Well i got into chapman again under the screenwriting major, just need to hear back from financial aid before i can make any decisions

Alright, so waitlisted at Emerson, accepted into Chapman screenwriting but the financial aid they offered is a joke and they aren't going to adjust it.

Quick question, UCLA and NYU...how much emphasis do they put on academics as opposed to writing samples, essays, and letters of rec when it comes to admission?

I'm probably going to apply to CSULB and still trying to figure out if I could graduate from North Carolina School of the Arts in 2 years or not, never heard back from them.

So I read in another thread that NCSA takes 4 years regardless.

So I was wondering if you guys could help narrow down some of the schools out there. My high school gpa was a 3.33, my ACT was a 27. My freshmen year gpa in college was a 3.27, I can probably get it up next year, but nothing above a 3.5. I have really strong creative writing samples though. That's why I got into Chapman twice. Emerson and Chapman seemed about to have the same qualifications grade wise, but Chapman had a writing prompt and Emerson didn't, and I think that's why I got into Chapman and waitlisted at Emerson. I was also a very active member of speech and debate in high school. I held every leadership position available and did very well. I'm also an eagle scout, so you know I'm a good guy.

With this kind of background, what kind of schools should I consider out of the question, and what kind of schools should I consider?

I want to apply to UCLA in hopes that my writing samples will trump my below average grades. I'm also considering applying to Cal State Long Beach, and maybe Syracuse?