For those of you not familiar with my situation, I am currently attending UConn and am getting ready to transfer to either Emerson, Hofstra, or some other decent school with a film program after sophomore year. I do have a question, though...how important are college honors courses to transferring to Emerson? Or better yet, how important are honors courses to transferring to a good film school in general? I'm considering taking some honors courses next year, but somehow...I dunno, the whole "honors" concept just doesn't sound like my thing. I wasn't really interested in honors courses in high school, and I'm wondering if it's best to start now (in order to get into Emerson), because I don't want to waste my time and academic energy if I don't have to. Any thoughts, anyone?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dan Gross,

Also, feel free to recommend to me any good film schools in the Northeast (besides NYU and Emerson) that I should apply to, just in case Emerson doesn't pan out, God forbid.

For film schools, they generaly look more at you as a film maker, quailty of work, and mostly you as a person. Unlike other programs, acedemics come 2nd in the decision making. More often than none film schools are very liberal in acceptance policies. Im not sure what emmerson is like though. But I think that is pretty universal.

So i'd say them seeing you are passionate about film and you show it in your work would out weigh any honor's classes.

As an example, I am biased towards Art Schools btw, when I was applying to Art Schools with film programs they ALL looked at my reel first and after literally threw my SAT/ACT scores and transcript away (I was a sub-par high school student). And I was accepted to all 4.

So what I have found, in general, film programs understand that film makers may be more on the, how to put it, artistic side and not as acedemicaly inclined as, say, an english major. And they know quite well filmmakers usually choose to make movies than take honor courses! Although, an honor course will benefit you in any institution.

I'm afraid it's not quite the same for schools like NYU and Emerson. Art schools will do that, but NYU puts far too much weight on academics. Emerson is more lenient towards academic records, but not an enormous amount. I'm sure honors courses will help at either school, but if your grades and SAT and your entrance essay are good, you don't need them.

Yes, I will definetley have all three on my side...I should have at least a 3.4 GPA by transfer time, the entrance essay will not be a problem at all, and although I got a mediocre 1050 on my SATs, I'll have 60 college credits by transfer time, which means SAT scores are optional, baby!

You are set. I will be very suprised if it doesnt work out. Just show your passion as a film maker and you are there. Good luck.