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Freshman
| quote: Originally posted by Ben:
0 for 2 last year, 8 for 8 this year (and at the same schools!) Anything can happen, Pleiades, do not give up.
Wow, Ben. I mostly know what to do to improve my apps for next year, (I'm 0 - 5 this year...) but what did you do so differently this year on your apps? 8 - 8 is amazing! | | | | Posts: 140 | Location: Computer | Registered: February 27, 2010 |
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Freshman
| quote: Originally posted by Generallyspeaking22:
(I'm 0 - 5 this year...)
I clench my fists and slam them on the table for you. For us. | | | | Posts: 52 | Location: Pangea | Registered: September 09, 2009 |
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Freshman
 | The only thing I can really think of is realizing that every school is different, thus you've got to know EXACTLY what you want out of each specific program you apply to--and let them know that in the essay. Fundamentally there is a whole lot different between the 12 person UT Austin program and the behemoth 150+ AFI Conservatory, but I applied to both (along with a lot of other schools) because there were very specific things I could see myself getting out of each program. I also don't think it hurts to let them know somehow that you truly see yourself as a unique person, and that no matter what program you choose it WON'T change your vision as an artist--it will simply facilitate it--if I was on an admissions committee, that would excite me to read. Also, I got really lucky. I had a very very productive year professionally but also in which a lot of personal stuff made my writing that much more mature and rich. It also doesn't hurt to expose yourself to a program (I did so with Columbia), get on campus, shoot films for the directors and just start getting those karma juices going.
i'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy
| | | | Posts: 199 | Location: New York | Registered: October 24, 2004 |
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Freshman
| A recomendation a mentor gave me was, once you know what you want to do in films (what department you want to do, production, direction, art, cinematography) get into a library or amazon buy a few books about it, read them, ask yourseld the same question, do i still like this am I willing to keep going forward, and reapply. With all the knowledge youll get from those books, your aplication is gonna be way more stronger. | | | | Posts: 24 | Location: Mexico | Registered: March 06, 2010 |
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Freshman
| I think the only thing that got me into Columbia was the interview. It's the only interview I felt 100% satisfied with. After collecting rejection after rejection, I came to realize that on paper, I didn't look like a good bet. I walked out of Columbia College feeling like I had been given the third degree, and my UCLA interview was awkward and too quick. With Columbia, I was relaxed and my answers flowed from a more natural place.
I walked into Columbia prepped with pointed questions that would allow me to discuss topics that I wanted to touch on, and at no time did I relinquish control of the conversation for more then a moment or two. I think this, more then anything, showed how determined I was to succeed in the program and in the film world in general.
Anyway, I'm sorry so many awesome people had to such disappointment this year. I'm 1 and 6 myself, so I'm not far off.
I hope everyone reapplies next year and finds a school that fits them, although I think it's perfectly natural to want to lick you wounds for a bit before facing this all again.
Best of luck to everyone! | | | | Posts: 95 | Location: New York | Registered: July 29, 2009 |
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Freshman
| quote: Originally posted by pleiades: quote: Originally posted by Generallyspeaking22:
(I'm 0 - 5 this year...)
I clench my fists and slam them on the table for you. For us.
Thx, pleiades! It takes a certain kind of character to start a "reject cafe" forum, one might say it takes a reject, but I mean it in a much kinder way than that. | | | | Posts: 140 | Location: Computer | Registered: February 27, 2010 |
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Freshman
| I just want to emphasize Ben's solid advice. He's the only one I know who got into, I think, all of the most prestigious schools. All schools look for a certain type. Obviously, Ben is everybody's type  - but not many of us are. Off the top of my head I know people who got into Columbia but not USC, whereas I got into USC but got flatly rejected from both Columbia and NYU. I had applied for Spring 2010 program in USC and got rejected. The single thing I changed was my personal statement, I sent in the exact written and visual samples. My first personal statement was cookie-cutter... General. It was solid but I had asked too many professional advisers, took their advice a bit too much. They had... bogged down my personality a notch. This year my personal statement was so... ummm... " out there ", the advisers I mentioned in the previous paragraph said USC would never allow me in if I sent that statement. Not " in ", as in into the program but into the school.  I basically admitted all my morbid curiosities and confessed to a felony or two But alas, it turned out just fine. When my Spring application got rejected, I was crushed. As in: " ****, what will I do? Work in commercials? Sell shoes and skateboards 'till I die? " crushed. And it reflected on my application, trust me, but... it did so creatively. It made it somewhat richer, I suppose. So, hold on there and enrich yourself in the meantime, life-wise. Between Spring and Fall I backpacked through Europe, learned how to cook, connected with my parents, read books, watched movies... Everything matters. You'd think it wouldn't show in a 1000 worded statement, but it does. And one last thing I learned through this application process is this; nobody cares about the boundaries as long as you have a good reason for it. My personal statement was longer than 1000 words, and both of my written challenges for the USC screenwriting application involved a third person. But they were there purely for exposition, so I guess they didn't mind. So, good luck. Work on your applications... And remember it's not a pipe-dream; it can happen.. Simply because it did and does happen. Take care. | | | | Posts: 90 | Location: Huh? | Registered: May 03, 2009 |
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Freshman
| quote: Originally posted by Lvn: I just want to emphasize Ben's solid advice. He's the only one I know who got into, I think, all of the most prestigious schools. All schools look for a certain type. Obviously, Ben is everybody's type - but not many of us are. Off the top of my head I know people who got into Columbia but not USC, whereas I got into USC but got flatly rejected from both Columbia and NYU. I had applied for Spring 2010 program in USC and got rejected. The single thing I changed was my personal statement, I sent in the exact written and visual samples. My first personal statement was cookie-cutter... General. It was solid but I had asked too many professional advisers, took their advice a bit too much. They had... bogged down my personality a notch. This year my personal statement was so... ummm... " out there ", the advisers I mentioned in the previous paragraph said USC would never allow me in if I sent that statement. Not " in ", as in into the program but into the school. I basically admitted all my morbid curiosities and confessed to a felony or two But alas, it turned out just fine. When my Spring application got rejected, I was crushed. As in: " ****, what will I do? Work in commercials? Sell shoes and skateboards 'till I die? " crushed. And it reflected on my application, trust me, but... it did so creatively. It made it somewhat richer, I suppose. So, hold on there and enrich yourself in the meantime, life-wise. Between Spring and Fall I backpacked through Europe, learned how to cook, connected with my parents, read books, watched movies... Everything matters. You'd think it wouldn't show in a 1000 worded statement, but it does. And one last thing I learned through this application process is this; nobody cares about the boundaries as long as you have a good reason for it. My personal statement was longer than 1000 words, and both of my written challenges for the USC screenwriting application involved a third person. But they were there purely for exposition, so I guess they didn't mind. So, good luck. Work on your applications... And remember it's not a pipe-dream; it can happen.. Simply because it did and does happen. Take care.
Thx for the insight, Lvn. Good luck to you! Hope USC is awesome for you. | | | | Posts: 140 | Location: Computer | Registered: February 27, 2010 |
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