Expert: Bruce - 8/15/2006

Question
Hi BC,

I appreciate your validating my concern that to build a strong individual, it's best to avoid a highly competative environment, in the younger years.

We knew that NYU was the most expensive. I don't think the debt stress is healthy. She's too young to understand the time factor involved in this.

Thank you for the suggestions about other schools to look at. I'm looking closer at the film program in each.

We looked at Pittsburgh Filmmakers earlier. Carnegie Mellon has them teach film production classes as well. Pittsburgh Filmmakers is a trade school, affiliated with these universities. I think one of our problems with this idea was, having to travel between campuses to take production classes. There was another reason, I can’t remember. Their list of classes is pretty comprehensive. I'll take another look.

A lot of kids from my daughter's prep school go to Eastman at Rochester. Their film program looks like it's mostly film studies with only a few production classes.

Indiana has only a few of the production classes we are looking for.

Syracuse's Newhouse School has a fuller program than Indiana. I need to compare their list of classes with some of the other medium sized programs we are looking at.

Hunter looks like a comprehensive film production program. We need to look at the school as a whole, to see what else they offer.

We live in rural Iowa. She was hoping to find someplace in a warmer climate, since students have to walk and carry stuff in nasty weather. Also, filming on location is limited in areas with bad weather. My heart is still pulled to the south and southwest, since I grew up in these areas. Also, I have never lived in a major city, so am afraid to send her there.

Thank you for the specific school suggestions. This gives us more choices to research.

I appreciate your forwarding my questions to your friend in this field.

Thanks again,
Cathy Matt

Question -
Hi,

My daughter is applying for college, for fall 2007, in film production.

We are currently trying to evaluate the programs at various  universities, not trade school. Looking for new technology training along with film studies, art direction, directing, screenwriting.

She currently attends Interlochen Arts Academy in Motion Picture Arts. Age 17, one more year of high school to go. Already has 29 hours of college credits. She has passed 5 CLEP's.

She has a nice little portfolio of 2 minute short films. Strong background in community theater. High IQ. Good writer, but not necessarily a great screen writer. Bright and creative. I want her to have a great education without the stress that comes with this extremely competitive career choice. She’s not good at competition and “elbowing” coming from a small town in Iowa and home school.

In my view, learning film production gives her a way to express her intelligence and creativity. Plus, it is a wide open field with endless possibilities. I don’t want her to be overwhelmed or discouraged by “the industry.” Rather to learn independent production, particularly the internet and new media. So she can present her own values, rather than be a pawn for the “big boys” agenda. We need more intelligent well educated women represented in the media.

The schools she is planning to apply to are:

Her first choice is NYU, which is the most competitive and most restrictive with equipment and opportunities. Unfortunately, she is attached to the idea that it is considered “the best” film program in the country. They do not have much interest in the individual students, as there are so many of them. I can’t even get anyone to pick up the phone or respond to messages there.

Sigh. . .

USC is considered the second best. She is not applying to USC because it’s male dominated, competitive, overcrowded with poor job placement. Worse than NYU.

The third best program is University of Texas Austin. She probably will not be accepted there because it has higher entrance standards for out of state applicants. It’s RTF program is also overcrowded and so it is also difficult to get access to equipment.

Northwestern, but her test scores and grades are not good enough to get accepted to this excellent program.

Emerson, also highly competitive, with less to brag about. It is largely a repeat of her special high school program. And I hear they can boot you out, just because there are so many incoming new students.

Chapman has a weaker, less respected program, but is far more nurturing of an environment to "grow up" in. This is my first choice for the fact that it is less stressful and healthier. On the other hand, the students are not as bright as some of the other schools. On the other hand, she is used to being at the top of her classes, and could maintain this status at Chapman.

UC Santa Cruz, good internships for independent production. A great environment for learning to think. Not the top film program but made it onto our list.

Not applying to Penn State because of corporate orientation of their film program and the sports orientation of the school in general.

This site on campus safety http://ope.ed.gov/security/search.asp Shows a high crime rate at PennState Northwestern and Emerson. NYU has the lowest crime rate.

I don’t want to invest $100,000 so my daughter can experience intense stress, frustration and safety threats. I want her to be nourished, encouraged and well educated. She has a lot of potential and works hard. Her education is supposed to support her in growing and in reaching her personal goals.

Thanks,
Cathy Matt


Answer -
Cathy,

Let me respond by first noting how impressed I am with your approach to the college search for your daughter. It seems that you know her well, and have a pretty good sense for the kind of environment in which she will thrive. Too many parents ignore that aspect of the search, chasing instead the most selective college their child can get into, regardless of fit, merely for bragging rights. It's all about fit, and you understand that. Good for you!!

It's quite possible that your daughter will have opportunities at a so-called second tier school, that she would not at one of the crowded top end schools where the pure numbers, or the aggressive (Type As) could nudge her out of the way. If NYU has great facilities, but she seldom gets to use them, how does that benefit her? She may well come out better prepared from a 2nd tier place (you list Chapman as an example).

By the way, you are right that a college that can't manage to talk with you on the phone may not be very student-centered. Also, about NYU, when I was in NJ years ago, NYU had a rep for very meager financial aid packages. Be sure to check that out carefully.

I have asked a colleague who is knowledgeable in this area for some suggestions. In the mean time, I've done some checking and can pass along a few ideas for you - well aware, though, that you may have already looked at and passed on these.

Syracuse University (may offer opportunity to take film through Fine Arts area and cross register in prestigious Newhouse School for Communication). My sense, as a NYer, is that SU is a pretty nurturing place for a larger school.

Hunter College (NYC)

University of Rochester

Indiana University

Univ of Pittsburgh (affiliation with local filmmakers org)

I hope this helps some.

Let me close by noting that the college I work at is second rung among our peer group; good, but not the best. The top school in our niche is high pressure, high prestige, Type A, grade conscious. Every year we enroll very good students who recognize our school (rural, community feel, nurturing) as a better fit. These students emerge from here four years later built up in confidence, with good experiences, a balanced perspective - and they move on to great grad schools and jobs; the same opportunities as their peers at the top end school.

I will send along more ideas as I get them, and am glad to answer any more questions.

Hope this helps.

BC


Answer
Cathy,

My local expert has replied to my query. For students wanting to make films, he suggests a look at Rochester Inst of Technology and Savannah College of Art & Design.

Also, I think at SU, the film program is in the visual arts school, while writing is in Newhouse.

Happy hunting!

bc