# USC vs. Chapman



## pythondrummer (Mar 15, 2008)

Hey everyone.  i know this is a very common question, but im trying to make a big decision here.  I got into both USC and Chapman as production major and im really torn between the two.

This is kind of how i see them.

USC - Big name, excellent alumni/connections, great staff, great campus, good location.

Chapman - up and coming, pretty good connections, nice campus even though it is small, amazing equipment, a lot less cut throat learning environment.

Thanks for any and all help.

also if it makes any difference, my goal is direct hollywood features.


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## Winterreverie (Mar 15, 2008)

pm cinematical-- he went through this same ordeal last year and has great insight-- there's also an older thread you can search from lat year with just this question


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## pythondrummer (Mar 15, 2008)

thanks!  i just pm'ed him.

i was lookin at some older threads and found some extensive ones on USC Critical Studies vs Chapman production.  am i missing something?


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## suenos53 (Mar 16, 2008)

Pythondrummer,

I'm curious. Did Cinematical confirm your thought that USC is cut throat? How did you come to that belief in the first place? 

Are the Chapman students more supportive of each other?


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## pythondrummer (Mar 16, 2008)

Hey Suenos.  no, cinematical has not replied yet, but i will let you know once he has.

i think that i heard that when i was on the tour of the school of cinematic arts at USC.  im not totally sure if its true, which is why i want to ask cinematical.  i also asked a girl i know in the production program the same question, but she hasnt replied yet.

The Chapman students have a reputation of really working together and helping each other out.  Also, since they have so much nice equipment, there isnt really much of a need to be very competitive for equipment.


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## Jayimess (Mar 16, 2008)

I'm MFA Screenwriting, but I know a lot of production students, so here's my two cents.

I just went to the 508 screenings on Friday, and let me tell you, these production cats love each other.  They helped each other get through everything, not just their partners.  In general, the people I know here aren't gossipy, and help each other on many levels.

Cut throat?  If you mean a competitive environment where everyone's trying to kill each other, then no, that's not USC.  We all compete for certain scholarships and honors, but not to the point of sabotage and back stabbing.  A classmate won something that I really wanted just recently, and I was happy for her.

At the same time, you do have to look out for yourself...it's about halfway between hand holding and the real world.

BTW, we have plenty of equipment, I've yet to hear about people battling for cameras.

I've been to Chapman, and I go to USC.  I think it comes down to personal choice of what's right for you.  

Chapman's got great facilities, and USC's new SCA building, which will only add to our current nothing to sneeze at facilities, opens in less than nine months...

Chapman's smaller, more intimate, than USC.  Less students as a university, less students as a film department.

Orange is a different environment than downtown LA.

There's the rights and funding of your film, both schools have different policies.  Chapman pays for the films and lets you keep the rights to them.  That's VERY unique for film schools.

There's differences in networking and opportunities, and location.  USC has decades of history and successful alumni and is a hopskip from Hollywood and Burbank.  Chapman's a lot newer and a bit further away.

In my opinion, it comes down to what is right for YOU.  And only you can make that decision.

Best of luck...


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## Cinematical (Mar 16, 2008)

I just replied to your PM. Hope it helps!

Let me know if you have more questions, and sorry for not responding sooner (had to fly home for Spring Break - boring, I know).


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## pythondrummer (Mar 19, 2008)

Jayimess, thank you so much for your comments, i really appreciate the insight.

Cinematical, thanks for the pm!

It seems at this point I am kind of leaning towards USC.  I am going to be visiting both schools again in two weeks, so that will help my decision making as well.

Thanks for all the comments everyone.


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