# film school rankings



## alex c (Nov 8, 2004)

is there a like a place out there that gives a pretty concrete list of the top film schools. like 1. usc, 2. nyu, 3... etc.  this has got to be the hardest list ive ever had to find. i want a definitive list. im sure princetonreview or us news and world report has done something on this.  how can colleges say, "oh we have the 7th best film school in the nation" if this list doesnt exsist.


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## alex c (Nov 8, 2004)

is there a like a place out there that gives a pretty concrete list of the top film schools. like 1. usc, 2. nyu, 3... etc.  this has got to be the hardest list ive ever had to find. i want a definitive list. im sure princetonreview or us news and world report has done something on this.  how can colleges say, "oh we have the 7th best film school in the nation" if this list doesnt exsist.


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## RFranco (Nov 8, 2004)

Who says they are the Xth best school in the nation?

And what do you measure best by? The most equipment? The most famous graduates? The most collaborative? The most focus on story? On effects? On short format? On features?


There a book that rates the most well known schools called Film School Confidential:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0399523391/qid=1099983374/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-5148203-7804940?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

but you can read the reviews to see how much use the book may be for you.


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## Trespasser (Nov 9, 2004)

Larry Flynt is right! There are too many variables in film schools to account for. Get that book, I have it and it's been quite helpful.


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## NotaMono (Nov 14, 2004)

The fine folks at U.S. News & World Report used to rank graduate film programs, but only seem to do overall M.F.A. rankings now.  The numbers were pretty static over the years if I recall.  All I can find online is this list of the top 5 from 1994 (Scroll down to item 4.6 or see below).

Rankings
Film (Master of Fine Arts) :

1. New York U.
2. U. of Southern California
3. American Film Institute
3. U.C. Los Angeles
5. C.I. of the Arts

I have a hard copy of the magazine from 2000 somewhere, and the top 5 was unchanged other than USC tying NYU for #1.

I'm sure Chapman and UT-Austin have risen a bit with all the capital they've flushed into their programs over the last few years, but I doubt either have cracked the top 5.

Also, I find _Film School Confidential_ a little suspect, and certainly outdated.  For instance, AFI no longer kicks their students out en masse, and has never denied international students M.F.A.s for not being U.S. Citizens.

Nota "Trying to master fine art" Mono


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## alex c (Nov 15, 2004)

wow thanks nota

it would be really hardcore awsome if you found that magazine. if i could get a top 10 or 15, i would owe my life to you.


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## NotaMono (Nov 16, 2004)

I searched around, but am thinking I may have passed it on to someone else.  I found several years worth of U.S. News & World Report undergrad ranking issues, but am missing the grad school one I had.

However, I have a pretty good memory and am moderately sure I remember all of the schools on there (They only listed the top 15).  This isn't the exact order, but it was something like this...

Y2k rankings according to Mono's memory bank.
1-t.  New York University
1-t.  University Of Southern California
3.  University of California-Los Angeles
4.  American Film Institute (CA)
5.  CalArts (CA)
6.  Columbia University (NY)
7.  Florida State University
8.  Northwestern (IL)
9.  University of Texas-Austin
10.  Temple University (PA)
11.  Chapman University (CA)
12-t.  San Francisco State University (CA)
12-t.  University of California-San Diego
14.  Ohio University
15-t.  University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
15-t.  Academy Of Art San Francisco (CA)

FWIW I found this article that mentions an _Entertainment Weekly_ ranking issue, and it seems to agree with most of the schools from my memory (I compiled my list before seeing the article).

Nota "What, no Full Sail?" Mono


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## alex c (Nov 18, 2004)

nota u are a god

thank u


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## alex c (Dec 14, 2004)

nota, i didnt realize this was grauduate rankings. im looking for undergraduate... is there a a large difference, what schools might be added or subtracted for undergrad?


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## Josh (Dec 14, 2004)

I'm surprised Emerson College is not on that list.


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## NotaMono (Dec 17, 2004)

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by alex c:
nota, i didnt realize this was grauduate rankings. im looking for undergraduate... is there a a large difference, what schools might be added or subtracted for undergrad? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmmm...  well, AFI wouldn't be on the list for undergrad (M.F.A. only).  Other than that I have no idea how the undergrads would be different.  I'm sure there are a lot of undergrad programs that don't offer masters, so it could theoretically be very different.  Typically the schools with masters programs will have better faculty and resources which would give them a nominal advantage, but that's hearsay.

It's ultimately preference, though.  Different schools have different priorities and philosophies.  You have to find the right match for yourself, and that'll be your #1 ranked school.

Nota "Loved life at #12" Mono

Edit:  Here's the actual EW article from Y2K.


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## Postal Pictures (Dec 17, 2004)

Graduate school is usually when most people go to film school. However, if you do go as an undergraduate please get a well-rounded education. That way your films can be about something.


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## alex c (Dec 18, 2004)

Oh, thanks guys.  And thanks nota, for that extra site.  Im sure all of you know what the college application process is like, i surely hope im not being annoying.


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## alex c (Dec 18, 2004)

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JW:
I'm surprised Emerson College is not on that list. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yea, i know jw, im surprised as well. I just applied there about two weeks ago and sent in my portfolio yesterday.  im pretty confident, but i dont want to get my hopes up. my film won my hs film festival, and got 3 in a small thing my town had (but i cant boast since there isnt a whole lot of compitition in a small town). plus, i have the grades/sat to get in

you applied early, didnt you? have u been accepted, or u dont know yet.  Good luck. Oh, and what were you stats and what did u send as your portfolio? just curious, you dont have to answer that if u dont want to.


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## RFranco (Dec 19, 2004)

The difference between undergraduate and graduate is that undergrads have to take a well-rounded curriculum, grauduates usually only take two years of a very structhred, specific curriculum. 

And graduate students get more time to work on long term projects (sometimes just one project the entire two years), whereas undergraduates work on differeht things. Gruaduates usually get access to all the equipment and help from the faculty and professionals in the business. 

This isn't talking about film school specifically, but any graduate school for any program. My friends in photography, engineering, broadcast, music schook, and myself in film school have all noticed these similarities.

And again, film school rankings are subjective, since schools have different focus and provide different educations. It's like asking what the top 10 movies of all time are, everyone will have a different list.


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## One_Girl_Revolution (Dec 21, 2004)

Hi guys! 

Does anyone know anything on New school university in NYC or NYIT as film schools? I plan on staying in NY for two years and then transfer to like UCLA.


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## Chris W (May 18, 2010)

Please see new page on this:
Top Film Schools


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