# USC MFA Screenwriting Fall 2016



## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 11, 2016)

Hey everyone...couldn't find a thread for this year's applicants. figured I would start it and begin the anguish of lurking.


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## nervouslurker (Feb 12, 2016)

I've pretty much given up on UCLA and this is the only other program I applied to. I won't start losing my mind until the end of the month though based on previous years. I did wake up about an hour ago to an email from the financial aid office saying they are still waiting on my corrected fafsa so there's that to fill my time.


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## FranklyMyDear (Feb 12, 2016)

Judging by last year, looks like 'SC delivers their acceptances next week.

*GULP*


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## panda (Feb 12, 2016)

Also received that email, @nervouslurker 

How does everyone feel about the creative challenge scenes they submitted? I've re-read mine so many times I've started to think they're horrible (but that's probably just a product of me overanalyzing).


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## lady-vengeance (Feb 12, 2016)

Hey guys! Glad there's so many support group threads going on right now! 

And @panda I've been going through my stuff so often, it's unhealthy. I've never been so obsessive over my stuff until applications happened. This waiting, though, is killer; all this stress is bad for my skin :/


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## panda (Feb 12, 2016)

@lady-vengeance I know what you mean. I'm mostly stressing about one of my challenges that I ended up rewriting last minute. I wanted to inject comedy into my application because everything else seemed so heavy, but I've admittedly never written much comedy... so I hope it came across as it was meant to (satire) rather than not (in which case it'd be interpreted as potentially sexist and shallow). Ha...


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## panda (Feb 18, 2016)

Seems we'll be hearing back soon! Those who were accepted last year were notified during the last weekend of February, but it was also a 4-week month. If their timeframe is based on number of days since app submission, we would hear back this weekend. If it's "notify last weekend of February," we'll be hearing back next weekend.


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## FranklyMyDear (Feb 18, 2016)

My fingers have been crossed so long and so hard at this point they've melded together.


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## nervouslurker (Feb 18, 2016)

https://camel2.usc.edu/AdmGradCertification/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=/AdmGradCertification/

Has anyone tried logging into the Statement of Intent page again? Still nothing for me.


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 18, 2016)

nervouslurker said:


> https://camel2.usc.edu/AdmGradCertification/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=/AdmGradCertification/
> 
> Has anyone tried logging into the Statement of Intent page again? Still nothing for me.


yep...nothing. I believe they typically mail the notifications.


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## Point Break (Feb 19, 2016)

Either this weekend or next! 

I know the SCA professors already read applications and sent their suggestions to campus admissions, so it's in their hands.

USC admissions mails notifications, but last year it hit their online system on the same day: 02/20/15. So, some of us (eager beavers) were able to log into the Statement of Intent page, but didn't get the official email to check our online status until that Sunday: 02/22/15.

It was the morning of that year's Oscars, if that has any influence (probably not, but this year's event is 02/28/16). Whether it's this weekend or next, good luck to everyone waiting to here good news!!!  And remember, waitlist possibilities are possible even up to the first week of the Fall 2016 semester if you don't receive a rejection letter.


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## Boe21 (Feb 21, 2016)

Hey everyone, I also applied to USC's screenwriting MFA program -- was hoping to wake up to a notification email this morning (judging from previous years) but looks like we're in for a bit more of a wait. Best of luck to everyone!


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 21, 2016)

Boe21 said:


> Hey everyone, I also applied to USC's screenwriting MFA program -- was hoping to wake up to a notification email this morning (judging from previous years) but looks like we're in for a bit more of a wait. Best of luck to everyone!



Right? I wish. The band aid is always so slowly peeled when dealing with admission processes.


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 22, 2016)

Hey everyone

Talked to the school today.

No official word on a timetable for decision notification.


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 24, 2016)

-_______-

We'll. Looks like tomorrow is our day folks.


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## Tiffany Kontoyiannis (Feb 24, 2016)

Timothy Marc Hopper said:


> -_______-
> 
> We'll. Looks like tomorrow is our day folks.


I HOPE SO!


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## CReynes (Feb 25, 2016)

@Timothy Marc Hopper, How do you know it will be tomorrow?


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## Brawn Burgundy (Feb 25, 2016)

I second the whole "how are we sure it's tomorrow?" argument. Please, we need details!


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 25, 2016)

I guess my rain dancing did not work too well. Was hoping to Spartan our way out of purgatory by just declaring it would be the day. Maybe it is the Oscar's. 

Wonder if that is for the irony of "and the award goes too..."


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 25, 2016)

Name is Timothy Marc Hopper. Born and raised in Orange county. How about you all?

Former Marine and soon to be graduate from California Institute of the Arts with a Film/Video BFA

How about you all?


P.S.
How many times do you check your decision status in the day?

I think I am at about a few times an hour even during sleep


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## scriptgal16 (Feb 26, 2016)

Hey folks, 

Current MFA Screenwriting candidate here. Just wanted to offer my support and good vibes to you all. I know this is a crazy stressful time -- but I wouldn't fixate too much on when the notifications go out (impossible to predict). Know that you have a lot of people rooting for you, that a rejection letter shouldn't end your grad school aspirations (the faculty holds persistent candidates who reapply in high esteem), and as previously mentioned, the waitlist can remain open up until a week before the start of the fall semester. 

Try to funnel that anxiety during this home stretch into something creative, or at the very least, distracting. But above all, don't give up on your dreams. There are many paths to a fulfilling career and success in this industry. You never know which one will ultimately pay off.

May the force be with you!


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## Boe21 (Feb 26, 2016)

scriptgal16 said:


> Hey folks,
> 
> Current MFA Screenwriting candidate here. Just wanted to offer my support and good vibes to you all. I know this is a crazy stressful time -- but I wouldn't fixate too much on when the notifications go out (impossible to predict). Know that you have a lot of people rooting for you, that a rejection letter shouldn't end your grad school aspirations (the faculty holds persistent candidates who reapply in high esteem), and as previously mentioned, the waitlist can remain open up until a week before the start of the fall semester.
> 
> ...


Hi @scriptgal16 --

Was wondering if you could fill us in on what a typical day/week is like for you in the program? And whether or not you really feel that you are better equipped to make a career in the industry from having attended USC? Not just connections wise which I hear a lot, but in terms of becoming a better writer?


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## Boethius (Feb 26, 2016)

I spoke to someone at USC today. I was told to expect notifications for the writing MFA in mid-March. So... who's ready to wait a couple more weeks?


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## marzillanyu (Feb 26, 2016)

Hey Boethius, I am new and I wanted to ask you about the DW program interviews, because I email the school and they said the DW  program does not hold interviews and that decisions are solely based on portfolio materials.


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## panda (Feb 26, 2016)

Boethius said:


> I spoke to someone at USC today. I was told to expect notifications for the writing MFA in mid-March. So... who's ready to wait a couple more weeks?


I actually still believe some people will hear this weekend. Last year, _all applicants _heard by mid-March so it makes sense that that's the date they give out. Accepted applicants seem to hear earlier, then mid-March is when rejections and WL decisions go out (presumably, after accepted applicants have had some time to consider whether they'd like to take the offer).

On the other hand, they could very well have been overwhelmed by the number of applicants this year and mid-March is a true indicator.


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 26, 2016)

panda said:


> I actually still believe some people will hear this weekend. Last year, _all applicants _heard by mid-March so it makes sense that that's the date they give out. Accepted applicants seem to hear earlier, then mid-March is when rejections and WL decisions go out (presumably, after accepted applicants have had some time to consider whether they'd like to take the offer).




I'm all aboard this idea.


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## marzillanyu (Feb 26, 2016)

Glad you said the mid March thing! Makes sense!


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Feb 28, 2016)




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## marzillanyu (Feb 28, 2016)

Did anyone see the OSCARS?


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## Paul J. (Feb 28, 2016)

Dure did, though the time difference is slightly taxing. Starting my Monday with 2hrs of sleep. 

I was kind of wondering why no Oscar discussion on the boards, nor any theories of getting USC notifications during the Oscar weekend


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## FranklyMyDear (Feb 28, 2016)

Thought Fury Road's sweep of the art department + post-production Oscars (6!!!) indicated it would win one of the bigger awards (Director and/or Picture). Disappointed that momentum dried up after Best Editing. 

If an Oscar existed for "Movie Most Likely To Be Studied By Future Film Students," Fury Road would have won unanimously.


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## Paul J. (Feb 28, 2016)

The biggest surprise for me was Ex Machina's win in Visual Effects. I mean granted, the effects are well done and essential to the story but still. I was sure it would have been a duel between the old school feel of Mad Max and the epic scale of the new Star Wars.


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## marzillanyu (Feb 28, 2016)

Chris rock was shocking... well done! & Happy for Leo!


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## panda (Mar 4, 2016)

Check your emails! I just received my decision notification! ACCEPTED!

Over the last few weeks, I've re-read my application so many times that I thought for sure there was no way I would get in. Woke up to the most pleasant and shocking of surprises. Best of luck to everyone!


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## Matt Ramphele (Mar 4, 2016)

Hey kids. I'm an international student and I also got accepted for the program. Pending boring international documents (financial documents and passport).


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## CReynes (Mar 4, 2016)

Wow, congrats panda! I didn't receive a letter so it looks lIke I'll have to reapply next year. 

Best of luck to everyone!


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## panda (Mar 4, 2016)

CReynes said:


> Wow, congrats panda! I didn't receive a letter so it looks lIke I'll have to reapply next year.
> 
> Best of luck to everyone!


USC has been pretty weird this year with notifications, they could be sending out letters slowly. I guess we'll know as more people check their emails today.


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## kcrabb (Mar 4, 2016)

GOT MY EMAIL! THIS IS SURREAL! Good luck to all those still waiting... I know the pain.


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## ZSwriter (Mar 4, 2016)

Hey everyone! I have kind of been hiding in the shadows, but I received my USC acceptance today! SO exciting! Best of luck to everyone!


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## panda (Mar 5, 2016)

Received the email from the School of Cinematic Arts directly yesterday, but couldn't find it until this morning. For some reason it was filed away under the "Promotions" tab on my gmail. It contains a link similar to the "Intent to Enroll" from the general grad admissions office, but specific to SCA. Thought I'd post here in case others haven't been able to find this second email either.


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## Paul J. (Mar 5, 2016)

Congrats to all the screenwriters too! Any idea what the "intent to enroll" is? Is it not yet binding? At which point does the 500d fee come in play?


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## panda (Mar 5, 2016)

Paul J. said:


> Congrats to all the screenwriters too! Any idea what the "intent to enroll" is? Is it not yet binding? At which point does the 500d fee come in play?



I believe it's just so the graduate school admissions people can have an indication of who's intending to enroll in the fall. I already submitted it and it leads to the creation of your USC graduate school log-in and email, I think!


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## Paul J. (Mar 5, 2016)

So you paid the 500 dollar deposit at the same time? When and how does actual enrollment happen then?


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## panda (Mar 5, 2016)

Paul J. said:


> So you paid the 500 dollar deposit at the same time? When and how does actual enrollment happen then?



It might be different for the screenwriting program, but the deposit was through SCA rather than graduate admissions. I received one email from grad admissions that was very general with the Intent to Enroll link, and then another more specified from SCA with a link to accept and submit deposit.


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## Paul J. (Mar 6, 2016)

@panda Were you provided with your financial package before accepting or was it just a no-brainer so you pulled the trigger non the less?  I was surprised that no such info, tuition costs etc were absent from the acceptance letter. Maybe later via regular mail?


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 6, 2016)

Congrats everyone. 

Has anyone reviewed their rejection letters? Waiting list?


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## Point Break (Mar 6, 2016)

Paul J. said:


> @panda Were you provided with your financial package before accepting or was it just a no-brainer so you pulled the trigger non the less?  I was surprised that no such info, tuition costs etc were absent from the acceptance letter. Maybe later via regular mail?



Financial Aid is kind of a funny beast with USC. You'll receive any scholarship/fellowship offers with your official acceptance letter in the mail. Once you have your student login info, you can log into the financial aid website, USC FAST, but your scholarships/fellowships won't be applied to the system until right before the semester starts. 

All of the tuition numbers are estimates, since we pay by the unit and that price can change each semester. The only guarantee is that it will be as expensive as you think, but if you look past that it's still a very worthwhile experience. Hope that helps


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## Paul J. (Mar 6, 2016)

@Point Break thanks for the input! I am sure it's expensive. Then again it would be nice to see all the administration costs etc before committing. I attended the financial aid webinar and was actually surprised positivelly because the guestimates there were in the 30k (ish) range rather than 50k per year so... It could be worse?


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## panda (Mar 6, 2016)

Paul J. said:


> @panda Were you provided with your financial package before accepting or was it just a no-brainer so you pulled the trigger non the less?  I was surprised that no such info, tuition costs etc were absent from the acceptance letter. Maybe later via regular mail?



The latter.  I figured I'll make it work, though I'm of course still anxiously awaiting financial aid and scholarship information.


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 6, 2016)

Anyone else accepted receive their Physical acceptance letter package in the mail?


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## Matt Ramphele (Mar 8, 2016)

Hey Kids, more great news. I won the George Lucas Diversity scholarship


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## panda (Mar 8, 2016)

@Timothy Marc Hopper I finally did yesterday. @Matt Ramphele that's awesome! Did the notification come with the physical package? How did you find out?


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## Paul J. (Mar 8, 2016)

@Matt Ramphele Nice! Congrats! You will be having a tough decision on which school to pick. Any first thoughts? And echoing Panda's question on how you were informed. Won't be seeing my physical package for two weeks since I'll be in NYC for Columbia (and fun)


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## Matt Ramphele (Mar 8, 2016)

Well I live in South Africa, so it'll probably take a good couple of weeks to reach me . I just got an email.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 8, 2016)

CReynes said:


> I didn't receive a letter so it looks lIke I'll have to reapply next year.



Same here. Did you apply anywhere else? I still have hope with Columbia and AFI, since both asked to interview me, and neither has sent acceptances to writers yet 

But USC was always my dream school, so I'm super bummed, not going to lie...


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## WriterGirl (Mar 8, 2016)

Timothy Marc Hopper said:


> Has anyone reviewed their rejection letters? Waiting list?



Nope, but I'm sure we'll probably get them by next week, since they seem to have notified the "chosen ones" already


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 8, 2016)

WriterGirl said:


> Nope, but I'm sure we'll probably get them by next week, since they seem to have notified the "chosen ones" already



So apparently USC is saying they have not officially selected everyone and that people are finding out on a rolling basis. 

Their comments were there are Five professors in charge of this process and they each go through the stuff and then hand it off to another. So as they find out who is selected they will let them know. 

If there is a USC Representative some people i am sure would be happy to hear your voice


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 8, 2016)

***UPDATE***

A friend just informed me they called and talked with USC once again to find out more information

They have just made final decisions of final acceptances and rejections and waiting list and are processing them currently. They informed her we will find out by the end of this week latest. 

So there is still hope apparently for some of you out there. Unless this is a mean joke by the school.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 8, 2016)

Timothy Marc Hopper said:


> ***UPDATE***
> 
> A friend just informed me they called and talked with USC once again to find out more information
> 
> ...



I hope they are not cruel enough to make such a joke 

Thanks for the info!


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## FranklyMyDear (Mar 11, 2016)

Let me be the first:

Officially Rejected @ 2:28 AM, 3/11/16. Emailed to see decision letter posted on YouSC.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 11, 2016)

FranklyMyDear said:


> Let me be the first:
> 
> Officially Rejected @ 2:28 AM, 3/11/16. Emailed to see decision letter posted on YouSC.



Same here. Bummed, but can't say it was a surprise


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## nervouslurker (Mar 11, 2016)

Ditto


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## Donald (Mar 11, 2016)

Rejected from USC MFA Screenwriting. No email. I checked you.usc.edu.


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## Boethius (Mar 11, 2016)

Rejected as well.


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## marion06 (Mar 11, 2016)

Still waiting to hear back, but it's seems all notifications today were rejections... *sighs*


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## googoomuck (Mar 11, 2016)

Got mine too. Oh well.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 11, 2016)

I'm curious about those accepted: How many were first-time applicants and how many were re-applying? I'd love to know 

And congrats again!


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## panda (Mar 12, 2016)

WriterGirl said:


> I'm curious about those accepted: How many were first-time applicants and how many were re-applying? I'd love to know
> 
> And congrats again!



I'm a first-timer.


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## ZSwriter (Mar 12, 2016)

WriterGirl said:


> I'm curious about those accepted: How many were first-time applicants and how many were re-applying? I'd love to know
> 
> And congrats again!


Thank you! I'm also a first timer!


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## marion06 (Mar 12, 2016)

At this point I just want to get my USC rejection letter right now. I would be sad but it would be such a relief...
Congratulations for those who got in though! Make us proud!


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 12, 2016)

So people still have not received word at all?


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## marion06 (Mar 12, 2016)

@Timothy Marc Hopper Nope I am still waiting and a few other people are as well.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 12, 2016)

Timothy Marc Hopper said:


> So people still have not received word at all?



There's a lot of white still in the spreadsheet, which means people know nothing, unfortunately


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## marion06 (Mar 12, 2016)

@WriterGirl Do you have a link to that spreadsheet? The only one I could find was the one for people admitted/rejected last year.


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## WriterGirl (Mar 12, 2016)

marion06 said:


> @WriterGirl Do you have a link to that spreadsheet? The only one I could find was the one for people admitted/rejected last year.



It's the same one. Just switch tabs at the bottom for different years 
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-QPRZ-gc15WuHBmlxorJiTS1z-8vE-7uUttLDdxHtE0/edit#gid=0


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## marion06 (Mar 12, 2016)

@WriterGirl That makes so much sense thank you!


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## Timothy Marc Hopper (Mar 14, 2016)

Is there anyone out there who have not received an Acceptance, Rejection, Waiting list or any sort of notification from USC Screenwriting Department regarding your application? 

Apparently they are still sending out Acceptance, rejection, and waitinglist notifications. The lady at the front desk stated she was actually processing ACCEPTED application notifications.


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## marion06 (Mar 14, 2016)

@Timothy Marc Hopper I have been so impatient waiting to hear back from USC since some people received an email to check the portal while others got the notification on the portal first. I think I may be going crazy checking both every 5 minutes ^^


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## marion06 (Mar 16, 2016)

Still no letter posted on you.usc.edu but this appeared that weren't there before: After your letter is posted, we strongly recommend you save a PDF copy for your records. All decision letters will be removed from youSC the third week from the start of the term to which you have applied. Letter copies will not be available after this date under any circumstances.

Did you guys notice this not too long before you received notification?


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## OJNY (Mar 24, 2016)

Anyone still waiting to hear back?


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## MikeOD (Mar 24, 2016)

A little late to the party here, but I've yet to hear back from USC. I got an email back on the morning of the 11th telling me that a decision had been made and that it was available on you.usc.edu, but when I logged in it said my file was still under review.

I sent an email that day to the admission office, but I haven't heard anything back yet (the automated response did say that it could take a while). Anyone experiencing anything similar?


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## marion06 (Mar 25, 2016)

@MikeOD I am still waiting to hear back as well but haven't received anything at all. It is kind of weird how USC is rolling out decisions.


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## marion06 (Apr 9, 2016)

Anyone still waiting to hear back? I would feel a little better if I wasn't the only one ^^


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## BeautySchoolDropOut (Apr 9, 2016)

Hi all, Lurky McLurkerson here -- anybody know the tuition cost for next year? I'm getting conflicting reports, everything from 36k to 50k -- very confused!


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