# Is Columbia College Chicago really worth attending



## tlee8us (Feb 2, 2004)

I've heard some mixed reviews of Columbia College Chicago. I just wanted to know is the school worth going to for film?


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## tlee8us (Feb 2, 2004)

I've heard some mixed reviews of Columbia College Chicago. I just wanted to know is the school worth going to for film?


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## Trespasser (Feb 3, 2004)

Ok, I have been looking at this school very closely, and from what I've seen, and from what I've heard (I have 3 friends that go there), it is pretty good. Good in the sense that equipment-wise, they have got some very state of the art stuff. They have their own telecine lab which is great because you get your film processed very fast.  You can start Production 1 first semester and shoot with a 16mm bolex (and eventually sophomore year use Arri 16S cams). My friends that go there say getting the film cameras +accessories can be somewhat tedious (especially 1 or two weeks before project due dates). For being the biggest film school in the country, it has the right stuff. But to be honest, this school, well, how do I put this...there aren't a lot of...intelligent people. This is understandable because of their (practically) open-admission policy and 68% graduation rate. Now don't get me wrong, there are dedicated people there, but if you want to be a director, producer, or a director of photography, this school isn't the place to go. Columbia College has great majors in the cinematography and editing program, and getting jobs/internships is very easy. But if you want to shoot higher than a (assistant?) camera operator, or (assistant) editor, then the schools like NYU, USC, UCLA are the ones you should be looking at. 

Columbia College is very much like a trade school. All you will learn is film/other things about film (assuming that is what you want to major in film) and less and less films are being shot in Chicago because of financial reasons (super high taxes). If you want to aim higher and be a more well-rounded person, then Columbia College probably isn't for you. Then again,  it's all about how dedicated you are.


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