# USC/UCLA grad students and prospective students profile



## cowfeet (Sep 13, 2010)

Hi, all. I'm in the process of applying to grad schools, as I'm sure most of you are. I just have a few questions about people who have gotten into USC/UCLA or those who are trying to get in:

What was/is your undergrad GPA? (I can't seem to find posts about this. I'm wondering how important it is).

Are you coming straight out of undergrad or from working in the field?

How much work experience/internships do you have?

What kind of extracurriculars were you involved in?

These questions don't particularly apply to film, per say, but I know if I am interested, then others out there are as well.


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## Marisah (Sep 13, 2010)

Hey cowfeet, welcome!

I'm currently in my first semester in Production at USC so I'll do best to answer.

1) My undergrad GPA was 3.85, but honestly GPA is not going to be a big factor especially in Production programs (as opposed to Stark for example).

2) I took a year and a half between undergrad and grad.  During that time I worked retail, also temporarily at the Seattle International Film Festival, and did a show as a Stage Manager at a Children's Theater.  But primarily I figured out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and then applied to film schools.  In my class we have quite a mix of people, from straight out of undergrad all the way up to people ten or more years out.

3) Coming into USC I had zero experience in film.  Just a few behind the scenes theater things.  Again, my class has a range of experiences, but I'm not only one that had never touched a camera.  On the other hand, we have people who have worked on/directed multiple shorts as well.

4) Extracurricular wise I was a Pre-Med Society officer (I was pre-med up until a semester before I graduated, thus the year and a half figuring out my life).  I was also a member of the Wind Symphony for a couple of years.

Hopefully that helps a bit.  I think the most important thing in your application is to know why film is the only thing you can do with your life and convey that passion.  All of your past experiences make you who you are so no matter your GPA, experience, internships, extracurriculars, etc. you're ability to tell stories is really what makes you stand out from the crowd.


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## cowfeet (Sep 13, 2010)

Thanks! Here's hoping I get more replies like yours! Hopefully I'll be in your area in a years time... hopefully.


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## Lvn (Sep 17, 2010)

I had a... 3.4 GPA. But yeah, I don`t think they give a ****, honestly.

I took 2 years off, did nothing. Literally. I mean, officially I did nothing, but I had huge breakthroughs in my personal life, which I guess I reflected onto the application. 

I wrote screenplays and was at a Summer School in USC, but that was it. 

Extracurriculars... Nothing, really. I`m an introvert, man, I don`t do that stuff. 

So, don`t stress it out, really. As long as you`re good at it, you`re good at it. People are very eclectic, stand-up comedians, slam-poet artists, novelists... You are who you are, so show`em that.


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