# Applying for a MFA in Directing. (HELP!)



## pnrt7 (Jun 8, 2012)

Hello, I'm finishing my Bachelor's Degree in April, 2013 at the Miami Dade College, and I am planning to go to California to do a MFA in Directing. I talked to some teachers and they told me that is really hard to get in to the top universities, but they still encouraged me to do it. So my plan is to apply to many different universities just in case I am not accepted in one of them. The schools that I am applying are: 

USC
UCLA
AFI Conservatory
Loyola Marymount University
Chapman University
California Institute of the Arts
and New York Film Academy that the MFA program is offered in Universal Studios (Hollywood).

In my reel I have only 4 short films. I've never shot a feature film since the Miami Dade College does not provide that in the curriculum of the classes, but my GPA is 3.53. 
I also have a feature film script ready to shoot, and some other short film script.
In my work experience I worked as an editor on a local TV channel in West Palm Beach, and I am currently a TV PRODUCER at GolTV.

I wanted to know, if that would be a enough to be accepted at the top film universities as USC, UCLA, and AFI, because I heard that people that are accepted they have more than 15 years of experience working in the industry.
Any word from any current student of any of those schools will be really helpful just to get an idea where I really am.

Thank you all!


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## pnrt7 (Jun 11, 2012)

Thanks a lot for the info and the support.


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## yonkondy (Jun 11, 2012)

I'm going to echo what Kaschko said.

Additionally, many of the big schools look for creative potential and intelligence. They can teach you how to do everything else -- haha.

And if you don't get into the super-elite ones, Chapman is very good anymore and Cal Arts is as well!

Good luck!


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## Che Gray (Jun 12, 2012)

@pnrt7 yeah if I were you I wouldn't worry about a thing in terms of competing with people with 15 years experience. I just left my undergrad and I was still competitive enough get into USC and NYU. It's all about your drive and your potential. The three schools I applied to were AFI, NYU, USC. I didn't get into AFI and it's true that their candidates are much older (average age 27) but it is not possible to get into AFI at my age (experience does trump the potential factor when it comes to AFI though). I had two short films and one feature length script under my belt so I'm certainly not considered someone with experience. I hope this makes you feel better. just go for it you might not believe me now but you'd be surprised, anything is possible.


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## Che Gray (Jun 12, 2012)

*sorry I meant it's not impossible


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