# NEW: Application Tracking on FilmSchool.org



## Chris W (Dec 5, 2018)

A new version of the site launched today and one of the great new features is that *Application Tracking* is now built into the site. In previous years our wonderful users created *Google Spreadsheets* for the tracking and they were quite helpful. The new built in Application Tracking has some awesome new features that are just not possible with the Google sheets:

The ability to "watch" a Category (Fall 2019, etc...) and be *instantly* notified when a new Application is submitted.
The ability to "watch" an individual Application and be *instantly* notified when it is updated with new information such as interview dates or decisions.
The ability to reply and ask questions about an individual Application.
The ability to OPTIONALLY embed MUCH more material with an application such as essays, video links, etc. This will be hidden to the internet and Google so only site members can see it.
And maybe most importantly no random internet user can mess up the entire Spreadsheet anymore.  This should make a lot of people happy.
I hope everyone enjoys it and finds the new feature useful. If you have a suggestion on how to make it better please let me know. If you've added your application to this year's spreadhseet *please add it to the new tracking system here.*


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## Chris W (Dec 15, 2018)

Tabulated a ton of cool stats from the Application Tracker in this article:

Film School MFA Acceptance Rates, Minimum GPAs, Decision Dates, and more...

Enjoy!


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## Chris W (Jan 3, 2019)

Is there any new features or fields that should be added to the application tracker?

Not many people have used the application materials section yet. Any reason for that? Is there any wordage or anything in the "Add Application" page that is confusing and needs clarification?

I've made it that the GPA and test score information can only be seen by members who are logged into the site. Perhaps this will make more people comfortable with submitting that information.

If you have any more suggestions please let me know.


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## Chris W (Jan 5, 2019)

Added Undergraduate categories to the application tracker.  (and the few old applications that existed before on the Google sheet) Hopefully more people will add theirs.


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## Chris W (Jan 15, 2019)

Added some sample applications to show some of the new features of the new tracker....

Applied - SAMPLE MFA Application 2019

Applied - SAMPLE BA/BS Application 2019

If you have suggestions on how to improve it please let me know!


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## Chris W (Jan 16, 2019)

I added some new text and rearranged some of the fields to hopefully make everything more clear and easier to use on the add application page:

https://www.filmschool.org/applications/categories/fall-2019-ma-mfa.1/add

It's a new system and we're all learning the best way to use it. If you have ANY suggestions on how to make it even better PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I'm here to serve.


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## Shannon M Riley (Jan 17, 2019)

Personally, I found the excel spreadsheet much easier to use and more informative. Is it possible to maintain both? Or maybe have the information displayed in some sort of spreadsheet layout another way? Just a thought!


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## Chris W (Jan 17, 2019)

Shannon M Riley said:


> Personally, I found the excel spreadsheet much easier to use and more informative. Is it possible to maintain both? Or maybe have the information displayed in some sort of spreadsheet layout another way? Just a thought!


Thank you for your feedback. Improvements to the display of the applications on the site is coming as soon as that feature is ready. The tracker has even more information available than the spreadsheet but I agree it is currently harder to see the information in one glance.

I'm looking into adding the data in the main list view (dates etc) but that feature isn't ready yet. There's some growing pains now as I figure it out but in the long run it should be a lot better than the sheets.

Having people being instantly notified of any changes and not having any random person on the net being able to mess up the sheet is a HUGE plus. We had to fix it MANY times in the past.

New features are coming. Hopefully soon.


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## Chris W (Jan 17, 2019)

Shannon M Riley said:


> Is it possible to maintain both?


I've reopened the Google Sheet until feature parity on searching and displaying applications is achieved on the site.

*Please add your Applications to BOTH trackers *as in the future the built in tracker on the site will be WAY more useful and feature rich than the sheet.

Graduate Film School Applications 2019


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## Chris W (Jan 19, 2019)

I'm also happy to report that *ALL of the 1,420 Applications* from the Google Sheets 2015-2018 have been imported into the application tracker. HUGE THANK YOU to @Julie Lew and @Septopus7 for helping to import the old data. Very much appreciated!


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## Chris W (Jan 20, 2019)

1,528 Applications and counting! Add your applications as well so we have even more data to help others.


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## Chris W (Jan 31, 2019)

Chris W said:


> I'm looking into adding the data in the main list view (dates etc) but that feature isn't ready yet.



You can now see data in the list view of the Applications page. YAY!


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## Chris W (Jan 31, 2019)

Shannon M Riley said:


> Or maybe have the information displayed in some sort of spreadsheet layout another way? Just a thought!


You can now see all of the important data in the list view.


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## Chris W (Feb 13, 2019)

Added the dates and info to the search results. Just realized get weren't there. Sorry.


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## Chris W (Feb 22, 2019)

Any more suggestions on how the Application Tracker could be improved? Any more fields that I should add for people to enter information?


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## Chris W (Feb 24, 2019)

313 already in this year's tracker. 55 more to beat last year's total! Let's do it.






						Film School Application Database
					

A database of thousands of film school applications to calculate acceptance rates to film programs and the minimum GPAs, minimum SAT and GRE scores, experience of accepted applicants, and much more....



					www.filmschool.org
				




Also a friendly reminder to add your application materials to your application to help next year's applicants. (Only site members can see them and not general internet or the Google)

Good luck and congrats to everyone!


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## Chris W (Mar 6, 2019)

We now have more applications in the tracker for 2019 than 2018. Woohoo! Let's break the all time record.


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## Chris W (Mar 10, 2019)

Chris W said:


> We now have more applications in the tracker for 2019 than 2018. Woohoo! Let's break the all time record.


And now we're past the 2017 record! 2016 we're coming for you!


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## Chris W (Mar 16, 2019)

Wow guys! We officially have the most applications for a school year ever on the site!





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						Fall 2019 (MA/MFA)
					

MA/MFA Applications for the Fall 2019 application period.



					www.filmschool.org
				




The more data the better! Glad everyone is enjoying the new feature!


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## Operator (Mar 16, 2019)

Chris W said:


> Is there any new features or fields that should be added to the application tracker?
> 
> Not many people have used the application materials section yet. Any reason for that? Is there any wordage or anything in the "Add Application" page that is confusing and needs clarification?
> 
> ...



I'd like to know how long each person has been persuing this academically or on the side if they didn't have an undergrad major in film(basically what their experience level is). Might give a better understanding how much time should be dedicated to bettering your craft on your own before applying. For example, I only decided I wanted to do film for a living in August 2009 after I was medically discharged from the Army. Been working my ass off ever since.


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## Chris W (Mar 16, 2019)

Operator said:


> I'd like to know how long each person has been persuing this academically or on the side if they didn't have an undergrad major in film(basically what their experience level is). Might give a better understanding how much time should be dedicated to bettering your craft on your own before applying. For example, I only decided I wanted to do film for a living in August 2009 after I was medically discharged from the Army. Been working my ass off ever since.


Should a text field be added for it? I can make a "film experience" field? Is that the best wording?


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## Chris W (Mar 16, 2019)

Chris W said:


> Should a text field be added for it? I can make a "film experience" field? Is that the best wording?


Added "Film Experience" field. Let me know if I should change the wording.


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## Operator (Mar 17, 2019)

Chris W said:


> Added "Film Experience" field. Let me know if I should change the wording.


Sounds good to me...what about an "Accepted/Deferred" option as well...that will let people know there's an extra spot available for those who are waitlisted.


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## Chris W (Mar 17, 2019)

Operator said:


> Sounds good to me...what about an "Accepted/Deferred" option as well...that will let people know there's an extra spot available for those who are waitlisted.


Added "Admitted but Deferred" prefix.

Is that the correct wording?


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## Chris W (Mar 17, 2019)

Chris W said:


> Added "Admitted but Deferred" prefix.
> 
> Is that the correct wording?


Actually... Removed it for now. I think people knowing if people were accepted or denied after interview is good and that might be lost with this option. Let me think of how to best handle this.


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## Chris W (Apr 1, 2019)

Only 13 more applications to break through the 500 barrier for 2019! Come on guys! Submit those applications!


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## Chris W (Apr 5, 2019)

And we just broke through 500 Applications for 2019! Awesome!


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## Septopus7 (Apr 14, 2019)

Chiming in because I realize this is something I could use now: could we not just make labels that say "Declined Admission After Interview" or "Declined Admission Without Interview," so that we can still have the option to see whether or not people interviewed AND what people ultimately did with their acceptance choices? I feel the latter can be super helpful too, especially for people who might be waitlisted at the same programs and wondering if spots will be opening up.


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## Chris W (Apr 14, 2019)

Septopus7 said:


> Chiming in because I realize this is something I could use now: could we not just make labels that say "Declined Admission After Interview" or "Declined Admission Without Interview," so that we can still have the option to see whether or not people interviewed AND what people ultimately did with their acceptance choices? I feel the latter can be super helpful too, especially for people who might be waitlisted at the same programs and wondering if spots will be opening up.


Done.


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## Operator (Apr 14, 2019)

Is there anyway to sort the applications by school when we're searching through them?


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## Chris W (Apr 14, 2019)

Operator said:


> Is there anyway to sort the applications by school when we're searching through them?


That feature is hopefully coming soon as I paid for it's development.

In the meantime advanced search is what to use.


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## Chris W (May 3, 2019)

Operator said:


> Is there anyway to sort the applications by school when we're searching through them?


This feature has been implemented. 

It is now possible to sort by school using the new filter system. You must be in the appropriate Graduate or Undergraduate category for the program filters to show up.

For example here is all the AFI Screenwriting Applications:





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						Graduate Film School Applications
					

Film School Application Tracker for MFA film programs such as AFI, Chapman, NYU Tisch, UCLA, and USC. See notes about the application process, decision dates, accepted GPAs, test scores, and portfolios.



					www.filmschool.org
				




Here is all the 2019 USC Screenwriting Applications sorted by Decision Notification date:





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						Fall 2019 (MA/MFA)
					

MA/MFA Applications for the Fall 2019 application period.



					www.filmschool.org
				




Here is all the admitted USC Screenwriting Applications:





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						Graduate Film School Applications
					

Film School Application Tracker for MFA film programs such as AFI, Chapman, NYU Tisch, UCLA, and USC. See notes about the application process, decision dates, accepted GPAs, test scores, and portfolios.



					www.filmschool.org
				




Here us all the admitted USC Screenwriting Applications sorted by GPA:





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						Graduate Film School Applications
					

Film School Application Tracker for MFA film programs such as AFI, Chapman, NYU Tisch, UCLA, and USC. See notes about the application process, decision dates, accepted GPAs, test scores, and portfolios.



					www.filmschool.org
				




Enjoy!


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