# Any Screenwriters Applying to Northwestern?



## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## Justin18

Farhan, 

  For Northwestern's application, they require a one-page statement about a project you'd like to pursue while in the Writing for Screen and Stage program.

  I want to write about a screenplay I've been working on. I'm about 1/2 done with it, and would write about how NW's program could help in terms of feedback adn critiques.

  Would you recommend writing about a work-in-progress for this assignement, or would it be better to write about a new project that I'd like to tackle in NW's program?


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## Filipe

Hey Justin,
I'm also aplying for NW and I wrote about a work in progress. I guess the important thing is your potential rather than if you're actually going to pursue it during the course or not.
Cheers!


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## Justin18

Hey Filipe, 

  Yeah, that's good advice. I mailed my materials on Saturday, and went with the new project just because I had used my work-in-progress for the writing sample, and alluded to it in my resume and statement of purpose. So I didn't want to come off like I only had one idea. Right now, I'm more committed to my work-in-progress.  But you're right, things like potential, creativity, and the ability to articulate your ideas in an interesting manner are more important than the amount of time that you actually want to contribute to a specific project.     

Best wishes. Maybe I'll see you in Evanston next fall.


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## Filipe

Great! Where eles are you applying to?


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## Andriy Pryymachenko

Pardon my ignorance, but what is "Northwestern"?


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## Filipe

Northwestern University, in Evaston, IL.


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## Justin18

AFI/USC/UCLA/Columbia U./Columbia C./ Florida St./Boston U./Loyola Marymount...but one 'yes' is all you need, right? 

Northwestern is appealing b/c of the tiny size of its graduate screenwriting program. I went to a small lib. arts college, and thoroughly enjoyed having small classes of like-minded, creative people. I'm itching to get back into that sort of creative community again.  I've taught all the English as a Second Language classes that I care to teach in a lifetime.

And you, Filipe?


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## Filipe

USC/NYU/Columbia/AFI/Northwestern, initially in that order of preference. However, as you said, one yes is enough to make me happy. =) 

Although small classes sound appealing to me, since I'm from aborad I think I'd like to have the more contact with people from the business as I can. That's why LA sounds interesting as well.

Cheers!


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## Filipe

By the way, do you know if they have interviews?


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## Justin18

Based on what I've read in other threads, Northwestern does have interviews, but you're able to do them via video conferencing.


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## Jayimess

> Originally posted by Justin18:
> AFI/USC/UCLA/Columbia U./Columbia C./ Florida St./Boston U./Loyola Marymount...but one 'yes' is all you need, right?
> 
> Northwestern is appealing b/c of the tiny size of its graduate screenwriting program. I went to a small lib. arts college, and thoroughly enjoyed having small classes of like-minded, creative people. I'm itching to get back into that sort of creative community again.  I've taught all the English as a Second Language classes that I care to teach in a lifetime.
> 
> And you, Filipe?



Just for the record, all of your programs will provide small, creative classes of love and fuzzies and constructive criticism.  The largest writing workshop I've had at USC was 7 students, non-workshop writing 15.  Our class is just 30 students.  At AFI, there are only 28 screenwriting students, split among their classes.

I went to a small, tiny school...our film department had only eight committed students...five of us are now in LA, because the limited choice of nears and dears connected us deeply both professionally and personally.

There is inimitable joy in being surrounded by people trying to do exactly what you are, in so many different approaches.  The praise holds more weight, too.

Film school is bliss.  Pure and simple.


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## FarhanAli

> Originally posted by Justin18:
> Farhan,
> 
> For Northwestern's application, they require a one-page statement about a project you'd like to pursue while in the Writing for Screen and Stage program.
> 
> I want to write about a screenplay I've been working on. I'm about 1/2 done with it, and would write about how NW's program could help in terms of feedback adn critiques.
> 
> Would you recommend writing about a work-in-progress for this assignement, or would it be better to write about a new project that I'd like to tackle in NW's program?



Hi Justin,

So sorry for the late reply. I completely forgot that I posted this. I know the deadline has already passed, but either way you should be fine. I wrote about a project that I hadn't previously written about and I know others wrote about things that they had worked on. It's all gravy as long as you pick something interesting 

They're basically looking to see if you're a thoughtful person with good ideas and potential.

Good luck with your application!


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## FarhanAli

> Originally posted by Andriy Pryymachenko:
> Pardon my ignorance, but what is "Northwestern"?



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_University


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## Justin18

Well that's inspiring to know that even at the larger universities, grad screenwriting programs are on the smaller side.  It sounds like the personal attention is there in terms of feedback from professors and other students.

Also comforting to know that the grad screenwriting admissions committees are essentially looking for interesting and thoughtful pieces of creating writing that show potential.  Too many times, I've thought my own writing, especially for admissions pieces, needs to be almost super-human in order to be "good." But Farhan's advice reminds me of a quote by Confucius...

'The tao is not far from man. Where someone takes as tao something distant from man, it cannot be the tao.'


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## thegreenwallpaper

has anyone heard from northwestern yet regarding an interview ?


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## Filipe

Not me...


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## thegreenwallpaper

me neither.


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## jmarie6287

so i definitely started a new thread for this by accident; anyway, i was contacted today via email about setting up an interview for next week! any news from you guys?


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## azuernd

I got the e-mail about an hour ago, same thing. Let the nervous waiting commence!


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## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## jmarie6287

ha tell me about it! i'm nervous but pretty excited to have gotten an interview!


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## azuernd

it's totally pathetic that i'm thinking like this, but i've been considering the math ”” trying to figure out how many people are getting interviews. 
the e-mail said that interviews will take about 20 minutes apiece, and that they can be scheduled for tuesday (somewhere between 10-2:30) or the following monday (between 10-5). factoring in 10 minutes of buffer time in case each interview runs long, that leaves time for approximately 25 interviews. 
so assuming there's only one committee conducting the interviews, that's how many applicants are still in the running. 
taking this to an even higher level of paranoid absurdity, the faq on their website says northwestern accepts 12 students per year (6 for playwriting, 6 for screenwriting). so those still alive have about a 48 percent chance of being accepted overall (24 percent for each specialization).
i officially have no life.


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## jmarie6287

wow that's pretty intense lol. i've just spent my time worrying about what they're going to ask!


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## jmarie6287

hey, just wanted to let you all know that i just had my interview with northwestern. it was a video interview via skype. i was interviewed by a panel of three people. it was mildly awkward because they seemed a little hard to impress (and i'm generally just a bumbling idiot). but they did seem to like the fact that i already had some screenwriting experience.

one thing they stressed was the playwriting aspect of the program (even though i told them i was more interested in screenwriting). perhaps i disappointed them when i said i had no playwriting experience. 

oh well, it's done. and now, i wait.


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## Norsewriter

Do they interview all of the people they end up accepting?


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## jmarie6287

you know, i'm actually not 100% sure but i'm fairly certain that an interview is a required step on the road to acceptance. i could definitely be wrong, however.


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## SimAlex

@jmarie: I'm not applying to N'Western, but that is COOL that you did your interview via Skype.


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## jmarie6287

haha i know; it was all very bizarre. they said that a video interview gives them a "better feel for the candidates" and what not. i wore a nice top, and sweatpants! haha, i was half-worried that i'd have to stand up in the middle of the interview, but luckily that didn't happen.


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## Sonia

Sweatpants! You're hilarious.


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## jmarie6287

geez i should hang around this forum more often. hilarious eh? haha, sonia did you apply to northwestern?


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## Sonia

I did. I've neither been offered an interview nor rejected, yet.

I hope your interview went well! Fingers crossed (in the "good luck" way, not in the "I'm lying" way””I recently mixed those up) for all of us.


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## jmarie6287

hmm, well maybe they don't actually interview everyone they accept. i've applied to so many programs that i can't even keep them straight anymore. 

i got your fingers crossed reference, although i think it's funny that you mixed them up. if you meant it in the lying way, would you ever actually vocalize that to someone? lol, sorry i'm just thinking out loud...or in type, rather.


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## Sonia

Good point. I'm not that great at talking.


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## Merkin Muffley

How many people, who check these forums, applied to Northwestern? If so, did you have an interview?


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## Sonia

I applied. They haven't asked me to interview. I haven't heard anything from them.


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## jmarie6287

hey, as you can probably see, i applied and had an interview with them last tuesday. haven't heard anything else.


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## thegreenwallpaper

I applied, no interview yet, no update on my online application.


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## Quad

I also applied ... no interview offered, no update to my online application.  (Perhaps, given the forum, this is an odd question): Did everybody who received an interview designate themselves as a screenwriter in their application?  Is there any indication that the pool from which the 6 playwrights will be chosen has, similarly, been contacted?


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## Sonia

I don't remember the application form very well. Was there a spot to say whether you're interested in screenwriting or playwriting? If there was, I must have chosen screenwriting.


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## Quad

I vaguely remember a place to designate Playwriting/Screenwriting, though at this point I could easily be confusing NW's application with another.


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## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## thegreenwallpaper

I think I do rem. that being on there.  I chose screenwriting.


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## Merkin Muffley

I don't remember whether or not there was a place to designate my preference, but my materials (writing samples, statement of purpose, etc.) indicated Screenwriting as my choice.

My interview was on Monday and as far as I know there were only two interview dates scheduled, at least for now.


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## thegreenwallpaper

Looking back at the forums from last year, it looks like people were still getting interviews well into late March.


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## Sonia

Thanks for the reassurance, gw.


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## thegreenwallpaper

No probs ; )


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## Quad

How pathetic that I'll sleep better tonight.  Thank you for that!


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## thegreenwallpaper

Well good!  I think this process has just started.  Imagine how much they have to read just to get through one person...


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## FarhanAli

Hey guys,

Congrats to those that have already received interviews. Don't worry if you haven't been asked to schedule one yet.Some current students said that they received requests later than others. 

Also, don't sweat it too much if you feel like you're interview went so-so. I'm always extremely confident after an interview, and I felt like I blew it after I had mine via video conferencing. They're very good at keeping a "poker face". 

Don't get too down about the theatre thing. I'm also primarily a screenwriter, and bumbled around a bit when they me about plays. I still got it.

Let me know if you all have any questions.


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## thegreenwallpaper

Thanks SO MUCH for letting us know all that!


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## FarhanAli

No problem!


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## Filipe

Any news? Anyone?


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## jmarie6287

nope, no news. i'm going CRAZY. i've pretty much given up hope on usc and ucla. grr, i swear i have gray hair now.


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## Filipe

Why are you giving up? USC has just started send out decisions! I don't know about UCLA but I'm sure you still got plenty of chance.

Hang in there! =)

For the record, I've applied for 5 schools, I've only heard from AFI so far. And it was today.

My hopes are high up! =)


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## jmarie6287

that's true...i guess i'm just pessimistic about this whole thing! i applied to a good amount of schools and the only one i've heard back from is nyu (which was fine, i didn't apply for writing)...ahhh i'm going to go crazy.


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## FarhanAli

In class yesterday, one of the students asked our teacher if they had selected any students yet and she said no. I found out right before Spring Break of senior year, so some of you should be finding out pretty soon. One person told me that they found out in July. 

Remember to check online if your decision has been made. Apparently my decision was online for a week before I realized it, and there wasn't any notification sent to my inbox till much later.


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## Sonia

Thanks for the info! There's a lot of confusion on the board (especially the  USC thread right now) about which schools even update their applicants' online info, and about how much stock we can put into whatever we see there. 

Now I get to add Northwestern's site to my "obsessively refresh this" list.


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## FarhanAli

No problem...I remember how not fun this part of the process was. Good luck!


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## Filipe

Fun???

Well, maybe when I look back at it it'll be fun. =)

Thanks a lot for the input, Farhan.

Sonia, were you interviewed yet?


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## Sonia

No, I wasn't invited to interview. So I'm not exactly on the edge of my seat. How about you?


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## jmarie6287

I JUST GOT IN TO NORTHWESTERN!!!!


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## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## Merkin Muffley

Congratulations! How did you find out?


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## jmarie6287

i just randomly decided to check my status on their page and it said a decision had been made...i was soo nervous as i clicked on it but it gives me the standard acceptance letter...i'm kind of in shock actually.


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## Merkin Muffley

That is awesome. I have been checking my status about twice a day, but still no change. I hope to find out soon. Getting accepted to at least one program would help me sleep better at night.


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## Sonia

Congratulations, JMarie! I'm so glad! And you should totally start calling the sweatpants you wore during your interview your 'lucky' sweatpants.


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## Filipe

Hey Sonia, I haven't heard anything from Northwestern yet.

And jmarie, I told you not to lose your hopes! =)

Congrats!


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## Filipe

Hey Farhan,

do you ahppen to know if they interview ALL applicants they accept? Has anyone been accepted without an interview?


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## jmarie6287

thank you guys! and sonia, i am already a big supporter of wearing sweatpants (college much?) but yeah, these are quite lucky i guess lol.


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## FarhanAli

> Originally posted by Filipe:
> Hey Farhan,
> 
> do you ahppen to know if they interview ALL applicants they accept? Has anyone been accepted without an interview?



Hi Filipe,

As far as I know, all twelve of us were interviewed. That being said, not all of us were interviewed at the same time. Some received requests to be interviewed much later. But who knows, maybe they won't interview all the people they accept this year. 

Jmarie, congrats on getting in! Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about Northwestern or Evanston.


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## Filipe

Thanks Farhan... I won't lose my hopes just yet then. =)


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## Filipe

Anything? Anyone?


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## Quad

Not a sausage.


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## Filipe

Good to know I'm not alone, Quad!


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## Maliz

I applied to Northwestern also and I havenÂ´t received or heard anything about them or about USC...
IÂ´m starting to feel a little desperate.


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## Filipe

Please, don't. We're together in this. Last year people started hearing back in April. It's still the beginning of March!

Keep your hopes up!


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## Maliz

Thanks! I will keep my hopes up! 
I only applied to USC, Northwestern and Boston University!


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## Merkin Muffley

Has anyone, besides jmarie, been excepted or rejected yet?


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## Sonia

Still in limbo.


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## Filipe

Ditto.

Sonia, if you get into Northwestern, can you leave your spot for me? You already have USC!


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## Sonia

Haha. Absolutely I will.


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## Filipe

Guys,

this might cheer you up. I sent an e-mail today (I'm sorry, I couldn't help it) asking if all decision had laready been made. Here's the answer:

"We're still in the process of making decisions. Continue checking the 
online application for any changes in your applicant status."

Now, could someone tell me the address to check it? I haven't had access to my online application.

Good luck to you all!


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## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## Sonia

https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=NWU-GRAD

You need your PIN and password, which you should have received when you started your account, in an email called "Online Account Information."

Once you log in and check, remember to click "Log Out" at the top right of the page. When I forget to log out it won't let me log in again before clearing my cache/restarting my browser.


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## Filipe

Thnaks, I'll ask the pin and password to IIE.

What does your status say at the moment, Sonia?


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## Sonia

Submitted. It hasn't changed since I applied.


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## Merkin Muffley

Thanks for letting us know, Filipe. Hopefully our statuses will change soon.

Congratulations Sonia. Are you pretty much set on attending USC or are you still weighing your options?


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## Maliz

Thanks for the info Filipe! 
This helps me to keep my hopes up!


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## Maliz

No word from Northwestern? A yes or a no?


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## Filipe

Nada...


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## Sonia

Nothing here.

Thanks, Merkin! USC was my favorite when I applied. I don't have much hope for UCLA or Columbia (I wasn't invited to interview at either), and Northwestern is obviously a mystery. So I'll send in my acceptance to USC after I visit in 2 weeks, unless something goes horribly awry.


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## Filipe

Sonia,

it's really great that you first heard about the school that is your first choice! Isn't it ironic?


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## Sonia

Definitely. Because of the non-response from the other schools I'd sort of given up on USC until I got the letter.


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## Neo999955

Hey all.

I applied to the program as well, and I've yet to hear anything any which way (nor have I been offered an interview).

So my expectations are pretty low, although I applied as a playwright, not a screenwriter, just to add some mix to the pool.

Congrats whomever has been accepted though.


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## Filipe

Besides jmarie (who apparently was already accepted), has ANYONE been interviewed???


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## Merkin Muffley

I had an interview but my status has not changed.

I think they may have chosen their 12 candidates and are waiting for responses. After that they will probably call upon other candidates to fill any remaining spots. I have no evidence to prove this, it is just speculation. 

I apologize in advance for any anxiety my hypothesis may cause.


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## Filipe

No need to apologize, Merkin.

I haven't been interviewed and at that point I don't think I will.

But good luck to you!


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## Neo999955

Anyone here anything either way? It is a evil system to leave everyone hanging, especially so many people they, presumably, have essentially decided not to admit.


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## Maliz

I called Northwestern two days ago and talked with Yolanda Hare. She told me that I would receive my admissions decision in May or June.


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## skipper

I e-mailed Yolanda this morning and she also told me that decisions would be made by May or June...which I honestly find a little ridiculous considering that they had the second earliest priority deadline of the school's I applied to...


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## Filipe

Hey guys,

I was called for an interview earlier this week. However, since I'm already committed to AFI, I'm not attending it.

So you guys still waiting: there's still hope! =)


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## monkeyfist

I'm done with Northwestern too. It is a ridiculous application process. Besides not hearing yes, no or maybe, they give no information when I call and e-mail. 

I too am committed to AFI, which, if nothing else, has a much more transparent application process.


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## Sonia

Anyone still waiting on Northwestern? I assumed I was rejected because my online status hasn't changed from "submitted" since I submitted it, and I wasn't asked to interview. But I got this email from Yolanda Hare (writing program assistant) today:

_Just writing to let you know that you remain in a limited pool of applicants under consideration should an opening occur in the MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage: Class of 2011.  Although we don't anticipate at this time that there will be any additional openings for the incoming class, if a place does in fact open up (which has happened in the past) we will be in touch._

So they've filled the class but want to keep people hanging until the first day, just in case someone doesn't show? Did they send out any rejections at all? I don't get it.

I guess I shouldn't care because I've already committed to USC, but I'm reeeally curious about the logic behind Northwestern's admissions process.


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## FarhanAli

If so, I'd be happy to answer any questions.


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## Jayimess

cah-ray-zee....


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## Merkin Muffley

I checked my status and was rejected on 5/29. I am going to AFI and stopped caring when I sent my deposit in April.


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## Simon Valencia

Question: where did anyone who got accepted go for BFA of any undergrad? I'm going to the University of Central Florida film school for their BFA program - chose it for the independent, borderline experimental feel - but I'm afraid that since it's not one of the better known schools (AFI, UCLA, NYU, Northwestern, USC, etc.) I may not get in to Northwestern for MFA. Thank you.


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## SimAlex

@Simon: I was a double major in journalism/history for undergrad. i got in to a few top-notch programs (not bragging, just giving context.) i don't think your undergrad background matters THAT much -- i think the quality of your portfolio is the biggest thing by far.


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## FarhanAli

It obviously helps open doors if you went to a top school, but ultimately it'll be your writing samples that will take you places. Not everyone in my class went to top schools.


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## Jayimess

Me and three of my classmates got into programs of varying disciplines at USC, AFI, UCLA, Chapman.

We went to Cleveland State University.  

I attend USC, and while I was certainly overwhelmed by the Ivy League credentials of many of my classmates, I also have plenty of classmates who went to schools as obscure as my own alma mater.

Undergrad universities do not determine whether or not you get into an MFA program, as Farhan mentioned.  Your ability and potential, coupled with your determination, are far more relevant.  

Best of luck!


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