u/AnyEconomics6226

A) Go to a meh film school or not, but live in the city by yourself within walking distance of sets, studios, productions, and other filmmakers and hustle your way into whatever filmmaking role or emphasis you want?

OR

B) Go to a film school with a significantly stronger program for your specific emphasis, but live an hour away from the city, commute at least 30 minutes to school without traffic, live with your parents, and have to drive everywhere (not Uber) whenever you want to get to a set, production, networking event, or industry opportunity?

I'm an incoming Film, Television & Digital Media freshman in cinematography, and my NSO is on August 4-5. I've been trying to figure out my schedule before orientation, but I'm honestly getting overwhelmed with all the GE requirements since I don't have high school friends going there to ask for help. FYI, I did not take a lot of APs; I only have a 4 on APES and 4 on Calc AB.

I've spent a lot of time looking through classes on DARS, Reddit, and Bruinwalk, and I've found a few that seem popular or easier, like DESMA 7, COM LIT 1E, LING 1, LING 3, MUSCLG 5, MUSCLG 7, LIFE 15, GEOG 5, PHYSCI 5, STATS 10, and STATS 15. The problem is I have no idea which ones I should actually prioritize. Should I be trying to knock out my Arts & Humanities GEs first, or focus on Scientific Inquiry? Right now I still need 5 Arts & Humanities, 3 Society & Culture, and 2 Scientific Inquiry GEs.

And tbh, I am not really into history or literature allat, so I'd rather take GEs that overlap with my interests in business, entrepreneurship, technology, media, or data if possible. If I end up pursuing a business-related minor like accounting, entrepreneurship, or sports management, are there any GEs that could double as useful prerequisites or at least be more relevant?

I also looked into the Cluster Program like Cluster 10A,B,CW - Data, Justice, and Society or Cluster 55A,B,CW - Innovation & Society, but those ones where I was interested in already show as closed. Do they usually open more seats for incoming freshmen during NSO enrollment, or are the remaining spots pretty much all that's left?

Genuinely didn't expect there to be this many GEs, and I ain't tryna waste time taking classes that is some bs. I'd really appreciate any advice, thanks.

https://preview.redd.it/j8cy7rqjaoch1.png?width=828&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f27ae780e9d5aae9465f6833f6389aae1e01bec

I’m an incoming freshman from California majoring in Film & TV Production, mainly interested in cinematography and possibly producing. I originally committed to Chapman, but recently got off the UCLA waitlist, and now I’m really torn between the two.

Cost-wise, they’re actually pretty similar for me. I’d be paying around $20k or less for either school after aid/expenses in Chapman while UCLA might be a bit less given it’s a public school. The difference is that at Chapman I’d commute from Diamond Bar (around 30 mins away), while at UCLA I’d be dorming.

From what I’ve researched, Chapman’s film program seems more practical and hands-on, while UCLA seems stronger in overall education, reputation, and networking. I definitely value access to equipment/resources, but I’ve also always wanted the bigger college/social experience that UCLA offers. Being in LA also seems like a huge advantage for internships, sets, and connections.

Another thing is flexibility. If I ever wanted to pivot into something business-related or outside film, UCLA feels stronger because of the overall academic environment and network. At Chapman, I’d basically be fully locked into the film bubble.

What’s making this difficult is that when I interviewed for UCLA TFT before getting in, I specifically asked about hands-on production opportunities and cinematography training. The answers felt vague, and they emphasized that it’s a BA program. Looking at student work online, some of it also feels a little more theory-driven. Meanwhile, Chapman’s student productions are super polished and industry-focused, even if sometimes they feel less personal/meaningful creatively.

Post-grad preparation is another thing I’m thinking about. I’ve heard Chapman pushes internships really early (even sophomore year), which helps students get real-world experience fast, and they’re apparently integrating AI tools into the curriculum too. On the other hand, UCLA seems more self-driven when it comes to finding internships, and the first couple years are heavier on GE/theory before fully diving into production.

So now I’m wondering: should I prioritize getting stronger fundamentals and broader growth at UCLA, or go with Chapman’s more specialized, career-ready program? Is UCLA’s program more theoretical than practical, or is that overstated?

What’s also interesting is the reactions I’ve gotten from people:

- Friends/family who aren’t in film immediately say “UCLA easily.”

- Directors/cinematographers I’ve talked to (like Warren Fu and Roman Cortes) didn’t give a definitive answer, but leaned a little more toward Chapman if tuition isn’t the issue.

At this point, UCLA is really tempting because of the reputation, social life, and personal growth aspect, but Chapman honestly feels more advanced and work-ready specifically for film production.

What would you choose and why?