The prestige of the film school was the main drawing-in factor for me. I'd always known the school to be one of the best film schools in the country, hence my enthusiasm to apply. I didn't believe it when I got in but I am grateful I did.
Course Curriculum :
I thought it was great to get a bearing on how to craft a story and realize it from start to finish. I think a more business-centric required curriculum would be helpful. There are a few classes available on pitching on distribution, but none are needed for a degree.
Exams :
I took the SAT and scored in 1800. I didn't take any other tests within the list.
Placement :
The placements and job opportunities are fairly okay! I was able to earn a few interviews and jobs through the USC and SCA job boards, and SCA First Jobs. They have many opportunities for students and recent grads, which I'm grateful for.
Internship :
They require internships and require you to pay for a class in order to receive credit. Not the best system to be down $5000 for an unpaid internship, but that's the system in line, so ah well. C'est la vie.
Events :
There were musical and cultural events surrounding the beginning and end of semesters, as well as sporting events and holidays. A fair amount of events to choose from on a weekly basis, and often free.
Fees :
It was fairly expensive. About $250,000 for all four years, not including housing, I believe. Each unit was $2000 when I was there.
Scholarship :
I applied for scholarships and grants both inside and outside of the university and was lucky enough to cover about 75% of my tuition.
Examination Structure :
I'm not well-versed in the exam structure, as a liberal arts student with no post-grad aspirations. As such, I didn't take any exams outside of what each particular class required of me. In those cases, exams were straight forward essays in Blue Books.
Faculty :
I believe many of the faculty members are intelligent, kind, and generous, open to the ideas of the students and supporting them outside of the curriculum (e.g. emotionally) as needed.
Hostel :
I had a different residence for each of my years at USC, and perhaps enjoyed the non-USC managed apartment in my last year the most, but management around USC is a bit dicey. University housing is expensive, but the RAs were nice and the proximity was great.
