If you are considering film school for after you graduate, your post-secondary planning process should begin as early as high school…right now. Film schools are competitive and demanding; therefore, it's important to plan your high school courses accordingly. Some of the courses you will want to take include English/communications, creative arts and music to ensure that you are well prepared for the schools and programs that make your list. If you are applying to a more technical program (in, say, lighting, sound recording, etc.), then math and computer courses are also beneficial, and sometimes required.
If you are still in high school and are thinking about applying to film school, there are several additional things that you can do to prepare and increase your chances of being accepted:
If the program requires an audition or portfolio of creative work, remember that these represent you to a school. You can practice your skills by participating in a photography or video club at your high school, and your community may also have similar organizations or local contests you can get involved in.
Consider attending a summer or spring break arts camp to develop your skills and expand your knowledge of possible fields of study. This will also show your seriousness and maturity.
Undertake to read and study independently. This is a good way to develop interests, expand your knowledge and improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills needed for film school. This will also help you if admission requirements include an interview, since you will be able to impress the committee with the knowledge you have built up of terms and issues specific to this area of study.
Validating your interest by volunteering and providing direct service to arts-based activities in your community is another good way to demonstrate your commitment and can make a difference to your being accepted into this competitive field.
Consider how you can develop leadership skills while you are still in high school. Admissions committees value applicants who can demonstrate leadership potential, so you might want to consider joining--or even starting--school clubs, volunteer programs, or getting a summer job, whether related to you desired field of study or not.
Engineering: Mechatronics
The bachelor of science in engineering focuses on mechatronics and is the study of the synergistic use of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering that produces "smart" products from the Mars Rover to a desktop printer. Identified by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as one of 10 emerging technologies most likely to be highly influential in the near future, Vaughn is the only college in New York to offer this in-demand degree.The rigorous programs has several objectives: It will provide a link between academia and ... [more]
