creeplin

I have been accepted into MA programs at NYU, University of Chicago (MAPH), and Chapman Univeristy. I was hoping for a PhD program in Film/Cinema Studies, so I have no idea what my decision is going to be as of now. NYU is extremely expensive, so I've all but scratched it off my list. Any Tisch enthusiasts should feel free to defend why I should go $100K into debt for a NYU MA. MAPH is odd in that it is a 1-year program that is also not film-specific.The shorter nature of the program appeals to me since I am eager begin my PhD; however, I worry about accumulating so much student debt in such a short amount of time. I also worry that a general 1-year degree in "humanities" will not be enough time/work for me to impress Film PhD programs when I reapply. Chapman is obviously smaller and less expensive, but would be a big move for me. Is there anyone out there who completed the Cinema Studies MA at Chapman? What did you think and where are you now? I would appreciate any thoughts or advice as I'm struggling with this choice!

I was offered admission to MAPH without funding, and I would also like some feedback about MAPH. I applied to many schools this year, hoping to be admitted to a PhD program in Film/Cinema Studies, but I have only been accepted into MA programs at NYU, University of Chicago, and Chapman Univeristy. Here's how I feel about each: 1. University of Chicago, MAPH - I am shocked and grateful to be accepted into such a great school, but at $50k for a 1-year program, I'm struggling to decide. The shorter nature of the program appeals to me since I am eager begin my PhD; however, I worry about accumulating so much student debt in such a short amount of time. I am also concerned that a 1-year degree will not be enough time/work for me to impress PhD programs, though papelpicado's response made me feel somewhat better about post-MAPH prospects. 2. NYU, Cinema Studies MA - Again, great school, but sooo expensive. Tuition alone is enough to make me want to scratch NYU off my list, plus I suspect Chicago would be a better fit of the two. 3. Chapman University, Cinema Studies MA - Still waiting to hear about funding, but obviously much cheaper than the first two schools (the cost of this 2-year program would be less than Chicago's 1-year MAPH). Is there anyone out there who completed the Cinema Studies MA at Chapman? What did you think and where are you now? Any advice or thoughts about these schools (esp Chicago and Chapman) would really help me as I'm struggling to make a decision. There's also the possibility of declining all offers and re-applying next year, but... oy, that sounds more exhausting than going back to school.

I am in the process of applying to 7 schools for Film Studies/Cinema/Media/Screen Cultures/Comm/etc. I took the GRE a few years ago, but the scoring was different back then, so I'm going to try for a better score in mid-October. The basic info on my applications are filled out, transcript and CV uploaded, and 2 of the 3 recommendation letters are good to go. Right now, I am focusing on fine-tuning my writing sample and statement of purpose. I could use some general advice about the statement of purpose. In its current form, my statement includes my specific interests and future work, but it's still more general than specific. I also briefly addressed what I thought were weaker points in my application (GPA, lack of published work) but did not dwell on them. I'm wondering if it is a good idea to address these points at all, or just focus on my strengths? I'm also curious how much past experience I should be including. I don't want to be redundant when they have my transcript, CV, etc. I would appreciate any advice!