I was interested in going to Hofstra. I was in a communications magnet since 7th grade and I was looking to go into that for college. I got in, but I couldn’t afford Hofstra so I went to Maryland.
Congrats and good luck!
Good luck with you and Sofia. Fang, my oldest, has just started touring schools. We’ve seen:
[ul][li]NC State (my alma mater)[/li][li]Tennessee Tech[/li][li]Austin Peay State[/li][li]The Citadel[/ul][/li]Thankfully, he decided on his own that The Citadel was not a good match for him.
We still need to look at UT Knoxville and UT Martin.
It’s hard to believe in eighteen months Mrs Magill and I will be able to go back to a man-on-man defense.
Maus - What is Fang interested in studying? My niece got a scholarship to Tenn Tech. She loved the campus, but ended up going to Rose Hulman in Indiana. Rose was a very positive school experience for her. At graduation, I think 96% of the class had job contracts (she’s an engineer for Honda) or for a small percentage, accepted to grad school programs.
StG
Boy can I relate. I’m a 57 year-old cinematographer. Got my first steady gig as a camera operator while 17 and still in H.S. Been at it ever since.
I grew up in the suburbs of Philly and went to School of Visual Arts on E. 23rs St. in NYC. A few thoughts, and I invite you ( and/ or Sophia ) to PM me so we can have a conversation perhaps more nuanced than what is appropriate here.
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If she is intent on a degree, she has to to go to a school with working faculty, and by that I mean working IN THE FILM INDUSTRY currently. SVA had a policy back then, and I hope they still do, which demands that the instructors be working in their field, and teaching part-time. Keeps everyone very current. I think NYU does this to a degree.
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My college diploma, despite my parents’ insistence that I complete college because one day that degree would make the difference between my getting a gig and NOT getting a gig, has never gotten me a single day of work. You have to work in the industry to advance. It’s NOT academia. It’s a trade and an art. Now, I think that going to college is a good idea. I do. But expect that your daughter should be/ will be chasing opportunities on gigs in NYC nonstop, sometimes cutting classes, working summers etc. If she’s hungry enough, she’ll succeed at this.
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She’s fortunate that she’s doing this now. My wife is also in the business, she does Lighting. When she started, there were very few Electricians who were women. The industry is slowly changing and women find slots on crews in all departments. 'Bout time, I say.
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If she wants to be a Director, she should expect to get work as a Production Assistant for a few years WHILE trying to get work as a 2nd A.D., or 1st A.D. Being an Assistant Director is a good path. If she wants to Produce, she needs some time on set as well- it’s priceless. Nobody learns how to Produce a project by getting Starbucks orders for 2 years for the Production Office crew. You have to work long hours, get dirty, be tired, witness all of the departments at work. Then, when you move up to Associate Producer or Line Producer, you’ll not only understand what it means when the call sheet says, " EXT: Brooklyn Bridge. High School marching band + 1500 Extras, all waving Blue and Gold banners, slowly marches towards Manhattan ", but you’ll be able to do the job of planning that moment for the shoot. ( Side note: There are tons of “Making Of…” books out there. Most are gossipy garbage. A few are chock-a-block full of real-set anecdotes and good bits of information. I own a bunch of them. There’s no such thing as not enough background info on your job !! )
PM me please for some other conversation, and congrats !!! It’s a gloriously fun brutally hard immensely gratifying business. Also, filled with sharks and pigs and ne’er-do-wells. And with artists and mentors and lovers if creativity. 
Fang is looking at Logistics or Criminal Justice. He wants a career in the Military. And Logistical Officers are always in demand (and they rarely get shot at, which his Mom and I appreciate). He really liked the Tenn Tech campus, but acknowledged that the study courses may not be the best fit for him. He has been really selling it to his younger brother, who wants to go into Aerospace Engineering, so he can be a rocket scientist like his Granddad.
Right now Austin Peay is the front runner. They have a good Logistic Undergrad program, and they have Naval ROTC (Fang thinks he wants to be a Marine.)[sup]*[/sup]
We will check our UT Knoxville over Christmas break. Our next door neighbor started there this year, so Fang is going to talk to him about it, too. I have a feeling the large campus will appeal to him, like NC State did.
Dang it, I’d forgotten to mention that we’re also looking at MTSU, which is just down the road.
At the end of the day, where he decides to go is his choice. He has said he wants to go somewhere nearby, but we’ll see.
- There’s a whole story there in and of itself
My sister (the engineering niece’s mother) was director of international transportation for both PetSmart and Fender guitar. Logistics has given her a good living.
StG
Update:
Accepted into Hofstra, Adelphi, Rutgers. $110,000 scholarship to Hofstra, covering ~3 years of cost.
Congratulations!
StG
Whoa! Fantastic news. My congratulations to Sophia.
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Sophia is 5-5 on college acceptances - Fordham has yet to reach out, but their office says they take longer.
Rutgers - got in, accepted into arts school with a photography emphasis.
St Johns - got in, accepted into photography department.
Hofstra - Accepted, in art school, they offered the $110k scholarship mentioned above.
Adelphi - Accepted, in art school.
St. Peter’s (not mentioned above, more of a “this Catholic university is really situated close to family and Manhattan, it would be stupid not to apply, it’s cheaper, and their faculty works in the field, and they have the programs you’re interested in”) - Accepted
All except Hofstra are still producing their financial aid packets - it’s not just us, it’s also the other kids that applied who have yet to receive anything beyond acceptance emails. (yes, 2 have been by email, 2 have sent letters, Rutger’s sent an email, letter, and a UPS package.)
Congratulations! May she live long and prosper.
StG
Good luck Sophia! If I had my time again I would consider the TV/film industry too. I hope you do well!
!!!
The baseline scholarship offered Sophia by St Johns… before any work study, pell grants, etc… is so large it already makes her attending St John’s University cheaper than her current private high school tuition costs.
Sneak preview of Sophia in her graduation gown.
Congrats to your Grad!!
The fun now begins!!
LOOKIT that grin !!!
Congrats ! It’s a heck of a great career if you love the arts and sleep deprivation. 
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Congratulations to the proud Papa!
Just want to say that HOLY SHIT AM I GLAD I GOT THIS PICTURE!
Sophia has been accepted to all the schools she applied to. Running the numbers and her desires, it appears that St Johns is the most likely candidate and, I think in her mind, is the school where she will eventually go.
I did ask all the schools what their COVID-19 plans were, and they all responded pretty quickly - like, within a week of me asking - and since their responses were largely the same (and positive to my expectations), it seems that we are probably all set.
Today Sophia enrolled at St John’s University.
She really loved Rutgers, got into the Mason Gross school of art, but the out of pocket was around $49k/year, so it was disqualified.
St Johns is ~$17k/year, after scholarships and grants, and since Sophia is remoting her first semester, this drops the total first year cost to a little over $10k.
We are all thrilled, Sophia looks great in the school colors, and that’s now that!
Here’s to many great things to come, good on y’all.
And 10K for the first year?? Parent Win! 