Transcript:
Official transcripts from all schools attended since high school graduation must be submitted to USC. For guidelines on how to send your official transcripts to USC, please click here. It is recommended that you send all official transcripts to USC's Office of Graduate Admissions at least 3 weeks prior to the application deadline. Official hard-copy transcripts should be mailed to:
University of Southern California
USC Office of Graduate Admission
3601 South Flower Street
Room 112
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0915
USC also accepts uploaded transcripts on USC CAS, transcripts must be issued on University letterhead. You may also have transcripts sent electronically from your institution to admscan@usc.edu. Do not send any materials or correspondence to this email address yourself.
Personal Statement:
Cinematic Arts Personal Statement (please upload in PDF format under the "Forms" section): The Cinematic Arts personal statement is an opportunity to express your ideas about and interest in Interactive Media, help us to understand your background and creative potential, and explain why you would like to study interactive media production at the School of Cinematic Arts. This statement will be read by the Interactive Media Admission Committee as a measure of creativity, self-awareness and vision. Your statement should give the committee a sense of your long-term goals and artistic ambitions. It should answer the questions: "Who are you as a person? What are you trying to say, using interactive media? Why do you want to attend the Interactive Media Program? What are your career/professional/artistic goals?"
Recommendation Letter:
Letters of Recommendation (One letter from an academic reference.): Three letters of recommendation are required. All letters of recommendation must be submitted via the SlideRoom reference system. Applicants are responsible for requesting letters of recommendation as well as confirming that they have been received.
Writing Sample:
Detail: http://cinema.usc.edu/admissions/procedures/interactive/graduateprocedures.cfm
Creative Work Sample:
Creative Work Sample (please upload under the "Media" section): The creative work sample represents your best or most relevant work. Choose a major piece of work that you are extremely proud of for your creative sample. If you have completed a game or animation project, you should strongly consider including this. Otherwise this work might be digital or analog, it or may be a film, photo essay, script or story. For visual art, you may submit a small selection of pieces. Make sure your piece is easily viewable by the admissions committee. If you are uncertain that your software will run, include screenshots and a video play-through just in case. You should keep in mind that the committee has limited time to look at each applicant's file, so send a creative sample that can be viewed, played or read in less than 10 minutes. Please limit the length of a written creative sample, e.g. movie scripts and prose should be no more than 20 pages. We are looking for individuals who show both proven talent and personal initiative. Use the creative sample to show us your best work and the portfolio to show us the breadth of your creative endeavors. Please note, your creative work sample will not be returned to you. We require you to post your creative work sample online. For physical games and creative pieces, you can submit a PDF of the rules or text, along with video, photographs and other documentation. An online link will allow you to showcase several of your works, giving the committee a better sense of your skills and talent.