--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI…" description: "\"I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school.\" — Sam Esmail" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg" --- # I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school. ![“I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school.” quote by Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg) > “I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school.” [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A concise statement of educational background, indicating a transition from a liberal arts college to a specialized film institute. **In simple terms:** Studied at NYU, then AFI. Key Takeaway Leverage diverse education for creative work. Themes education career path film transition Mood informative neutral Type career educational When to use this quote - networking - creative projects - career planning - film production Key Concepts interdisciplinary learning professional development Questions to Reflect On - How did NYU shape your early thinking? - What did AFI add to your skill set? A Different Perspective Brief, lacks detail on impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [I always wanted to live in L.A. The other thing that always inspired me was movies; that's why I'm here. I always wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/i-always-wanted-to-live-in-l-a-the-other-thing-that-always-inspired/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [I went to NYU for a year and a half, and I graduated from there and then years later went to Columbia for graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-holofcener/i-went-to-nyu-for-a-year-and-a-half-and-i-graduated-from-there-and/) [Nicole Holofcener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-holofcener/) > [I went to NYU, and my parents had a rule that I needed to major in something other than acting if I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-lourd/i-went-to-nyu-and-my-parents-had-a-rule-that-i-needed-to-major-in/) [Billie Lourd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-lourd/) > [If I wasn't a trader, I would probably be in the film business in some capacity and writing in some other form. I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-i-wasn-t-a-trader-i-would-probably-be-in-the-film-business-in-some/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [I went to film school; I went to NYU film school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-baena/i-went-to-film-school-i-went-to-nyu-film-school/) [Jeff Baena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-baena/) > [When I went to NYU, I took as many electives as I could in acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-barbaro/when-i-went-to-nyu-i-took-as-many-electives-as-i-could-in-acting/) [Monica Barbaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-barbaro/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I went to NYU undergraduate, then for a Master's in English, and got a summer job at St. Vincent's. I was a ward clerk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-mazzara/i-went-to-nyu-undergraduate-then-for-a-master-s-in-english-and-got-a/) [Glen Mazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-mazzara/) > [I went to NYU Tisch for undergrad ,and it was amazing. My life then was extremely experimental with acting. I did crazy theater where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-lowes/i-went-to-nyu-tisch-for-undergrad-and-it-was-amazing-my-life-then-was/) [Katie Lowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-lowes/) > [I went to NYU for acting, for six years. I thought acting was the easy way out or in because I didn't put in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drea-de-matteo/i-went-to-nyu-for-acting-for-six-years-i-thought-acting-was-the-easy/) [Drea de Matteo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drea-de-matteo/) > [Being an actress wasn't realistic. I knew that I was going to have to do it in a way that would speak to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-rodriguez/being-an-actress-wasn-t-realistic-i-knew-that-i-was-going-to-have-to/) [Gina Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-rodriguez/) > [In my teens I was interested in photography. Then I decided that I should learn something about the world of commerce. And I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berggruen/in-my-teens-i-was-interested-in-photography-then-i-decided-that-i/) [Nicolas Berggruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-berggruen/) > [I had moved back to Kenya after undergrad, and I went through this crisis of, 'What is my life going to be about?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-had-moved-back-to-kenya-after-undergrad-and-i-went-through-this/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [I ended up meeting this guy Stefan Simchowitz, who produced Requiem for a Dream and also went to AFI. I randomly met him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/i-ended-up-meeting-this-guy-stefan-simchowitz-who-produced-requiem/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [I went to NYU and we had to wear stage black every day, so I'd add a bright lipstick to feel a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-went-to-nyu-and-we-had-to-wear-stage-black-every-day-so-i-d-add-a/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) ## More by Sam Esmail > [The experience you're going to take the audience on is as important as the story you're trying to tell. And that experience needs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/the-experience-you-re-going-to-take-the-audience-on-is-as-important/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [With TV season structures - and I'm a huge TV watcher - you look at shows like 'Breaking Bad,' which is my favorite show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/with-tv-season-structures-and-i-m-a-huge-tv-watcher-you-look-at-shows/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Even great actors who transform who they are still go to a really honest place; I think that's sort of that special skill that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/even-great-actors-who-transform-who-they-are-still-go-to-a-really/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I'm not in the business of adapting things that are popular for the sake of just getting it on the screen. I think there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-m-not-in-the-business-of-adapting-things-that-are-popular-for-the/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [If your loved ones are far away, and they're uploading pictures, you feel like that's enough: these loose strands through email, through social media,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/if-your-loved-ones-are-far-away-and-they-re-uploading-pictures-you/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I had a funny last name, and I didn't look like everybody else, and I got faced with a lot of racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-had-a-funny-last-name-and-i-didn-t-look-like-everybody-else-and-i/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Movies and television show build on top of each other, succeed one another. In a large way, in terms of filmmaking aesthetics, they evolve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/movies-and-television-show-build-on-top-of-each-other-succeed-one/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [The story of 'Mr. Robot' is really about this guy who's lonely - who's alone and feels so disconnected from the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/the-story-of-mr-robot-is-really-about-this-guy-who-s-lonely-who-s/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Music is everything to me. It's the heart and soul of a movie or TV show to me because it can be such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/music-is-everything-to-me-it-s-the-heart-and-soul-of-a-movie-or-tv/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [I use voiceover just like I use dialogue. There's a way to give out information or give out insight to the character or give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-use-voiceover-just-like-i-use-dialogue-there-s-a-way-to-give-out/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [“Oh, I don't know. Is it that we collectively thought Steve Jobs was a great man, even when we knew he made billions off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/oh-i-don-t-know-is-it-that-we-collectively-thought-steve-jobs-was-a/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [It's weird; my fascination with tech was kind of combined with the fact that my parents would never pay for anything. It got me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/it-s-weird-my-fascination-with-tech-was-kind-of-combined-with-the/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Growing up, my parents were very much about the Egyptian culture. They never really wanted to assimilate in American culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/growing-up-my-parents-were-very-much-about-the-egyptian-culture-they/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [Girls rejected me a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/girls-rejected-me-a-lot/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [It's not necessarily bad that you have angst or you have anger - it's what you do with it, how you interpret it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/it-s-not-necessarily-bad-that-you-have-angst-or-you-have-anger-it-s/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) [Explore all 102 Sam Esmail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) ## More Nyu quotes > [I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. After I graduated with my masters I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-was-a-full-time-student-either-at-stony-brook-or-nyu-getting-my/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I was teaching magic at NYU when I was 16.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-was-teaching-magic-at-nyu-when-i-was-16/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [I remember that when I got to NYU, everyone was writing scripts. But I was 18 at the time, and when you write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-phillips/i-remember-that-when-i-got-to-nyu-everyone-was-writing-scripts-but-i/) [Todd Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-phillips/) > [I studied acting in NYU's graduate program, in which we covered everything from Ibsen and Chekov to August Wilson and David Mamet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/i-studied-acting-in-nyu-s-graduate-program-in-which-we-covered/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [My mom graduated from the University of Michigan, which is a great school. Then she got her Master's from NYU. She wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/my-mom-graduated-from-the-university-of-michigan-which-is-a-great/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I went to the Experimental Theater Wing at NYU and wrote and directed a small amount of stuff there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-joel-osment/i-went-to-the-experimental-theater-wing-at-nyu-and-wrote-and-directed/) [Haley Joel Osment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-joel-osment/) > [First I went to C.W. Post and I was a psychology and theater major and then I transferred to NYU's Tisch School of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/first-i-went-to-c-w-post-and-i-was-a-psychology-and-theater-major-and/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [I went to the University of Toronto to study the history and theory of film, in the back of my mind thinking I'd go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/i-went-to-the-university-of-toronto-to-study-the-history-and-theory/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) > [I haven't smoked marijuana since I was at NYU,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-de-blasio/i-haven-t-smoked-marijuana-since-i-was-at-nyu/) [Bill de Blasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-de-blasio/) > [Once I graduated from NYU, I started making custom vintage tees for my friends and it just took off from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ronson/once-i-graduated-from-nyu-i-started-making-custom-vintage-tees-for-my/) [Charlotte Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ronson/) > [I definitely appreciated '60s music. My uncle and I used to take long road trips to visit my grandmother when I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-schroeder/i-definitely-appreciated-60s-music-my-uncle-and-i-used-to-take-long/) [Erica Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-schroeder/) > [I figured out that I was interested in acting while at NYU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-bledel/i-figured-out-that-i-was-interested-in-acting-while-at-nyu/) [Alexis Bledel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-bledel/) > [I went to drama school at NYU for serious acting. So I was doing Chekov and Sam Shepard plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/i-went-to-drama-school-at-nyu-for-serious-acting-so-i-was-doing/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I went to graduate film school at NYU, and at first I didn't get a degree, because I took a scholarship that was supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-went-to-graduate-film-school-at-nyu-and-at-first-i-didn-t-get-a/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) Browse all 93 Nyu quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Esmail" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi-for-grad-school/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nyu" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi-for-grad-school/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9dd/sam-esmail-5206_nyu_i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi_2621425.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I went to NYU undergrad, then went to AFI for grad school.” — Sam Esmail", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sam Esmail", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I went to NYU undergrad, then...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi-for-grad-school/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/i-went-to-nyu-undergrad-then-went-to-afi-for-grad-school/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```