The Hollywood Reporter’s annual ranking of “The Top 25 Film Schools in America” has placed Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at number six (6), noting the rising achievements of the school’s alumni; its renowned faculty and guest speakers; state-of-the-art facilities, international programs, and steadfast endorsements from some of the biggest power brokers and luminaries in Hollywood.

After three years of holding steady at the #7 spot in The Hollywood Reporter’s annual ranking of “The Top 25 Film Schools in America,” the move to #6 in 2017 shows that the school is gaining ground and Hollywood is taking notice.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that Chapman has been recognized by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top 10 film schools in America.

For its most recent annual ranking, The Hollywood Reporter conducted its most in-depth industry analysis exercise to determine which schools are worthy to be listed and recognized.

“The support of incredible industry friends such as Ted Sarandos, Steve Mosko, Ashok Amritraj, Denise Di Novi and many others along with our industry experienced full-time faculty and adjuncts like Cheryl Boone Isaacs and the tremendous strides of our alumni such as the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things) and Justin Simien (Dear White People) all play a role in helping us build what we see as the film school of the future,” says Dodge College Dean Bob Bassett.

The excerpt on Chapman from The Hollywood Reporter reads:

Its proximity to L.A. means access to top Hollywood guest lecturers. Among recent speakers: Netflix’s Ted Sarandos (who has a son at the school), former Sony TV chief Steve Mosko (who sent both of his sons there), former Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton, AMPAS CEO Dawn Hudson, producer Nina Jacobson and directors Jon Favreau and Bryan Singer.

But Chapman also sends students to shoot in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, India and China as part of its Travel and Exchange program.  The campus has two soundstages, cinematography and directing stages, a hair and makeup studio, a production design studio, and a 500 seat Folino theater with film and digital projection.

Says alumnus and ‘Dear White People’ creator Justin Simien (’05), “From day one, I was encouraged to explore the sandbox, get messy, roll up my sleeves and start making mistakes.”

The Hollywood Reporter’s complete rankings with details can be viewed at here.