Ragtag

Thanks for the replies @sylviecerise and @YayYayYay It's easy to get caught in a personal and perhaps selfish stance through this whole process. I like what you say about it being a courtship, I think I'm lucky in that I have always known what my dream school and city is. I wish everyone good luck with their decisions!

Hi everyone, Been lurking this thread for a while and never posted anything. But now... I just need to type my thoughts out for anyone who cares to read. I think this is more a purge for myself. I am #3 on the waitlist for Painting & Drawing at Concordia (Montréal). This is my one and only school I applied to, I have known I wanted to go here for three years now. I moved to Quebec, waited one year to gain resident status, and applied this season. (Tuition is much more affordable as a resident) It's my first time applying to grad school and it's probably the most stress I've ever felt in my life. Especially in our field - everything in the arts is subjective. You present a portfolio of your best work and try not to take it personally whatever the decision. Waiting for a decision is hard enough. I would check my student portal multiple times a day. Until finally, a month later, it had updated! But alas, more waiting. Being on the waitlist is so so so much worse than the initial period of waiting. It's like someone telling you to sit down, shut up, and wait for the REAL artists to decide the course of their career, while you're left to take whatever leftovers they give you. I know this is not the university's intention, but it still feels really crummy. And of course, you can't help but wonder what the work of the artists who got accepted is like. Figurative? Abstract? Did they write a better statement? Work on a larger scale? It picks away at your artistic identity and drives you mad. Long story short, today I spoke with the MFA program assistant, who told me that although the deadline was April 1st, 2 out of the 6 people who were accepted have still not responded with a decision, asking for more time. Listen, (and I really am trying not to be overly dramatic) I am in agony every subsequent day that I have to wait for these lucky people to decide between schools. You don't need more time to decide. What you need is to be clear on what you want, and execute that plan. I'm tired of reading forums of people applying to 10+ schools and taking their plan B or C. Who are you helping? Certainly not yourself, if you know you're heart was in another program. Definitely not the school, who gains a half-loyal student. And most certainly not the people who are clear on their academic path of where they want to study and specifically why and how it will help their future research. I apologize if this rant comes across overly bitchy. I am almost at wits end trying to sit here and wait longer. Also, all of you seem like very lovely people who are making your decisions on time and very considerate of people waiting. It's probably the people who don't post on grad cafe who should read this, because I feel like they don't have as complete a view of the admissions process. Anyway, thanks for listening, and I am sending all the good vibes to everyone who is still waiting on their top school!

I am in the exact same boat! Stressed out of my mind. And feeling anxious to the point where I've felt physically ill... it comes in waves. I don't know about you guys but I've never felt this kind of stress in my life. I have only seen one post on the results page about my program, and it was a rejection. I like to believe this is a good sign? Maybe they weed out the rejects in the first round and wait to send offers of admission afterwards? Anyways, I just can't wait for this agonizing wait to end, no amount of tea and bubble baths will relax me!

Same here, still waiting on admission but received 'Call for Applications: Concordia University Interdisciplinary Summer Institute'