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Anyone got any financial aid from calarts before?


creamypencil

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^ Yeah, I'm thinking Fulbright too. Would you say going to a top school (CMU in my case) is a good investment even if my dad was rich?

Like I dunno. I keep thinking if it's worth the total buck even If i had the ability to pay for the whole thing myself.

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^ Yeah, I'm thinking Fulbright too. Would you say going to a top school (CMU in my case) is a good investment even if my dad was rich?

Like I dunno. I keep thinking if it's worth the total buck even If i had the ability to pay for the whole thing myself.

Well, that's really up to you - after all, your money is your business. I can say that in my opinion, education is the best way to spend one's money. In my case - I will be spending money I don't have - but I'm able to stay in the States, work and pay it back [not that it will be easy]. If you're planning on going back to your country after you graduate, but you think you can already get a good job there right now - then you should ask yourself if the extra education and the experience of living abroad are worth that amount of money. And ask yourself if with the salaries payed in your country, it is possible to cover the expenses of this education over a reasonable period of time.

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^ The thing with Fulbright is that I'd have to return home for two years right after I graduate. That probably really hampers your chances of starting a career in the US later on, no?

I do plan on staying/working in the US but if my mother needs me to take care of her by the time I finish my degree, I might head straight back home. And then I'd have paid a hundred thousand dollars and still be in the same position as I would be with an all-expenses paid Fulbright study. And then there's the possibility that if I decline my acceptance, I might not win the Fulbright- or win it and have them order me to attend a school other than CMU (which is my dream school/program).

I would probably be able to break even in 10 - 15 years if I worked in my country after I graduate. I'm guessing employed designers in the US could make a total of $100,000 in 2 - 5 years?

This is a very complex decision for me and I'm thinking long and hard about it. :(

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Do Pakistan have a Fulbright which fully funds study? in the UK they only offer up to $25,000 for the first year only, but I believe this may have changed this year. Also I don't think they order anyone to do anything. They advise you to apply to a range of schools based on what you want and what they thing you are likely to get into and what they think are likely to be funded. I had no problem and they were happy to let me go ahead to apply to CalArts and SVA, in fact I half wish they had been stricter on advising me on programs as now I'm in a difficult position of having an offer from my 'dream' school but no funds to support it. Again though, it doesn't bother me about returning to UK and if I was from a different country I would be considering ways of staying after I;d graduated. Are there a lot of people applying for MFAs as a route to find work/career in the US?

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^ Clearly the graduate Fulbright program in the UK is very different from the one in Pakistan.

Here, you mention your field of interest and 'preferred' programs and schools on your app. Then if you get selected for the Fulbright, THEY apply on your behalf and decide where you eventually go. That could or could not be your preferred school.

And yes, it's an all-expenses-paid scholarship covering 2 years of graduate study. The objective of the Fulbright grant is to improve the understanding between citizens of two nations. And I think it wouldn't be wrong to say that there is more room for improvement of understanding between Pakistanis and Americans than there is between the Brits and Americans.

Edited by Babar_Suleman
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^ Don't say that. It makes me feel bad coz I'm now leaning towards paying for my studies.

The thing with Fulbright is that there is no guarantee that I would win it (though I have a solid chance) and they will send me to my dream school/program. Also returning to your home country and being stuck there for two years has some serious implications that a number of Fulbrighters aren't happy about.

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Sure as hell wasn't me. I'd better start looking into selling organs . . .

anyone get the big bucks? It's bad form to talk about offers at the school you're probably going to, but anyone who's not going, do tell. :D

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I still love CalArts anyway. LOL. My boss/mentor of 6 years went there, and this awesome awesome awesome design studio wouldn't exist if it weren't for his CalArts experience. :) Don't think I'll be going though.

Edited by mica_c
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I'm also waiting for the financial aid... crossing my fingers for it !!!

CalArts is my dream school and comparing with school in NY with scholarship, it still costs less in CA

btw, I've received a large number this morning from a school that I decide not to go... haha...

(why not calarts!!! yelling in my heart...)

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