HUNTER MFA

[alspants]

Hello, hello, people.

I guess seeing as a lot of you seem to be interviewing in Hunter I might be able to glean some information and experience from you. Coming from distant lands, where University is free and you find that those with JOBS lecturing at MFA courses are your peers, I can only use the internet and some partially funded trips for serious research.

1 - the faculty at Hunter. Anybody have any thoughts. Good links to some of their work? Who do you rate, not rate? Experience of their turoring at MFA level or visiting lectures etc?

2 - Funding. How much funding is available? Is there a process to getting it that I do not know about.

3 - Interview. Anybody any experience here?

I did a good bit on Columbia in terms of research. I hung out, working while installing with one of the Faculty who exhibited with us, who read my admissions for me and said it looked good. (although I did not get an interview so it looks like that avenue was a closed one). I got the impression Columbia is pretty dynamic, a bit up its own art arse, but flows with a buzz of expectancy that might prove a serious challenge to ones developing practice.

Any thoughts while we wait?

[mtung]

I'm interviewing on Saturday (as are several other people on the forum, I believe), and I'll report back afterwards! I'm kind of hot and cold when it comes to Hunter, they have a lot going for them, such as location, faculty, access to the artworld, and cheap tuition, but they have some serious downsides, such as isolation from the rest of the school, overcrowding, poorly maintained facilities, and lack of funding. I've heard some people who have experience with the program refer to it as feeling like more of an extended residency than graduate school, but I don't know how much weight to give to them. I am looking forward to getting a better feel for things this weekend.

[brosenth1984]

so i interviewed last week since i am stuck in chicago this weekend. LOVED them, really loved them. They are super-fantastic. If i get in i will probably go, i would go there over Yale any day.

[mtung]

What had you so in love, brosenth? Also, if you don't mind sharing, what kind of questions/topics did you discuss in your interview? Hunter has recently crept up from being one of my last choices to one of my top choices.

[brosenth1984]

i just found them so approachable, and they really knew who i was. I was coming from a bad experience at Irvine though, where they didn't even read my file. I don;t know if i can give any suggestions, they will guide you, they will not be nasty...which is shocking, because they are really really famous people (at least to us in NY).

[stringbean]

has anybody who interviewed at Hunter on March 14th heard back yet?? 8) :mrgreen:

[alspants]

Anybody get any funding/tuition waiver for HUNTER?

[volumen]

If hunter does not give funding, other school might end up be cheaper? what are you guys' views on the program....not much individual attention, as the class is huge? peer support? a bit of help-yourself since some students start in fall, some spring? does that create a pecking order? i had wanted to go to hunter, but largely due to its reputation. but then checked out the faculty list and did not recognize most names. how important is having well-known artist to you? sorrry this has become a bundle of questions......

[mtung]

I just got back from Hunter's spring open studios and was overall very impressed by the work and the general energy there. Of course it is all very subjective, but having been to several of Columbia's open studios, and seen a lot of student work coming out of Yale, I'm far more impressed by the quality of the work I've seen at Hunter both this spring and back in fall of '07 when I had previously visited.

The class-size there is pretty huge, which surely has numerous downsides, but I think as a result you get a far greater diversity in the work, and a lot of opportunity to find people you work well with, rather than being trapped with just 5-10 other people you may clash entirely with in smaller programs. I get the impression from talking to people there that it is very DIY, but that if you're prepared to do the work you can really get a lot out of it, and as a result the student community seems to really flourish; rather than have everything handed to them by the school they pool their resources and get things done. The studios are a mixed-bag, as well, some being entirely amazing, others being pretty funky and haberdash. It is definitely a unique working environment that I could see really lending to some folks work and hindering others, but if you're willing to deal with a little funkiness and put some time and energy in, the spaces are all-in-all very large and usable. And most students said that even if you don't have an ideal studio the first year, it's usually pretty easy to move on up the next semester when people move out or shift around. Compared to SAIC's studios, which while very clean and orderly, lacked space and privacy, they are far more impressive. Likewise the autonomy of the MFA building from the rest of Hunter seems to offer it a certain degree of freedom.

I am about 90% sure I am going to accept their offer of admission, but that doesn't mean I think they are the "perfect" program. It's all going to depend on the individual, and you're not going to know anything without a proper visit to get a true feel for the place; there are school I thought I really wanted to go to until I actually spent some time at them.

[gao]

I am wondering if any one knows how often you have faculty in your studio...is it once a week? I am a bit confused-one signs up on a seniority basis for a tutorial with one faculty member? or is a tutorial with a few faculty who rotate? Any idea?

[volumen]

I am wondering if any one knows how often you have faculty in your studio...is it once a week? I am a bit confused-one signs up on a seniority basis for a tutorial with one faculty member? or is a tutorial with a few faculty who rotate? Any idea?

I hear that sometimes it's once a month, sometimes twice a month. But I don't know if it's going to be difficult if everyone wants, say, a particular teacher. I counted 120 studios today (on their map). That is a lot of students and I am sure faculty cannot see everyone?

[alspants]

Exactly how do the fees for Hunter work.

Its $500 per credit.

48 credits for the MFA?

How much per semester, per year, for the whole MFA.

If its elongated to 3 Years, some semesters part time, how does it work then.

Anybody with knowledge on this that they could share, it would be appreciated.

Ps i am not from USA

[alspants]

I phoned Hunter to defer my starting till January (spring semester) and formally accept position.

That was all fine. I was not asked for a deposit or for the acceptance to be in writing. Is that unusual?

[wzhao]

Hi all, 

I currently attend Hunter MFA and is a first semester that got accepted for Spring 2016. It is usual that you are not asked of the deposit until September or October by mail. They do require a check mailed in or checks that is brought into the office by person. The physical acceptance letter is not sent until later on.

I am also international. You will need to take at least 9 credits every semester to be considered full time student. And unfortunately international students cannot do part time like others. 

I hope this help. I have Carrie Moyer, Drew Beattie and Valerie Jaudon this semster if anybody wants to know more about them.

Wai Ying

[Causofit]

On 5/23/2016 at 10:39 AM, wzhao said:

Hi all, 

I currently attend Hunter MFA and is a first semester that got accepted for Spring 2016. It is usual that you are not asked of the deposit until September or October by mail. They do require a check mailed in or checks that is brought into the office by person. The physical acceptance letter is not sent until later on.

I am also international. You will need to take at least 9 credits every semester to be considered full time student. And unfortunately international students cannot do part time like others. 

I hope this help. I have Carrie Moyer, Drew Beattie and Valerie Jaudon this semster if anybody wants to know more about them.

Wai Ying

Hi!!

i was wondering if you had some advice to give me. I was asked for an interview at Hunter, which i was surprised bc they were the icing on the cAke for me! Any suggestions regarding the inyerview? Or just random wisdom...