So, a bit about myself first. I just graduated in Spring 2012 with a B.A. in Art History with Honors from a very, very, very well-regarded and universally well-respected university in a large Midwestern city. Within the major, my focus was on 19th-20th century photography, although I wrote my thesis on the figurative illustrations to a Weimar-era German guidebook to Berlin's seedy, kinky underbelly written for strait-laced provincial tourists. During my 4th year, I decided to switch my focus from late 19th-early 20th century West European and American art and visual culture to post-1960 photography and visual culture with a focus on cultural/sexuality studies and a methodology heavily influenced by literary criticism of the past 50 years or so. Although I tried to start warming up to a professor specializing in contemporary, he unfortunately experienced a medical problem during a graduate seminar I took with him, killing my chance at a recommendation. Therefore, a couple (but not all) of my recommenders haven't had me as a student since 2010.
I'm currently living at home in North Jersey and working as an exhibitions/curatorial/research intern within an archive at the International Center of Photography currently planning a major exhibition. From what I've heard from professors, it might enhance my chances of admission to a great PhD program (that of my alma mater, Yale, UCLA, etc.) if I have an MA. I'm increasingly thinking this might be a good idea, both for the aforementioned reason and that I don't feel ready to commit to a PhD program. I'm looking to go into academia, not curatorial or art market/gallery work. And now, for the quantitative part. I haven't taken the GREs yet, but I received a 1470 (800 verbal, 670 math) on the SATs, so I'm hoping my scores will be comparable, although I'm not too concerned. I had a 3.8 overall GPA in undergrad with no grades lower than one B- in my first year, wrote an A honors thesis, and have a 3.95 in my major. Out of 16 classes in Art History, I had 14 As and 2 A-s, and a wide distribution of courses, with Byzantine, African, and Chinese art as well as 19th-to-21st century. I have about 5 good potential academic recommendations, in addition to the curator I just started working for, should that continue to go well. I'm also a boy (man?), although I don't know if that matters. I also speak Spanish and German.
I'm not really here to get people's thoughts on where I will or won't get in, but to solicit opinions on which MA programs would be a good fit for me, and help me towards my ultimate goal: admission to an excellent PhD program. I'm looking to apply to ~5 MA programs. I'll list the "likely" ones first, then some that are probably crossed off the list, then a few I haven't considered enough. I'm only considering programs in the US and Canada east of the Great Plains for financial/familial reasons. The first two categories will have pros and cons. Thoughts and suggestions?
Likely:
1. University of Texas-Austin.
Pros: Within a superb research university; location is fun, liberal, and temperate; a few good faculty for my interests (Ann Reynolds, Linda Henderson); rigorous program with a good reputation; MA students aren't supposed to be total second class citizens.
Cons: No one fits exactly with my interests, since there's no one who focuses on photography; far from home; closest major art museums are in San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston.
2. State University of New York-Buffalo.
Pros: Cheap location with good arts resources, close to Toronto, and some hip neighborhoods; program and faculty fit very, very well with my interests; I'd have a good chance at getting a very extensive merit scholarship and/or teaching fellowship considering my pedigree and degree of fit; I'm acquainted with the program's director; within a major research university.
Cons: One needs a car in Buffalo and it's cold and economically depressed; the program is NOT a known quantity as it's only a few years old.
3. Tufts University.
Pros: Extremely well-respected program with an excellent track record of admissions to PhD programs; no PhD students so lots of individual attention; varied faculty, some of whom (Monica McTighe, Eric Rosenberg, Adriana Zavala) fit with my interests; in a city with tons of students; great connections with local museums; good funding; fairly close to home.
Cons: Expensive and in an extremely expensive location.
4. McGill University.
Pros: Good faculty (Christine Ross, Amelia Jones) who fit well with my interests; fantastic location; I'd learn at least some French; fairly close to home; MA students are not second class citizens as everyone gets an MA in Canada basically prior to a PhD.
Cons: Track record with admission to American grad schools is an unknown variable, faculty may be unstable.
5. Columbia University - MODA
Pros: Excellent faculty and professional contacts; fantastic location for contemporary art; close to home; my mother and three out of my four grandparents each have undergrad or professional degrees labeled Columbia; within a fantastic research university.
Cons: It's quite likely a moneymaking opportunity for Columbia; it's too pre-professional and not pre-academic; it's a bit too close to home and New York is an extremely expensive place to live if you're not making money; you're "junior varsity" compared to the PhD students.
Maybe but probably not (mostly crossed off the list):
1. Williams College
Pros: Incredibly well-respected program with an amazing track record of grad school admissions and amazing opportunities to work in museums.
Cons: In the middle of f*cking nowhere, with only 24 students in the program; unduly traditional.
2. New York University - IFA
Pros: Very well-respected program in a fantastic location for modern and contemporary art.
Cons: Expensive location, overly conservative in focus, more pre-professional, catty, stuffy.
3. Rutgers University.
Pros: Great photo history faculty (Andres Zervigon, Tanya Sheehan), I'm an NJ resident so I'd have a high probability of receiving financial goodies.
Cons: Location is fairly boring, no contemporary faculty focusing on the US or Western Europe, MA program is much more geared to careers in museums, historic preservation, etc. than preparation for a PhD.
4. CUNY - Hunter College
Pros: Relatively inexpensive in a fantastic location; pretty good reputation.
Cons: Modern/contemporary faculty doesn't jive well with my interests; more pre-professional.
Not considered enough yet:
1. SAIC - Master of Arts in Critical and Visual Studies
Pros: Amazing location in Chicago; I'd have a decent shot at getting merit aid; faculty really suits my interests and are well-respected; free-thinking program; connections to AIC and MCA; perfect distance from home.
Cons: I'm not convinced it passes the litmus test for being academically rigorous; it's not within a research university; it could be more pre-professional; and I know nothing of its reputation with grad schools.
2. University of Pennsylvania
Pros: Good name, good faculty, good location, great university.
Cons: Not focused at all on contemporary.
Let me know if there's anywhere I'm missing, and your thoughts on both my fit for these programs and my assessments of them.
