Ren Adams

Congrats capers and rainicorn!

Interesting. What program did you apply to? I have a feelin each program is putting their personal spin on the notification process. Others were notified via email.

I feel a little better knowing there are a few of us here who did not hear via email on the 15th--and I hope they did do a snail mail notification (though it would have been nice to get an email). I was worried when I saw that others had received an email. I will keep everyone posted. Hope we hear from them soon.

I did not hear from them on the 15th, either. I was told during my interview that they would notify me "around" the 15th, so I hope that indicates a not-so-hard-and-fast deadline. What program did you apply to? It seems those who heard Friday were painting students, so maybe some departments notified on Friday. I applied for the low residency program and had an interview back in February. I

Yep. Quietly imploding.

I'm sure you did better than you thought. :-) I'm still waiting to hear back from them, and getting a tad worried. Of course, the completion of my application was held up by one of my transcript schools. They took a longer winter break than normal and my transcript trickled in late. :-( MassArt didn't consider my app fully complete until after the deadline. *sigh*

Yep! :-)

That's what I did. First degree is in English. Best decision I ever made, to seriously pursue a BFA in Studio Art and prepare for an MFA program properly. I made connections, did a BFA thesis (which, at my university, is modeled after graduate programs) and am now applying to MFA programs. My background in English has helped tremendously in critical writing and I built up a significant body of work during the program. I also found that I was more efficient and focused than most of the other BFA students. Every class mattered deeply. Just food for thought.

Thanks for the fast response! Congrats, by the way. :-) I wonder how many schools use email confirmation as their preferred method.

In each case, I followed the explicit guidelines set by the school (whenever they offered guidelines). I had some which were restricted by page length (1-2 pages) and others which limited by word count (largest letter allowed was 1500 words). In the case of schools that did not specify length, I kept it at 1-2 pages.

Potentially dumb question, but did MassArt contact you via snail mail, phone or email?

Not necessarily true. A number of low residency programs DO offer TA-ships and Graduate Assistantships, especially if they have regular residency or medium residency options already on campus. Some, of course, do not offer TA-ships at all. A prospective low res student just needs to do research to choose the university that offers the potential for Assistantships. Edited to add: Of course, if you opt for one of the Assistantships, you usually need to stay in the campus area for the duration of the semester.

I've hard it mostly referred to as PoPoMo (post-postmodernism) and "Information Age," but it's similar to what I've heard kicked around in my art history classes. Usually the discussion also deals with the idea that it's all about context and framing as opposed to a specific style.

Hi Katy, After spending a good portion of my undergraduate time researching low residency programs (and am personally in the act of preparing applications for several as we "speak"), I am pleased to agree with the other posters here. The low residency programs may not be as well known, but at least in my field, they are full, rigorous programs of the same caliber as high residency settings. The MFA programs I'm applying to all have 60 credit hour structures, with intensive, year-round dedication, classes, and reviews--the same as any standard structure. In the visual arts they are designed for self-motivated students who are already working on a significant thesis or body of work. The downsides I can see are really matters of personal choice. A student wanting a "traditional" education experience, on campus, will not receive it. On the other hand, a working student or student wishing to branch out from a local perspective into a more diverse, nationwide perspective would find it useful. You won't get TA-ships at some of the universities, however some do still offer the chance to be a TA or GSI, even with the low res format. Basically, they are the same, full-blown graduate programs you would expect, only with specialized schedules. In most cases you work with a local professor as well. Professors I work with and have spoken to across the board do not feel there is any type of stigma associated with these kinds of programs. Perhaps the general public may not understand, but universities and professionals are typically aware of what the format means, and that it does not mean "easy" or "abbreviated." For what it's worth! :-) Here are a few schools that offer low res programs in the visual arts (in addition to those named above): Maine College of Art and Design Vermont College of Fine Arts San Francisco Art Institute MASS Art Goddard College Burlington College Johnson State College New York University New programs are being added all the time, too!