Ariet

Hi! I was kind of hoping for a bit of advice.I am currently a product designer and I am more passionate about how things solve problems and less interested in the ascetics so I want to shift careers. Currently, I am learning python, taking a few undergrad math classes from ASU, & have about 6 years experience in the tech industry as a product designer. I get that I could likely go to coding boot camp to make the switch but I want more then just learning how to code. I want to understand why things work, I want to learn in an environment that would allow for experimentation, & I have a bunch of different interests in computer science so I am hoping that a master may help me narrow down those interest. I have a few different options to prep for apply in 2021 since I need more CS coursework and need to be able to code better. For most of the programs I looked at require additional math and CS coursework but nothing that couldn't be done quickly though ASU online. So far, here are my ideas: Go to boot-camp Get a post-baccalaureate in CS Do a DIY approach where I use a combo of free/cheap learning materials, hire a mentor, make a few things, take the prerequisites individually I am mediocre on paper as a student, I have a 3.1 since I had to work full time during more of college and my bachelors of science is in media and communication so additional course work in theory could bring my grade up but I have about 200 credits so I am not sure if getting a second BS is worth it. I am pretty good at independently learning since everything I currently know for work is stuff I learned on my own time. I know this topic or ones like it have been posted quite a but I was hoping for specific feedback. Technically this will be my second time applying to grad school but the first go around resulted getting in to 1/10 and me deciding to just gain work experience instead since I didn't get funding.

Thank you for heads up!

My background, I have a BS in communication at a mediocre school in OR. I really want to study PTSD and create effective treatments for veterans. I am currently a freelance visual designer and have been working in my field for 4 years. I think the best way to do this would be to go pre-med and try to become a psychiatrist. I have not started the hours of research to figure out what path I need to make this happen but I know I want this, bad. There is no much research lacking in that department and I know I can help people. I have also considered a hybrid degree involving AI, computer science, and medicine. So with a 3.01 undergrad GPA in communication, is this an insane desire? Or do I have a chance? I wanna add that the first time around I had an infant and was unmedicated ADHD, I am currently medicated and have a full-time nanny. I haven't taken the MCAT yet. So what are your guy's thoughts? Should I take the MCAT and see where I am at? give up entirely? focus on something closer to my field?

DrF8: Thanks for bring up Parsons. The program looks like it may be a really good fit for my interests though I haven't really finalized where I am applying yet. Good luck to you also. neetasharma750: No problem, I just figured if I could save someone else hours of monotonous research why not right.

It depends on where you go and how good you are. Having a awesome portfolio is always going to be the best option when trying to land a gig but out here(Seattle) companies hire from LWIT which is a 2 year program as much as they do from grad programs or undergrad. I personally don't think it matters to much as where you go as long as you gain the skill sets you need to be good at what you do. When I switched gears, I went back to community college for a few animation/game design courses and found that most of what I learned could be picked up online. biisis is right about Unity being a huge resource, also you may want to check out https://www.khanacademy.org/ or https://www.launchcode.org/resources to brush up on programming and http://www.lynda.com/ is also a huge resource for the animation side of things. YouTube is gold, I am currently working on my first interactive piece and YouTube basically acts as my personal help desk. Another big thing is location though, you are gonna want to be in a good market. For example Seattle has paid game testing gigs that are pretty much are a foot in the door for anyone without a formal education. We also have tons of studios making it easier to find internships and meet people. Networking is important and will get you hired, and that is an understatement. Check out conventions(PAX,E3,SIC...) and go to mixers, both are great for meeting folks and making connections. Good luck, hope that helps.

Oh and PennDesign also works for animation. Joshua Mosley does mixed media animation, so if your interested in stop motion or more avant grad and less industry this might be a good fit.

Thanks, I also spaced adding my short list since I was still researching when I posted. UW also has a Human Centered Design and Engineering MS program which I hear is pretty good. University of Michigan, Art MFA University of Denver, Emergent Digital Practice MFA UC Santa Cruz, DANM Virginia Tech Creative Technology MFA MIT Media Lab Hunter IMA

This is an incomplete list of media arts/animation/interactive design MFA programs I came across during my search of programs to apply to in 2016. I thought this list may be helpful. The programs with * next to the names are funded, most programs listed have some sort of funding and some may be fully funded also but due to time constraints I stopped researching when it became clear program wasn't a good fit for my interests. So there is not complete funding info for all of them. Hopefully this helps someone, good luck and feel free to post any programs I missed. CCNY, Digital & Interdisciplinary Arts http://edm.arts.ccny.cuny.edu/diap/wpdiap/ Tulane, Digital Media* http://pandora.tcs.tulane.edu/art/studio_print_grad.html University of New Mexico, Electronic Art http://art.unm.edu/electronic-arts/ UC, Irvine, Digital Art MFA http://studioart.arts.uci.edu/graduate University Of Oregon, Digital Media MFA* http://art.uoregon.edu/academics/grad Alfred University, Electronic Integrated Arts MFA http://art.alfred.edu/graduate/mfa-eia/ Indiana University, Digital Art MFA http://www.indiana.edu/~finaweb/test/cms/fina/areas/digital-art San Francisco State University, Information Arts MFA http://www.sfsu.edu/~cdmain/ Rensselaer Polytechnic Electronic Art MFA http://catalog.rpi.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=4&poid=673&bc=1 SDSU, Multimedia MFA, http://art.sdsu.edu/areas_of_study/graduate_studies/ George Mason, New Media MFA http://catalog.gmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=19&poid=17623&returnto=4105 UI,New Media MFA http://www.art.illinois.edu/content/graduate/admissions/mfa-studio-design/ Purdue, Interaction Design Mfa http://www.cla.purdue.edu/ad/industrial/interaction_design.html University of Georgia, Dramatic media http://www.drama.uga.edu/ University of South Wales, MA Animation http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/138-ma-animation Washington University in St. Louis, MFA Visual Art https://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/academics/college-of-art/mfa-in-visual-art CSULA, Animation MFA http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/art/MA%20MFA.php USC, Animation MFA http://anim.usc.edu/about/curriculum/mfa/ SCAD, Animation MFA https://www.scad.edu/academics/programs/animation/degrees/mfa RIT, Animation http://www.rit.edu/programs/film-and-animation-formerly-film Pratt Animation https://www.pratt.edu/academics/school-of-art/undergraduate-school-of-art/ug-digital-arts/emphasis/2d-animation/ Temple Interactive Design MFA http://tyler.temple.edu/degree/mfa-graphic-interactive-design Emily Carr, Master of Digital Media http://www.ecuad.ca/programs/gradstudies/mdm WPI, game design http://www.wpi.edu/academics/imgd.html Drexel, Animation MFA http://catalog.drexel.edu/undergraduate/collegeofmediaartsanddesign/animationandvisualeffects/ NYU, Game Design MFA http://gamecenter.nyu.edu/academics/game-design-mfa/ LSU, Digital Art MFA http://design.lsu.edu/art/programs/digital-art/ OSU Art and Technology MFA http://artandtech.osu.edu/grad.html CCA, Interaction Design https://www.cca.edu/academics/interaction-design Carnegie Mellon ETC Mfa http://www.etc.cmu.edu/ University of Connecticut, Digital Art http://dmd.uconn.edu/ Ball State University, Animation MFA http://cms.bsu.edu/academics/collegesanddepartments/art/graduate-programs/mfa-visual-arts/mfa-animation San Jose State University, Digital Art http://www.sjsu.edu/art/art_programs/undergraduate/digital_media_art_undergraduate/ NYIT, Animation MFA http://www.nyit.edu/fine_arts/programs/mfa/computer_graphics_animation/ SUNY Buffalo Media Production * http://mediastudy.buffalo.edu/ Clemson Digital Production http://www.cs.clemson.edu/vcadmin/dpa/ SUVA Motion Graphics MFA http://www.suva.edu/mfa.html Digipen, Digital Art MFA https://www.digipen.edu/academics/degree-programs/digital-arts/ UCSB, Digital Media MFA http://artsite.arts.ucsb.edu/graduate/ UCLA, Animation MFA http://www.tft.ucla.edu/programs/film-tv-digital-media-department/graduate-degrees/animation-mfa/ *edited for grammar & spelling

So far this is the only place I got in and I haven't been able to to get much feedback on the program. I was just wondering if anyone is familiar with it? Right now I am trying to decide weather I should go or reapply next year to programs that would be a better fit for me.Any advice would be helpful.

Has anyone heard anything about SUNY Bockport's Visual Studies MFA?

Just got rejected from University of Mass, Dartmouth and wait-listed for Maine College of Art, I still haven't heard back from PennDesign (who is posting decisions on friday), UMBC, Brockport, and University of Colorado but for some reason it just feel like I just didn't make the cut because I bombed my UPenn interview and sort of feel like my portfolio is really weak. I am trying to look at all of this as a chance to work on my portfolio for another year but the rejection really really sucks...

Since AAU has a 100% acceptance rate, a high staff turn over I'd recommend Syracuse. I actually applied to the video program at Syracuse and was considering AAU when I first started looking at programs. I did a decent amount of research on AAU and while there were a small amount of positive feedback most was very negative.I'd advise you to check out reviews for a better idea of what I'm talking about. Also, the price tag is WAY different, Syracuse is like 10k cheaper a year so inless you have like 60k(AAU admission estimate for 3 yrs) lying around I would strongly consider going to Syracuse. Hope that helps. ...

Here is the information I got when I called the school last month, spoke with Carol and found I did not make the cut. Their is a wait list that they have as a bit of stand by just in case the first choice folks don't go. From my understanding this list is not published nor has anyone been notified that they are on this list. I would call if you want to know where you stand, they will flat out tell you. I knew I had been rejected a week before they got the email out (2/24) and it seems like that if you have not been officially rejected at this point it is likely you are on the wait list if you haven't heard anything. Still no information I or anyone can give you will replace actually speaking to the department.

Received my rejection email from UCSB, I already knew but I'd thought I would post just incase anyone is waiting on word from them......God, I would kill for some good news about now.

This is how I am feeling right about now since I was officially rejected from Sryacuse(Art Video) via email and unofficially rejected from PSU(Studio Practice) and UCSB.(I called both schools) The only interview I have so far is with University of Pennsylvania, which was originally for the 12th but has been rescheduled twice so it is now this Thursday...Not really sure if I should read into the fact that they seem to be in no real hurry to speak with me. UPenn is my first choice so hopefully it doesn't mean to much.

So I called UCSB, found that if you haven't been offered admission at this point your either wait-listed or rejected. If you call they will likely give you a status. For me this is my second rejection today so hopeful some of the other folks that applied to the program will get better new then I did.

Depends on the school. I will use Tulane as an example, if you get in to their MFA program your are offered a tuition waiver and a Ta position that carriers a 13k salary yearly. None of that is based on income, in fact from my research, most graduate funding is not need based. So when you are looking at need based funding that would include scholarships and grants, though some scholarships are based on merit. All grad programs have a different set up when it come to funding so I would suggest speaking with the financial aid office at the schools you are applying to. Hopefully that helps

Has anyone heard anything from UC Santa Barbara?

Loans and department funding is separate most of the time, loans regulated by fedloan and the other by the school. If you don't need loans then the fafsa is likely not necessary. Your are not required to show financial need for unsub loans which is the only funding available to grad students from the federal government (beside PLUS loans and private funding). CA may have grants, I am not 100% since I am no longer living there. Your martial status should be a moot point since the only reason they ask is for income to determine eligibility which does not apply here. All of this info does not apply to you if you don't fill out a fafsa. I would contact the financial aid department at the schools your considering because they are the only ones that will be able to give you a firm yes or no for your questions. Contacting financial from my understand will not affect application status 99% of the time just because their deadlines are likely before most departments will make admission decisions. Another good resource is http://studentaid.ed.gov/ though during my research before applied I found that most of the time the best funding is going to be departmental and that varies from school to school though most will have a funding section on the department site stating the type of funding offered to students. Good luck, congratulations of the UC Davis acceptance.

With the fafsa a lot of the financial aid deadlines are before the actual acceptance dates, if you are wanting/needing loans, even if it's just for back up funding you will want to add the schools you applied to now. As for scholarships, some programs automatically consider you and some don't, some even have a separate app for TA positions. So I would just research the financial aid section of the school in question and if you have any questions contact either the department or the financial aid office. I have already added most of my schools to the fafsa just because 75% of the priority dates are in February.

I'm digital art, it's likely they may just want to interview me because my portfolio is intermedia. I'm still super excited, it is the first I have heard back from anyone and since this is my first year applying I sort of thought all my feedback would be negative.

University of Pennsylvania just called and I got an interview next week on Wednesday which is awesome since they are one of my first choices! So excited and nervous..

My purpose for attending is more about the direction I want to take, which I think would fit nicely in both programs. I am thinking it is March 1 for domestic, but have not been able to get them on the phone quite yet.

The full program info is here. There are actually 3 different focuses, which my interest lies in animation. From what I have gather from speaking with the department the program teaches approach along with technical skill.

I feel like a crazy person but I am considering applying to Hunter's IMA program and the Dramatic Media program over at UGA.... I really like both programs and I'm 90% done with all of my other apps. Since I am already applying to 9 this would be 11, which feels like a lot to me. Then again, I don't know my chances and art is subjective so I'm not 100% sure that anyone will actually like my work or thesis proposal... Is anyone else applying to 10+ schools?