bhavika.aggarwal

Haha, no worries, I trust your observations I declined my offer long ago. The deadline was April 15, I think. Best of luck!

Hey, I was in the same situation - same $30k scholarship offer too. I just paid my SVA deposit - they're different programmes, buy the course and faculty at SVA seemed much better. I also emailed some students and spoke to a lot of people and no one really really recommended Pratt. Maybe it was pretty stupid to choose the more expensive option (by $20k) but I feel happier with the choice. Will go with SVA unless I get an external scholarship to RCA.

I'd say go for Aalto! No tuition must mean a whole lot money difference.

Wow, that's an intense discussion. I think there should be no room for rudeness / snarkyness here! @advicefortheywhoneedit: The discussion on the worth or value of an expensive MFA degree can have no end. Clearly you believe that its absolute financial suicide - which I agree with, to some extent. But remember: your opinion is yours alone, and your advice is not just for those who need it, but those who want it too. Not to say you can't share it, but maybe not so aggressively? Honestly, what you wrote is nothing new - most of us are aware of this unfortunate reality - so a gentle reminder would have gone down much better than a you-idiotic-people-are-so-stupid rant. I agree totally with @klp. I probably won't go to Yale, or to RCA, but just knowing I got in is a great feeling. As an international student, I obviously don't want to spend a little less to go to a more local school when it's already such an investment for me to go outside to study. Honestly, reputation matters, especially when you're moving out of your comfort zone. And hope lives eternal - as long as there's the slightest chance to get some funding why won't you try? You might have a problem with the inherent "value" of an expensive degree, but there's no denying that they do offer better infrastructure and faculty and exposure (in most cases) and definitely increase (initially at least) your own sense of self-worth. You know, a bit like Apple vs everything else cheers!

Yes, I will let the forum know my final decision! Whenever I pay the deposit Yesterday I also declined my offer from Yale, so someone on the waitlist might have a chance. You can see her work here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anugraha/595580513786205 Sorry, the end parenthesis got hyperlinked as well!

Happyland, klp, ros - and everyone else - thank you so much for your advice! klp - I plan to head back home and practice in Delhi, so I'm looking for an incredible environment, and great faculty for the experience of being in their compass rather than for networking per se. I am though very interested in summer internships - but that might be difficult as an international student anyway (no work visa). ros - thanks for the very detailed RCA review! This was incredible helpful, and sort of corroborated my understanding - that RCA might be too conceptual and not so grounded / practical. That's my worst fear - to be in some kind of bull-shitting environment where everything is very "high-brow" and not applicable in the real world outside of the institute (which is why I've sort of moved away from Pratt too). However, I absolutely love their focus on historical and critical studies, and research / writing as a basis for studio practice. The RCA graduate I mentioned earlier, she has an amazing practice in Mumbai and she says she's applying everything she learnt at RCA, so obviously the final experience is very different for everyone. (If you want to see her work: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anugraha/595580513786205) Both SVA and RCA are incredible. I'd rather be in London, and I think that the student environment at RCA is much better, but the programme structure at SVA is more appealing. I've decided on SVA (as of now, two more weeks to deadline, so you never know) but since the probability of an external scholarship is much higher with RCA I'll fill in those applications too. Let's see where it takes me. Thanks again!

Thanks klp and Designgeek Just to clarify: I emailed the department asking for a status update, and then heard back from them about the informal offer. So if anyone out here is curious, do send them an enquiry email! Thanks ros - I didn't come across this thread earlier so this is a great resource! From what I've read here (as well as elsewhere) Pratt doesn't seem to be as well regarded as SVA - and now I do need to choose between SVA, Pratt and RCA (which is even more crazy expensive). I know someone who did the MA Visual Communication at RCA and absolutely LOVED it, and highly recommends it. She says there's a very good focus on the critical and historical bits, and they're always encouraging you to experiment and do new things - I was concerned as a self-directed designer of floundering a bit but she assured me that everyone who comes in does something new which they don't have prior experience in. I would love to hear your take on the program / institute! Thanks

Just heard back on my enquiry: I'm being offered a place at RCA! The email says: I am very pleased to tell you that we are offering you a place on the MA in Visual Communication starting in September 2014. Please note that the offer is subject to approval by the Academic Board. The College will send out formal offer letters on 16 April 2014 once all the College interviews have been completed and the Academic Board has confirmed the results. Until then please consider this a firm offer from the Programme, subject to appropriate terms and conditions which will be explained in the formal offer letter.

I sent them an email enquiring about my status earlier this week but haven't heard back. However, I got another email from the admin to notify me of a scholarship opportunity (not to imply at all of my chances) which said: Your official results letter will be emailed and sent to you on 16 April 2014, after the meeting of the Academic Board which confirms the results.

Does anyone have advice on SVA vs Pratt for an international student who can't visit? Thanks!

I was notified of my MFA acceptance at Pratt by email on March 11. If you haven't heard, maybe you're on the waitlist? Offer holders have till May 1 to secure their place.

Congratulations to everyone on their acceptances, and best of luck for the decision making! I was actually hoping for some advice on my choices. I've decided to forego Yale - the major factor for me is the three years - in terms of expense definitely but also just time. I've spent five years at architecture school already. Plus, the extra year is just very very hard to sell to my parents, and ultimately they're the ones who're funding this. I have offers from MFA Design at SVA, and MFA Communications Design at Pratt. While SVA is much more structured than Pratt (I am interested in cross-disciplinary learning so this is something we spoke of during my interviews) - Pratt allows its students to take electives from across the college. Pratt also has a great focus on design as an agent of social change (which I guess the MFA Design for Social Innovation at SVA must offer). On the other hand, the faculty at SVA have been published a lot more - they're always talking about design and society in interesting ways, and their seminars and lecture series seem much, much more exciting. In terms of intellectual content (not the end product or skill development) I suspect (purely from the program websites and faculty profiles) that SVA might have an edge. However, with funding, Pratt is cheaper by about 10k a year, or about 20% of the total cost - which is quite a bit of money if I convert it to INR. Since I can't visit, I have no idea on the students and environment. Am I judging the two institutes correctly? Even if SVA is better, should I just go with the funding? Many thanks!

Thanks! Everything is still way way too expensive. Even with the scholarship Pratt (with full tuition + fees close to 95k) is absofrickinlutely crazy. The three year at Yale ($108k) is so much more affordable. Never thought that Pratt (or SVA) would be more expensive than Yale, with it's brilliant list of faculty and reputation.

Accepted to the Pratt MFA, with a $15000/year scholarship. Unbelievably giddy.

Just got an email from SVA: offer for the MFA Design Now to decide! Deadline to deposit is again April 15.