BetweenTheLines

Hey Echo, I just got an e-mail from GSA offering me admission. I would check your e-mail if you haven't already!

I specificlly e-mailed Chuck who I've been in contact with for a while. He's the 'Graduate Admissions Counselor'. He called me back (at 9pm local time from home!) told me that he has a list of phone calls that he's been making but he ran into some stuff last week and got slowed down. It just sounds like hes been crazy busy but the school will send out all notifications both good and bad starting next week. It sounds like he also has scholarship numbers but didn't have them at home so he coulden't tell me what I got.

Got some news from SMFA. Phone calls were supposed to go out at the end of last week. However, things happened and they got slowed down. Phone calls are going out now. Offical letters are going out next week. I ended up E-mailing them becasue my interviewer told me I was supposed to be notified by the end of last week. They got back to me really quickly and I found out I got accepted! Whoooo. They will get back to me tomorrow with a scholarship number.

I did a phone interview. Unfortunately I coulden't afford to fly to Glasgow just for an interview, though that would have been fun. I was also thrown off by them not asking a question but I think I pulled through okay. Best of luck Echo!

I think it went well. I was a bit nervous so I fumbled around a little bit but I did the best I could. John and Graham said that some of the last decisions should be out by the end of the week depending on how busy the administration is. I hope I get in, GSA sounds really cool and I've been to Glasgow before and I really enjoyed it when I was out there.

Nope, I noticed that too. I thought about calling Chuck but I assume we should just wait. If you do call let me know what he has to say.

So, I just got back from SMFA's interview day. After my interview I wandered off away from the 'event' and found myself talking with two graduate students; one recent graduate, and one in their 2nd year. They told me some interesting things that I wish I would have known before applying. First off the recent graduate said that the school is broke and their current goal is to get back into the black by accepting people they probably shouldn’t have. I believe they are referring to their 87% acceptance rate for undergraduates. They went on to tell me that the school is looking to end their partnership/accreditation with Tuffs University and attempt to get their own accreditation. They were really worried by that because there are almost no classroom spaces for traditional instruction in their current building and the SMFA does not currently have any faculty that could offer those courses. They also say that the administration is one of the most difficult things to deal with. Flaky responses and ignored e-mails are common. They made it clear that the faulty are really great and really care about you and your work and will push you. They say the faculty is the best asset the school currently has.One of them went on to tell me that if I get into another school I should probably end up going there and not to SMFA, but that if they did not regret going to SMFA and would make the same decision again if they had the choice. When I got back to my hotel room I went online and found these two interesting items online re-enforcing their concerns. http://www.smfa.edu/files/Strategic_Plan.pdf This is SMFA's Plan for the future which some of the things make sense for the school but may not be in the best interest for a current applicant or an applicant in the near future. These accreditation things can be tricky and I know that I don't want to get stuck in a transition period between two accreditations. http://www.scribd.com/doc/165254763/2013-SMFA-Disorientation-Guide-Web-Version This is a "Disorientation Guide" I found online made by students. Some of the things in there are fine with me (more pre-reqs for higher classes) but there also some worrying things in that book as well. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from applying or going. But I just think it’s fair for you to know what the school has in mind for the near future. I myself have to seriously consider if I want to be at this school while it goes through its changes. The faculty is really great, I love their work and Boston looks like a great place to learn with all the libraries and lectures that are available to you.