newengland1
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Posts posted by newengland1
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40 minutes ago, Mel Rose said:
Thank you so much. That gives me hope. At first I wasn't even going to bother applying to NYU...but the faculty is incredible.
From what I've gathered...Brown is very experimental, highly conceptual, and interested in redefining what "dramatic writing" can look like. Julia Jarcho of minor theater is the new head of playwriting. Seems to have full funding, so is highly competitive (I'd guess 2-3 admitted in a year, if that). Seems like artists who come out of the program are pretty interdisciplinary and unconventional (which I'm into).
Hey there! I finished my MFA at NYU in 2018. I don't know if much has changed since then, but I'm guessing it's still fairly similar in terms of available funding, etc., given the department leadership hasn't changed. SO ... SOME people get full funding, but it's a very small handful of the class (which is roughly 24 students, a third of whom are playwrights--the rest are TV writers and screenwriters). I had to fight for my funding. As I was deciding which MFA program offer to accept, I asked for a meeting with the chair at NYU and he put me on a "needs more money" list. They wound up offering me a little. (Ask for what you want.) I decided to attend, mostly because of the reputation, cross-training emphasis, and quality of faculty and peers. I was given more funding as a surprise in the middle of my first year, and more on top of that as I started my second year--this was based on merit, I guess. I was very happy with the experience, BUT I was in a good thesis cohort, working intensively with Lucas Hnath for a full year, and Lucas was wonderful. My group had great chemistry and we loved, respected, and supported each other, too. Our cohort has done pretty damn well since graduating. The class ahead of us and the class behind us had a different thesis mentor (I'll share in private message if you like) and were unhappy with the experience. So, always pros and cons ... overall I had a very good experience and highly recommend the program if you don't have to take on debt. I'd be happy to speak about any aspect of it anytime, if that would be helpful. Feel free to reach out. And good luck!
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On 3/16/2020 at 3:35 PM, nerv said:
@Ezra Brain I asked in my interview - they said between 20 and 30.
True but just about 8 playwrights (I graduated in 2018). Then around 8 TV writers and 8 screenwriters.
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I finished my MFA in 2018. It was not a golden ticket to anything. It did help me--most of all, by expanding my network and giving me a resume line that piques interest. I would have written plays even if I was not in school. However---
- I still have to network my butt off to get to know literary managers and other gatekeepers.
- I still have to do the hard work of writing.
- Even though I have an agent, I am still 99% responsible for earning things that happen in my career.
These are the things careers are built on. Grad school, in contrast, is optional, and most of what you'd get in grad school, you can find other ways. Which isn't to say that you shouldn't go to grad school. Just that I don't think it's a magical portal to a career, and that careers in playwriting can happen without it.
Feel free to disagree with me, of course. Curious to know what others think.
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On 1/27/2020 at 8:09 PM, Coffee&Flowers said:
@newengland1- Super curious how it was for you! I'd love to hear about your experience in general, and would also love to know:
- Approximately how much of a scholarship do admitted students receive? Did the scholarship amount depend on your financial means (last year they told me I would be automatically considered for a scholarship if I got admitted, and this year apparently everyone has to fill out the FASFA)? I understand that every student receives some sort of a scholarship, but the tuition is quite high to start with, so I wonder how doable it could be for me.
- What was the best part?
- What were the cons?
- Did you feel like your time there was worth it and truly helped advance your career?
Thank you so much in advance!
Hey only just saw this. Sooo ...
- Everyone always has to fill out a FAFSA, and I think everyone gets considered for money. Some people were offered full rides, and others were offered varying amounts of scholarship money. I actually was not initially offered any scholarship money. Then I got into a different (free & stipended) program and went back to NYU and negotiated for a scholarship. They then gave me some (really not a lot at first), and after I started the program, they wound up quadrupling the amount I was given--due to merit. I don't know if everyone is given a scholarship, actually.
- The best part was the level of talent around me. The playwrights were really strong. The faculty are stars in their various genres. This doesn't always equate to good teaching, but I felt I lucked out--most everyone I studied under was an exceptional teacher. Another clear strength of NYU is the cross-training in TV and screenwriting. Some programs offer a course or two in each of those, but they're longstanding areas of expertise for NYU faculty. It's useful, and you can take advantage of that to the extent that you want.
- I would also say that the reputation has been helpful to me. I don't know that Tisch opens as many doors as quickly as Yale or Juilliard, but it's up there. Being in the NYC mix was also pretty helpful for networking. A few random examples: I feel I could easily get coffee with one of my professors who's in the writers room at Mrs. Maisel; I'm friends with Tisch film grads; Spike Lee made a phone call and got one of my peers an agent at ICM. And the program has strong ties to the Public Theater.
- The biggest weakness is clearly the financial aspect. For most people, it is not a free program, and this is problematic. For this reason, the department can occasionally feel like a bastion of privilege. Other potential disadvantages of the program include: bigger cohort, and they don't produce your plays. Maybe I'm biased, but I didn't mind either of these things.
- It truly helped advance my career. When I look at where I was career-wise just before entering, and where I was when I came out of school, it's kind of night & day. By the time I finished, I had an agent and a publication contract. I have a number of high-profile people who will write me letters of rec. I got a nice playwriting fellowship in NYC a couple months after graduating. Not everyone fares as well, and some have skyrocketed faster. But I think of the 9 or so playwrights in my year, the vast majority--particularly those who have been disciplined and productive about both writing and networking since graduating--have had some really nice things happen for them.
Happy to talk more, on or offline!
-c
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Hi there--I really should stop reading this digest since I'm now almost two years out of my MFA program, but I thought ... perhaps I could be of service, having completed my MFA recently. I graduated from the NYU DDW program in 2018. I loved it but there are pros and cons. Happy to answer any questions about NYU, applications/admissions, or anything else that may be useful, at any point!
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12 hours ago, emmadlemma said:
@Zebras4Ever Thank you! It went well. Currently trying to decide whether to accept their offer or go through another round of applications this year.
Congrats on getting in! Have you spoken to alumni of the program? If not, I'm sure someone there could put you in touch with a few. Good luck!
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I should totally be getting on with my life and not posting here because I'm already in a grad program and about to graduate. But! Noticing that someone has gotten in when you haven't heard anything does NOT mean you're not also getting in. I learned this the hard way when I applied to programs. Anything could happen still. Have faith.
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4 hours ago, detroitatheart said:
Hey y'all! Long time lurker first time poster. I didn't apply to many programs this year, just NYU and a new low-residency TV writing program through Stephens College. I was accepted to Stephens which I'm very excited about, but just heard word that NYU wants to set up a 20-minute Skype interview. Anyone had an interview with NYU before and know what to expect?
Yep. I applied to NYU two years ago and am a current student. I think I posted about it around late February 2016 but happy to answer any questions. Who is your interview with?
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Me too.
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@guacthisway, congrats!
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@jnp809, good question. I'll PM you about it.
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little update. i accepted NYU's offer. sent a quasi-heartbroken email to charles & erik at ohio today. also was offered a spot off the waitlist at CMU last week, and turned that down as well. so, if you're waitlisted at either Carnegie Mellon or Ohio, chances are there will be some movement. sending good vibes to anyone else still waiting!
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3 hours ago, jnp809 said:
@lrb0192 I don't know anything about the program. But I remember someone else saying that they were in the same situation a previous year. Maybe search through this topic for info.
Also did anyone else get this e-mail from Juilliard:
Thank you for your patience in waiting for an update on your application status from The Juilliard School. We are pleased to report that at this time, your play is still under consideration. Admission will ultimately be offered to four or five playwrights. It is possible that you may receive a request for an interview during the next six weeks. You may also be asked to submit an additional play or additional letters of recommendation. However, you do not need to submit any additional materials until requested. If you have made significant changes to the play submitted with your application and would like us to consider the revised version, please email a blind copy to dramaadmissions@juilliard.edu by Monday, April 25.
We expect to make final determinations by the beginning of June. We will keep you updated as the admissions process continues, as soon as we have any new information to report. We thank you again for your patience with our process!I'm excited by the chance to submit a new version of the script because I have a drastically expanded version, 3 characters instead of 2, that I think is way better. I'm just trying to figure out if this is a good sign or if everyone got this e-mail.
Yep, got the same email. Kind of exciting, yet kinda mysterious. I'm also glad I can send a revised script. Good luck @jnp809 and anyone else who got this!
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Hey all. Hope everyone's well. A few updates on my end:
Rutgers: rejected, no interview, impersonal form letter
Brooklyn: rejected with a form email that encourages people to apply again
Juilliard: no word yet
U of Guelph (in Toronto): accepted with partial funding; I declined the offer eventually
Carnegie Mellon: I interviewed with Rob Handel yesterday via Skype. I'm at or near the top of the wait list. As of yesterday 6 offers had been made, and of those, one person hadn't yet accepted. He said I'd hear back this coming week.
NYU-Tisch: accepted.
Ohio: accepted.
Weighing the merits of NYU and Ohio has been PAINSTAKING. I've yet to make a final decision -- waiting for Ohio's formal offer letter and also for NYU to see how much more money they can scare up. The two programs couldn't be more opposite, and I've spent a great deal of this past week talking with people and trying to gather info/anecdotal evidence. I visited Ohio, and had a fucking fantastic time there, despite my nerves. I met both Charles and Erik, all of the current grad students, got a tour of the theatre building/facilities and the town (which is surprisingly charming), attended several rehearsals, interviewed with a theatre historian I'd potentially TA for, and saw Midnight Madness (some great writing!). It's a very warm community and a really well-put-together program that seems to really dignify and nurture its students. The faculty are incredibly warm and open. I'll be making my decision soon.
Good luck to anyone who's still waiting for news. I hope the coming months bring lots of creative energy to all. (If anyone has further questions about my experiences with Ohio, NYU, etc., feel free to PM.)
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Congrats @Boxedwine!
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Thru the grapevine -- I know of someone who got into CMU today. Not sure how this person was notified. Anybody hear anything? (A deafening silence over here.)
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So -- is anyone thinking of applying to Hunter? I believe the deadline is 4/1. Annie Baker and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins will be teaching there again next year. I did an MA in the same department and know many of the MFA graduates, some of whom have had serious successes after graduating. CUNY tuition is VERY reasonable, and classes are held after 5pm, so many students are able to work full- or part-time while in school. Just thought I'd throw it out as an option for anyone who's not yet in at a place they're excited about since there's still more than a week to submit.
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Congrats guys & gals. So much waiting! Time to start a new play?
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Looks to me like people accepted first hear by email then snail mail ... maybe I'm wrong.
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Nothing here, @Barista. I didn't interview but did send a second script at Rob's request. That was on Feb. 26, so not sure what that means. I probably should check my P.O. box, which I haven't done in a bit ...
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Another Ohio update. I had a long phone chat with Erik Ramsey today. He'd emailed me earlier in the day to set that up, and also invite me to visit campus. (Gonna go in two weeks.) Talking with Erik was really helpful. After responding to some questions from him, we covered subjects like OU's relationship to the Kennedy Center, teaching load and the kinds of classes playwrights teach (or TA), stipends, and OU's timeframe for making offers. I'd assumed all students at Ohio had full free rides, but this doesn't seem quite the case. It seems that most of the 3 years are quite well-funded (and Charles explained to me yesterday how in the summers, there is grant money playwrights can apply for to go to research for a play, etc.). But there can also be semesters (more likely in the first year) where tuition is covered but the stipend on top of that is on the smaller side. In those cases, I'm not sure how students manage, but I'll have the chance to learn more about this in a couple weeks when I visit and talk to students.
A big part of OU's program is Madness -- a weekly event where all the playwrights have a 5-7 minute play performed. Madness is produced by students and seems (from what I've heard) hugely popular on campus, drawing large audiences and talent from others in the theatre programs (actors especially). I think this is happening the Friday night that I'll be there. Yesterday Charles told me that when playwrights leave OU, in addition to their other plays they've written something like 70 Madness scripts, some of which then form the basis for 10-minute plays. Charles really emphasized writing in production -- i.e. writing a first draft that then gets honed via rewrites during rehearsals. I've been through this before with productions of my own work and get why it's emphasized at OU.
My understanding is that OU is trying to notify applicants by the end of March, though Erik said this could happen sooner or even a little later. So I'm waiting, and have the typical anxiety, but am really glad to be visiting the program (on my own dime -- they can't offer funding for that) -- something I'd certainly want to do before committing if accepted. As I've written Charles and Erik, I have a good feeling about the program. (This comes in part from reading posts by past applicants and current students at OU here on GradCafe.)
Hope this is helpful to current/future applicants. I'll share anything else I learn. Until soon ...
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Congrats @jnp809!
Ohio update: I received an email from Charles Smith yesterday, and had a phone interview with him today. He's a lovely guy, and we spoke a lot about the program and its structure. He said Erik Ramsey would also contact me for an interview. I thought it went well, but one never knows. Fingers crossed. @Maybel, as perverse as it sounds, I'm grateful to you for pulling out.
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Thanks for sharing that info, @jnp809.
I've gotten into one program (NYU), but am still waiting on a bunch of others. Has anybody heard from CMU or Juilliard? Anyone else heard from Ohio or Brooklyn? Just trying to get a sense of the rest of the landscape ... thanks!
Playwriting MFAs
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Just curious--why Columbia but not NYU?