michaelwebster

I know most post-bacs can be expensive, but they will definitely help you get into grad schools. Definitely do it if you can afford it. If you don't want another year of loans, it may not be worth it.

http://www.ronhazelt...ing_system.shtm make or buy a cleat.

CCA interviewed me last year via phone for social practices. UNC Chapel Hill does not interview. SAIC does not interview for performance or ceramics.

schools always want international students because it shows they are a "world renown" institution. Grades don't matter too much, I would guess SOP would be the next most important. Or connections, if you know someone or built a relationship with a faculty member, or one of your recommendation writers is BFFs with one of the faculty, I would say that is second most important.

I don't think they used slide room last year, so it will probably go much smoother this year. I don't even know why I applied to Columbia, that was a stupid choice.

Thats just how many people asked the exact same question.

Columbia is overworked with the amount of applicants they get. I never got a rejection letter from them last year, most people that did get one got it over the summer.

Go strongest first. Most likely when they mean chronological order they mean your most recent first, but you can fudge that some. Just make your order make sense, as they get deeper into your portfolio they just want to see your earlier paintings that led to your most recent ones. But they won't care if one was painted a week or month before another.

Schools usually all use the same date of when you have to make your decision, April 15, and many are required to do so if they signed the council of graduate schools resolution. http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=201 you can find the info in the link above. Some schools may break the rules, like UNC Greensboro, they signed the resolution, but then the art dept rushes you into deciding a month before the date. If a school signed it and then goes back and asks for you to reply earlier, contact their dean of graduate studies and tell them you will make your decision by April 15, not when they want you to. Alot of private schools aren't on this list, like SAIC, but most schools use this date anyway.

I wouldn't mention it. Everyone puts this in their statement, it becomes wasted space where you could talk more about your work. They will just look over it, or may take it as a negative. Especially don't mention it in your interview. Your interviews fly by really quick. Why you want an MFA can be the most important question they ask, teaching is not a good answer. Unless your artwork includes teaching, then scratch all of the above.

I think UNC Greensboro is full funded only if your in-state. If your out of state they make you pay in state tuition, like 9k a year, but still low.

Yea, I didn't think so. I know I didn't apply there. katelevy, this brings up a good point, why did you choose the schools you are applying to? I don't know them all very well, but I know RISD doesn't really match up with your statement as well as CCA does.

I disagree a little, alot of schools are looking for people who don't work in the "gallery vacuum" but I would check it against their accepted grads and faculty work at each school. I know for a fact that CCA has some crossover with its social practice program and photography. My biggest concern is your use of the word documentary. "Documentary" photography is all about recording truth from an unbiased standpoint. Not only is that an impossible goal, but it sounds like you don't believe in that either.

I think they just want you to keep it to one page, but they won't count the words.

VCU looks like a good fit for your work.

Your work reminded me of one of my past professors in a few ways. Amy Freeman

I am not sure about mnchick, but in my experience I saw it made a huge difference. In my program they accepted 10, and only 1 of those was a phone interviewee, but about 1/3 of the people interviewed did so over the phone. You basically must be international to get in from a phone interview it seems. This person was in London doing a residency. I phone interviewed with CalArts, and even though it went perfectly and it was with a dean or director of the graduate program I was wait listed. I didn't want to fly from NC to CA. Maybe some others have had different results?

I ended up choosing SAIC. People who are coming almost straight out of undergrad with little experience outside of school will always get this question. My answer was that I am currently asking questions about my work and direction that need the two years of dialogue to work out, specifically, how much of my work is dictated, directed, or produced by others. How do I question my own authority within an artwork successfully while still being a central part of the formulation of the artwork. What other roles are possible for me to enact instead of the standard role of artist? Essentially this question/self critique was what got me into grad school, because my artwork is progressing rapidy, I didn't have 20 strong pieces, I had a range of pieces from somewhat successful to less so, as I was just out of undergrad. I think my interviews were key to getting accepted in my case.

http://arts.columbia...ative-materials this page lists more ways to submit materials in addition to the slideroom.