kewpies

thanks for the support brianmc, grad_wannabe & littlenova!!

I was accepted a while back for painting. I actually just declined their offer today. It was really, really hard, but going there I would have ended up 90K in debt & I just couldn't do that. I really was expecting more aid, which I guess was kind of silly. I also said no to CalArts That being said I finally accepted my place at UCSD! I really do think it was the best decision I could make to maintain my own sanity & quality of life. It was one of the hardest decisions I've had to make, and I am so glad it is all over!

sadly, i don't have any recommendations for programs just yet. but, i just found this page, & i wish i had found it earlier: Ten Tips for Those Considering MFA Programs also, to add to littlenova's list of tips - before i began researching programs, i contacted alumni from my undergrad who are practicing artists and asked if i could shadow them for a while, to see what their day to day life was like. by having a real visual of where i'd like to be one day, i got a better sense of what i needed to learn from an MFA program. i hope that makes sense, i'm feeling a little tounge-tied

thanks for this! very, very interesting

@ thankseverybody ha! i had the same experience!! i talked to someone and she sounded so chipper and positive like debt wasn't a burden at all. i could only think of 2 explanations 1) temperment -- i felt like in general the mood at calarts was pretty open/optimistic 2) family ties -- i have been asked twice if i could get family support/assistance. i told them i wasn't really set up that way. i mean my parents would support me if i was ever in trouble (spare room to crash, give me rides, etc), but w/100,000? no way. during the interview day, i was constantly asking current students about the debt. of those, one told me that their dad was paying, another was paying w/an inheritance from grandparents. i told them i really respected their honesty because really, where is this money coming from? i just couldn't believe that everyone was in that much debt even all that being said, i was still looking over Columbia's website/program last night, lol. i felt almost like i was window shopping

@ thankseverybody honestly, i have been thinking non-stop about this for the past week, and i am close to answering no to this question. i was offered a free ride, TAship + stipend for supplies at UCSD. i was also accepted at CalArts and Columbia. first off the news was just immensely flattering and exciting. i would love to go to either of those schools, and i was hoping that i would get some aid. in the end, i was offered 15K a year from CalArts, and 18K a year from Columbia. throw in living expenses, and i'd be looking at 100,000K of debt, too. those that have told me to take the debt argue that (1) could you live w/the regret of not choosing your ''dream school''? (2) x school would give me a wealth of connections and could get me ''set up'' in some kind of art scene (the folks at CalArts try not to talk about this stuff in my experience, but it has been pretty strongly suggested at Columbia) (3) its just a part of graduate school (i have been told this most often) alternatively, i was talking to an artist who is able to live off her work, and she told me: what could it do to your practice if you were given $100,000? so that's what i've been thinking about lately. i think another thing that makes this hard is that you can't have all the possible information before you make your decision (will that big name really help you financially in the long run?, etc)

ya i got an email today...

yes, i interviewed last thursday

i posted this before, but maybe its too far back in the thread. anyway, i was accepted at columbia, i was called by gregory this past saturday. i can't remember if he said 6 or 9 painters were accepted.

@ grad_wannabe WOW congrats!!!! that sounds amazing!!!! can't beat a monthly stipend, that sounds nice

I was just wondering... what are some things people are thinking about / considering as you approach your final decision? what issues do you think will influence you most in the end? Also, what are some questions you are asking of your programs? I've got about two weeks left to make a decision, and I'm trying to think of questions to ask of faculty, administration, current students etc before my time is up. Some issues that have been stewing in my brain: * taking on loans/finances * relocating (my family is west coast, close friends are east coast) * weather * school reputation

@ Jestem congratulations!!!!

updated list accepted: CCA Tyler UCSD (w/$) CalArts Columbia (w/merit scholarship!) interivew: Yale decided to turn this down, long/boring story rejected: USC UCLA UCDavis (they added, ''portfolio was not competitive") Finally got the call from Columbia that I have been accepted! I couldn't believe it!! He did acknowledge that I seemed nervous & tongue-tied, but he said they understood! I'm so so excited and really surprised! Even though its going to be a very hard decision now. I had wanted to stay on the west coast, but Columbia actually seems the most excited about my work. Either way, all the hardest parts are over! YAY!

Wow, now I feel really dumb because I honestly didn't know that! In any case, after talking to the folks at CalArts, they said that they don't match offers unless it's with a similar type of school (in size, private school, etc). They were very nice though, and suggested I take the full-ride offer at UCSD if money was an issue for me. (I was also asked: could I get any family support? interesting side note: when I asked current students about the money question, a couple of people very honestly said that they were being set up by parents, or through inheritance from grandparents.) They also set me up to talk with an alumni to ask questions about life after graduation. All in all, they were very honest and sympathetic. Which makes it that much harder, since I think I am leaning towards UCSD right now.

that is exactly how i felt! especially the last part. not only does it suck to know this may have ruined my chances, but it's also just embarrassing because i feel like i didn't represent myself or my work very well. i feel like i came off looking kind of flighty because i was rambling so much. Siiigh.

wow i just bombed my columbia skype interview!! i feel hoooorrribble!! i don't think my mind has ever gone blank so many times in my life. i felt like a deer in headlights :'( at least its over?

@sophiab WOW! congratulations!!!

thanks so much you guys!!! i just sent out my email to calarts, now i just have to wait & see!

lol, i'm glad others are enjoying the outcomes! honestly i've been really surprised by it all-- it makes me wish i could take a peek into those admissions meetings. i'd love to hear how they talk about people's work!

Wow thanks everyone!! this has given me a lot to think about & also brought up issues that have already been stewing in my head. Yeah, I think for me the reason Calarts had been my top choice was because they don't seem totally against painting, & it would also give me a chance to see other types of work (since my background has been pretty traditional, I wanted to be exposed to new ways of working). I also liked the idea of being close to LA. I was actually really surprised that UCSD responded so positively, especially after reading their mission statement. In fact, I only applied after a lot of encouragement from a friend, because I felt that they wouldn't be interested. I don't know if I would ever abandon painting. And my statement had more literary influences than anything else (i have a liberal arts background). So its a little shocking to hear that they would be so against painting -- but its good to hear about it now! I'll definitely have more questions for them when I visit next month. Oh, and finally to all those warning about debt, I am taking those comments very seriously... Thank again everyone, your comments have all been extremely helpful!! its definitely helped me organize my thoughts a bit

Specific question: nearing the end, I think my decision is going to be between UCSD and CalArts. I was just wondering what impressions others had about the programs. I feel like I've heard a lot about CalArts, but I still don't know much about UCSD's overall reputation. General question: this decision is also coming down to choosing between 1. going to my top choice/''dream school'' & taking on loans or 2. going to a school i feel positive about (but not my favorite) & being loan free any comments/insight would be greatly appreciated! thanks in advance!

updated list accepted: CCA Tyler UCSD (w/$) CalArts interivew: Yale decided to turn this down, long/boring story Columbia (this week) rejected: USC UCLA UCDavis (they added, ''portfolio was not competitive")

YES! i totally agree!! t-shirts + a few rounds of drinks would be nice