helenforsdale

I've called columbia and heard the same nonsense - yes, they let people in without interviews into the school of arts - but NOT in the fine arts department. And unfortunately, if you're waitlisted - you'd be waitlisted from the group of people they selected for interviews. If you haven't heard by now, it's most assuredly a rejection. It blows. This is my *third* time applying. My scores this year rej: yale (photo) columbia (photo) bard (although the letter said I was "too advanced and had progressed too far" for their program. (photo) Very, very frustrating. My third year applying to schools. I got into the RCA last year, but had to decline due to cost. I had a piece in the new museum and was awarded several grants this year, but I can't even score an interview at a single north american institution. Go figure. Don't know if I'll try again for a fourth year. Very disheartened.

Buck up, kid. You got interviews at two of the most prestigious, hard-to-get-into schools in the country (columbia and yale). I got rejected from both - I'd have loved to have been in yr shoes. Not bad for a recent undergrad - and most importantly, yr work is fantastic. And as we all know - the east coast rules. Way better to be in NYC than in LA.

@Ghu, Re: Columbia - Nope, last year they notified interviews first week of march - photo rejections were received by the middle of the month. I don't think any photo people have heard yet...although I could be wrong. @Animal Re: London/RCA - I know I was a top choice for the program I got into, but I couldn't shake the fact that maybe they were just accepting me to bankroll the program. No, I didn't reapply. Most schools don't handle being rejected well. I've never once heard of a student who turned down an offer getting in again. And the financial situation wouldn't have changed. Yes, the RCA is part of FAFSA, but that doesnt help w/ the insane cost of living in London. I live in NYC and London is about 2, 3 times the cost. As far as reputation/difficulty of getting in goes - It's RCA>Goldsmiths>Slade Between the three, if money wasn't an issue, I'd pick the RCA hands down. The work that comes out of that school is just amazing. I would have fit in very well there - so it bums the heck out of me. Of course, I hate London, so there's that. And yeah - the EU has a very different approach. I've gotten into every EU school/program I've applied to, but can't manage to land a single offer in the US. It's frustrating the heck out of me.

Hey - I got into the RCA two years ago. It's an amazing program, an amazing school that turns out some of the best artists around. I had to turn them down tho - they offer no funding or financial assistance to non-uk students. Not only that, but you pay approximately 8 times what the locals pay. So basically, foreign students are funding the education for the Brits. And that's not including the insane cost of living in london. So I just couldn't justify it. I'm constantly regretting it - everytime I see a new artist I like, they're always ex-RCA...but still I don't think I could have stomached paying 8 times what everyone else was paying for the same education. Goldsmiths is also excellent, tho not quite the caliber of the RCA - but they at least offer some financial assistance, but stil nothing amazing. So yeah - the RCA is incredible, but a very financially difficult option for foreigners. Also - Anyone heard from Columbia photo yet? I'm stupidly holding out hope. But really, if you haven't heard by them this week, then yr screwed. Lame, I know.

Sadly, this simply isn't true - the person you spoke with may have been speaking about the other departments in the school of art. Unfortunately for us - those applying for a visual arts MFA - they most certainly do interview everyone. There are only 25 people admitted per year - they curate the selection of students, and interviews are an important part of that process. I've known tons of kids who have gone there and sat on panels. They definitely interview everybody they're interested in. The only slim light we have - painting usually makes their calls earliest, new genres makes their decisions last. Blah, it sucks, I know.

No, I agree - you should ignore all stats and apply to the schools you feel are a best fit. But yeah - if you look at Yale's site, you can see the exact amount of students in the program. Currently, there are 18 students in the photo department divided over two years. Make no mistake - even though they let in more students per year than Columbia, it is in no way any less competitive. Technically, they have a stronger photo/painting/sculpture department despite the larger size.

No, unfortunately I didn't. I don't know a lot of schools that respond well to rejection. I've never heard of anyone rejecting a school then getting in on a second application. But yeah, I'm bummed - I was a perfect fit for the department. I loved the faculty and students and I really felt that I fit in well there. I just can't figure it out financially. Yale, Columbia - at least funding is an option. But yeah, main reason I didn't reapply - I can't stand london. I'm a hard core New Yorker. I have a life here and I really like it.

Watch out w/ the RCA. I got in last year - they don't offer any financial aid - and they charge US student between seven and eight times what the British Residents pay. So essentially you're paying for 7 other students to attend. This isn't including the outrageous cost of living of London. I was really disappointed - they have an amazing program and I'm constantly impressed with their graduates. Slade, Goldsmiths offer a bit of funding to foreign students, but not the RCA. You can get student loan in the states for them though. But yeah, I had to turn them down, I couldn't stomach the idea that I was there possibly to fund a bunch of other students education.

That's actually incorrect. Make no mistake - Yale is extremely competitive - but they let in approximately 10-12 people in per department. There are about 24-26 people in the photo department spread out over two years. If you go to the website - you can see the exact amount of people in each program, divided by year. I think you're thinking of Columbia - there are approximately 50 people in the entire program over two years. They let in about 24 people a year - about 3-5 of them are photographers.

hmn. i spoke to soon - food for thought - i know that the royal college of art, slade and goldsmiths are two year programs - slade and goldsmiths offer both ma's and mfa's while the rca only offers an mfa, but is also a two year degree.

i don't follow your logic - why after getting a masters in london would you "have to" / want to do *another* masters in the states? an ma and an mfa are both terminal degrees. a mfa isn't any higher of an academic achievement than a ma. it would be completely redundant to do both. and while in the states, a mfa and a ma indicate a different focus of study, you are correct - they don't do mfa's in england, only ma's. but it's the exact same level of accomplishment. a british ma in studio art is the exact same thing as an american mfa in studio art. go to whichever program you'd benefit more from. if yr really hung up on having an american degree over a foreign one, go stateside. remember now is a really good time to study in london because the pound has dropped so much. it's not going to be as cost effectivet a few years from now after the market recovers.

cost - the school i got into is in england, and tuition there is insane. at the time, the pound was so high, it nearly doubled the cost of tuition of a local university. no matter how reputable a program, i couldn't stomach this. because of the high cost for international students, most british programs allow foreign students the option to defer. so that's what i did - largely because all those rejections kind of made me realize i didn't exactly know what i'd be doing in graduate school yet. it also made me doubt the reasons for my acceptance into the one program i did get into. anyways, i'm glad i waited. the pound has been reduced to 1:1.4 usd, and so now it's actually *cheaper* to go to school in london than here in the states, if you can believe that. about a 15k difference in tuition. still, i'd really like to reapply again next year for a local school. i didn't really think it out too well this time around. i'm busy working on a film and i spend a lot of time grant writing - so at the time, one application seemed to be enough - there aren't a lot of programs i would enjoy being in. but in retrospect, it was a bit of a half-assed attempt on my part.

I have to say I agree with brosenth 100% - I think he's right on the money with this one. I was in a similar position - last year I applied to 6 programs, and only got into one, which was my second choice. I was devastated. I had just quit being a full time touring musician in a punk band and so going back to school seemed like the only option - I hadn't picked up a camera in a few years. Going through the rejections - it made me realize that my portfolio was in fact, rather weak - I had no focus or sense of direction - just a lot of drive and ideas. I was all over the place. As a result, I spent the last year really building up my portfolio - and I can honestly say I'm really proud of the work I've been doing. Not only that, but now I have a clear sense of direction - I know what my work is about and how to talk about it. Had I somehow been accepted to a program last year, I think I would have really floundered around, trying to figure out what I was doing. Putting another year into this will only make your work stronger. It's also true what brosenth said - most graduate programs never accept people right out of a bfa program. The few kids I know who went in after only taking a year off - their work isn't nearly as strong as those who waited a bit. Heck, I turned 30 this year - and the 7 or so years i've spent out of school have taught me way more than undergrad. But yeah, this is my second year out - and good chance I'll go for it again next year. So believe me - yr not in as bad of a position as you think you are. And remember - you don't need a school, or an mfa degree to allow you to make work - just believe in yourself and stay focused no matter what. A degree will never replace real life experience. I'm just kicking myself for only applying to one school this year - columbia (albeit in two departments, new genres and photography). Up against over 1400 people for only 26 slots. And of those 26 slots, only 3 were for photography. Impossible odds - and the sad truth is, no matter how strong of a portfolio - I know my aesthetic is radically different from what they're about. And really, I only applied because I wanted to stay in New York. So i'm in a pickle as well - I got into the Royal College of Art in London - but they need an answer soon. Do I wait another year, really build my portfolio, and this time for schools that are a better fit (yale, hunter)? or bite the bullet and attend the RCA. Or i could attend the RCA while reapplying back here in the states... but yeah, really kicking myself over not having the initiative to apply to yale...i think i would have had a good shot there. (edit - the rca is an amazing fit for me - i love the professors there - i'd be studying under someone i really admire - and their alumni list is incredible....but i hate london, and not sure it would lead to the gallery/art world contacts i'd like). But also - this website has been amazing. It's been really comforting to see everyone go through the same process as me - and freak out in the same way.

that's kind of a relief to hear - i've had the same problems with columbia. i applied last year and they sent my rejection letter to an old address i hadn't lived at for 6 years and hadn't given to them. real odd - not sure how they would have gotten that information. this year i applied twice in two different divisions and they lost one of the applications. it was a whole what-to-do. i still haven't heard yet, and i've called a few times with no luck. my head is on the chopping block - just put me out of my misery already! yeesh!

are you talking about film theory/history? or actual filmmaking? generally, with all things film related, both production, as well as theory/history nyu, usc and ucla tend to be top 3 in the country, all with very similar programs.