haphazardedly

@headinspace I can only speak to Purchase (I am finishing up undergrad there now). As you noted, Purchase is really well connected with the contemporary dialogue happening in New York. I think the strength and availability of the faculty is extremely valuable here. As an undergrad, you develop really close relationships with many diff faculty members and from what I have seen that is even more true with grad students. Also most of the faculty have their own practice in NYC, and most of them are well-known and successful in their own right. It is rare for a faculty member to not have top-tier gallery representation in the city. From what I have seen in my time here, every student that does well at Purchase leaves with a solid foundation for a career in the arts. It seems like you are primarily interested in sculpture. The sculpture program at Purchase has a slight public art/political intervention lean right now. I personally think that is fantastic but I don't know what kind of work you are interested in. A current project that is stirring around the sculpture dept is the Riad Project in Detroit I know a few students are going to Detroit this summer to work on that project. I also can't emphasize enough how much interdisciplinary work thrives here. There are no real barrier between mediums or even schools. I took a huge amount of my coursework in their wonderful New Media program. I would sometimes see MFA students in my computer science courses. Like I said I can't speak to the other schools, but Purchase is a really great option. Good luck with your choice!

~fire~fire~fire~ 10/10

@dryheat Thank you! Good luck to you wherever you settle. OSU is definitely a terrific option.

@dryheat I actually just sent an email to OSU telling them that I would not be joining their cohort. Their programs seem fantastic and I really like a lot of the work produced there. These two UC's just happen to be dream schools for me. Where are you at with your decision?

@MrBixler Thank you! Yeah I hope to visit as soon as possible but they are on break this week. heh. I believe that I was able to successfully buy time from Berkeley so that should make this easier. @langley Hi! thank you for the advice. I don't have a letter from Berkeley about the 25th, that was just a date that we had agreed upon in order to give them time to lock down TA positions for me. I believe that I might be able to get an extension on that though. I am going to do everything I can to visit UCLA. I won't make a decision before doing so. That is interesting that you heard mostly negative things about the program. They have been my top-choice school for years now. Everything I have encountered points to it being a top-notch program but I live on the east coast and don't have much contact with west coast artists. Do you recall any specific complaints that you heard (ie too commercial, bad facilities, distracted faculty)? Thanks again for the advice!

Congratulations to everyone on their momentum! (whether that is into a grad program or back into their work with a newfound vigor) I got into UCLA's Design Media Arts last night. I am still fairly shocked. That program is the top tier in my field. I have to make a really immense decision very soon because I really truly loved Berkeley and they both have similar funding packages. The catch is Berkeley needs me to decide by the 25th (!) in order to secure their funding. I haven't even visited UCLA yet! Anyone have any advice?

@trapnado how did the CMU interview go? Just curious. I have always been pretty drawn to CMU as an institution. I emailed Keni Jefferson to try and get word on official rejection and she didn't reply. I have already made peace with it but I wanted some finality. Also did anyone else interview with MIT's ACT program? I interviewed yesterday and completely blew it. I had a migraine and I couldn't string together coherent statements. I am okay as I wasn't too invested in the program but man do I cringe when I remember the interview.

@trapnado that is helpful. Thank you! Hopefully I get an interview invite in the next day or so but I won't get my hopes up. Good luck!

Congratulations! I wonder what that means for other CMU MFA applicants. Did it seem like an individual email or a mass email to everyone getting an interview? You heard a lot earlier than applicants have in past years.

Congrats to everyone who is seeing some movement. Not sure if these programs are on anyone's radar but I got an accept from RPI (Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute) and a skype interview next week for MIT's SMACT program.

Hi Pulsar I have an interview scheduled with UCLA but I applied to the Design Media Arts MFA. I think the program is pretty separate from the other MFA so I doubt my interview is any indication of the progress in the other departments.

Congratulations! WRT: OSU@dryheat and I both got into OSU. I am arts and electronics & dryheat is sculpture I believe so I am not sure about ceramics. The wording on the acceptance letter seems to imply that they have made their choices for all depts though. not sure hopefully this is helpful.

I applied to CMU also. I don't think they will start talking to people until the end of Feb. Good luck!

Thanks so much! The interview isn't until March 4th strangely. I think they wanted to give a window that would allow me the opportunity to interview in person. I am opting for skype though. I bet that if they are planning interviews that far off then the other MFA programs at UCLA aren't rushing to finish the admission process either. I wouldn't worry much about not hearing yet.

Congrats to everyone that is finally seeing some movement! Yesterday I got an invitation to interview with the Design Media Arts MFA program at UCLA. I am sure their admissions offices are on different schedules than the painting but I just thought I would let you know. Also yesterday I was accepted into Berkeley's Art Practice program! They are flying me out to visit in early March.