radredhead

Hi! Congrats on getting in to those programs. I don't know much about SFAI, but I did talk to the chair at SVA and they were disappointed I ultimately didn't end up applying. I wasn't interested in their program because it's more practical experience than theory, and I wasn't really looking for that focus. I've worked full-time in arts administration for the previous 2 years, so I was looking to bolster the conceptual side of my practice. It sounds like with your museum & gallery experience, you may benefit from something a bit more conceptual as well? It's also horrendously expensive and I'm hesitant to take on so much debt for a career that isn't very lucrative. That said, their location & connection are really appealing and I think if you're looking for solid internships, they're a good program to consider. I was also accepted to RCA with no funding, and decided not to "yolo" it (well, with Goldsmiths, actually) because I've heard it's extremely difficult to continue living abroad after graduation. Christie's & Sotheby's are very art-markety, so I would stay away from that if you aren't interested in sales. Good luck!

I'm headed to UC Irvine this fall, within the MFA program but in the Critical & Curatorial Studies concentration (I think there are just 2 of us out of an MFA class that is going to be up to 12. Got to peek at the emails of the admitted students, but not sure how many actually ended up enrolling.) Hate to admit it, but money played the biggest role in my decision. I was offered about 50% scholarship at my top choice, but I'm coming to grad school with a ton of debt already, and just didn't think it was a smart choice. Also, being based in Los Angeles, I don't have to uproot much to start at Irvine. My employer said they will work with me to go part-time when I start my MFA in the fall, so I hope that all works out. If my debt were about half of what it is now, I'd have gone with the top choice--so I think the steep loans are worth considering, if you're not already super burdened.

I have only received the automated confirmation. Going by what previous applicants have said, they do interviews pretty close to the notification date. Hopefully we will be contacted this week or the next if we are a finalist!

@AllArt Thanks for this advice! Just to clarify, though, I'm applying to critical & curatorial studies, so my goal is to be a curator rather than a working artist. I do have an art practice, but it's not my professional aim. I've also been working professionally for the past 5 years as an arts administrator, so I do have a good glimpse into the LA art scene. I'm looking at grad school because I've been having a hard time shifting out of admin & into curating and research. LA's art philosophy is less focused on conceptual and more on form. It's very irreverent here, and steeped a lot with Hollywood culture. It's not a fit for me. I've spoken to my would-be advisors at UCI and they were very blunt that, if I wanted to relocate to NYC after graduation, I will have to spearhead the effort to make connections out there. Their network is very strong in SoCal, but outside the region it doesn't have as much influence. The general consensus is that if I want to live out east, I should go to school out there. I'm not as concerned about Bard's "remote" location, as the majority of grads end up in NYC and most of the faculty works down there as well. My commute to UCI will end up being up to 2 hours in traffic. That's the drive-time between Bard is from NYC. Also, keep in mind that cost of living for LA is also about 20-25k on a bare minimum (and, btw, Bard quoted 15-20k.) UCI is a 3 year program, and Bard is 2. That means UCI, despite waiving tuition, will require me to take out that extra year of loans. It partially cancels out the difference in tuition at Bard. I followed up on a living stipend and housing, and no, that's not included in my offer. Luckily I have a great, rent-controlled apartment, but if I want to move closer to campus it's going to be extremely difficult to find anything as affordable as where I live now. My biggest reasons for wanting to leave LA comes down to a variety of mental health factors not totally related to my academic interests. Plus, many of my friends are moving out of LA -- the influx of people here is a bit misleading, because the turnover is high and many people don't stay more than a few years. Realistically, though, it's looking more and more like I will take the UCI offer and just have to tough it out here. I've thought about just moving to NYC without a master degree, but I don't have the capital to do that long-term and would only have about 3 months to find steady employment. Grad school overall is probably a really bad choice for me re: debt and poverty! But I've been stalled out trying to move on without a degree, so maybe it's time.

@betsy303 oh yes, I understand about the extra cost of living expenses and have factored that into the overall cost of attendance. That is why the tuition/stipend aid is making such a large impact on my decision. I know that the funding for MAs in humanities is few and far between. I've had some schools offer me a lot and some none at all. Pretty unpredictable, unfortunately.

So I received my funding info from my top choice MA program, Bard CCS, and they are only offering 10k a year. I have a fully funded offer at UC Irvine, by far a less known program, but the faculty is great. I didn't like the feel of UCI when I visited, would probably have to be a commuter student, and I don't really want to live in Los Angeles/SoCal anymore. However, I already have debt from undergrad and I think taking out the loans to attend Bard would be very irresponsible. I'm trying to follow up with them on any kind of appeals or discretionary funding, but I know their endowment is really bad and anticipated this being an issue (though I was hoping to receive about 20k since I've heard people have sometimes received about 50% of tuition.) What would be your advice in this situation? Another possibility was turning down every offer and apply to CUNY Hunter or Williams. Unfortunately, I have not taken the GRE (no one required it?) and I'm an extremely poor standardized test-taker. I also am not fluent in any foreign languages and fear my Spanish isn't good enough to pass the language requirement, and it has little relevance to the type of art I want to work with (contemporary new media & performance.) There's the risk I wouldn't get accepted at all, even though I know I am a good candidate apart from these snags.

@nogo @stitcher yeah I had to do financial aid appeals in undergrad, and it allowed me to go for free my last 3 semesters. I was definitely in extreme circumstances and had already gone through most of the program, so they wanted to help me stay, but even without drastic assistance I think the appeals process is worth it for anyone who might need extra help. I think FAFSA appeals are available at most institutions, as I know of at least 3 that do it, so maybe you can look at it for places that are not SAIC as well!

@Little-bird same here As great as it feels to get accepted, I might have to forgo grad school all together if I can't make the funding work. Anyone know a techbro looking to do some philanthropy?

@bosie_dearest yeah, I'm definitely leaning in their direction! Just anxious for the funding package. Worried it's not going to be very good because Bard's endowment is terrible. @Little-bird Did you get anything yet? I was told by March 31, but feel like I can't wait another week!

@Little-bird haha, yeah I found out about UCI's program kind of on accident! I think it's only been around for about 5 years? That also makes me a little nervous. It's a way more independent program than Bard, but I'm not sure if I want that. I'm really interested in the collaborative approach, maybe because the majority of my work and research has already been independently driven and I find that it hasn't been getting me as far as I'd like. But yea, at UCI you get to curate 2 shows individually, and potentially a third. Honestly, I think the program sounds amazing and encourage way more people to look into it, but I just don't know if that philosophy, on top of the location, falls in line with what I want.

@welshforjohn @Little-bird ah, ok, if you don't have a driver's license, I can understand the reservations. I'm living in LA and it's car culture. I definitely won't be selling my vehicle if I head up to Bard. The 90 minute commute, though, I don't see it as that taxing? Maybe it's because I'm used to long drives and weekend trips. In Syracuse, I didn't go down very often, but it didn't impact my connection to the city once I graduated, or in how I got to know other alumni and contacts. I'm deciding between here and UC Irvine, where I got into the Critical & Curatorial Studies track within their MFA program. I don't think a lot of people know about UCI here, because they only accept 2 students a year in this track, but it's fully funded (!!!) and I like that it's embedded in the studio art program. It's a very theory heavy program, which I like, and weirdly enough, my would-be main advisor used to teach at Bard. I really don't want to stay in Los Angeles / SoCal, though, and I'm worried that another 3 years here would make a transition to NYC really difficult. My biggest issues with Bard are that you can't really interact with the MFA students, who have the low-res program, and that you're curating form a pre-existing collection for the first year. However, I brought up both those concerns in my interview, and the prof cited them as the same weaknesses and gave me some initial ideas of how to work around it. Bard just seems way more collaborative, and I like that.

I'm actually deciding between this program and one other! But I will be visiting next week depending on the financial aid package (I figured there was no point in spending money on the flight if I can't afford the program.) My best friend is from this area, though, and I've spent time in Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie. I really love their faculty, and it has the best reputation for any curating program. Yes, the Hudson Valley feels isolated, but you're only 90 minutes from NYC. Your network is essentially there. I did my undergrad in Syracuse, which is 4 hours away, and my connections to NYC are incredibly strong, albeit my undergrad is in a different industry. Being in the region overtakes any isolation you may think you're getting. If you've also been accepted to schools in NYC, and feel like Bard isn't for you, I think it's worth considering those options. But I would completely not be worried about Bard being too far away. There are no Friday courses and students are often going down to the city for exhibitions and studio visits. They have shuttles that take people between the city & school for openings. The program has over 90% of their grads employed, and a huge chunk of them are in NYC.

@nogo Didn't get any grant when I was accepted to Visual & Critical Studies. It depends on FAFSA info, and there's a variety of factors that would make one get a grant or not. I currently work salaried full-time, and have not been getting so lucky with my FAFSA packages at any institution, even though I also have my EFC at 0. @Modal_Pieces talk to your admissions advisor. They can work with you to revise the FAFSA to more accurately reflect your financial situation once enrolled. Mine worded it as "financial aid appeal" - didn't go through the process because I have other offers, but if you really want SAIC I would ask them about this.

@bosie_dearest you've had very great advice! I've been mixed because I have a pretty specific subject I'd like to study, but I very strongly want to go into curating / programming. My sights are on alternative art spaces more than traditional museums, as well. It's a shame, though, that MAs don't offer the living stipend a PhD program does. Even though a few programs did offer me TAships, they barely pay anything & I think I'm going to have to take out loans to supplement the cost of living :/

@unanachronism I got advice the other day to always do a PhD over an MA. I personally applied to MAs because I don't know if a PhD is right for me in the long run, as my goals are to work in art spaces or museums over academia, but definitely in terms of funding and avoiding debt, it's the better way to go. Another suggestion is that you could take that spot in the PhD program if it also offers a MA, and once you have secured that, transfer to a higher-ranked PhD program. Apparently it's very common? I have no idea if that's unprofessional or not, but it was advice given to me by multiple people.

Decent FAQ on the federal website: http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/help/faq.html But this is especially good information for graduate students: 4. Can I consolidate a PLUS Loan? Yes, PLUS Loans can be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation Loan. However, if you consolidate a parent PLUS loan, your new Direct Consolidation Loan cannot be repaid under the IBR Plan. It's hard to afford an MA without the PLUS loan. Hopefully PhD candidates are luckier!

Ah, ok, I see the main issue with @Mirrorical_Return's scenario - he is assuming that the loans are coming from post July 1, 2014. If you are a new borrower from after this period, then yes it's possible you could get an IBR rate with a salary of ~45k. However, seeing as this is grad school, it's very likely a lot of people on this forum already have taken out loans for their undergraduate education, and therefore will not qualify in that hypothetical. I'm not sure if the "new" loans would be charged 226 & the old ones a non-IBR rate--making your monthly payment still much higher than quoted--or if consolidating all the loans into one gives you that post-July 1 2014 estimate. I consolidated my loans in 2015 and was still given IBR consideration based on the original date the loans were taken out, which took me out of qualification in my latest tax bracket. So, again, this is a question for the lender and not a message forum.

just did this calculator with my info from when I did qualify for IBR and the result is completely different from what happened in reality. I wouldn't trust this source, and I wouldn't rely on a third party online calculator to give an accurate estimate of what one would actually pay. You have no idea if my situation is typical or not - what's your sample size from making that assumption? You are wrong on this issue. Go through the process yourself before you start advising people on it. That's the last I'm going to say to you regarding this.

If you don't have experience with IBR, you shouldn't be telling people how it works. You clearly don't understand how the conditions vary and you're pulling that $226 number out of nowhere. I've moved through 3 tax brackets within the last 5 years. I am extremely familiar with filing for IBR, seeing if I qualify for PAYE (but not REPAYE, as another poster mentioned,) the graduated payment plan, deferments, forbearance, and loan consolidation. There is no uniform way to estimate this for people, and as tax brackets differ by state, your advice most likely is only close to being accurate for New York residents. I'm certain it isn't, however, as I've also lived in New York state and didn't experience what you are talking about. But no, instead of admitting you might be wrong about something, you're digging your heels and misinforming everyone on this board. I'm not telling anyone what they should expect to pay, and I'm not suggesting people do not apply for IBR. It's a great option and if you qualify, I think you should definitely take advantage of it. However, I don't think anyone should take out loans expecting to fall back on this, or that they should go in with a number in their head, only to be shocked when they find out they have to pay more than estimated.

I make a salary within the range you quote and I no longer qualify for IBR. I am single with no dependents. I work for a non-profit (albeit not yet 10 years.) I'm not sure if you are also speaking from firsthand experience, but the fact is that this IBR is not a reliable plan and if you bank on it for getting you through your loans, you may put yourself in a very risky financial situation.

I'm sorry, but I REALLY disagree with this advice. From first hand experience coming from a low-income family (I did undergrad on the max. amount pell grant & other forms of aid,) banking on IBR and PAYE is not a fail-safe for your future. Your income tax bracket determines if you qualify for IBR, and if you get married & file jointly it will be an even lower threshold of income to qualify for this payment plan. Some private companies do not allow forbearance or deferment even in the event of unemployment. Graduated payment plans are only a temporary relief. The 10 year forgiveness for working at a non-profit requires consecutive payments. Qualifying for this is very uncommon and realistically, you will not be consistently employed for this period of time. It is also much more likely for government sectors than an "typical" non-profit. Student loans are real shit. They are not something to ignore now and figure out down the road. I would call your financial aid office and potential lender and get all the facts before trusting someone on a message forum, even me.

I work at ArtCenter in Pasadena - so just a couple miles from CalTech. There's plenty of student housing available, and with roommates I've seen it run in the 700 - 1000 range. In general, LA has pretty high rent, so this looks steep but is reasonable given the region. 2k a month is ideal for a modest lifestyle, but it can be hard. An ex of mine went to CalTech and paid about 800 for rent in a 2 bedroom apartment a few miles away. He biked to campus. If you're interested in commuting to school, I'd also look into Northeast LA neighborhoods like Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, and Mt. Washington. These areas are getting "cool" but are still affordable relatively speaking. I still see roommate listings in Eagle Rock for about 600. You can find studios for roughly 900 - 1200 a month, but people jump on them *very* fast. You can also look farther east of Pasadena, into Altadena or Sierra Madre. They just completed the Gold Line extension, so you can even live as far out as Santa Anita if you want to save money and don't mind a long commute. Our trains are not super great, but the metro expansion is making progress and you can now ride the Gold Line & connect to the Expo Line, heading fully from the east of LA to the beach.

I have a 45lb dog and finding housing can sometimes be difficult, but usually if your dog is 15lbs or less, there are a lot more options for you. You may have to put down a one-time pet deposit, or sometimes the landlord just makes it an extra 10-20 per month on your rent. I wouldn't say it's impossible to find an apartment with a pet, but I can't imagine any university housing allowing it. You may want to look at independently rented out spaces in the area, though Gaoasaurus had a lot of suggestions and it'd be worth looking into each one. SoCal is one of the most dog-friendly regions ever, and some of the cool parts about being in this area are the great dog parks and dog beaches.

From my experience with V&CS and what admissions told me, they will offer you your merit scholarship upon acceptance. People who were called most likely received that funding. If you were accepted via email/post without any mention of scholarship, you probably didn't receive one. There may be grants or work study in your FAFSA breakdown, though. And yes, most programs offer at least 1 full-ride. Hope this helps!

Here's an update on my applications. Happy to talk about my background & what I did to prepare for applying to grad school. I mostly applied to curating programs, but some exceptions (noted.) Really floored by the good fortune!: UC Irvine: MFA Critical & Curatorial Studies - Accepted w/full tuition funding, TAships, 3,000 in stipends for curating exhibitions (whaaaaaaat) Bard CCS - Accepted, waiting to hear financial package. Knows I have the Irvine offer and said they would try to compete MICA - Accepted, 15k scholarship Goldsmiths - Accepted, waiting on scholarship SAIC MA Visual & Critical Studies - Accepted, no scholarship, but FAFSA grants & loans RCA - Accepted, no funding Wesleyan Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance - Notifies by April 1. Low-residency program. Kind of forgot I applied here, whoops!