Loose.tap.screws

Hey all! It seems crazy that this process is already starting back up again! Im back again with crazy process for year two of applications... After spending the summer at La MaMa Umbria, I feel extremely inspired, refreshed, and ready to tackle this insane process again! This year I'm definitely reapplying to DePaul, Yale, and Carnegie Mellon— my top three schools. I'm still debating on what other programs to apply for (I'm thinking 6 max!)... it's a busy year with a few projects going up, so I don't want to push myself too thin. Northwestern, Washington, Brown, Columbia, Boston, and UCSD are the others I'm considering; with UCLA, CalArts and Texas are also on my list.... but if I had to choose three more to add right now, it would be Northwestern, UCSD, and Washington. I love Columbia and CalArts' program but I don't think I can justify the debt I'd go in at either school.... Depending on what programs are at URTA this year will be the ultimate factor in how many schools I apply for. I didn't do URTA last year but thinking I should this year. @Squidpunk Penn State isn't recruiting anyone this year... they recruit two candidates every other year. It's a bummer, it's one of my favorite programs and I wish I could apply again this year. I made it to round 3 of apps this year but didn't make it to the final callback on campus. I fell in love with that program!

Wow! Congrats on the waitlist offer @galbi7892! I sincerely hope you end up getting an acceptance! Keep us posted! ?

Congrats again @Boseph16! My goal was also to be accepted into a program by 30 and planned on starting the application process by 27/28...... but I'm also 30 and this was my first year applying. Haha life and job contracts got in the way of applying sooner.... @_RICdirects_ Yay! It's nice to meet another Penn State applicant! I made it to the initial Interview round (round 3) but was cut right after and didn't make it to the final 4 on campus callback weekend. I did my pitch on Oklahoma in a Church basement with a $5,000 budget. I initially wrote my pitch on Into the Woods with an unlimited budget (a concept based off a production Of ITW I actually directed.... in a 50 seat black box with a $5,000 budget—but as if I was able to direct it with unlimited funds..... so I clearly wasn't going with ITW with $5,000 as that would have been way too easy and kind of cheating... Haha) but the day before I submitted the packet, I second guessed myself and scratched the whole thing and redid the pitch with Oklahoma. I figured I should tackle the show I've never worked on and did it as if I was doing it with my theatre company.... I haven't talked to anyone who applied to that program this year... being musical theatre focused, it definitely is a niche applicant pool, yet still very competitive... (I was told around 150+ applied from a friend who was an MFA acting candidate). I know in the past they have selected candidates who already had Broadway/ National Tour credentials as actors/dancers who are transitioning to the creative side/ those who have already been associate Directors, etc... It's definitely a different/unique applicant pool than typical MFAdirector candidates! I met one recent MFA director this year who is now the associate director for The Phantom tour. He basically travels with the tour and rehearses them between stops and rehearses with the replacements, swings, understudies, etc. (thank god for Susan Stroman, Jeff Whitty, and the creation of StageWrite! Haha ) He had a ridiculous resume before going to Penn State. This forum has been quiet lately! Anyone else recieve any offers this year besides Boseph16? Any of us here get the DePaul offer? Or know who did? I got my rejection email from Tracee a few days ago... oh well..... also officially got the UCSD rejection email yesterday. So it looks like no Grad School offers for me this year! Luckily, I now have an understanding of this process first hand, and am able to reflect on what worked and didn't work and what to work on for year two next year. Still radio silence from CalArts, Texas, and Northwestern (aside from the two times I was contacted from NU regarding details with my application), and still no official Columbia rejection either. It really is frustrating how they don't even send out rejection notices, simply as a courtesy gesture.... sheesh. Itll be nice and refreshing to go a couple of months without even thinking about Grad School before digging into this process again. I know what programs I will absolutely be applying for again next year, what programs I don't think I'll reapply for, and new ones that I didn't do this year (Boston for sure, possibly Brown, and definitely Washington!).

Hey @steffybolt thanks for following up with UT! That's good to know! Random how some have received rejections already but others, like myself, haven't! I know two people personally who received rejections a few weeks ago, plus a couple mentions of receiving rejections on page! And @galbi7892, nope I was the other guy from the morning group! (I think... haha) Jew(ish) but I wasn't wearing my glasses! Sunglasses, yes!. Hahah. It was nice to meet you and everyone else that weekend! And your rockin Bow Tie /pocket square was on point! ? Anyone recieve any good news recently?

Yep, got the CMU rejection last night! Anyone here make the final 6? Also, did anyone here apply to FSU? I didn't, but a friend did and that's the one she's still waiting on so I figured I'd ask here!

@AgentMike and everyone else waiting on NU... We found out at the DePaul finals yesterday that NU contacted their finalists last week. I believe three of the seven of us at Callbacks are going to NU's interview/audition weekend...... also one of the finalists made it to Yale's final six! She had no idea how big a deal that was and only six were invited with a 50% chance of getting an offer now! Haha I got to meet @GunningForGrad and @steffybolt at the callback! I forget... was anyone else there yesterday? This was such a wonderful experience. Their critiques were harsh in the best possible way. The way they were able to dissect my process and point out my flaws in such a short amount of time; and analyze myself as a person and director was mind boggling. Imagine what could happen in three years..... Erin's thesis production: "WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A PRESENTATION .... About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly known as South West Africa, from the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915" was absolutely riveting. It was painful to watch and put me in a very dark spot last night. I'm still processing it and need to read the script once I fully process the whole thing. Wow. I fell in love with that program more than I did before the day started..... and their facilities. Wow!

^ and I wrote that yesterday but kept getting an error message so couldn't send. Sorry about the Yale rejects! Anyone get the good news Yale? I haven't gotten a reject from Austin yet..... but my personal website and theatre company's Facebook page and website have gotten tons of hits the past few days. Got out a call from a 773 number a few hours ago and was so hoping it was NU. Alas it was just a friend. I mean I get Chicago calls all the time but they're always 312 and not 773. ?

Congratulations @Boseph16 on your offer to Iowa and @Directorial on getting waitlisted! That is HUGE! So happy for you both! It's been a few weeks since I've checked this forum, been extremely busy with pre-production work and life. Im starting to get anxious about all this grad school stuff! Trying to stay preoccupied! There has been a ton of posts since I last checked this (and a few new posters!), I need to go back and read through everyone's posts once I'm done teaching dance in a few hours. I'll be spending the rest of my night buried in THE BROTHERS SIZE and research, I've taken a few days off from it to clear my head and come back with a fresh mindset. Speaking of— I'll be in the 9am-1pm group for DePaul's finals on Saturday! Anyone else in that group? Anyone else going to the dinner and Erin's Second year Directing project? I'm starting to get nervous for Saturday! Not so much for the interview, but the idea of directing a scene and doing my thing with an entire faculty watching me is pretty intimidating. Haha I also have procrastinated on finishing FAFSA applications and need to finish those tonight and tomorrow. I wish I knew if I was still in the running or cut from the programs I haven't heard from yet... especially CalArts. I assume I was rejected because I feel they would have said something.... but can't risk it as that program is ridiculously expensive! I was cut from Penn State since the last time I posted. So didn't make it to the final 4 on campus audition. I was a little bummed as I've been obsessed with that program for more than a decade. I had 4 close friends who I grew up training with in their undergraduate MT program and another friend in their MFA program. And CONGRATS AGAIN Boseph16 and Directorial!!! Ahhhhh! ?

Nice @Boseph16! I just finished my interview with him about an hour ago! It wasn't as nerve wracking as I anticipated and I didn't suck like I feel I always do with Skype interviews! I thought he was friendly and easy to talk with— even though there were times I couldn't articulate what my brain wanted to say and what actually would come out of my mouth. Haha He asked six questions along the lines of: What recent productions have you seen that's inspired you; why Carnegie Mellon; Why graduate school now; what was the turning point in your life that you decided to be a director and what people or shows influenced that decision; what are three productions you would you like to tackle in the future; and where do you see yourself in five years. It's hard to read how the interview went, but it definitely didn't feel like it went bad.... He never talked about my resume, portfolio, or past work but did say that I'm doing some great stuff and to keep it up. So that was nice. Haha. Now the wait for Carnegie Mellon begins! As Boseph16 said, we'll know in three weeks if we've made it to the final six or not! But for some reason I was thinking they chose three for the program not two!

I've been able to stay busy so the wait and silence hasn't been getting to me.... yet. Has anyone applied to CalArts that didn't go through URTA? I haven't heard anything except a reminder to apply for FAFSA. I feel like that is one I should have heard from by now... but I think their deadline was later this year than usual. I also have only told a few close friends and family that I'm applying to graduate school. My brother and sister don't get it and think it's stupid that I'm doing this.... They're in med school and can't fathom a masters degree in Theater. (insert eye roll emoji) haha. I have my interview with Caden for Carnegie Mellon at 4:00pm. I'm getting nervous! ?

Yeah, NU won't be making any decisions until next month regarding interviews and cuts. Elizabeth contacted me regarding one of my recommendations not being able to open and she wanted to know if I could have the recommendor email it directly to them. That's when she mentioned it'll be a while before decisions are made. I ended up applying to eight schools.... My original six became eight when I decided last minute to go ahead and apply to DePaul and UT Austin. If I go through this process again next year, I will absolutely cut back on the amount of programs I apply for.

Welcome @AgentMike! I also got my Yale rejection last night... Because of this forum I was prepared for the inevitable, but it's still a bummer. My goal for this process (well, besides an offer) was to just get interviews with the badass woman who run the American Theatre: Anna Shapiro, Anne Bogart, Susan Schulman, and Liz Diamond. Hahah

@Boseph16 I'm completely with you about taking on that much debt. I initially applied to DePaul because of its cheap application fee and the chance for the finalists interview. The feedback and portfolio dissection is something I'm very interested in! I don't know if I'd be able to justify going into so much debt again (especially after paying off my undergrad loans this year!), but I figure I would worry about that if I'm accepted without other offers. I originally wasn't going to apply to any expensive programs and ended up applying to DePaul, Columbia, and CalArts. DePaul is definitely the cheapest of the three, both tuition wise and cost of living. @GunningForGrad yes! Hopefully we will run in to each other the 18th. How did you find out what group you were in? I didn't receive that info... I almost asked but didn't assuming times haven't been assigned yet, and they just wanted to send out invites and get an idea of who accepts and can or cannot make that date. I'll shoot Tracee an email and ask.

Congratulations on the interviews everyone! I swear I wrote a post last week that didn't show up. Oh well. That number was indeed a scam student loan company— oh man that was disappointing! So, no Yale interview for me! I, too, found out today that I've been selected for DePaul's finalists round on February 18! So now my interviews are DePaul, PSU, Columbia, and of course Carnegie Mellon. No flat out rejections yet, but I can assume my one so far is Yale! It's great we've all seemed to secure interviews and made it past the initial rounds for some schools! Let's keep it coming!

@GunningForGrad yes! That is the first thing I did when I noticed the missed call and didn't receive any new voicemails before calling back. Nothing suspicious showed up for that number when I looked it up on google, but the number also didn't show up as anything legit.

Thanks @Prospero! @Boseph16, when/how did you hear that from UT? I know my status says "currently in review" and last time I checked before then it still showed as "submitted". Do most programs send out emails every time the portal is updated? Or is it wise to constantly check each schools online application?! Also, still no call back from that number. As always, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I will say though... in September I paid off my biggest student loan debt from undergraduate school (!!!), and ever since, I have been getting calls weekly from scam companies saying I qualify for student loan forgiveness. A part of me wonders if that was just another scam call thinking I'm gullible. But if I'm going to now start getting calls from area codes of importance, I'm going to be extremely pissed off! Haha

@Boseph16 @GunningForGrad— I called the number back and it was an automative recording saying that number can't accept incoming calls. My phone won't leave my side for the rest of the day!!! Also, I do know of one actress who received a call on Thursday the 5th.

Happy Monday! So I missed a call from a 203 area code this morning while I was teaching and they didn't leave a message. Kind of freaking out.... just a little bit. ? Now that all the apps are done and submitted, the reality of all all this is starting to sink in.

Hey everyone! Man has this been a hectic few weeks on top of all the holiday and family stuff. My computer decided it was time to die and my hard drive crashed. 6 year old MacBook Pro, and apparently after 5 years it's considered ancient. I had a good portion of my portfolio on an external hard drive or a hard copy, but not everything or anything recent. So I've had to hunt down videos and materials I was missing and re edit almost everything in Adobe suite. Fortunately, I was able to trade with my mom my iPad for her new MacBook for the time being. I decided last minute to go ahead and apply to both UT Austin and DePaul— so I submitted both applications just in time for their deadlines! I also mailed in my Northwestern Packet yesterday and submitted the formal online application this morning! So far I've submitted Penn State, Yale, Columbia, UCSD, Northwestern, DePaul, and UT Austin. Carnegie Mellon and CalArts will be finished by the end of the day! Then Boston will be my last! I've definitely applied to more than I anticipated...... oh well ?

Hey all! Last years forum was extremely helpful and wonderful to read and gain insights— but that still didn't prepare me for the actual mental mind f*ck of this process! Anyone else wish they could quit their survival jobs and make this whole thing a full time job? This is my first year going through this process and as of now I'm for certain applying to six programs. I am still contemplating applying to a few others though, if I feel I can handle it financially... and without losing my mind! BTW, I am not doing URTAs this year. I've already applied to Penn State (October deadline), YSD, and Columbia. I made it past the first round of Penn State and had to send in additional materials and more recommendation letters as well as write a three page pitch on a production "I've been hired to direct" choosing one of two hypothetical premises (unlimited budget; or $5,000 budget performed in a 99 seat theatre in a church basement) and between Oklahoma and Into the Woods. Round two was due the 28th and now I wait... ( I believe there are 4 rounds). The others I'm for sure applying to are Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, and UCSD. Which will all be submitted within the next two weeks! I'm also interested in Boston, UT Austin, Brown, DePaul, CalArts and Iowa. I need to make a decision ASAP if I am going to go ahead and apply to DePaul and UT! @KillerWingfield you mentioned Washington. That's a program that's piqued my interest for several years and I would love to apply for their program, but I don't think they're recruiting this year... or are they now? IIRC, they weren't recruiting again until Fall 2019 admittance? I look forward to discussing this crazy process with all of you! This is extremely exciting and also terrifying. And with a less than 3% average acceptance rate overall, lets hope those of us on this board are apart of the 3% with offers left and right!

WOW!!! Hey guys-- I'm so glad that I accidentally stumbled upon this forum! Currently I've been coaching some HS seniors as they audition for all the top Musical Theatre programs and was aware of the college confidential forum that they (and their parents) obsessively use during this intense process. I kept thinking about how I wished there was a forum for MFA Directing applicants to connect and discuss the process and yesterday I happened to come across this forum while looking for something completely unrelated! Reading about all of your experiences as you go through this has been wonderful to read and now I have so many questions! haha I'm not currently applying for MFA programs for Fall '16-- but I will be starting (year one) of this crazy journey next year, for Fall '17 admittance. I am currently working on a spreadsheet with detailed information (requirements, deadlines, app. fees, tuition, aid, etc) from the programs that I know for certain I will be applying for; plus information on other schools that I am intrigued by and need to do more research on... modeled after a spreadsheet one of my students mom made as she was applying to 24 ( ! ) MT BFA programs. I'm trying to get a jump start on my portfolio, reel, website, etc; plus securing recommendation letters while continuing to build my resume and portfolio so that I'm not overwhelmed next fall/winter. I'm a procrastinator and I absolutely can't be with this or risk missing deadlines or turning in subpar materials! I planned on this year being the first year of applying but only applying to my top 3 schools as a way to get a feel for the process (and competition, haha) before going all out for the Fall '17 positions. But working on two big projects this Summer and Fall took up all my time-- then finding out one of my top schools wasn't recruiting this year-- I ultimately decided to wait. I've been researching MFA programs since I was an undergrad and have narrowed it down to the schools (I think) I will apply to that feel like the best fit for myself... but there are plenty of other schools that I want to know more about. I have no idea what's a realistic number for how many I should actually apply to that won't be too overwhelming, but I don't want to apply to a smaller amount than what I potentially could have done either. And now after reading this forum, I realize there are programs that were never on my list that seem to be on most of yours-- so I definitely want to do more research on some of them! I believe there are 46ish MFA Directing programs and as I'm sure you all know Baylor U has compiled a list of every program... Going off that list it was easy for me to eliminate a bunch of schools that I know are not the right fit for me, but my list of potential schools is still quite large! The Schools I know for sure that I am applying for are: Yale Penn State CMU UCSD Columbia Brown/Trinity BU *Northwestern (The only reason I'm indecisive over NU being a definite is that I believe they are the only program that still requires the GRE that I am interested in and I don't know if I want to stress about studying for the GRE on top of the application process and working full time). The Schools that have been on my list at one time or another but I keep going back and forth on applying to them: UT- Austin FSU Pace CalArts Schools I'm intrigued by and want to know more about or *interested in but they will be on their hiatus year for recruiting*: Washington* UNC* Temple* Indiana U (because of this forum) DePaul (Again because of this forum.... I never gave them consideration because I'm not a fan of their undergraduate program and the cut process...and when most in Chicago talk about a local MFA program they think of NU) Brooklyn College New School UC-Irvine UCLA U Mass- Amherst and anyone know anything about Virginia Tech? I think I've eliminated the other schools completely-- unless any of you think there are programs I should research that aren't listed on any of my lists?! A little about me i guess... I'm a Director and a Choreographer... I don't only work on musicals though... I actually prefer directing contemporary plays to [most] musicals. I'm a guy in my late 20's; I started out as a Dancer; I have a BFA in Theater with a Directing concentration and a minor in Dance; and I run a small storefront theater company. I'm currently a member of the SDCF Observership programs 2015/2016 class, where I got to observe on a high profile musical; and I am an associate member of SDC. I teach acting and dance as well... Anyway, I'm so glad I came across this and now I want to read the forums on past years application process! Break a Leg everyone as you find out your status and who knows maybe I''l meet some of you going through the process again next year! I'm extremely excited to get started on this process but I'm dreading it at the same time! Cheers!