charis

I was wondering the same thing...!

Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!!!

Are you still visiting BMC? You should definitely pay them a visit and have a talk with your future advisor. Tell them what NYU offered and ask if more funding is available. Follow your gut feeling...! I chose Umich over BMC because they have great professors in my field whose research interests match well with mine (BMC has only one professor in the Renaissance).

Oh, noes! Since it's not April 15 yet, I think you can cordially request BMC that you be released...but I recommend you visit BMC first before withdrawing your acceptance. Plus, there's a good chance that BMC might up their funding as I declined their offer.

I finally accepted the offer from UMich. I'm (almost) convinced that I made the best decision...it's been an exciting journey and thank you all for kind words and well wishes. Good luck to those who haven't made their decision and the best of luck for all of us in our future endeavor to become great art historians!!!

Thanks! I really liked the idea of flipping coin! I've decided to take the UMich offer. I absolutely loved BMC when I visited and I'm sure I'd be happy there but UMich seems a better fit for me. I'm thrilled to have a chance to work with Prof. Thomas Willette and Prof. Patricia Simons. Although the financial package they offered doesn't quite match up to Bryn Mawr's offer, the rent in Michigan seems to be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper and I can't say that the whole ranking/prestige thing didn't play a huge role (U Michigan is better known in my country). As for NYU professor badmouthing other programs, I understand their urge to differentiate their program from others. I think the anti-theory/object-centered approach vs. theory-focused approach is kind of a huge deal to at least some people in the field. A BMC professor did mention that they emphasize theory and intellectual history rather than connoisseurship and fighting about provenance and date and he didn't seem to have favorable opinions about NYU and Columbia although he studied at Columbia. Also noticed that people in the academia kinda look down on what museum folks do. Also, when I talked to the UMich professor on the phone, I had an impression that she tried to sell an idea that although Umich is characterized by their object-centered approach, they balance it with interdisciplinary perspectives, etc. Interestingly enough, she asked me if I'm interested in their Museum Studies program. But yeah, things like that plus a less attractive funding package can be a real deal breaker. I don't know what kind of fellowship BMC offered you but when I decline their offer, mine (Arete fellowship - I think it's pretty generous) may go to you! In the meantime, I have to think hard how to word my decline letter to BMC...it's a lot harder than I thought. Anyway, I went to the 2nd day of the Frick symposium and it was really great. One thing for sure, the name of the school doesn't necessarily tell you the quality of the work presented. Hence the saying, never judge a book by its cover. There was also a talk by a BMC in the program and she was wonderful. BMC was the one of the schools invited for the first symposium back in 1940 (other schools include Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Harvard and of course NYU). So, no worries about the prestige!

I would contact the program director or whomever you have been maintaining contact and be upfront about it. As a student on F-1 visa, you are allowed to work ON CAMPUS, part-time (up to either 15 or 20 hours, I forget which one is correct) during the semester and full-time while the school is on break. You are not authorized to work off-campus unless you've proven severe financial hardship and are given the permission to do so. The international student advisor at NYU should be able to help you with any questions. Hope this helps!

I just checked my email and guess what...I got into U Michigan! I don't know what to do...I'm so torn between Bryn Mawr and Michigan. What to do??? I'm freaking out.

Sounds like an excellent plan! I need to get a driver's license, too. I grew up in a city with fabulous mass transportation system as well and somehow managed to survive 4 years in college without a car. Good luck with your paper and let us know if it gets published!

Smellie, That's sweet... What's your plan for the rest of the spring/ summer? I graduated last May and am working in a totally unrelated field. I don't like my job that much but it's a compromise that I made in order to be able to afford living in New York and enjoy the city to the fullest.

Congratulations! It seems a little early for the last class. I know for sure that the spring semester goes on until the first two weeks of May for my undergrad school. I just got off the phone with the Umich. I was so nervous and I don't think I made a really good impression. She said they don't have an opening yet but they expect to figure out who's going to enroll within the next few days. She told me the admission is field-specific and whether I get accepted or not depends on the field of the person declining offer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

that's literally "last minute" i must say...

the17thscream, Thanks for sharing! i guess the bottom line is wherever you end up, the quality of your work should speak for itself. I guess you're also holding your decision till the last minute. Visiting both campuses will give you a clear sense of where you fit better. Now that getting into UMich seems plausible, I'm deeply torn between UMich and BMC. I figured I've got nothing to lose and am scheduling a phone interview with UMich. So nerve-racking!

updates: UMich professor got back to me and told me they admit around six people each year. Surprisingly, the department is much smaller than I expected. I'm feel so fortunate even to make it to their waitlist. Looks like I need to do the phone interview to be considered. It wouldn't hurt trying, right? How should I prepare for the interview? I've never done any interview in the process and am clueless on how to approach it. What kind of questions should I expect?

Hi all, Is anyone going to U of Michigan in the Fall? The professor I've been emailing told me they give uniform financial aid packages to all incoming students for four-and-a-half years including tuition and stipend. How are you going to support yourself after the ninth semester? If you have visited U Mich, could you share your experience? lxs, I don't know what's going on with UMich either. It's so weird that they don't even answer the phone? If you are willing to go to Michigan if accepted, try being more agressive? My contact professor has been relatively quick to respond.