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.

hey the17thscream, that's pretty lame. when are you going to BMC? have you talked to your advisor about your decision? i'm really curious what he/she has to say about the prestige issue. my undergrad advisor has not been helpful at all throughout the whole process and when i asked his opinion on the programs i was accepted to, his answer was one simple sentence on each, "small but caring", "can benefit from florence program", "i don't know what's going on with X". i came across some post about choosing grad school under political science thread on this board. hope this helps in your decision making process, everyone! viewtopic.php?f=48&t=13311&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=decline#p40205

Michigan professor emailed me again, "Are you still interested in Michigan or have you committed to another program by this point?" Does this mean that I still stand a chance? Or are they just trying to prioritize their waitlist? Ugh, I do not understand the whole admission process AT ALL!

the17thscream: congratulations on finishing your thesis! you should go out and celebrate! the last months of my senior year was the most amazing time in college. and i'm so happy that BMC is offering you more money! that's so awesome. i'm holding out my decision since i'm yet to hear from Umich. even though i can't really see myself living in the midwest, the whole ranking thing and job placement worries me. hope you enjoy your visit to both NYU and BMC and that will help you make an informed decision! do let me know where you decide to go.

I sent my rejection letter to Rutgers earlier this week. So there's hoping they act on it soon. And good luck with UNC funding!

stylefaxee, haha, I would've done the same or even worse if I had met her in person. I probably would've squeaked and giggled like a 10 year old. She's LEGENDARY. on contemporary art- I feel the same. I feel so useless and stupid whenever I go to the shows with my friends and they expect me to utter something revelative or anything intelligent because I'm an art history major. I can only name a few contemporary women artists but I try to diversify my interests.

Hearing all these things about IFA, now I wish I applied there. It didn't even cross my mind while I was researching for programs since I'm not familiar with any of the Renaissance professors except Trachtenberg and architecture is not my thing. But Linda Nochlin's teaching there...!!! You're definitely not crazy, Renaissance08. Plus, think about all the exhibitions and internship opportunities in the city...!

lxs, I'm so sorry about your funding situation. Is there any outside fellowship you can apply to? Hope it works out fine!

Renaissance08, Where are you going instead? Prof. McHam is really amazing. I've been trying to write a letter to Prof. Baskins at Tufts and it's also really difficult for me, cause I admire her works. I feel like I'm committing intellectual prostitution for a fellowship stipend. Ah, the gallery work...low wage and long work hours, no competent benefits package...when I interned at a gallery two summers ago, these didn't bother me as much as their treatment of art works as mere commodities. I think it's true that many of the galleries are more interested in generating sales commission than in generating exchange of intellectual conversation between artists and their works and the world. Hence my decision to go into academia... Btw, which area are you interested in - Florentine or Venetian art?

To Renaissance08: Are you going to Rutgers? I was hoping to work with Prof. McHam, but I had to decline their offer since they made it clear that there will be no chance of me receiving any financial aid in the future. Good luck in your future endeavors and hope to see you around at conferences/talks/other opportunities! If you aren't already aware of it, there's this art history symposium at the Frick next Friday-Saturday you shouldn't miss. Maybe I'll see you there!

lxs: Thanks a lot! It really helped although I haven't made up my mind yet. I'm absolutely sure academia is where I want to be. I visited BMC yesterday and luckily I had a chance to talk to one of the grad students there who happen to have finished her MA at Tufts and worked with the professor I would work with at Tufts. She told me although she loved Tufts, she had to do her coursework all over again and she feels that it slowed her down a bit. I agree that it makes more sense to enter PhD program without taking a detour if I am absolutely certain about my goals. I think I will just follow my gut feeling - I could totally see myself at Bryn Mawr and it just felt right. the17thscream: You should definitely visit campus if you can. It's only 2 hours away from NYC by train. I took the Amtrak from Penn Station to Philly which was about 1.2 hour long train ride. From there to Bryn Mawr, it takes only 20 minutes or so by regional train. They funded my travel (reimbursement up to $125). You should definitely contact the department and arrange an appointment. Campus is small but absolutely gorgeous. People in the department - staff members, professors and students - were all very friendly and genuinely nice. I got to sit in their weekly colloquium/symposium where Prof. Saltzman gave a talk about Barnett Newman's Passion paintings followed by lively q&a / discussions. I also had a chance to talk with Prof. Hertel, whom I believe you will be working with. She was very down to earth and approachable. From what I heard, they only admit 4-5 new students every year and each professor seems to advise 5-6 students at BMC. My would-be-advisor assured me I will never have to fight for personal attention. He also explained that he's more interested in helping me become who I want to be rather than making me fit into a mold. Their emphasis on art theories and criticism in their approach is also on point with my viewpoint. I think I'd definitely accept their offer but am still waiting to hear back from Umich. Anyway, I know you're working on your thesis...good luck!!! Maybe we can get together after you're done and share worries and information!