[CUNY Grad Center]

I'll be going to New School, not CUNY, but I'm up for a coffee meet up.

Finishing my MA at New School this semester! That would be great to have you join us for meet up!

[Around the Block more than a few times: Older grad students]

I am 43, married, with a nine-year-old, and I'll be starting at CUNY in the fall.

One of the big selling points of CUNY for me was the abundance of students there with work experience. I don't think any of them are necessarily my age, but they've had some life experience. In addition, one of the profs with whom I interviewed does a lot research in the work/life balance area and she gave me the impression that the department was supportive of students (and faculty) with children. I guess I'll see what it's like when I get there...

Old lady & Nyuma --

Take heart! I am 44, just finishing an MA this May & off to CUNY to begin MFA in the fall. It gets a little strained sometimes when all my kiddie peers snort at me because I can't meet up at a bar at midnight (I'm too old & too tired!) to celebrate one of their under-25 birthdays, but all in all, I've learned to embrace my role as the granny of the pack. I'm REALLY enjoying being in grad school & I'm not going to let anyone dampen that for me just because of my age! Relax & enjoy! It's a wonderful to be in school & learning, age and agism be damned

[Is this appropriate to ask a prof?]

I don't think it's a good idea. It adds an errand to a likely already pretty packed schedule & it is one of those requests that is hard for anyone to say "no" to, even though they may not want to do it. So, you run a risk of being given a "yes" answer, but then also being resented for the annoyance factor if the prof secretly wishes you'd never asked.

[CUNY Grad Center]

We should all get together for coffee later in the fall!

I'm in for the coffee meet-up too! I'll be going to CUNY City College for MFA in Media Arts Production, writing/directing documentary specialization.

[What were your experiences this application season?]

I applied to 2 programs. First one I heard back from rejected me and I reacted with ever growing insecurity about my qualifications to the point of convincing myself there was no way I would get into the other program (which I knew would be the better program for me). But I was wrong. Exactly one month after being rejected from the first program, I received acceptance notice from the other school. I had so thoroughly convinced myself that I wouldn't be a grad student in 2010--and I'm still having trouble believing I got into my preferred school. But I did!

[CUNY schools]

I applied to a Hunter program with Feb. 1 deadline. Seven weeks later, after checking my status online & finding no news, I emailed the program asking if it would be possible to have an update on my app status. They responded 1 hour later with an auto-reply type message stating that my decision was available online. I logged in to see that a decision had just been posted: Rejected. I wonder if I hadn't emailed them requesting a status update, how long before the decision would have been posted online?

I also applied to CCNY program with an April 1 deadline. They emailed me that I can expect a decision in 4-6 weeks.

Update to my above post: Accepted to CCNY April 22nd!

[Any Film/New Media MFAs?]

Hi Anastasya --I am just finishing up an MA in media studies at The New School & have applied to a couple of MFAs for fall. If you have questions about TNS I'd be happy to share my experience in the program there.

[CUNY schools]

I applied to a Hunter program with Feb. 1 deadline. Seven weeks later, after checking my status online & finding no news, I emailed the program asking if it would be possible to have an update on my app status. They responded 1 hour later with an auto-reply type message stating that my decision was available online. I logged in to see that a decision had just been posted: Rejected. I wonder if I hadn't emailed them requesting a status update, how long before the decision would have been posted online?

I also applied to CCNY program with an April 1 deadline. They emailed me that I can expect a decision in 4-6 weeks.

[Keep A Word Drop A Word]

cake walk

[Keep A Word Drop A Word]

batter up

[They really do keep track of how many times you check your application!!]

They keep track & check stats on how often we applicants check our application status? How pitiful (of them). They should get a life!

[how old are you?]

44 with MA in media studies. applying for MFA in media arts.

[Who hasn't gotten accepted anywhere yet?]

Rejected from Hunter IMA/MFA on 3/22. Waiting to hear from CUNY CCNY Media Arts Production MFA. Those are the only 2 programs I applied to & I am wishing I had done more.

[Thanking folks who wrote LOR]

I emailed thank you notes after confirmation from schools that the LORs had been submitted. Then I sent a small gift (cute swiveling laptop stand) with handwritten thank you note to each prof and mentioned I would be in touch again with admission/rejection news. I also mentioned that if I don't get accepted anywhere I will be reapplying next year.