Eccyclema

True to your name @GoodToGodot!

@Eccyclema  All the schools seemed to be pretty invested and excited to talk to the directors.  Remember, they've read your stuff and called you in, so they are legit interested talking with you. It's kinda a long day for all of us but overall, they seem to be present and listening. 
So while you are there, some of the schools might ask you if you'd be interested in coming to the school to visit, usually a good sign that you are vibing. I had some schools ask me that and not follow up, but some did and they usually contact you via email within a few days to set up your visit. 
In my personal experience, it's such a journey to find the right Program(s) that vibe with what directing style you really want to grow and practice in. Most schools have something unique they offer that others don't and vice versa, so have confidence to know you are gathering information about them as well. (Sorry this is turning out to sound preachy...eeeeeeee) It's taken me three years to decide what schools would actually be great fits and it's so different for every director. SO MUCH LIKE DATING (Ha!) 
Good luck to everyone, it's all such a big journey and exciting stuff!
 
 

Hey @CatMeow! Welcome!
 
This is my first time to applying to URTAS, so I cannot speak to the advantage/disadvantage, other to say that the URTA common app can apply you to schools you hadn't considered. 

As for CMU, I have not heard from them, but seeing as their deadline was 1/1, I would say it will be at least another week or 3 before we hear back. 

My statement of purpose is all about what I want from the theatre and how my own life connects to it. I think writing about your passion for directing and why you think it's important can suffice for your statement of purpose. 

Has anyone done URTAs before and can they fill us in on how those interviews usually go? Ironically I got my MFA in Acting from an URTA school, but I am sure that the MFA Directing interviews are very different. 

Thanks for being so helpful everybody, and best of luck!

Hi @TheaterGuy123 and all, I did the URTA interviews last year and am happy to give some insight. 
So last year, I interviewed with a number of schools and got accepted into one, but sadly needed to turn down the offer....but here is how URTA played out in Chicago last year. 
1. You'll gather in a large room, after you've checked in, with all other URTA applicants from every discipline.  When you check in, they will give you a schedule of all your meetings for the day and where they are located throughout the property. 
2. Some schools are in their own hotel rooms (UCLA, CALArts, FSU, maybe a few others?) and the majority of the schools are in a large conference room with stations. So the majority of your time you'll spend in this large room with other people interviewing with other schools at the same time. The schools in the conference room last year were, UT Austin, Northwestern, Texas State, California Irvine, Indiana, Illinois State, East 15 and that's all I can remember at the moment. 
3. Every interview was a one on one, except for East 15, which "interviewed" two people at once but the majority of the time it was a pitch about their school. Then they ask if you're interested to slip an application under their hotel door later that day. 
4. Be prepared to answer the question, "Why grad school for you?" numerous times and have some plays and playwrights, in addition to your Essay play,  that you'd like to discuss or direct and why. 
5. You may have some downtime in-between interviews, there is a coffee shop in the bottom or the Palmer House that's chill or they have that massive lobby. If you can afford to grab a room the night before or the day of, to retreat to, that's always nice but not a must, of course. 
Overall my experience with URTAs was pretty straight forward and organized, and it was nice getting to talk with some other local directors. I didn't do again this time because I'm targeting specific schools that aren't at URTAs this year. It really was an overall exciting day, enjoy it and you'll need a drink after, cause it's alot of talking about yourself. Best of luck everyone! 
 
 
 

Hello!
@rubcar91 I applied to Northwestern through URTAS and received an interview already. I am not sure what their direct deadline was, or how they balance Direct/URTAS  deadlines. 
In the past two years Yale had gotten back to folks on December 20th-ish, but I have scoured the internet and haven't heard a peep from folks. Usually a Yale interview call brings out the lurkers. So I'm hoping that they haven't contacted folks yet. Maybe next week since the holidays are over? 
No idea about UCSD, maybe @TheatreGuy123 could answer that?
Hey @ctbck! Re statements of purpose: YES. I especially struggled this year because I applied to so many schools, so it felt strange to tweak them for each school. I had about 3 working formulas or framing devices that I used based on the school. So it will be interesting to see which essays were effective. So I'm nervous about that. Generally I tried to answer the questions: why theatre/directing (my values), why me (aethetic & process), why school & why now (goals, and obstacles). But laying it out like that makes it seem so much easier than it was writing the essays. 
 
WHICH is why I am so excited to say that I am officially DONE with applications!!! Now I'll move into interview prep for URTAS and of course, the torturous grad waiting period! ?
For now, I'm just celebrating being done with essay writing (and paying application fees ??).
 
How's everyone else doing on this side of the new year?

Got an e-mail yesterday from UCSD asking for a Skype interview. Still waiting to hear from Yale and Northwestern.
@ctbck I tried to hit three main points with my statement of purpose: 1) Why grad school and why now, 2) why theater and why directing, and 3) my strengths and weaknesses as a director. After many drafts and rewrites, my directing professor from undergrad gave me the best advice: Sit down and just write. Don't overthink it, otherwise you'll be rewriting this thing up until the deadline even though the statement of purpose only makes up one small portion of your application. This is just an introduction. They have no idea who you are. Introduce yourself. You are not competing with anyone except yourself.

Hello!
@rubcar91 I applied to Northwestern through URTAS and received an interview already. I am not sure what their direct deadline was, or how they balance Direct/URTAS  deadlines. 
In the past two years Yale had gotten back to folks on December 20th-ish, but I have scoured the internet and haven't heard a peep from folks. Usually a Yale interview call brings out the lurkers. So I'm hoping that they haven't contacted folks yet. Maybe next week since the holidays are over? 
No idea about UCSD, maybe @TheatreGuy123 could answer that?
Hey @ctbck! Re statements of purpose: YES. I especially struggled this year because I applied to so many schools, so it felt strange to tweak them for each school. I had about 3 working formulas or framing devices that I used based on the school. So it will be interesting to see which essays were effective. So I'm nervous about that. Generally I tried to answer the questions: why theatre/directing (my values), why me (aethetic & process), why school & why now (goals, and obstacles). But laying it out like that makes it seem so much easier than it was writing the essays. 
 
WHICH is why I am so excited to say that I am officially DONE with applications!!! Now I'll move into interview prep for URTAS and of course, the torturous grad waiting period! ?
For now, I'm just celebrating being done with essay writing (and paying application fees ??).
 
How's everyone else doing on this side of the new year?

Hello!
@rubcar91 I applied to Northwestern through URTAS and received an interview already. I am not sure what their direct deadline was, or how they balance Direct/URTAS  deadlines. 
In the past two years Yale had gotten back to folks on December 20th-ish, but I have scoured the internet and haven't heard a peep from folks. Usually a Yale interview call brings out the lurkers. So I'm hoping that they haven't contacted folks yet. Maybe next week since the holidays are over? 
No idea about UCSD, maybe @TheatreGuy123 could answer that?
Hey @ctbck! Re statements of purpose: YES. I especially struggled this year because I applied to so many schools, so it felt strange to tweak them for each school. I had about 3 working formulas or framing devices that I used based on the school. So it will be interesting to see which essays were effective. So I'm nervous about that. Generally I tried to answer the questions: why theatre/directing (my values), why me (aethetic & process), why school & why now (goals, and obstacles). But laying it out like that makes it seem so much easier than it was writing the essays. 
 
WHICH is why I am so excited to say that I am officially DONE with applications!!! Now I'll move into interview prep for URTAS and of course, the torturous grad waiting period! ?
For now, I'm just celebrating being done with essay writing (and paying application fees ??).
 
How's everyone else doing on this side of the new year?

Boston University
East 15 Acting School
Florida State University
North Carolina Greensboro
Northwestern
Texas State University
University of Iowa
UT Austin
Feeling very lucky and very overwhelmed

Hey @RubberBand!

I just applied to UT Austin through URTAS and there was no mention of the GRE. In fact all of the programs I've looked at don't have a requirement that their directing applicants take the GRE. So I believe you are in the clear!

Northwestern is fully funded through assistantships. 

Good luck to those out there getting their Yale application in under the wire!
 
I, for one, threw out the essay I spent weeks drafting to start completely over this morning! Yay!

Hey @KillerWingfield!

Doing alright. Currently trying to draft my essays for URTAS as well. I am a TALKER when I write, so I am trying to keep things concise but still insightful and its a challenge. I am especially disturbed by the fact that our URTA recommenders don't get notifications to submit their letters until we submit our entire completed application! So I am trying to light a fire under myself and get these wrapped up sooner rather than later.

The URTAS and Yale deadlines so close together are kind of killing me.

Hows it going? I'm preparing to apply for mfa directing program in South Korea. I applied 2 years ago and got few interviews but I wasn't accepted into anywhere. However, I have worked as a director and producer in South Korea after the fail and I think, I'm ready to challenge again!
I wish to find someone who want to share information or tip with other. If you want to talk with me, Do not hesitate, please send e-mail to soongil0119@gmail.com. 
Thank you!

Hello Team!

Good to be back! This is my second year applying to grad schools. Last year I was directing a full length during applications, so I only applied to Yale. I got an interview, so that was promising, but was rejected after that.

This year I am planning on applying to Brown, Columbia, Northwestern, with a  side trip to URTAS in Chicago. I am approaching this year with a little more confidence in myself and a stiffer upper lip for inevitable rejection (easy to say now).
Starting a little slow this year, but hoping to jump into drafting and compiling tomorrow. Eek!

I'd like to give an update on my MFA application process. I was waitlisted for my two top schools (not including Yale of course): Brooklyn College and Columbia. I'm bummed about Brooklyn college because it's affordable, especially for residents of NYC. It would be much more financially doable and I wouldn't have to move to a new city. 
I was recently offered a slot at Columbia and I'm afraid it's going to be nearly impossible for me to afford it. My situation is probably different than others on this forum because I am in my 40s. Going into debt in your 40s is a lot different than going into debt in your 20s or early 30s. I'm spending the next week aggressively searching for funding options that will ease my burden of debt but I'm afraid there are very few, and the deadline has passed for some.
My takeaway from this process is that elite schools like Columbia are falling behind the curve when it comes to funding their arts programs. If you really want to train artists, you cannot release them into the world after graduation with $100k in debt. Unless they come from wealth, they will spend much of their lives stressing about paying off debt which can dissolve motivation to create art. And, maybe more importantly, it will prevent people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds from the benefits of an MFA. I don't know the ins and outs of what goes into running a massive university in a place as expensive as NYC but it seems like there should be no reason that rich schools do not offer better funding to arts students.
For now I'll be scrambling to see if I can get some money together. And if I can't, I'll continue the grind here in NYC! Congrats to everyone who got into schools with good funding.
 
 

Hi! I know that I've been silent for a bit but I wanted to chime in with the end of my journey and some learnings for folks who are thinking about applying next year. Congrats to folks on acceptances!
I ended up with callbacks at CMU, Northwestern, UTAustin, UCSD, and Virginia Tech.  The  CMU, Northwestern, UTAustin,  and UCSD callbacks were all in the same week, the week of Feb 18.  I happened to be doing a two week intensive to remount a show beginning that week so I did Northwestern on Monday, flew home for two days of rehearsal, went to UT Austin on Thursday, UCSD for 4 hours on Fri, and CMU on Sat. I was able to come into Northwestern a day early to explore the campus and see a show, I really wish I could have done that everywhere. 
Each callback was entirely unique.  I don't want to go into too much detail because I think part of the process is navigating all of the different styles of audition and deciding which one you feel most comfortable in- it seems like the callbacks say a lot about the programs.
At the end I got offers from CMU and Northwestern. Once the offers came I had a really quick turnaround to make my decision (about a week) and I found myself doing a lot of research really quickly about cities and financial possibilities that I wish I would have done earlier. Both of the offers I got were amazing, I took the offer at CMU- that program is really special, the callback was a blast. I withdrew my application at Virginia Tech, although I think that program is really special too.
I think the biggest thing I wish that I had known more about is the timeline-- I would never have chosen to do a show in the middle of Feb if I had known that all of the callbacks would be at that time.

Hi all, 
I am happy to report that I have just officially accepted a spot at UMass Amherst, which was my top program. Thanks for being such a lovely support system during this process. Best wishes to all of you. 

Hey, gang! My application journey has finally reached the end--I've just accepted a spot at Boston University! 
I'm still technically waiting for responses from two other schools where I had finalist interviews, but after visiting all three I knew in my gut that Boston was the best fit for me, so it was incredibly thrilling to get to say "yes" to their offer. It doesn't quite feel real, but it definitely feels good. 
I'm so eternally grateful to have had this group as a sounding board and venting-place through this crazy adventure...not knowing anyone "in real life" who could fully empathize has made you all a real gift  
Now I'm just going to sit here with fingers crossed, sending every good vibe I have for all of you to get your own exciting news soon!! 

@E. Karenina — if it helps, getting a few interviews and then being rejected from grad school during my first year that I applied was the best thing that ever happened to me. At the time, it felt awful, but in the past two years I’ve made the best work of my career and now I understand why grad school is the right choice for me.
I think, at the time, I was so concerned with “Will they like me?” and trying to impress them that I forgot that I was a smart and desirable candidate with a lot to offer. I made my application about THEM, not about ME.
I think one of the reasons I’ve been doing so well this year in my applications is that I’m coming to these interviews without any concern for impressing the schools I’m applying to. I’m thinking: What do *I* want to talk about in my interview, and I’m driving the conversation, rather than worrying “Is this the right answer?” 
Be selfish. Demand that this process bring you clarity about who you want to be as an artist. If you bring that into the room, you will understand if UMass is the right place for you. Sending you good vibes.
I had an insane day yesterday — woke up at 4am to get to the airport, my flight got delayed, then I missed my connecting flight in Philly, and there were no other planes that would get me there on time. Ultimately, I wound up taking a taxi at breakneck speed to catch a train to New Haven that got me in only 30 minutes prior to my interview (I had the last slot). I was deeply impressed with how much Yale helped me out to make sure that I got to my interview and they were apparently ready to stay late if I couldn’t make it. That generosity of spirit meant a lot during the stressful moments. I felt really great during the whole callback & interview and we had a really fascinating conversation; I articulated who I am as an artist! I’m proud and happy and excited. Also, when they called time on my rehearsal scene, both of the actors were like “Nooo! We’re having such a good time!” Which, honestly, is the only validation I need.
We will apparently hear in a few days! I wish I could just sleep until then.

@Eccyclema I’m right there with you re: Yale. 
I got an email from UT asking me to come to campus for an interview, that will be 3 in one week because I just got an email invite from Northwestern as well. They’re doing 3 more days of interviews and scheduled them in teirs so I’m heading out there next week. 
UCSD emailed me today to set up a Skype interview.

@Eccyclema thanks so much! Sorry you're out for this year, but you're going to be so super prepared to attack it next year. 
@Squidpunk that's awesome you had such a great Columbia weekend! Best of luck with all the others coming up. 
@forestofarden that's amazing news! Hope it's good news from your top choice school, too! 
@per4mance congrats on your Brown interview! Fingers crossed for you!
 

Interview with Brown went well I think! Kinda got really excited after it. 
For those interested, he said that we'll know if we make it to the final round by February 15th. They're narrowing it down to 6 for a callback in Providence March 9-11th. 
 

Oh my gosh @Squidpunk congratulations! That is really incredible, I will be really into picking your brain about how it went (if you're into that) hopefully for next year because....

I have also not heard anything about the second round from Yale. I see you @MadamDirector, best of luck with this month, you're killing it girl!

Which means I am out for this season. (I only applied to one school because of a show I was opening in December). I'm looking to go full force next year, so until then, break legs everyone I wish you the best!