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Just rejected from CMU! Knew it was coming just wanted it officially.
Looks like UIC is it! Who else is heading to UIC?

Just rejected from CMU! Knew it was coming just wanted it officially.
Looks like UIC is it! Who else is heading to UIC?

Emailed the dgs at CMU asking for an update - will post when they get back. Hope everyone is almost done with this!

Emailed the dgs at CMU asking for an update - will post when they get back. Hope everyone is almost done with this!

Got accepted to Herron School of Art (IUPUI) today (full funding + scholarship). Don't know what to do now, I had it all figured out before.

Seems like they went through their first round applicants and now that some of them weren't accepted or didn't accept their offers they are interviewing you. Congrats! 

Seems like they went through their first round applicants and now that some of them weren't accepted or didn't accept their offers they are interviewing you. Congrats! 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

She just got back to me today- 
"Hi Christine, 
Thanks for following up about the status of your application. The admissions committee is still in the process of making its decisions and hopes to get back to applicants by the end of March. I hope this helps!
best Julie "
  So at least we should know soon? 

I sent an email on Monday to the graduate coordinator, I'll let you know if she gets back to me

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

I read this on the reddit /r/gradadmissions sub and it really helped my perspective - from the chair of an admissions committee 
 

Yes! None of us should be going into crazy debt for an MFA, and congrats on the full ride at Penn State!
 
My MFA philosophy is to not consider going into debt unless it’s Yale.

Long - I have many thoughts. This is what worked best for me, and what I need/want out of my practice. May not be what you're looking for/thinking about.
I wasn't going to grad school this year if I had to go more than 10-20k in debt. I mean realistically - if you take out 60-70k in student loans, have a 10 year repayment plan, and have an interest rate of 6% you're looking at over $700 as your monthly student debt payment. That's a lot!!!!!
The best program, in my opinion, is a program that allows your work to grow to the fullest, including after you graduate. A program that puts you in debt would be counterproductive in that regard. You won't be able to make good work if you're constantly strapped for cash. Especially as creatives, we sometimes need to spend money on supplies and space in order to work. I know that having enormous student loan payments would only hurt my outcomes post-graduation.
For the school you're getting more funding from: Do the faculty have connections with people and in cities you want to work with/in? If so, then prestige won't necessarily facilitate more connections for you unless you really want to get on that #uppertierlife. Do the alumni have outcomes that mirror what you want in your practice? If so, then that's great! Do you want to teach after grad school? TA experience I am sure will put you somewhat ahead of MFA's who do not have teaching experience.
Just some things to think about, which I also thought about heavily. I am not sure where Penn State falls on the prestige scale, but I am endlessly grateful for the fact I will not have any debt, which will give me more freedom when I graduate to do whatever the heck I want. Personally, I think prestige without funding is unethical and overrated because increased student loan burden contributes to achievement disparity in the arts based on income/background. So I am obviously somewhat biased. 

This is precisely what I have heard repeatedly (often from people who did take out tons of loans). MFAs have a high philosophical/personal/societal ROI but not a high financial ROI (typically). My goal was to put myself in a position to have a better practice and possibly teach without worrying about a mountain of debt I'll never pay off. 

This is precisely what I have heard repeatedly (often from people who did take out tons of loans). MFAs have a high philosophical/personal/societal ROI but not a high financial ROI (typically). My goal was to put myself in a position to have a better practice and possibly teach without worrying about a mountain of debt I'll never pay off. 

This is precisely what I have heard repeatedly (often from people who did take out tons of loans). MFAs have a high philosophical/personal/societal ROI but not a high financial ROI (typically). My goal was to put myself in a position to have a better practice and possibly teach without worrying about a mountain of debt I'll never pay off. 

I’ve heard over and over again, do NOT pay for grad school. It’s not worth it. Teaching jobs are increasingly difficult to come by after school anyways, having a mountain of debt to add to that stress is gonna suck really bad. Just my two cents?

I'm guessing if I haven't been a part of these successive waves of rejections or acceptances from UCLA DMA or CMU that I'm probably on a waitlist? Hoping something happens tomorrow but I really can't be sure. Even a rejection would let me make a decision with the offer I have, but still holding out so I can make a fully informed choice...