Ais

Got accepted into MICA MA program! Still waiting it out for the MFA program but will be taking it up even if I don't get accepted!
Sent rejects out to UIC and NCSU.

My final results for MFA in Fine Arts:
Colorado State: Rejected
Columbus School of Art and Design: Accepted with TA ($3,000 stipend) and $10,000 scholarship.
MassArt: Accepted with TA ($2,000 stipend) and $2,000 Dean's scholarship.
Maine College of Art: Accepted with GA ($1,500 stipend) and $5,000 scholarship.
Portland State: Accepted with GA ($1,800 stipend), $10,000 Laurel's scholarship and full tuition remission.
SVA: Requested Interview, but I declined presuming I wouldn't get much funding. 
University at Buffalo: Accepted with TA ($14,704 stipend), full tuition remission and the Mark Diamond Research Grant designated for my thesis exhibition.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee: Rejected
VCU: Rejected
I think I'm set on Buffalo! I don't think I could ever come close to a better offer than that and I also connect very well with the painting faculty in their department. I'm excited and nervous for the big move! But I feel confident that Buffalo is the right decision for me. Upstate New York will be way different than Oklahoma, but here goes nothing! 
Hope everyone is starting to relax after all the stress and setting sights on a plan! I'd love to hear where everyone is thinking of going! ?

I wrote a poem for you all after a year of applications to grants/ open calls/ 2 interviews at VCU and RISD that resulted in a rejection and waitlisted status.     —————————————————————     We regretfully encourage you to apply to our online print institution with a cv, slideroom sacrifice, numbered explanations of your sense of criticality, and a brief statement explaining the origins of your rigor in contemporary practice.    Due to the volume of applicants we will be unable to tell you wether you were selected or not. A full faculty interview panel will be planned to gender reveal your destiny via Skype if the panel selection includes your final application.    Please reach in if you have questions.  Thank you.   Departmental chair  

Hi all!
Been heavily lurking this thread, decided to officially sign up haha. Thanks for all your insights, I do appreciate it!
For me I applied to and got into Pratt / Otis. I got rejected from BU.
And now I’m waiting for Cal arts, art center, and RISD. Fingers crossed. I heard risd will let us know by Friday from twitter. I saw cal arts release their BA admissions a day ago. So nervous ? 

I was rejected by BU’s Graphic Design program. The last one I’m waiting for is RISD which I’m sure is a no since I’ve heard nothing.
I wonder what they didn’t like about my application. Even my safety school said no. I guess I’ll continue adding to my resume, redo my portfolio, and try again next year. I wish I could see portfolios of accepted students so I have a sense of what style they’re looking for. 

Accepted to CCA VCS/MFA program with 46k/year!!
Concordia Fibers with a TAship and scholarship!
top choices!

Interviewed for 3 and heard back from one 3/4 weeks later and from the others roughly 2 weeks later. I think they were exceptionally quick though and it's dependant on when faculty can meet up, how many finalists they had etc. 
All the best with hearing back :-) 

I've been accepted to their painting program in March 12, hope the information helps ;D

Just heard back from CCA via email- accepted with $31k per year in scholarships

Got an acceptance today!! Hope you've good news too ☺

Got an acceptance letter from Pratt Communications Design program! However, there's no mention of funding in the acceptance letter, Does anyone know if they give it out later or this means, I'm not eligible for a funding? NY is too expensive for me otherwise. ?
But I'm really happy and excited for this! ?

Got accepted to MICA Hoffberger! With a merit scholarship. Unfortunately wayyyy out of my price range still unless I can source further funding, so it's likely a no-go. But it is a real confidence boost to have been accepted into such a selective programme, so very grateful to them.

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it :-) you're very right about what you've said and needed to hear it. 
As well thank you ablobofcrazy and EastCoastPhoto for your feedback, it is very appreciated.

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it :-) you're very right about what you've said and needed to hear it. 
As well thank you ablobofcrazy and EastCoastPhoto for your feedback, it is very appreciated.

Thanks so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it :-) you're very right about what you've said and needed to hear it. 
As well thank you ablobofcrazy and EastCoastPhoto for your feedback, it is very appreciated.

I'm an international applicant (currently living in the States), and – while I don't know what's the average – the advice that I got during my first portfolio review day 2 years ago (from a very kind professor who took a break from the undergrads reviews and chatted with me informally) was: "Don't take the loans, figure out how to do it without paying". 
There are a few great programs that waive tuition for most/all applicants (Rutgers, UT Austin, UCLA, VCU) AND there are state universities where tuition is very low and they might waive the non-resident part of the tuition if they accept you (UoF, Florida State University - these are just the schools in the state I live that have excellent funding). State schools might not have the same reputation as Yale, Rutgers, and other top schools, so if you want to teach they might not be your best bet. But if you need time, concentration, studio space and you're happy with the faculty in your concentration, they are very much worth looking into. 
$10k annual stipend is helpful, but it's not a livable wage in most of the US cities. I would personally not be able to bear the stress of working in the studio, studying AND working a part-time job to pay the bills AND having a private bank loan (but I might be spoiled + I have the elderly family to take care of in my home country). Plus, you won't be able to work full-time or take jobs unrelated to your major outside of campus while you're in school because of the J1 visa restrictions, so your loan would likely end up being more. 
My point is: believe in yourself, it's worth trying to find a school that will help you grow as an artist and not leave you broke. Loans work for some people, expensive schools work for some people, but it's important to decide whether you feel comfortable making these financial commitments and how it will impact your life in the next decade. 

Long time lurker here. As a fellow intl applicant, I say don't take out loans at all unless you have to. You'll be on F1/J1 visa with work restrictions & a work permit (H1B/ OPT) if you choose to work in the US post-grad. The job market is straight up unkind to immigrants now thanks to politics, and adding private loans to this burden does not help. Of course, if you're determined and confident in these respects, go ahead. Otherwise, maybe it's a good idea to negotiate with the program or apply for Fulbright/ whatever grant you might qualify for. Your embassy might be a good place to call. Good luck!

I think most people are paying that if not more. Yes, some programs are cheaper/free, but $44k isn’t really so bad in the grand scheme of things. Sure, less/free is better, but you also have to consider if you would want to do another round of applications/year of waiting.

Just answered my own question. Finally got my first acceptance!! So relieved ? Hope others are getting the good news too! 

Is anyone else here applying from UK? If so, do you know where we can go to for loans/ funding? Only option seems to be trying to get a bank loan...

I got an acceptance letter from SMFA!!!!! And a $15,000 a year scholarship!!!!! If there was an emoji for fainting and then laying on the ground giggling with glee that would be me haha. SOOOOO much RELIEF!!! Hopefully this is just the first acceptance and I’ll have some options but if not, I’m BEYOND HAPPY and I am DETERMINED to figure out funding this! 

Accepted: SAIC| MFA Visual Communication Design. Via email and official letter by post.

Got accepted to Columbia Chicago today!!! I'm over the moon! Praying funding comes through!

Hey, Thanks! I really appreciate this and hope the same.
Hope you get into your choice of school too

thanks for the feedback! 
All the best with hearing back, sounds like they do really like you as a candidate, hopefully they might even give you a good funding offer for their prelim!