[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

Just confirmed a Skype interview with UCSD.

So there’s supposed to be an interview weekend on March 1st and they sent me the invitation late January but only confirmed the actual Skype interview date yesterday coz I couldn’t make it to their campus. Even though they did offer funds to assist with travel reimbursement and hotel accommodations ➡️ So anyone looking at this post in 2020 here’s some information may be helpful to you 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

15 hours ago, Kellie Gillespie said:

Visual Arts - sculpture! What about you!?

visual arts painting. Same department maybe we can say hi later lol

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

5 minutes ago, Kellie Gillespie said:

Accepted to SVA yesterday and today I received an MFA department scholarship \

Me too! Congrats! Which program r u in?

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

just received an SVA Fine Art acceptance via email!!

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

1 hour ago, arusse said:

I just received a similar letter! I am not straight out of undergrad, but am switching career paths from a science day job to art. Hopefully we get into full MFAs but I wouldn’t be discouraged by it!  

Yes! Fingers crossed for us

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

5 hours ago, Aatt said:

Hm ok I’m going for mfa in design and the app for that wasn’t even due till 1/27 (extended to 2/1) so they must have different interview times for different departments. How did your interview go?

As mentioned in my previous post it was pretty confusing. I was only asked one question about my practice, the rest of time we just had a very casual chat about my life experience and future plans... but I did see him dropping down notes during our chat

im not sure if it’s a good sign. I was told the results will be out on 04/01 but seems like someone just received an offer for the same department but different category 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

51 minutes ago, jess_is_over_it said:

I agree with MJamesPDX. A good friend of mine from undergrad (we were in undergrad 14 years ago, wow that makes me feel old af!) - he's currently in the curatorial program at MICA, he suggested I do post bacc program before an MFA program - if my round of applications don't yield positive offers. Post Bacc programs are helpful for a number of reasons. For me personally, I have spent the last 10 years working in film and video production, not in an artistic sense, completely Hollywood. I have continued to make my own work and show my work on a very local scale when I have time, which is not often. Obviously, working in this Hollywood drenched industry has influenced my work and that may or may not be a direction I choose to follow in my graduate work. Having an additional year to focus on myself and my work could be helpful. For me, this round of applications is very important - if I don't get a deal I am comfortable with I will certainly consider a post bacc program. Otherwise I will likely continue working in the film industry and remain stuck in this predicament I'm currently in - no time to focus on my art, no time to properly show my work, too many career distractions and responsibilities to truly practice my art in the way that is necessary for me to be happy and content. 

There is a lot of growth and maturity that happens after completing undergrad. I don't think schools necessarily write you off simply because you will be fresh out of undergrad but more so I think they want to see what you do without the constraints and expectations of undergrad studies.I certainly wouldn't take it as a negative that they suggested the post bacc program - they are definitely interested in you and your work, otherwise they wouldn't have suggested the post bacc program. 

 

Thanks a lot for sharing!!

 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

1 hour ago, Aatt said:

Has anyone heard from RISD, MICA, Rutgers, Tulane, or SVA yet? Those are the ones I’m still waiting on. I’m pretty sure SAIC and VCU are rejections for me at this point since people have been posting about interviews, but I haven’t seen many people post about the rest. 

 

1 hour ago, Karisjns said:

I think I was rejected from VCU as well, but they usually only accept around 3 people yearly to each program so that was a tough one anyway. 

I have not heard from SVA yet either, but I did see one person had an invite there at the end of January. So I'm not sure if they've already sent interview requests to everyone or if they're staggering them out, but I feel like they might have requested everyone they were interested already (just a gut feeling). 

But hey, maybe we still have a chance because I honestly have no idea what their process is.

 

Hi I think I’m the SVA one you mentioned here. 

I interviewed with SVA on 01/28. I remember the interviewer mentioning that his time slots can only be from 01/27 to 01/29.

But 1) I’m only applying to the fine arts department 2) I did my interview via Skype not in person 3) the interviewer seems to be a painter (I myself am one too) and there may be other interviewers!

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

47 minutes ago, Cryptics said:

I've heard from multiple professors that post-bacc is a major waste of money because like you said there is only a certificate that essentially means you got babysat for a year by that school. (obviously I'm exaggerating but you get the point) it's also not a guarantee that you'd be allowed into the mfa program. 

If you want to wait and try again for SAIC next year You would save money just getting a studio space or home studio for a year and working on your practice diligently. Otherwise if you get accepted to other programs you might aswell just jump on that if time is a major factor in wanting to achieve your mfa.

Ahhh I see... thank you for your advice! 

I’ll totally research more on the post-bacc and hopefully I can get in one of the other schools I applied to ????

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

5 hours ago, TheRealHankHill said:

Ive been watching from the sidelines on this forum and not participating, but I got this too.  It seems that there is a seperate category for applicants aside from students...but iunno...I was like whaaaaaat  when i saw the email.  I'm tryna forget about it in the meantime tho

I agree.

I’ve been receiving these letters too, but they’re from a different category and were automatically generated once you submitted your application. Even though I personally also hope they may hint on something but I’m sorry to say that these letters dont relate to the application result at all... 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

6 hours ago, MjamesPDX said:

Honestly, I wouldn't take this as a huge negative! I have had a number of friends go on to do post-bacc programs before finally entering an MFA program and they all really enjoyed the extra studio time and experience. Cost wise, I'd be cautious to take on the extra debt if it involves taking out more in student loans.. especially if you plan on applying to an expensive MFA program that doesn't offer full tuition waivers. Maybe the panel just wanted to see what your work would look like a year or two from now? Did you apply to any other programs besides SAIC? Maybe it's just them and another school could have a totally different opinion! Just my two cents

Thank you so much for the genuine advices!

I’m also applying to other MFA programs and some of them have offered me interviews, which I’m really surprised and appreciate a lot!

But frankly speaking I think the majority just don’t want freshly-grads. I went to UofM and all my profs, including the admisson dean, have reminded me that grad programs don’t want people who just graduated, regardless of how mature you think your works are. There’re many reasons to this. So to be realistic I’m already prepared for receiving a rejection from SAIC.

Compared to cost, I guess time is a more critical factor for me because I need to get the MFA degree ASAP. I wonder if it’s worthy to spend a year on a program that doesn’t offer a degree but just a certificate

 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

I received a decision letter from SAIC today (even though on the letter it writes Feb 01) saying rejected. But they offer me an interview for their Post-Bacc program.

It just once again proves that MFA programs do not want people freshly out of undergrad. I’m graduating 04/2019 but have multiple exhibition experience so I thought maybe I could hope for a miracle...

Does anyone have an experience in a Post-Bacc degree/ have heard about how it works?

 

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

53 minutes ago, biu said:

Does anybody know when Columbia announces interview or when they usually does? I emailed Admissions and they ignored me  

Same here waiting but haven’t heard anything... I remember seeing a post from last year saying a person got called for interview on 02/05...

Getting more anxious :’(

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

2 minutes ago, Karisjns said:

When was your SVA interview? 

1/23 emailed

 1/28 interviewed

[Yale MFA 2019]

just FYI here’s a piece of info copied from an email by Yale:

 

Notification of the admission committee's preliminary decisions, which will include both interview invitations as well as regrets, will be sent at the close of business on Friday, February 1st, 2019 for all four programs.
 

So 5pm and fingers crossed!!!

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

1 hour ago, Kvir said:

I agree with what others have said about getting a feel for your personality. My interview at SU last year was very similar, but went well from my perspective. I was a nervous wreck for my interviews but found that one to be oddly not so uncomfortable as the rest. I got in, and have been working very closely with the professor that interviewed me. We just clicked. 

Admittedly yes, there is some level of subjectivity.

On a slightly broader scale, and I can't speak for all schools, there is an importance on building a cohort, so when making decisions there will be consideration about which applicants will work well with other applicants. 

Thanks for sharing!

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

2 hours ago, caoyue said:

Hey friend may I ask which school are you applying for?

 

1 hour ago, Pallavi.Daga said:

I don't think that's a bad thing, otherwise they wouldn't have invited you for an interview. Maybe they just wanted an extra insight about your personality. Would like to know which school is this, though?

It's for SVA Fine Arts.

 

48 minutes ago, henryfive said:

No, not a bad thing. Different schools interview differently. Also I’ve heard that if a school offers you an interview they think that your work fits for the program and the interview is to see if your personality fits. 

Thanks for reassuring!

But I also wonder what may cause one to fail an interview? to me the 'personality' thing is rather subjective ?

like Yale - only a small portion of their interviewees will be admitted...

Surely they look at other things. But I am just curious if anyone has any ideas about what these "other things" are?

[MFA 2019 Freak Out Forum]

hey guys I wonder what it means if the interviewer only had a VERY casual chat with you (cities you lived in, cities you used to live in, what to do after graduate...) and asked only ONE question about your works?

Although I understand that a 20 min interview is just too short to cover many things... Is it a bad sign coz it shows he's not that into your practice or something??

I'm very worried because this is my dream school...