@JAPA
I think this has been discussed in previous years but the general ...rumor... with Yale and Bard, is that they will not accept someone straight out of undergrad except for in exceptional circumstances. Basically, it is super rare. The average age at Bard is 27. I'm not sure what the average age is at Yale but I've never heard of someone going straight through to Yale. You should ask around of course as this is just what I have heard. I do think I remember looking at Yale Painting student's C.V.s and seeing a couple who went straight through.
Of course, if you took time off before undergrad, working etc. then this is a different situation but you need to make that clear in your personal statement.
I was an undergrad at Columbia and I would not recommend Columbia MFA. The grad students seem pretty unhappy and everyone is competing and obsessed with the industry. I've also found the big shots in the departments to favor men. I've been friends with a lot of Columbia MFAs over the years and they complain about the program all the time. Also, the program is super expensive. Just my opinion.
