RadicalDreamers

Accepted my offer from SUNY Purchase today! I loved the program when I visited a couple of weeks ago, so I'm excited for this new chapter. I'm also excited to pursue an MFA without going into debt, and the program offered a good deal of funding with the acceptance, and even bumped it up a bit a week and a half ago (no word on financial aid yet though). I thought it would be appropriate to get a bit personal here. I applied to MFA programs a few times in the 2010s (last time in 2019), with only one acceptance to show for it. These results, combined with the pandemic, left me demoralized and really stifled me creatively, to the point where I produced virtually nothing art-wise for about three years. I thought I was on the outs for good artistically, and that I was going to have to reorient my life in a totally different direction career-wise. Then a personal event in 2022 shook me to my core, and this inspired me to really dig deep inside myself, find my true voice, and get back to creating. I applied to programs with this 2022/23 work, and I'm very gratified to have gotten into two programs I really loved. It took a few hours for the reality that I'm going to finally be an MFA candidate to sink in today, and when it did, my breath was taken away. Congrats to everyone here on their acceptances. But even more importantly, to those here nursing disappointment: honor your feelings in this moment, and do what you need to take care of yourself, whether that be making art, running, cooking, baking, watching films/tv shows, spending time with friends/family/pets, etc. But remember this feeling, and make it into art when you're ready. When you apply to programs again and get into one that's right for you, it'll be all the more sweet after living through this moment.

On a whim I checked the portal on Monday and saw my rejection update. I then checked my email, and the Hunter email about the status update was in spam.

Finally got my Columbia rejection today. I know this is a small thing, but they do deserve props for wording their denials in a polite, thoughtful, and overall encouraging manner. I knew the rejection was coming (wish they sent denials at the same time they send interview invites, like Yale does), but I felt weirdly good after reading the letter just now. Results as of this writing: Bard: Rejection imminent Columbia: Rejected Hunter: Rejected SUNY New Paltz: Accepted SUNY Purchase: Accepted RISD: Rejected University of Delaware: Unknown Yale: Rejected

Hunter application portal updated with a rejection letter. Ouch (lol).

No word today from Hunter post-interview, so I'm resigned to a forthcoming portal rejection 😕. But congratulations to those who got in!! On a bright note, SUNY Purchase bumped up their financial offer from an initial $5,000 a year to $7,500 this morning (in-state tuition is just over $13k per year).

Did you have your interview virtually or in-person? I had mine last Saturday in-person with two of the faculty members, and I thought it went pretty solidly. Fingers crossed for both of us!

If you're still waiting to hear from some programs about acceptances and face looming deadlines from other programs (namely funding and TA/TR/GA offers, I wouldn't do this with admission acceptance/deposit deadlines), it wouldn't hurt out to reach out and explain your predicament. You could receive an extension, one that is a reasonable grace period for you but also fair to waitlisted applicants. Also, reaching out about this conundrum demonstrates that you are seriously weighing the program's offer, which is likely to leave a good impression.

Keep an open mind, and try not to resign yourself to an outcome preemptively! I know a couple of people from past cycles who felt like their Yale interviews didn't go so well, but were ultimately admitted into the program.

Was just informed of my SUNY Purchase MFA acceptance via phone call.

I received an interview invite from Hunter on Tuesday, and it came via email (no portal update). Bard's website has an application timeline, and says finalists will be notified Feb. 20th (maybe that includes by then too?).

Hi paintgal, I just received the Hunter interview invite too! From your handle it sounds like you applied in painting (I applied in photo). I interviewed with them in 2014; the faculty was very friendly and asked me about my work, influences, and goals for the program. All of the posts/reposts of interview questions in this forum will be of great aid.

I last applied in 2019, I would be down to talk more about the process in a private message if you'd like. Did you apply this year? I'm also very interested in hearing more about your work. If my memory serves me correctly, I saw you received an invite from Columbia photo in previous posts (and maybe even RISD too?). If so, I hope they go swimmingly!

Received an interview invitation from SUNY Purchase's MFA in Visual Arts program earlier this hour.

Saw my Yale photo rejection this morning (it was sent out late last night). I wasn't surprised, but disappointment lingered through my AM nonetheless. Hope others here who also received denials are holding up well, and congratulations to those who landed interviews!

Just learned that I was accepted into SUNY New Paltz's MFA Studio Art: Photography & Related Media program, my first ever grad school acceptance :). I haven't posted here in about three weeks. I've seen people posting about interview invitations from Columbia and RISD, and congrats to all you guys! Haven't heard from them, so I'm assuming a rejection is coming down the pike lol. Still waiting to hear back from Yale, SUNY Purchase, Hunter, Bard, and UDelaware (all photo). I relate so much to the stress I see in this forum. I hope all of you are staying healthy, taking care of yourselves, and being productive while we're playing the waiting game. Additionally, congrats to everyone on the interviews and acceptances.

Hello there. I applied in 2019 and received an interview invitation from Bard MFA in early February (applied again for the first time since then this year). The interviews were conducted in early March on a weekend, and from my recollection of that cycle's freakout forum, initial admission and waitlist notices went out the following Friday. At least at that point in time, I think everyone invited for interviews were held on a waitlist so they had a pool to pull from should their first choices go with other programs. I didn't get my official rejection until near the end of March.

Hi everyone. Haven't posted here since December, but within the last few minutes I received my first interview invitation (for SUNY New Paltz's MFA program in Photography & Related Media). This is getting real!!

Hey there, maybe we can share more info in a message. I added New Paltz because I really liked the work of the faculty and location (I'm trying to stick to the northeast with the programs I'm applying to). A former instructor of mine from SVA recommended Delaware, and I checked out their site and I liked a lot of the work too. Best of luck!

Hello everyone. MFA Photography applicant back in the hunt after not having applied since 2019. I did interview with Bard that cycle but didn't get in, and inspiration difficulties/the pandemic kind of knocked me off my game until a couple of years ago. Any other photographers in the forum? Would love to also talk to other disciplines! Applying to these programs as of tonight: Yale, Bard, Columbia, Hunter, RISD, SUNY Purchase, SUNY New Paltz, University of Delaware.