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I Paint Faces

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About I Paint Faces

  • Birthday 07/28/1988

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    Female
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    Painting MFA

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  1. University of Washington w/ tuition and stipend I also had a difficult time deciding, especially since it's a huge move for me, but I also feel good about my choice in the end, and relieved!
  2. I felt really awkward about it at first, but I was just honest. I said I really love your program, but I'm really worried about the cost right now and adding debt to my undergraduate loans" then they said they had no more funding, which was perfectly understandable (I was talking to a faculty member by the way, I think that's better than talking to someone in the financial aid office, because the faculty know your work, might have met you, and can determine how much they really want you there). I then replied "well thank you, that's completely understandable, I just want you to know your program is great and I really love x, y, and z about it, and if I don't come I want you to know it was due to the financial situation not anything else." This program was also aware that I had gotten into other schools and that I was choosing between them, so they knew there was a good possibility that I might pass them up for a better financial situation, which is actually what I had decided to do in my head, but at 11:30 that night I got a call saying that they in fact found more money and could offer me full tuition and a stipend. It changed my whole mind around one last time. Basically I feel that it can't hurt if you are polite and honest while asking. I tlaked to all of my schools before making a decision and was perfectly candid about what other schools I was deciding between and that i really just wanted to get as much information as I could to make a decision that was best for me. At a third school I actually emailed the financial aid office asking about money and they were nice, but just said not at this time. I think talking to faculty was helpful particularly since I had just visited the school and it's a small program so they knew who I was. Hope that was all helpful!
  3. I actually visited after I heard back from schools, or for interviews. I felt that I got a pretty good vibe from looking intensely at faculty and student work (which I think is the most important aspect, does your work fit in and will you grow as a part of this program) on the schools websites and in their catalogues. Many schools have faculty and student contacts that you can email or call with questions which was also helpful in getting more information about the area and what type of people are attending the program. I agree that it is better to see the schools beforehand, but I also didn't have the time and money to take separate trips out to Seattle, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, etc from Maine (where I am now). I then visited 3 places once I got accepted, 2 in Mass and 1 in Washington (my one big cross-country trip) and now I'm actually going out to Washington so that visit was necessary for sure. I had heard some bad things about the program, so visiting and meeting students and faculty was essential before making my decision, but although it's great to do it beforehand, I would say it's not necessary. I hope that helps!
  4. I foudn this Alternate Rankings thread really helpful Also, I looked through TONS of websites focusing on student and faculty work. I really think that you can get a good starting vibe about a school from looking at their catalogues or websites at the type of work people are producing. I found that getting a book that listed graduate MFA programs wa a good starting point because it helped me find lesser known schools that still had great programs. Good luck! My work is completely different than yours so I don't have specific recommendations, but I think looking intensely at multiple programs is a great idea, and you'll know where you fit. In fact, I was suprised once I got my acceptances (after lots of rejections) that I really felt that I could fit in two different places equally well and had a really difficult time deciding 9I didn't visit anywhere until after I got my letters back). I would also say that once you do hear back lots of programs will work with you to get you the funding you need to attend their program. In the end one school offered me thousands of dollars more than they had previously, and it really pushed me to decide on their program and moving across country. So just know financial packages aren't always set in stone, so don't feel like you necessarily have to aviod applying to a school you really love.
  5. I was told that the whole cost of the third year was changing. And you guessed it, it's changing to more, not less, so the website may be accurate. I was told it's there if your work starts to change drastically more than if you stay close to the same media/subject that you do going into your first year.
  6. I'm planning on declining for financial reasons... Plus University of Washington offered me a stellar financial package and has HUGE studios. I think SMFA is a great school, great faculty, great resources, but too expensive!
  7. I've been trying it. I think it can't be a bad thing to politely ask. I also lever my other choices a bit, such as "well I just got my package from BLAH and they offered BLAH/full funding/me quite abit. I really rather go to your school, but I just can't go for that amount, is there anyway you might be able to help me out." I think it helps and I was told by one school specifically that when people decline there is more money floating around and they gave me a contact to talk too. Good luck!
  8. Wow that's crazy that you are deciding on the same thing. How did you like UMass as an undergrad? It seems like the grad program being in New Bedford in a separate building is pretty cool and a lot more aesthetically pleasing than the main campus. It seems to me like the faculty are great and that the work is more figurative than at SMFA (and I am a figurative artist), but I'm thinking SMFA might push me more out of my comfort zone and I like the sort of craziness of their studio space and having that many more students around you. I can't really find personal information on people's opinions on either of their grad programs, just undergrad. I feel like we should just go for it and me like loans no problem we'll just pay them off when we are selling our work for millions, but it's hard to feel that way at this point. Also, do you have any thoughts on New Bedford. I emailed a few of the grad students but neither of them lived right there. It seems kind of up and coming, but I'm struggling to assess how much "worse" it may be for opportunities to see and show artwork than Boston itself (not that it's that far away). Anyway, GOOD LUCK!
  9. I still am struggling with this whole thing. I know reputation doesn't matter much in the end, except perhaps to get your foot in the door for a job as a professor, but I'm wondering if the more "prestigious" schools can perhaps help me to develop my work and push myself more than the other schools. For example on the one hand there is U Mass, Dartmouth, a lovely program that is small and centered in a newly renovated building separate from the ugly main campus, which has offered me a graduate assistantship which covers my tuition plus a $3,500 stipend, and on the other hand there is SMFA/Tufts, number 22 out of painting schools, a larger program with apparently wonderful faculty, which has offered me a small sum of money that still leaves me to come up with about $26,000 a year. How in debt do I go, will I be able to pay it back? Will SMFA provide a stronger/larger artist community with more resources (Boston VS New Bedford) that will in the end push me to become a better artist and therefore potentially do better once I get out (as an artist or professor) and be able to pay my debt off? Or is Dartmouth the better choice because I don't have to risk debt (much besides living costs, also cheaper in New Bedford than Boston)? I feel like all of these questions have answers but I just can't find them yet. Hopefully by April 15th I will though... It's just not simple is it everyone?
  10. Yeah I'm struggling with this too because although I have a few more to hear from, right now I'm deciding between University of Washington and University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. I really liked U MAss when I visited they have new facilities (within the past 10 years) and the staff seemed really friendly and supportive. It seems like a fairly structured program, but also very suppoortive, whereas I've heard that University of Washington is more intense and the faculty are much less hands on. Additionally, University of Washington is much more expensive, but is supposedly 26 on the best schools for painting MFAs whereas U MASS is not even on the list. I'm going to visit U Washington at the end of the month and I really hope I can get a clear idea about whether that school is right for me and worth the extra money. The problem is that I think I could be happy at either... I just don't know how much I should weigh reputation though because I think to a certian extent its really what you make of the experience, but I also don't want to feel like I turned down an amazing opportunity. Good luck with your decisions!!! and I suggest getting some students emails and asking them why they picked that school and if they are happy there. Also, try to visit them all if you haven't and can (I'm lucky to have a friend out in Seattle, but lots of schools let you stay on campus)
  11. When was that if you don't mind my asking? (why can't these schools send out rejections and acceptences all together???)
  12. So... I just got into the painting and drawing program at University of Washington and was wondering if anyone had anything positive to say about the place. I was under the impression that UW was a great school (rated equal to SMFA and others on the U.S. News Report for grad schools), competitive to get into, and that Seattle is a great place to make art. However, everything I've seen on this forum has been really disheartening. I live in Maine and I'm thinking now that it is crucial for me to go out there and see it for myself at this point (especially before I attempt to convince my boyfriend to rip up his roots and join me), but does anyone have anything else to share about the program, positive or negative?
  13. Accepted University of Washington Painting and Drawing by phone last night
  14. Accepted University of Washington Painting and Drawing by phone last night
  15. Thanks for your response, I also think that the cost will be a huge factor for me. I don't want to wait another year before pursuing my MFA, but I have a lot to think about with reputation and its importance. Also has everyone heard from U Washington and Cranbrook? I got waitlisted at NYAA for whoever was asking and someone else got accepted. They sent email and mail notification which I recieved last week.
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