Emma2003

Hy thanks! I was editing as you were responding, apparently! What you say makes sense. i'm glad you got some acceptances, to some pretty good schools too! I'm pretty close to shutting the door on this time around, already starting on new work and new apps. Thanks for the luck wishing! Hopefully second time out will be my charm!

The date on the quoted post is about a week old. the point of my second post was that U of C apparently had a second round of acceptances because i know someone who got one Thursday. I was in class with her when she received it. And perhaps if you turn yours down, they'll call someone else. Looks like you've got a full plate and I've never been too proud to take leftovers. I'm not bitter, but man, you've got more acceptances than i have schools....... EDIT* I took this part out because I realized it didn't read the way i was meaning it...I am not trying to be a witch with a B, was just wondering...I applied to all Chicago schools cause I live here, and was just trying to figure out if maybe I wasted my time applying to anywhere...are these more media based programs. Because I know for painting I wouldn't have picked some of the places I picked if they weren't close to me. But your choices seemed like they came from everywhere geographically and RISD was the name that meant the most to me, reputationally speaking, but I'm a painter so I don't think that means anything. Sorry just wondering what you picked your choices for, not trying to be mean, so sorry if I came off that way. Plus when I read your post I had just gotten my first rejection from my soon to be alma mater. SAD,SAD, SAD. Good luck to everyone else! 3 more, possibly, to go.

"Jason! (not me)5 DVD's for 49 cents!" "3 things that could harm your bones!" "Hot Fare Alert!" "Get rockin' Buns" No emails from Nigerian royalty though.... It's an oldie but goodie...

I think that it's a bad year to apply. As the rejections start coming in, that's what I plan on telling myself, anyway....I have only received one out of four so far, but it isn't looking good for two others. I have written emails to a couple of my professors, asking them for advice determining what I can improve for next year, so I'm going formulating my plan of action. I know that you shouldn't get ahead of yourself, but I'm pretty sure its time to start being pessimistic.

Hey Vagoo! No problem! She got called twice by them while in class. she didn't recognize the number so she let it go to voice mail. They said "Congratulations on your excellent application," you have been accepted. I heard of a couple acceptances by them last week, so it seems like they're doing it slow. Nice thing about U of C is that they say on their website that they will send out official letters first week of March so one way or another the waiting is almost done! Good luck!

I agree.

One of my classmates got a phone acceptance from UChicago today, so apprently they aren't done notifying yet. They haven't given me any love though. Ah, well.

I emailed one school to check on my application materials. They had no update on their materials page for months, and I began to think that they might have never received my additional materials. (All three other schools sent me emails or updated my materials status.) I received the most frustratingly short and noncommittal email ever. Basically, all your materials have been received, they are already being reviewed. I guess it isn't terrible because they didn't tell me i was rejected, but it wasn't gushing either... :|

I'm studio arts major, in painting, so gallery shows are my publications, so I'm going to start hitting the streets and getting as many of them as I can. I'm also going to try to get some curatorial experience by setting up some shows with people I know who are making the art. and start doing research and studying for the GRE. (You don't need it for most MFA programs, its all portfolio.) Then, I'm going to use my current school's resources to get a summer internship. I will also work on strengthening my portfolio. When fall comes, I'll apply to art history and museum studies programs in addition to the studio arts programs and broaden my options. I'll also try to get involved with teaching at some community programs on a part time basis. If allthis doesn't get me in, it will just be the exciting start in my chosen career which pays nothing. Anyone want to buy my BFA?

I like the idea of sub-folders too. I'm not sure how it would happen. There's a lot of info to sift through and with new posts, sometimes things get lost, although I definitely have to say I haven't found anything half as good as this site for getting new information. I think maybe a post on the comments board? That's my best guess.

I tried to approach this only when it seemed really relevant to me. I more focused on the focus of the department as a fit to me, versus the individuals. I don't know about all ya all, but I have found that all too often, it is people whose work is very different than mine who offer insight and help me progress.

Yes!!!! Does anyone else have the status check websites bookmarked?

I never used to be consistent about my work ethic. But, I have found that the time I have available for me to do the work is limited. So I use whatever available time I have. I do my reading during the commute to and from school and during my lunch hour, my writing in the hours before I got to bed, after the kids have gone to sleep. My painting I do during my class time, which helps. This has forced me into a place where I do small amounts of consistent work over the course of the semester. Without the external structure, I would do everything at the last minute. I just want it so badly, I work against my nature.

Okay, so i've been panicking, going back and forth between sure I'm in and sure I'm out....so, I went through the posts under art in the results search for all years available and summarized the biggest ammounts of info I found. I only did visual art, sorry! Here is what I discovered.... CalArts- first week of March. Cranbrook- late Feb. thru early March Hunter college- March Indiana- mid-March MICA- late March early April MassArt- First of March thru first of April MCAD - mid-March thru late-march Northwestern-March Parsons- late March Pratt- early March SFAI- late Feb. thru mid-March SAIC- decisions late March thru early April SMFA- MidMarch Temple- late Feb.thru mid-March UCD- mid Feb. UCLA- late Feb-mid-March UIowa- late Feb. UPenn- mid March USC- March UT Austin- late Feb. VCU- late March Yale- rejections begin in February and they just keep coming.... So basically....BREATHE....It's early.

3.71 The social sciences did me in. Every b and c I've gotten have been in them. My hat is off to all of you who can figure them out. Of course, this is all moot now as my current school does creit/ no credit. which in some ways is great, but is really not great in some other ways, like this application process. I have to say i wish they graded, because it would put me a little better off than I was, competitively speaking.

I have to clarify, that I think that the cryptic letter only means that it made the first round of cuts. I think the volume is just so high, that they needed a way to sift through everything. Now onto the interviewing, which is why i think they're sending out the weird letters because they want those 250 to know they're still in the running. So more hoops, probably, but at least some good news, I am hoping.

I wouldn't count out SAIC yet, I'm attending there currently, and my understanding is the teachers were given 500 portfolios of slides and instructions to cut them in HALF based on just the portfolios, cold read. (I'm not sure if this is just the painting department or what.) Then they forwarded their top half to the admissions department. If you received the weird letter instead of a rejection, I think it means your application was in the top 250 and has finally been received by the actual admissions department. This last part is mere conjecture of course, but it makes sense to me. Jenmariepainter, sorry about UT Austin!

This seems to me like a way for them to get around the April 15th rule, you can still come, but without the funding, so the deadline is for the money...It is probably done to weed out anyone who isn't seriously considering them. Probably legal if they will still take you for the program until the 15th, but seems a little underhanded.

Painting/studio arts SAIC- cryptic letter months after the fact saying they've received my materials and to expect a response 6 to 8 weeks from 1/10 UIC- Daily check of website proves still fruitless Northwestern-same UChicago-nothing, curious about UChicago, the humanities website lists very adamantly that the school does not notify of admissions except via snail mail, and says it sends these letters the first week of March, yet there seem to be dozens of posters contradicting that information, I haven't been fretting about them because of the clarity, but now I'm wondering if its all a ruse? Supposedly someone got an admit in the MFa program there, according to results search...Any one got info?

Amen to that sister!

I have to say, that I would be very happy to get into my last choice as well. I will be happy to get accepted anywhere. But the reality is that my last choice is no real choice without funding. I don't dislike the school, just can't afford it. I enjoyed the chronicle link, and understand its sentiment, but I don't have any other choice than to do the work that I really know i am meant to do. I am ill-equipped to do anything else! The MFA is the terminal degree in my field at this point, and it is the best start I can get for any sort of career. But if I have to pay over 100,000 in loans, and pay 36,000 in childcare for the time I am in school, I cannot justify it. I figure it would knock my salary down by about 10,000 a year. I'm thirty-five, when I'm done I'll be thirty-nine and It will only be about ten years until my oldest starts applying to colleges. In my mind neither the top tier school, nor my fourth choice are the best choices for me. My first choice offers funding and tuition waiver to all accepted students, has an excellent academic standing and is blocks away from my home. I think, given the mid-range status of the school in my field, and my own pretty excellent qualifications :wink: , I have a pretty decent chance of getting in there. So, i hope the choice is moot. However, I see no reason why intelligent others can't disagree with me. And... if I get the funding and they are the only choice, I'll happily go and no one but all of you will ever know they were my last choice.

My Dad is very supportive. There's a West wing quote about if you use one word where you can use ten, you're just not trying hard enough. My Dad feels that way about school. He has his PhD in engineering and went back to get another higher degree in metalurgy? (i'm outside of my field here, so excuse if I'm confused)! My mom has a bachelor's in history and one in nursing and a masters in library sciences. You can imagine how frustrating for them it was when I waited until almost ten years after graduating high school to start my bachelor's, and took almost another ten to complete it. They are extremely supportive. Personally, I am going to mail him a copy of every acceptance I get. (Here's hopin for 4 out of 4!)

Because I'm geographically fixed with two kids, a husband and a house and there are only four programs in my area worth applying to. There are a lot of people who are applying to grad school, who need the degree for their field in order to work, but do not have the option of going anywhere in the country they want. I would love to go to Yale, but it is not an option to leave my family behind to do so. One of the reasons I applied to my last choice was because they are known to provide funding. Geographically they are farthest from me, they are one of the most expensive for straight tuition, and given the instability of my field, fine art, the benefit doesn't outweigh the downfall without funding. I don't consider them to be low, I just have responsibilities outside of myself that make it difficult to say yes to an education that would put my family in financial jeopardy. Say you have four cars in front of you, ranging in price from 12,000 to 125,000. Which one you choose, if you have to pay for it, might be very different than which one you would be happy to accept if someone handed you the keys. I would have no hesitation in financing a 12,000 dollar car, but I can't imagine a scenario where I would finance one that costs 125,000. Why should it be any different with my education? I'm making decisions based on my entire circumstance, not just the school's reputation. I have no problem losing the 100 dollars and reapplying next year, in a more informed way than how i did it this time around and opening up the possibility for a better fit, or a better economy. If I didn't apply I never would have the option of getting in WITH funding. I don't consider it a waste of time and/ or money when I can conceive of a scenario in which I would gladly attend their school.

I don't know if these were in response to my post or to the thread in general, but my understanding was that there was NO funding to the one school you got accepted to. There is a school that I applied to who gives funding that I would not attend without funding because it makes no economic sense and is not a top tier school. I would be better of waiting a year then accepting an offer from them with no funding. On the other hand, were I to receive funding from them, it would make them inexpensive enough to consider. In other words, I wouldn't go into debt for them. My top tier school I'd go into debt for.