ellsworthy

It looks like I'll be one of the many submitting at the very end... :-(

Just fyi, the design media people applications are different from those of the fine arts division.

Design Media online apps are due this week however, for the fine arts division, they are due January 9th (both online and the supplemental materials). @Mindfields88 - I just sent you an email about this, but you should insert your personal statement in the required area online and also send another copy as instructed with your portfolio.

I wrote that last post in a whirlwind of panic. I actually wrote my statement gathering statements from other art historians that have gotten into phd programs. Luckily they were able to send me their statement of purposes to work off of. I sent the first draft over to an English professor who thought there wasn't enough narrative and too much "dry statement talk" and not enough material that shows and inspires the reader. However, another fellow artist who came out of the UCLA MFA Painting program thought the statement sounded good. I have no idea now and wish i had a bit more sense on how one should write these $#@# things.

The first draft actually went through 3 mini drafts and now that I've circulated the 2nd draft it's getting even more confusing considering that people are suggesting different things to emphasize. Some want more narrative and less dry and matter of fact. Others believe it should be dry and focused and not so creative.

ok, I'm officially freaking out over my statement. I've rewritten them twice and all the people I've circulated them to have differing suggestions...sigh* It's going to be a long road ahead and I have only half my work photographed since some of them need to be professionally done.

Hi guys! Just wanted to let you guys know that UCLA is having their Graduate open studios next week. For all you local people, hope to see you all there!

I'm so dreading UCI and UCR's artist statement, person history statement, AND statement of purpose. Three?? seriously????

I also forgot to mention that the USC tuition for International students is also covered by the Assistantship. The funding should be the same along with the stipend but with a few more papers to sign.

@Arpita Gupta - that's a tough question since USC's program isn't based upon medium. I think that the best way to go is to do some research on some successful alumni such as Amanda Ross-ho and Mindy Shapero. I wish I could help you more...but having strong and solid work doesn't necessarily guarantee one's admission to USC. The factors seem like a combination of solid work, solid direction and communication in one's work, the ability to interpret work across disciplines, and if they see that your presence completes a selection of a well-rounded group. The last point is really just luck it seems. I also think that you can probably argue that you background outside of art provides a fresh perspective but it seems absolutely necessary to bring with you a knowledge of the arts and how to talk and contextualize works of art. I'm heading to Calarts and UCLA next week so I'll know more about those as well.

Thanks Losemygrip! It'll be interesting to hear which programs differ in terms of how they approach the application process. I suspect that USC is very different from larger programs. They only admit 8 students a year and last year their applicant pool was around 400. They mentioned yesterday that they expect around 500 this year. Yesterday, Jud Fine mentioned that the Core Faculty (Lockhart, Fine, White, Stark, Sietsema and Steiner) will evaluate the first round and will primarily focus on only images. For those who are video based, Fine emphasized to make the video segments no longer than 3 minutes. Anything above 5 minutes will most likely not be viewed. The second round is then judged by their statement and images. Their objective is to pool the very best and also consider the dynamic of the group and how "well-rounded" and diverse they will be. Those who are object-based and work primarily with one specific medium should still apply since they try to make sure that every medium is represented and the group is as diverse as it can be. The curriculum will also be tailored as needed around the specific interest and needs of the group. All of the lecturers that come each week do studio visits and are also selected democratically by students and professors. Also, the student to faculty ratio is 3:1 making USC one of the few programs that are highly individualized and intimate. The Director of the school is also selected by the faculty and students and is rotated among the Core faculty. As stated on the website, the tuition is supplemented by the Teaching Assistantship which will provide dental and medical in addition to a stipend of around $1000 for living expenses. This past year, everyone in the program (1st and 2nd) received the assistantship but it varies of course on approved funding. Generally, the program is so small that they try to meet the needs of every student. The studios look like they're around 500 sq ft. and have normal doors. People who work large might have an issue although they allow students for one week in the fall to convert the gallery space into a studio or their own gallery/solo show. The studios also look like they might be an issue for those who like to work with toxic chemicals like resin or enamels since their doesn't seem like their is substantial air circulation. I could be wrong but from what I gather, it seems like you could work something out if you can. USC's program is very very intimate and highly individualized. There is a common kitchen area where faculty and students hang out and cook together. This program is for people who are highly developed as practitioners of art but also communicators of art as one can tell by the intimate setting and how they engage with each other. I was extremely surprised with how organic their approach is to their curriculum and now it makes sense why they are very concerned with developing a strong group that will be able to communicate well with each other in addition to having a solid practice in art. Anyway, the most important news regarding the application process was the following: 1) The application is based upon creating a solid group that represents all mediums and cultivating a set group of people who can articulate their work, thoughts, and ideas critically and be able to contextualize them historically and socially within an academic setting. 2) Those that want to teach will not be considered (apparently this is Fine's pet peeve about artist statements) and Fine emphasized that they want the artist statement to be about how one is able to articulate and think about one's work. A question that they will have when evaluating statements is: Can this person be able to convey their thoughts clearly and engage in critical dialogue about their own work and their peers?

Just got back from USC's info session and it was super helpful. I'll have to post again since I'm going to run out again but Jud Fine really emphasized that anyone that mentions wanting an MFA to teach will not be considered. Also, there should only be one artist statement. In the online application, just write one artist statement and paste it in both the personal statement area and artist statement. More to come!

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late notice, but I'm heading to USC's information session and tour. If anyone has questions they'd like me to ask and receive answers, post in the next couple of hours. Also, I'll be attending Calarts next week and UCR the following week. I also expect to be attending UCLA's and UCI's as well, so feel free to message or post here if you have questions. Take care everyone!

The artists coming out of RCA seem to all experiment with interesting materials such as pigmented latex and rubber. I'll be visiting if I'm asked to interview but was hoping to get as much information as I can about the school before that happens (if it happens). I know that the Goldsmith's curatorial program is very strong but haven't heard much about the painting program. I'd love to hear more about it when you come back. Have a wonderful time in London!

Hi lhec! Have you visited Slade and RCA before? I'll be applying to them too and was wondering what the campus and studios were like.

Starling, not sure if you're open to applying abroad but your work would definitely fit in at UCL Slade. Good work!

Ugh I'm in the process of writing two of the three recommendations for myself. :-( So fun! One for a museum professional and another for a galleryist that I worked with. On the plus side, it does give you more autonomy over what is said about you and the type of relationship you have cultivated. I also think that writing recommendations is also just as much work so it is a nice gesture to them if you're willing to go ahead and start them and then have them edit it.

Just thought I'd start this process and introduce myself since I'll be applying this time around. Hope to hear from all of you soon! How have you all been with gathering up your portfolio submissions? Good luck!

Can someone explain UCLA's short statement of purpose and also the "required" statement of purpose? The 2012 online application has yet to be opened so I wanted to get a sense of what they meant by the required statement and then the short statement. Thanks and good luck to everyone applying this year!

What about London? RCA, Slade, Goldsmiths? I want to hear how painting specifically and also other programs are compared on a more global scale.