skamp

Hi there! I'm probably in a pretty good place to answer some of this, since I did my BA in the American system and my MA in the UK, and am now back in the US and working in the field in New York City. 1) As stated above, employers will not look at your transcripts. Internships that may look at that information will likely be impressed that you have some diversity in your academic record, rather than just Art History courses. 2) My understanding is that to become a curator, you should have a PhD. Most institutions (around NYC at least) want curatorial assistant to have an MA. I'm not sure, though, whether an Art History MA or a Museum Studies MA would work more to your advantage. Possibly particular institutions have preferences? I chose an Art History MA because it doesn't limit me to museum work only (and that was good, because I have a very good job now that isn't in a museum) but that's up to you. 3) Again, a PhD will only help you if you want to be a curator. It's not necessary in the commercial world, however, and probably makes you overqualified for most galleries. I wanted to expand on klondike's last paragraph about going into an American PhD with an MA. Because a UK MA is SO specialized [or 'specialised,' if you'd rather ] they'll likely want you to take courses to expand your general knowledge in the field on the graduate level, more than just your range of courses from your undergraduate work. Also, many of the top PhD programs in the US are combined MA/PhDs, and will not accept an "outside" MA as transfer credit. Some will accept a part of an outside MA – for example, friends of mine from the Courtauld have had their MA work allowed to count as one year toward their two years worth of MA credits at another institution – and you would not have to re-do your MA dissertation, but you would have to complete some course work. This is true no matter where your MA is from. It applies to US MAs as well. Of course, the advantage to this is that if you KNOW you want to do a PhD, you can just skip the separate MA and enter into a MA/PhD program right away! I don't think I answered everything, but I'm happy to talk more about UK v. US programs if you have other questions. I have a pretty good understanding of the UK system, through my British friends, and through trying to navigate the relevant differences for while I was working on my MA. Good luck!

My favorite quinoa recipe is adapted from Veganomicon. An awesome cookbook, even for people like me who aren't vegan! Quinoa Pilaf 3-5 cloves garlic (i like garlic a lot! feel free to use less) olive oil ~1 Tbsp. cumin 1 tsp. coriander (if you have it. i usually don't) 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 c. uncooked quinoa 2 c. veggie broth 1 can black beans, with about half the liquid drained out of it In a large saucepan with a lid, saute the garlic in olive oil (or whatever oil you like to use) for 1-2 minutes over medium low heat. Add cumin and coriander and tomato paste and stir to combine. Be careful because the tomato paste will splash when it hits the oil. Add the uncooked quinoa and stir to coat, then add the veggie broth and the beans and their liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer until there is no water in the bottom of the pan, sometimes as long as 40 minutes, because of the extra liquid. I make this all the time. I've used tomato sauce, prepared spagetti sauce, and even salsa instead of the tomato paste and it always turns out great. It also re-heats well so it's perfect to pack for a lunch the next day! I like to make this totally non-vegan by covering it with grated cheese and topping it with a fried egg. My other favorite thing to do with quinoa is to cook it plain and then dump a bunch of italian salad dressing and parmesan cheese on top. Not the most elegant dish, but it's fast and delicious!

Are you looking at Hunter? They've got a very good Art History MA. Not sure how they are for Medieval, but if you're looking at CUNYs, Hunter is a better bet than Queens.

Hmm... It looks like the OP currently lives in New York City. Sorry to hear you've had such bad experiences with NYC. While a lot of what you have to say about it is valid, some of the figures you quote are pretty extreme. I pay less than $600/month for my share of a lovely Brooklyn brownstone apartment. It's not as big as the house I lived in back when I was in college in Ohio, but It's New York City, why spend that much time in your apartment? Commutes are long, sure, but I haven't had so much time for pleasure reading since I was in elementary school! Mid-sized cities are lovely, but as you said, you can't beat NYC's art scene and opportunities. Look, like everywhere, there's good and bad. Obviously the OP already thinks New York is a swell place to live, I just don't want other people to read your post and dispair that by wanting to live in the Empire City they'll have to resign themselves to a life of loneliness and squalor.

Yeah, they got back to me months ago. You should call them! Decisions are due today!

Hey guys, anyone else get their official rejection letter from Williams? Mine came in the mail yesterday. I'm actually happy about it. At least now I know, right? And I have a tough enough decision between two other really great programs. Anybody else? Stories of Life After the Williams Rejection?

It depends a lot on the school. It seems to me that you have a better chance of getting funded at a MA that is not attached to a PhD, such as Williams or Tulane, but even they don't fund all of their students. Just beware of schools that use their MA students to essentially pay for their PhD students.

Finally officially received my rejection letter from Williams. Now it's just down to Hunter with funding or The Courtauld without.

I've been following this spirited debate all afternoon. Thanks for all the great input about the pros and cons of MA programs! With such strong and well-informed opinions about Williams, I'd be interested to hear your opinions about other MA programs as well. Particularly, for me, Hunter College. Thanks!

I didn't major in AH in undergrad and I wanted to make absolutely sure that AH was what I wanted to do for grad before I applied. I had two internships at small New York museums: one a semester-long internship in programming at The Rubin Museum and the other a long-term curatorial internship at another museum. This second has opened tons of doors for me and is definitely the most impressive thing on my resume. But of course, neither of these were paid, so around them I've worked as a temp, a marketing assistant, a tutor, and a camp counsellor. It may not be as solid as having a full-time job, but I've enjoyed throwing together smaller part-time things. One of my friends got into what she thought was her dream grad school program and then turned it down to stay with her full-time job that now she hates. I didn't have to worry about being tempted away from my academic goals. For people looking to jump into museums in NYC, I would totally recommend the Rubin. They're pretty new, very hip, and great experience even if you aren't interested in Himalayan art.

Yeah, no nightmares, but I haven't been sleeping well at all. I'm tense and all I can think about is grad school. I'm still waiting to hear back from one more school and it's important enough for me that I can't make any decisions until I hear from them. So I'm just restless all the time. My brain won't settle down. Looking forward to some kind of resolution and being stressed from excitement, rather than from being in limbo.

Here's where I am right now: I'm stuck between two great schools. Both would be good fits, I think, and I have similar funding options for both. The problem is that I haven't heard from one of the schools at all. When I get in touch they keep telling me that they'll get in touch "soon" but it's been maybe three weeks of "soon" by this point. I'm a compulsive planner and right now I can't make any plans. I'm in limbo. But the decision isn't the problem. The problem is that I'm so stressed out that I haven't been sleeping well. My shoulders are tight all the time and I toss and turn at night. I'm doing ok, I mean, it hasn't affected my job performance or anything, but I'm tired of feeling that stress all the time. I can't be the only one who is inappropriately (or maybe appropriately?) stressed out by this whole process. Anyone have any great de-stressing tips to share?

Jeez Louise, theotherlily! I'm sorry all your friends live in such shitty apartments. That must not have been much fun, but there's no need for fear-mongering. Yes, your expectations of space and cost have to be adjusted for NYC. That said, I live in a 3 bedroom apartment that is an entire floor of a townhouse in one of the nicest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and we each pay around $600/month. There are places in that cost range and lower that are available, you just have to look for them. (And yes, we have a sink in our bathroom.) And there's nothing bad about living in Brooklyn. Especially if you're trying to get to NYU. Your apartment is just a place to sleep. Live somewhere small, but don't spend all your time there. Get out in the world! Sure, a lot of the "things to do" are expensive, but here's the trick: make friends with people who do interesting things, and they'll get you into interesting things. I can't tell you the number of museums I've visited for free, the performances I've gotten cheap (or free!) tickets to, the parties and dances I've been to, just because I knew people involved. There are plenty of free concerts, free events - just don't limit yourself to the mainstream. Chicago and New York are both lovely cities, they're just different. I don't have experience living in Chicago, so I can't speak to that. But I have thoroughly enjoyed the three years I've lived in NYC.

It feels like living in the center of the universe. The news, fine arts, and business worlds of the US are completely focused on the area. And as others have said, it has literally everything. Any kind of culture or country, there are other people from there. Any kind of hobby or activity, you can find other people who are interested in doing it. Any kind of food, you can not only find it, but you can also get it delivered at 3am. Of course rent is expensive (though not that much more so than Chicago) but even if you decide to live in Brooklyn or Queens, the subway runs all night.

Can I ask: how did they get in touch with you? Mail?

Well, obviously it depends on what your style of living is. I can tell you that I live in New York right now on probably about $300/wk including rent and I'm doing fine. New York is a little more expensive than Chicago, but not enough to make a huge difference. Personally, I think there's a lot more to do in New York, a higher concentration of interesting people, events, and activities. There's more culture here and honestly, it's really like nowhere else on earth. But I'm obviously biased. I've got friends who love Chicago. And I'm sure someone here will speak up soon to smack me down say just how great Chicago is, haha. It depends on what you're studying and the opportunities around you. If the program in Chicago is better, maybe that's the best choice. But there's really nothing like living in New York.

Thanks! Good luck with your search! I know, right? I'm getting so antsy!

Check out the School at the Art Institute of Chicago. They're pretty contemporary focused and have a Visual Studies (I forget the exact title) that sounds cool. They're definitely an exciting place to be. Also, in my experience, you don't have to have a particular professor in mind when you apply for an MA. I'm sure it could be helpful to have someone to advocate for you, someone who you've been in touch with, but I didn't have contact with any specific professors and I've been accepted, so far, at 5 of the 6 MA programs I applied to. Still waiting to hear from Williams. Good luck!

Do you think it's even worth waiting on Williams anymore? My classmate who got in said they're pestering him via email to accept or not asap because they want to start working through their waitlist. Maybe I should just take the plunge and say yes to the Courtauld. Thoughts?

Hi, I'm the person who got the funding letter but not an acceptance letter. I later found the acceptance letter - my downstairs neighbor (who is applying for law school) grabbed it with his mail accidentally. So I did actually get a letter of acceptance and a funding letter. But I think it's safe to assume that if they're willing to give you money, you're in. I'd call the school to find out what's up.

Another note on GRE strategy with the current general test: If timing is an issue for you - you have trouble finishing the test or you feel too rushed to do a good job - keep in mind that answers count for more at different points in the test. This isn't the SAT where they give you a "raw score" of how many points you score on the test, and then convert that to the bell curve 200-800 range for your "scaled score." It's computer adaptive, right? So that means that if you get a question right they give you a harder one next; if you get it wrong, you'll get an easier question. By bumping you back and forth between hard and easy questions they place you in essentially a ranking of everyone else testing and then give you a number score (your 200-800 score) based on a bell curve. Interestingly, if you can get the first 10 questions correct, or do as well as you can on the first 10, what you do after that doesn't affect your score much. Someone who gets 10 questions correct that are all of the first 10 questions will have a significantly higher score than someone who gets 10 correct answers at the end of section. So if you have trouble with getting stressed out about time, budget significantly more time to work on the first 10 questions, get as many of them correct as you can, and then relax in the knowledge that what you answer after that can't change your score too much.