losemygrip

The only one of that list of 6 that I think might be worth it is SVA. I actually think your list of state schools is much better. If you want to include some serious private art schools, what about SAIC?

My distaste for NYC area MFA programs is well-known, but of those two Brooklyn definitely has the better reputation.

I think things have changed a little since I went to grad school years ago, but you definitely do NOT need to know an actual dissertation topic. You DO need to state a field of interest that relates to some of the current faculty. It can be as simple as, "I'd like to research 16th-century Italian painting, particularly in the Veneto. I would look forward to working with Professor X, whose book on Veronese has provided a model and a major resource for some of my previous research." Something like that. I actually got in without doing that, but that was another era. Even more confusing, I changed periods from my MA thesis as I entered the PhD program. You're not locked into anything once you're admitted, however.

Your work is provocative and appropriate for most of those schools listed. I would advise some additional fall-back schools such as CSU Fullerton or Long Beach. In fact, you might like working with Linda Kroff at Fullerton. And of course I always think it's better to have more geographic diversity if it's possible.

Your work is interesting. For myself, I like the fact that you have two such different lines of paintings. I think that's fine in an undergrad. How the heck did Tulane get into your list?Just because it's in New Orleans? Your website says you're looking forward to going someplace cool for grad school, but most of those places would not fit into that category in my opinion. I always recommend people look at schools in southern California, since the art scene there is so dynamic. Also consider U. Houston--some interesting painters working there, and a lively art world. The least expensive of any of the country's really big cities.

GPA is not that important for admission in studio art, but it may be important when it comes to scholarship/funding considerations.

Well, this discussion has taken an unfortunate turn. My argument was limited to the specifics of the OP's question. The 3.4 GPA (still quite respectable in any case) at Yale will be more respected by admissions committees than a 4.0 at Eastern Connecticut University. I did NOT argue that one had to have an Ivy-League degree to get in a major program. Asdf123, are you actually suggesting that I made such a claim? If so, please direct me to the text. I believe you imagined this, as I believe you also imagined this strange idea that I have "consistently trolled around espousing dated, conservative, and (at times) very misogynistic 'advice'..." I'm particularly interested in what you have found misogynistic in anything I have stated here. Unless you're able to back up this claim, I believe that you alone can claim the title of "troll" for your abrupt, unfounded, personal attack. Auvers, you're correct that my statement was "overly reductive." It was purposely reductive in an attempt to be humorous. That seems to have been lost on folks here. Sorry. I actually agree with most of your response above. People from a variety of undergraduate programs can still "make it" in a good grad school. But that was well beyond the scope of my response, which, as I just noted, was about the OP's specific situation only. I don't know why people are insisting on reading more into my brief responses than was actually there (and insisting on getting all angry about it as well). Finally, I'm confused by Auvers's sudden interjection of: Hold it. This is something that ProspectStu wrote. It is demonstrably false. Just look at the faculty listings in the CAA handbook of graduate programs. And that doesn't even cover the many programs without graduate degrees. You will see a huge variety of grad programs represented in art history faculties as such schools. It is much more true of large, famous, art history departments that they only hire from OTHER large, famous art history departments. But you seem to be saying that mid-level PhD programs are worthless, which seems to contradict your initial argument. (Even though you have broadly extended the list of "name-brand institutions"--all excellent, well-respected programs, and ones that I would have never argued are NOT name-brand, except Rice, because it's so new it hasn't had much time to develop a reputation.) On the one hand, you seem to be arguing that I'm too snobby about non-Ivy programs, and then on the other you're saying it's pointless to attend a "mid-level PhD program." Huh?

You're being smart.

NYAA is probably your best shot. I don't know how well-developed they expect their applicants' ideas to be. The limited work you've presented is not of the same caliber as the current grad students work that I have seen from there. Probably need to see more to give more accurate feedback.

You have a good, long list of schools, including a range from more to less competitive. There seems to be some interesting work on your site. Good luck!

If you need to stay in southern California (as seems evident from your choices), you need to cast a broader net. Add SDSU, Fullerton, etc. And what about Mills/Claremont? I strongly urge you to consider a new environment. Do you know the work of Jered Sprecher at U. Tennessee? It has a lot of affinities with your work.

I'm not particularly expert in photography, but I can tell you if you expect to be competitive in those programs, you can't make all the spelling errors that you have on your website. This is an academic program, after all, and basic academic competence is expected. Sometimes things that are praised in contemporary photography completely baffle me, but I really just see a bunch of snapshots here. Maybe others will see more. However, I definitely think you're being way too narrow with your choice of schools.

Au contraire, auvers-sur-oise. 'Tis thee who art wrong. Unless you're talking about another Ivy League institution, where they get many Ivy League applicants, your 3.4 at Yale is going to be more respected than a 4.0 at Eastern Connecticut. For better or worse, the Ivy League degree still carries a cachet. I'm going to pull rank here and remind everyone I'm speaking from 20+ years experience in the field. Don't worry about the GPA.

Let me elaborate. You went to Yale. They're not going to care about the 3.4 GPA.

Name dropping. It even happens on these very forae. (Forii? Fora?)

You say, "I'm really sorry to bother you, but the schools to which I'm applying don't use Interfolio. They have their own specific online forms and requirements. Let me know if there's any issue with that--I think you can just copy and paste the text portion." And if possible, "Professors A and B said it only took them about five minutes for each application."

Seems ironic that he lost touch with you while actually trying to bolster his network. Kind of self-defeating.

Applying in what? Photo? Video? Intermedia? The work is interesting and conceptually sophisticated, but there's not a lot of it. What are you trying to get out of grad school?

Your website is fantastic. The drawings are stunningly beautiful. The paintings are equally skillful, but it's very hard to see a place for tiny Impressionistic landscapes in the 21st-century art world. If you're really serious about that, I can only think of two places right offhand for grad school: NY Academy, and Bowling Green State (OH). Maybe others would be interested based on the level of talent, but I actually find the way you've put together your website (design) more compelling than the landscapes. Maybe an illustration program? What are you wanting to do?

Definitely try all over southern California. Unless that's where you are now, in which case, go somewhere else. But I think that work would find a receptive environment there. The collages are the most conceptually inventive--while I kind of like the rest, I'm not sure it's strong enough yet. The portrait heads look like caricatures.

If you want to add another TX school with a well-known photo program, U. of Houston. U. of New Mexico is also known for photo. I'm not familiar enough with the field to know where to go for that more traditional style of photography. U. Georgia is supposed to be good in photo.

I think this is crucial. You need to constantly challenge yourself. So pick a grad school different from your current environment, and IF you think you have an idea where you want to settle, you need to move there AFTER. If you're in the southeast and want to live the NYC artist life, go to grad school in L.A. If you're in NYC and want to come back, you owe it to yourself to experience something different. Go to Iowa.

You went to Yale. They're not going to care about the GPA.

I've never heard of a program that required you to do the translation exam for admission. People in my PhD program were still trying to pass the German exam the semester they were turning in their dissertations! Take German, by the way.

Some call it dismantling; others call it cleaning house. I suspect that's why Yale brought in Storr several years back. I just wonder what took him so long. I can imagine that Storr is hard to get along with. He's highly opinionated and does not suffer fools kindly. Not particularly diplomatic from what I can tell. But there's something great about his willingness to drop all the bullshit.