ol'spice

I hope you'll still get a surprise acceptance from SAIC. But if not, get yourself ready for the next round. I hope you don't have "quitting" in you, and despite your forum login name, don't be that! good luck to you

go for it! If you really trust your work, your creativity, then your looks should not get in the way of anything you set your mind to do in this life. Besides, by the time you'll be looking for a job EVERYONE will be pierced or tattooed I'm thinking about a new look myself, I want to dress artistically, I want to free myself from the wardrobe I was confined to until now, I want to show the world I'm becoming 100% what I intended to be all my life...

Great attitudes, "sympatico" and "DanielaPainting". To DanielaPainting: don't peak at this too fast! Or there is a chance the fun could be over too soon ... I started painting at age 27, I'm 47 now and I'm grateful to be more excited today about my work than when I first discovered art making. Nothing, absolutely nothing beats that.

thanks for that... I feel MUCH better about my rejection, since studio size is sort of critical for me...

EEEEHAWWW....me too... Now, I'm pretty sure RISD is on the same track and same for USC...(rejections coming up); I'm still feeling good about 4 acceptances out of 12. I really didn't think my work was mature/strong enough for the prime prime prime (Yale, Columbia, RISD, MICA, SAIC) top of the ranking, low acceptance rate schools... The Columbia rejection (after UCLA's) is a confirmation of that... I have a feeling I'd do better if I put myself through the application process a second time; I certainly learned a lot from this. On another note I'm too old to postpone the start of my MFA beyond this Fall (with the only exception being the Post Bacc @ SAIC which I'm still considering).

good job! are you leaning in any specific direction at this point? (MiCA or SAIC)

Even though you are probably correct, "it ain't over till the chubby lady sings" (something like that)... I'm hoping it's because we are so good that there is no need for interviewing us!

trippy?

sorry to hear that, hang in there! good luck with the remaining ones

yes,'olderdog' I didn't intend to quote your post (sorry) I meant it as a general comment to the topic

Ultimately each person/job situation may require a different, specific approach: I have a contract with a school district that allows me to take a long leave of absence (up to 18 months) and still come back to my job. I will be invoking that clause as a safety plan, in case grad school ends up not working out, therefore I feel it's only fair to let my employer know as early as I can. Once I send the acceptance form to the school I'll be choosing to attend, I'll submit my absence request to my employer. Regardless if we like our jobs or not, we should make an effort to leave on a good note. It's always better to "maintain bridges", than to "burn them".

In a perfect world, if I had another shot at this, I'd make sure to apply to at least a handful of schools/programs that would give me a good chance at a free ride. Having said that, I'm prepared to take out as many loans as needed to pay for my MFA. Once I settle in the new place, I'll start looking for something part-time, tutoring, freelancing, or part-time teaching. And I hope to sell some work on the side.

Thanks so much for your insight. I'm also planning on going to the upcoming open house event on the 27th. I was impressed with the faculty there for a school that seems sort of not as much on peoples' radars... And you've confirmed one of my important reasons for applying there (the L.A. gallery scene) and on top of all that, if I accept their offer, it will be the least cultural shock for me (I live in Southern California)...

Thank you! I'll PM the user and see what he/she has to say

I feel I'm one of a kind that applied to this school (Claremont Graduate Univ.). I did so because one of my teachers recommended it, I realized it's in striking distance of L.A. gallery scene, and I liked what I learned about their art dept. faculty when I researched it... It's not on the top of the list of the rankings, but it looks like a good place to do an MFA in painting. Does anybody else in this forum know anything about the school (other than the fact that's really expensive?).

I wish I had gotten all the remaining responses I've been waiting for this week, but I'll take what I got (one more rejection and one more acceptance) and hope next week things will come to a wrap... Good luck to everyone else on the same boat, congrats on the acceptances and for those that didn't get in this time, keep your fighting spirit, do good work and get ready for round two!

thanks for keeping things at the humor level. We need to do that regardless! I'm trying to be as positive about my UCLA rejection as you are

hang in there...I hope you heal from the flu ASAP... I also woke up to my UCLA rejection letter.. Reality check!

yes congrats!, I'd be too (in total shock if accepted)

continue to teach, that is (for me)... I've taught for 6 years now and to keep doing it after completing my MFA will be just as important to me as my studio practice.

thank you! And congratulations on your Cal Arts admission! that's awesome (you have a bag full of them, but I'm a bit jealous at your CalArts one)

just got an email, accepted at Claremont Graduate Univ... It feels great to get an acceptance after the long period of endless silence

I've been agonizing over having to tell my two jobs (one contract and one part-time) that I'll be leaving both and will be diving into a new adventure, pursuing my MFA. Is anyone else here in the same boat? One of my jobs (the part-time) is a teaching position in a local community college, and I was hired under their "Equivalency" (since I didn't have the regular qualifications). It's been a great experience and It's the harder one to walk away from. I've just given notice to my department chair that I won't be able to teach my classes this Fall.

If I had a second chance at this (probably won't, since I have my mind set to do this starting this Fall) I'd definitely approach it in a different way: I'd pick 5 schools that rank at the top 20; then I'd pick 5 state colleges where the tuition would be the first determinant (cheap? as compared to the top professional schools combined with a logistical reason, location) and lastly I'd do research and pick however many schools (up to 5) that would give me a chance of a full ride (scholarships and tuition remission). For this season I started with peers/faculty suggestions then rankings: then I made a 'mixed salad' from those ingredients, removed some ingredients I wasn't that crazy about (based on sheer gut feeling) and then ended up with the salad I have on my plate now. It ended up tasting great, but just like with most things in life, plenty of room for improvement.

well now I don't feel that anxious anymore .... mine too "To date, no decision has been made on your application."