worldly

You might find some useful information from this thread I posted a few years ago. All the best to everyone.

For those of you who are receiving offers you might want to check out this thread. If you haven't heard details yet, be patient as you might be notified via phone or email or letter from the person in charge of funding. This is a busy time for them. All the be$t to all!

Some things to think about when considering offers: First and foremost get the offer in writing. Sometimes you will get an informal phone call from the person who deals with funding. They should follow up with either and email or a letter that outlines what you were told. Make sure that you get that and keep it. Schools are very busy at this time of year what with potential incoming students and current students who are finishing the semester so be patient. 1. You may have received an offer of full tuition. Does this include fees as well? Sometimes a school will offer a tuition rebate but they don't cover fees which can be 1000-2000$ or more per semester. 2. How many years of your program is the tuition waiver for? Just the first year or the entire program? 3. Is the waiver for the entire amount of out of state tuition? or just does the school just waive the in state amount? You want to know how much if any tuition you will have to pay. 4. Stipends and Fellowships: If you get a Teaching Assistant Stipend (TA) or Graduate Assistantship how many hours a week do you have to work?10,20 ? ? Does the TA/GA include health insurance? This is an excellent benefit. How many years will you receive the TA/GA for? Is it possible to get a GA/TA for the summer session? Not as common but doesn't hurt to ask. If so can you take a summer course and is it covered? Fellowships don't usually include health insurance. You don't have to work for the fellowship except on your art of course. Sometimes a school will offer small scholarships as well. Sometimes there are scholarships you can apply for. Are there any that apply to your situation, diversity, need, etc? 5. What opportunities are there to work on campus? How many hours is a graduate student officially allowed to work? Note that the whole purpose of getting your MFA is to have time to concentrate on your art and keep that in mind when committing to outside jobs. 6. If you have been accepted to several schools you might want to negotiate. Schools that are waiting to hear from you as to whether you will attend or not might send you an email to inquire if you are coming. This could be a good time to Inform the schools via email that you have been accepted at other schools and that you are concerned about funding/or waiting to hear about offers from other schools.You don't have to say where initially although they might ask you and you don't have to say what your other offers are unless they ask. Ask if they have room to enhance their offer. If the school has the money and really wants you there they may well come through. At the same time, some schools just don't have more money to offer even though they want you. Some schools don't give full tuition waivers to anyone. Some schools such as those in New York or Los Angeles see their location as an incentive and don't offer much if any funding. Note that as some students decline their offers at a particular school and decide to go elsewhere, this might open up more funding to give to someone who received a lesser offer so hang in there. All the be$t to everyone!

Here is a link from a previous year that has some information regarding offers people received. I am posting it here to make it easier to find.

Try applying to other MFA programs at funded schools (ie. not the ones that offered you the post bac). An acquaintance had a portfolio review and was a post bac was suggested. They applied to several other schools for MFA that year (not the post bac school) and had several acceptances into MFA programs with funding! Post bac seems like a money grab . Keep working on your portfolio. Get it cohesive. Look at current grads going to the schools you are interested in and their portfolios. Some MFA programs have instagram or links on the school website of current and former students.

Not an issue or at least it shouldn't be. If your work is current ie you have a good knowledge of contemporary art you will be fine. You will have much to offer an MFA program. If a school doesn't know how to handle mature students then it is not for you anyway! You do need to have a thick skin as you will receive frank feedback on your work and have reviews. You need to be open, flexible and take suggestions. Your portfolio is most important in the application process. Be confident. Get along well with your younger classmates. Many will be 23-30 years old. You don't have to be a party person but you do need to show an interest in their work. Your classmates will be your support in the future after graduation. If you are going in hopes of securing a teaching job after graduation be realistic about the number of full time professor jobs available, the competition and the need for an exhibition record and several years of adjuncting experience. Apply to schools with funding. Going into debt later or at any time for that matter in life not worth it.

There are about 10 to 12 first year grads of all disciplines each year. Grads are doing well. One recent video artist is showing at a small gallery in NYC and showed recently at Art Basel MIami. Another attended Skowhegan last summer. Very strong visiting artists program. Some excellent professors. Interdisciplinary. Students of diverse age range from across USA and International students welcome and eligible for funding. Here is a thread for anyone interested in USF. I think the application deadline is January 15. All the best to everyone in their applications. p.s. don't pay for MFA if at all possible. It is no guarantee of anything.

Hey Lurkers...you should create an account and join this forum. You won't receive any spam. You can remain anonymous and do custom searches. There is a ton of great info hidden deep in here. You can also private message PM people. Share some info.

I wouldn't worry about that. They will choose based on your portfolio of work. The faculty might not even all read your letter. Now if you had a different school name entirely they might notice. Once again it is about your portfolio of work. All the best to you!

Someone posted this previously. Hope it helps and best of luck to everyone on their interviews! Here is a link to the thread and I pasted some of the questions below. How does your work fit in with the contemporary art world/scene? Why do you want to go to XXXXX? Why do you want to go to grad school? Why now? What resources of this program will be the biggest benefit to your development as an artist? What is your work about? What are your influences? What for you constitutes a good work of art? What draws you to a piece of work? What motivates your work? Who are your main influences? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? How does your work fit in with the contemporary art world/scene? What do you think is a good critique of your work/bad critique? Why/how did you choose the people who wrote letters for you? How will you contribute to this program? What do you do for fun? What artists do you like? (you can have a list prepared) What artists who are no longer living influence you? What book are you reading right now? What do you think about it? What are you working on right now? Please explain this work (xxxx03.jpg) What is your favorite piece of art? Why? (Title, artist,year) Can you describe yourself, such as personal habit, etc. Do you get along well with others ? What would you bring to a group dynamic ? What can you offer this program? Any special skills? What do you think is a good way of criting ? a bad way? What other aspects of culture influence your work besidesart/art history? How do you see yourself taking advantage of this school’s enviroment/program? What exhibition have you been to in the last year? What have you done since you’ve graduated? What contemporary artists are you into, and why? Tell us about the conceptual underpinnings of your work? Talk about your process. What do you think about *this essay*? (related to your work) How is your work related to *this movement*? Do you have any questions for us? What do you think about (artist, movement, subject/topic) What can't you stand? Why? What do you think about your own work? How do you want your work to develop? Why are you making the work you're making, and why do you want to keep doing it? Meaning behind your subject matter? influences why grad school, why now?

This site gives some idea of acceptance rates. It is not always entirely accurate. A few years ago I read somewhere that UCLA had over 700 applicants for only 20 spots. The number of applicants can vary from year to year. The top programs in NYC and LA do get many applicants. http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/university-of-california-los-angeles-school-of-the-arts-and-architecture-department-of-art-000_10036881.aspx

Good to repost that to make it easier to find! The complete thread about programs with excellent funding is below. There are quite a few more programs that aren't in your post. Also, consider applying to programs that aren't in the top 10 and so highly competitive....you might be pleasantly surprised to receive funding and you won't have a huge debt at the end. In the end you make your own success. If you have any to add please add it to that 2012 thread as well. The info is still valid.

you could write some answers to questions such as artists that you look at and have it beside you if your interview is by phone.

Someone posted this last year. Hope it helps and best of luck to everyone on their interviews! Here is a link to the thread and I pasted some of the questions below. How does your work fit in with the contemporary art world/scene? Why do you want to go to XXXXX? Why do you want to go to grad school? Why now? What resources of this program will be the biggest benefit to your development as an artist? What is your work about? What are your influences? What for you constitutes a good work of art? What draws you to a piece of work? What motivates your work? Who are your main influences? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? How does your work fit in with the contemporary art world/scene? What do you think is a good critique of your work/bad critique? Why/how did you choose the people who wrote letters for you? How will you contribute to this program? What do you do for fun? What artists do you like? (you can have a list prepared) What artists who are no longer living influence you? What book are you reading right now? What do you think about it? What are you working on right now? Please explain this work (xxxx03.jpg) What is your favorite piece of art? Why? (Title, artist,year) Can you describe yourself, such as personal habit, etc. Do you get along well with others ? What would you bring to a group dynamic ? What do you think is a good way of criting ? a bad way? What other aspects of culture influence your work besidesart/art history? How do you see yourself taking advantage of this school’s enviroment/program? What exhibition have you been to in the last year? What have you done since you’ve graduated? What contemporary artists are you into, and why? Tell us about the conceptual underpinnings of your work? Talk about your process. What do you think about *this essay*? (related to your work) How is your work related to *this movement*? Do you have any questions for us? What do you think about (artist, movement, subject/topic) What can't you stand? Why? What do you think about your own work? How do you want your work to develop? Why are you making the work you're making, and why do you want to keep doing it? Meaning behind your subject matter? influences why grad school, why now?

I came accross this link which might or might not have some information on UK schools. I haven't browsed it myself. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=307