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We should be hearing from Bard (not ICP-Bard) this week regarding interviews. From the Bard website http://www.bard.edu/mfa/calendar/: around February 19, 2013 Applicants notified of interview status Fingers crossed and good luck!

Let's use this thread to share information about funding offers as they come in.

CONGRATS on both SAIC and on being an alternate at Alfred! I got my BFA from Alfred just as the IEA was being established and I'm going back for a residency this spring. Best of luck!

one more thing about SAIC funding: the photo department gives out 2 half scholarships per year (i think they accept 10 students per class). other departments give either 1 full or 2 half scholarships per year. i think at least 20 people interviewed, probably more. it was hard to tell with the 1st years in the room too.

they offered very little funding. something ridiculous like $6,000/year (or maybe total?) and their TAships pay something like $12-15/hour. it is super expensive and i don't feel that the education is worth going into crazy debt. i already have debt from undergrad and another masters degree. in general i don't think that my personality and work fit in with the department. the students felt very young and a bit cliquey. the work was very loud and in your face. and the studios were really small for such an expensive school. i'm not articulating this well, if you have any specific questions please feel free to DM me. there were many reasons i decided not to go this past fall. i'm going to hold on to the deferment and see if i get better funding for this year though most likely i don't see myself there. there was at least one guy who flew from Israel. i think he had some interviews at other schools here in the US. GOOD LUCK to all who have interviews!

I didn't apply to SAIC this year but here's some info I posted in the main freakout forum: just to temper the anticipation and anxiety in the air, this is what i know from my SAIC experience last year. Painting, Sculpture, Photo, and maybe Fibers all interview. Performance, Video, and some other depts don't interview. interview notifications are sent snail mail - i remember getting mine maybe a little after valentines day. the interview day is kind of a mind fuck. last year it was march 4. each dept has a room to hang out in for prospectives and current students who shepherd people to interviews or tours. through out the day people are coming and going to interviews and tours, and there's an all department reception at the end of the day that current students, faculty and prospectives attend. and the Photo dept has their own after-party after the reception which is traditionally at a bar/restaurant but last year it was at an apartment gallery. because the current students have a say in the admissions process it's weird/important/uncomfortable to hang out with them ALL day with the other prospectives. but at the same time it's good for the prospectives to get a feel for the department and people. i am still unsure about whether it's a good fit for me (i deferred admission). hope this is helpful. Also if it's the same as years past they send ALL notification via snail mail. it made me crazy especially because my mail person is unreliable and our mail is thrown on our stoop paperboy style.

CONGRATS! Best of luck to you!!!!!

just to temper the anticipation and anxiety in the air, this is what i know from my SAIC experience last year. Painting, Sculpture, Photo, and maybe Fibers all interview. Performance, Video, and some other depts don't interview. interview notifications are sent snail mail - i remember getting mine maybe a little after valentines day. the interview day is kind of a mind fuck. last year it was march 4. each dept has a room to hang out in for prospectives and current students who shepherd people to interviews or tours. through out the day people are coming and going to interviews and tours, and there's an all department reception at the end of the day that current students, faculty and prospectives attend. and the Photo dept has their own after-party after the reception which is traditionally at a bar/restaurant but last year it was at an apartment gallery. because the current students have a say in the admissions process it's weird/important/uncomfortable to hang out with them ALL day with the other prospectives. but at the same time it's good for the prospectives to get a feel for the department and people. i am still unsure about whether it's a good fit for me (i deferred admission). hope this is helpful.

Where did you apply Emoree? I think generally notifications for interviews are in mid-February and notifications for acceptances are at the end of Feb through March depending on if the school interviews candidates or not. It's not time to be nervous yet

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! GOOD LUCK!

@Erpnope It is possible to edit posts. But I totally understand not wanting to post your site. I was on this forum last year but didn't post my site because I was feeling shy. This year I'm a bit more confident I felt this thread to be a "safer" space to post than the larger (all disciplines) one. Also I am most interested in seeing how others are working in photography specifically, even though people are posting great stuff on the other thread. Please do PM me, I would love to see your work. Where are you applying?

@lyslys I think you have a very strong body of work and enjoy the way you see and capture the world around you. It's too bad we're not applying to any of the same schools. I just moved my website this week so it needs some tweaking- http://desireeleary.com/

Relaying info about Bard (summer program) notification and interview date from an email confirming receipt of my application: In mid-February you will receive an email from our office letting you know whether you have been selected for an interview. Interviews take place on Bard's campus in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY on Saturday, March 16. In general we will need to be patient and find distractions. We won't hear from most schools until mid-February.

I'm not sure but am curious myself. I looked at last year's thread and saw mentions of people getting phone interviews. Anyone have any more info?

Inkhouse, does Rutgers interview applicants before sending out acceptance letters? From what I understand they don't. Also does the acceptance letter state any awarded funding or does that come later?

Thanks for starting this thread. Where are you applying glittergrill?

I'm not sure what the acceptance rates are at Hunter. I think that Painting is the most competitive department (like a most schools). Good Luck! My advice for interview attire is to wear something that makes you feel comfortable but is also "nice." And "nice" can be defined by you. The interviewers are really more interested in your work and what you have to say. When I interviewed at SAIC last year not one person was wearing a suit (the prospective students for each department had to hang out with each other all day!). I think many of the women were wearing skirts or dresses. I think some of the men were wearing jeans but with a nicer shirt.

almost done with applications! after submitting Hunter and Bard this past tuesday i didn't know what to do with myself. i'm still in post-stress shock and am not sure how to relax. i only have Rutgers left and just waiting for all of my recommenders to submit a second recommendation. i hate that Rutgers requires the recs to be submitted in duplicate (university app and SlideRoom)! so what i can remember from last year is that interview requests start coming mid-Feb. is that right? i think Yale gives interview (and rejection) info early like Feb 4 or something. and they do it digitally. (didn't apply there this year.) SAIC sends letters for everything. i remember getting my interview letter from them around valentine's day. (deferred admission for fall 2013) anyway. i should stop thinking about it. and do some yoga or something. good luck everyone!

I realized that I'm not ready to leave New York. I've been here for 10 years and thought that I wanted to leave the city for school. This year I have a new perspective though funding is the biggest factor. For Photo MFA, I'm looking at Bard (summer), SVA Photo/Video, SVA Art Practice (summer), and Hunter for now. And just in case I change my mind about the city I'm also looking into UIC, UChicago, Carnegie Mellon, and Tyler. Part of me wants to entertain CA schools but it's just too far away from my elderly mother in VA. I'm open to other suggestions and am still in the research phase. Does anyone know what the funding situation is like for the regular SVA MFA program. I think SVA Art Practice may have a bit more $ because it's a new program (a friend in the program told me a student or two may have a full scholarship). I kind of don't want to bother applying if the funding is bad. Though I would apply if there was a full scholarship to be had, even if just one. I already have a Master's and don't need to go deep into debt for an MFA. Thoughts or advice? Thanks!

Try Alfred University in western NY state. I went there for undergrad and they have a great glass program (blowing, casting, neon). There were neon classes and studio spaces though I graduated 2001 so I can't say what's offered now. Also I'm pretty sure that their MFA students are fully funded with teaching assistantships. I believe RISD also has a glass program. and maybe MICA?

I just received an acceptance letter from SAIC. I am unsure if I will go though because of the cost and am thinking of applying to schools that offer better funding for next year. But I'm still weighing it as an option. I would LOVE to leave NYC for a bit and just focus on making work. Does anyone know the average amount of debt from an SAIC MFA? What are some other job prospects beyond TAing a class @$12/hour? Also I have just started interviewing at a major art museum for a great position that would advance my professional career (relevant to my first masters). I may end up shelling out the $500 tuition deposit to SAIC just to have some more time to decide while I go through the interview process for this job. So much is happening all at once and so unexpectedly (I had given up on the idea of grad school for this year until receiving the letter yesterday).

I was waitlisted at SAIC for Photo. Received the letter this past Monday 3/19. I'm still thinking about whether the program is right for me and if I want to spend that much on an MFA. So being waitlisted kind of works for me right now. I've learned so much the application process and from this forum. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I didn't realize they gave out that much (or that little depending on how you look at it) need-based financial aid. that's good to know. I was waitlisted for photo (letter received 3/19). I'm still thinking about the cost as I wait to know if I am admitted. I'm not sure if I want to go into that much debt for an MFA. Do you know if people who are waitlisted don't receive as good of an aid package? or is it all based on numbers?

The debt is frightening. I have student loans from undergrad (BFA) and from another master's (MLIS). And credit card debt from 2 years of un-/underemployment. I'm currently trying to figure out how much debt I'm willing to go into for an MFA, even though my heart really wants it. My heart may need to wait another year for funding... It's so messed up that MFA tuition from a top ranked school (~$80k) costs almost as much as an MBA from a top ranked school (~$100k). MBA programs can charge a lot because many MBA students work in $$$ jobs and will make even more $$$ after graduation. Graduating with an MFA guarantees no job whatsoever. My boyfriend applied to MBA programs for this fall- we talk about this a lot...

That's such a good idea. I forgot about that asset.