Babar_Suleman

I received an acceptance on March 13. Interview was on March 3rd.

USC's Media Arts+Practice is my top choice right now. I have an MFA in Design+Tech from Parsons. I'm also considering the Ruskin D.Phil at Oxford. Are there any recommendations for comparable programs and, especially, safety schools with generous (read: full ride) aid?

Hi! Did you end up going to any of these programs? I'm thinking of applying to a practice-based Media Arts program too and USC is at the top of my list too. Is the RPI program the phd in Electronic Arts? What about the ones in SUNY and Georgia Tech? I'm also considering the Ruskin D.Phil at Oxford and the PHD at Media Lab at MIT. I graduated with an MFA in Design and Technology on a Fulbright from Parsons last year. Thanks!

I got into the same program last year but turned it down because I wanted to apply as a Fulbright grantee. I will (hopefully) get into it this year as well. I had my apprehensions about the MS part too. That's why I'm leaning towards Parsons and Carnegie Mellon more. However, the Communication Design program is housed in Manhattan and NYC offers a lot of benefits for designers. And, if I remember correctly, last year a bunch of MS students were able to switch into the MFA midway. If CCA is located in a place that you like and you want the MFA tag, go with it. But the MS at Pratt in NYC is pretty good too.

I got accepted to Parsons Design and Technology MFA. The letter was dated March 15. I don't know if they send out all acceptances at once or on a rolling basis though.

They do account for preferences but, ultimately, it's up to them which school we go to.

Just saw that some of you were asking about Pratt's Communication Design decisions. Last year I got into the program and received the acceptance March 24. I think it's safe to assume they will follow a similar schedule this year. Also I received an acceptance from Carnegie Mellon's design school on March 14 last year. Any CMU applicants here? I turned down both my acceptances because I wanted to play out my chances with the Fulbright scholarship (which I managed to win, thankfully). This year, in addition to CMU and Pratt, the Fulbright committee has applied to Parsons and IIT Institute of Design on my behalf as well. Does anyone have any info on when either of these two schools send their decisions?

The Fulbright committee will decide which school you go to but they will take your preference into account. You will know all your admission decisions though and you might be able to influence where you go. Don't start worrying till the start of April as most schools send their decisions in March. Also, if you have the choice to go to your preferred school independently and you'd prefer that over a 'safety' school Fulbright wants you to go to, you should have enough time to make that decision. Basically, hold tight till end of March.

Just wanted to contribute my experience: I got into Carnegie Mellon and Pratt (for studying Design) last year but I declined my acceptances because I wanted to see if I can get funding from the Fulbright program. Luckily, I won the grant and am now waiting to hear back from the four schools the Fulbright committee applied to on my behalf this year (which includes the two I got into last year). Carnegie Mellon is my first choice but the other three schools are great as well. Last year, I received acceptance decisions from CMU on March 14 and Pratt on March 24. A friend of mine (who also won the grant) has received a couple of acceptances from his business schools via IIE already. Since I already have a good idea about the decisions-schedule for my design schools, I'm not too vexed about the lack of news but I really hope IIE will forward me the decisions as soon as they come because even one acceptance would put my mind at ease. I took a big risk declining my acceptances last year and I don't want to suffer for that decision. Good luck to all of you!

Really useful thread. Hope to see it more active. I got into Carnegie Mellon and Pratt (for studying Design) last year but I declined my acceptances because I wanted to see if I can get funding from the Fulbright program. Luckily, I won the grant and am now waiting to hear back from the four schools the Fulbright committee applied to on my behalf this year (which includes the two I got into last year). Carnegie Mellon is my first choice but the other three schools are great as well. Last year, I received acceptance decisions from CMU on March 14 and Pratt on March 24. A friend of mine (who also won the grant) has received a couple of acceptances from his business schools via IIE already. Since I already have a good idea about the decisions-schedule for my design schools, I'm not too vexed about the lack of news but I really hope IIE will forward me the decisions as soon as they come because even one acceptance would put my mind at ease. I took a big risk declining my acceptances last year and I don't want to suffer for that decision. Good luck to all of you!

Glad to see another Carnegie Mellon admit. I had started to feel lonely. It's kinda funny how both the art and design schools get to claim the #1 Visual/Multimedia Communication ranking as their own. Makes a bigger bunch of people feel happier.

I've decided to go with Carnegie Mellon for their Communication Planning and Information Design program! My other acceptance was from Pratt's commD but in the end I decided that I could always move to New York AFTER I graduate from CMU. Congrats to all the others who got accepted!

I would go with NYU unless you want something less technical and experimental.

Somebody else's misfortune should never be a consolation for ourselves, though. Hope things work out well for you too.

^ Don't say that. It makes me feel bad coz I'm now leaning towards paying for my studies. The thing with Fulbright is that there is no guarantee that I would win it (though I have a solid chance) and they will send me to my dream school/program. Also returning to your home country and being stuck there for two years has some serious implications that a number of Fulbrighters aren't happy about.