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.

^ Clearly the graduate Fulbright program in the UK is very different from the one in Pakistan. Here, you mention your field of interest and 'preferred' programs and schools on your app. Then if you get selected for the Fulbright, THEY apply on your behalf and decide where you eventually go. That could or could not be your preferred school. And yes, it's an all-expenses-paid scholarship covering 2 years of graduate study. The objective of the Fulbright grant is to improve the understanding between citizens of two nations. And I think it wouldn't be wrong to say that there is more room for improvement of understanding between Pakistanis and Americans than there is between the Brits and Americans.

^ My dream school just told me they don't do deferrals. ARGH. And I don't know the specifics of the Indian fulbright program, but here in Pakistan they have the exchange scholarship for undergrads and an-all-expenses paid scholarship scheme for graduate students. The only catch is that the Fulbright committee decides which school you attend (even though they say they try to keep your preferences in mind) and that you need to go back to your home country and stay there for two years after you graduate. Which I guess kills your chances of a US career. And I feel you on the science thing. I understand that science/research is crucial to our survival and progress but the importance of art is viciously underrated. If we could be healthy and successful and technologically advanced, it would hardly be worthwhile if we could not have beautiful art and artists.

I don't think you should base your educational decision on what city has the bigger LGBT community. You want to fall in love with one person and they could just as well be in the smaller city as they could be in that gay capital you speak of. But of course, if you want to have a lot of fun and value community above other factors, that go for program 2. Otherwise it should be program #1 all the way.

^ The thing with Fulbright is that I'd have to return home for two years right after I graduate. That probably really hampers your chances of starting a career in the US later on, no? I do plan on staying/working in the US but if my mother needs me to take care of her by the time I finish my degree, I might head straight back home. And then I'd have paid a hundred thousand dollars and still be in the same position as I would be with an all-expenses paid Fulbright study. And then there's the possibility that if I decline my acceptance, I might not win the Fulbright- or win it and have them order me to attend a school other than CMU (which is my dream school/program). I would probably be able to break even in 10 - 15 years if I worked in my country after I graduate. I'm guessing employed designers in the US could make a total of $100,000 in 2 - 5 years? This is a very complex decision for me and I'm thinking long and hard about it.

^ Yeah, I'm thinking Fulbright too. Would you say going to a top school (CMU in my case) is a good investment even if my dad was rich? Like I dunno. I keep thinking if it's worth the total buck even If i had the ability to pay for the whole thing myself.

Art schools are frickin' miserly with financial aid for international students. I'm in the same situation as you and I just asked my dream program/school for a deferral so I could win the Fulbright scholarship in the meanwhile so I could pay for the degree. Yeah, I'm basing my enrollment decision on my CHANCES of winning the frickin' Fulbright grant!

Cold? Try frigid, minus bazillion degrees! I got accepted to my dream school too and I don't know whether I want to go ahead with the enrollment or defer/deny for a year and hopefully win the Fulbright scholarship.

^ scholarships for me. I'm steering absolutely clear of loans.

I'm elated coz I'm 2 out of 3 so far. And one of my acceptances is from my dream school. Not trying to rub this in. Just happy.

If you pursuing your dream is a deal breaker for HIM, he isn't worth it. But if he's supportive and you think he's the one and you love him, a Ph.D. will never come close to that.