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MICA (Mt. Royal interdisciplinary arts) just emailed me with an interview invitation (skype or in person) as well. Good luck everyone!

Just received an interview invite for SAIC's printmedia via phone call for feb. 28th!

Do folks know how interviews work at UO? I know we specified certain departments on the application (I think I put printmedias and digital arts), but do all departments do interviews? In otherwords, should I assume rejection if I've heard nothing from them as it seems sculpture at least has already interviewed it's applicants?

Just got an interview invitation via e-mail for UC Santa Cruz's digital arts/new media program for Monday, if folks are curious about their timeline (said they were in the final stages of their admissions process). No word from any other schools as of yet, however.

Anyone gone to a graduate portfolio day for MFA visual arts programs recently? I saw the thread from 2011, but wondering if there are any updated opinions on them. Are they actually critical of work, or do they just tell everyone that their portfolio is fascinating to drum up admissions? What sort of work did you bring, and did you pre-prepare anything to say about your work? Thanks!

Hah, well thanks for the commiseration post! I can't even find so much as a lowly blog entry with MCM in it. All my internet research comes up with either this post or pages from Brown's website. Oh well. I suppose if you're actually in a grad program you wouldn't be spending much time on this forum talking about it

I once ran into two Hampshire alums in one of those greyhound stations that's actually just a glorified shack in bumfuck Colorado. WE ARE EVERYWHERE. And thanks! Hopefully my 'interesting' academic resume will play in favor against traditional majors and students.

Thanks for the responses! And yes, it is Hampshire. Most of these threads center on GPAs so I wasn't sure how to compare myself to others applying without one.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how competitive I am of an applicant for Master's or PhD programs as I have a very non-traditional education. My top choices are: -SAIC Visual & Critical Studies MA -Simmons Gender/Cultural Studies -CalArts Aesthetics & Politics MA -(Dream program) Brown's Modern Culture and Media PhD. Looking at some other schools as well, but that's the general area I'm looking to apply for. My tiny undergrad doesn't have grades, GPAs, or per-determined majors. You design your own concentration and primarily write papers, no tests what-so-ever. Very similar to a graduate program. You graduate with a liberal arts BA, though. My concentration has focused mostly on queer/political theory and sociology courses on marginalized identities and some studio art (mainly printmaking). In your senior year you take maybe two courses but mainly write or create your thesis project (averaging around 120 pages for written work). I will be writing about several self-identified queer (mainly visual) artist collectives in the U.S. that seek to produce queer art that challenges or addresses various aspects of gender, sexuality, class, and queer politics... How they create viable alternatives to the capitalist system in terms of community, politics of aesthetics, and the economy of art and artists, etc. I also spent a semester in Cuba working with an artist to produce several paper-cut pieces and studying Spanish and Cuban cinema. I have severed on the organizing committee for three large scale queer conferences on my campus and will have done three art-related internships, each a semester long. And I will hopefully be completing my undergrad in 3.5 years (liberal arts college is expensive, boo) and expect excellent references from my Professors. Thoughts?

Thoughts on couses, faculty, funding package, other students? It looks like my dream program with several affiliated faculty that list queer theory under their areas of interest/research, but would love to hear a first hand account of the program (and maybe what they're looking for in admissions?) Thanks!

Thanks for the reply! So, would you say it's worth the money and time? I've just heard really mixed reviews about the school, but I suppose generally only the disappointed folks would bother posting a review.

Anyone have thoughts, opinions, experience with Simmons gender/cultural studies MA? I'm debating what sorts of programs are best suited to my interests, but mostly looking for interdisc. ones that I can focus on queer theory/studies and visual politics some way or another. On paper (well, on screen to be more literal) Simmons looks pretty interesting, but I don't know anyone whose ever attended or applied for that program.

I currently attend a college with entirely self-designed concentrations (everyone gets a BA in liberal arts), but as mine is particularly interdisciplinary I definietly do not have nearly the foundation as someone who pursued a studio art major. Is it entirely out of the question for me to get into an MFA program? I've heard many people say field experience is, especially financially, far better than grad school for visual art, but because I pursued other academic endeavors (critical theory mainly with printmaking on the side) in my undergrad I really want to spend a few years concentrating on art in an academic slash structured setting. As my school didn't even have printmaking facilities (I had to take courses at neighboring schools), my portfolio is not huge and in the end I'm just not that experienced. Anyone have advice? (And also some ideas on good printmaking MFA programs that are well-funded?)