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Hello Friends! Anybody else need a support group for being a waitlister? I am currently waitlisted for the acting MFA at Brown. Anybody else know if they are on a waitlist? How is the...waiting...going? I feel #manic

Hello everyone, Welcome to my pre-graduate educational crisis. I'm currently a Junior in a BFA Creative Writing program; however, I studied English at my previous college. I need help deciding where to focus my academic efforts over the next 9 months so that I'm not applying to programs which are beyond my skill-set. I've considered pursing an MFA, but after speaking with my advisors I feel that a PhD program better suits my current interests. I'm much less interested in publishing creative work in literary journals than I am in understanding the rhetoric of artistic forms and the culture/experiences they encapsulate. I've been primarily looking into Comparative Literature graduate programs (the interdisciplinary potential excites me,) but I only have an intermediate level of French; I can read fluently and speak fairly fluidly, but my writing skills are comparatively poor. I'm very interested in Showa Era Japan, particularly post-war, and the cultural exports of Japan to the United States and France, but my Japanese is very rudimentary. My McNair advisor suggested I pursue the UCSC History of Consciousness program or another program rooted in Critical Theory. I really took to the whole 'liberal arts' thing and waded into every pool of the humanities (visual art, philosophy, identity, etc). My small college doesn't have much to offer me in this area so I'm researching this field on my own. I'd also be happy to focus on methodologies (Narrative and Rhetorical Theory, Marxism and Critical Social Theory, Writing Studies/Pedagogy, Cognitive Studies) so I'm open to English programs that allow me to focus on this aspect. My areas of academic knowledge are broad but very shallow. I'm not sure what level of experience in these areas I'm expected to have as an undergrad. I've only just started looking into some academic journals this year. My classes have focused more on theory and I've only written a couple of serious research papers. None of them have been in any of my areas of interest so far. The closest I've come was when I was translating Baudelaire, discussed its poetics, and mentioned its depiction in a manga/anime, Aku no Hana (this wasn't even a traditionally academic paper, more of a poetry/creative essay/academic hybrid.) Is it a bad idea to pursue academic research when I've been more trained to pursue an MFA? Would an MFA allow me to explore these academic areas without jumping ship into what's essentially another discipline? Is a bad idea to pursue interest areas in which I have only limited undergrad academic experience? Thank you for any feedback you can give me. I hope I have enough time between now and November to course-correct my time and studies towards a viable area of discipline.

Hello everyone. This is a cross-post with a topic I made in the Humanities board. I'm currently a Junior in a BFA Creative Writing program; however, I studied English at my previous college. I need help deciding where to focus my academic efforts over the next 9 months so that I'm not applying to programs which are beyond my skill-set. I've considered pursing an MFA, but after speaking with my advisors I feel that a PhD program better suits my current interests. I'm much less interested in publishing creative work in literary journals than I am in understanding the rhetoric of artistic forms and the culture/experiences they encapsulate. I've been primarily looking into Comparative Literature graduate programs (the interdisciplinary potential excites me,) but I only have an intermediate level of French; I can read fluently and speak fairly fluidly, but my writing skills are comparatively poor. I'm very interested in Showa Era Japan, particularly post-war, and the cultural exports of Japan to the United States and France, but my Japanese is very rudimentary. My McNair advisor suggested I pursue the UCSC History of Consciousness program or another program rooted in Critical Theory. I really took to the whole 'liberal arts' thing and waded into every pool of the humanities (visual art, philosophy, identity, etc). My small college doesn't have much to offer me in this area so I'm researching this field on my own. I'd also be happy to focus on methodologies (Narrative and Rhetorical Theory, Marxism and Critical Social Theory, Writing Studies/Pedagogy, Cognitive Studies) so I'm open to English programs that allow me to focus on this aspect. My areas of academic knowledge are broad but very shallow. I'm not sure what level of experience in these areas I'm expected to have as an undergrad. I've only just started looking into some academic journals this year. My classes have focused more on theory and I've only written a couple of serious research papers. None of them have been in any of my areas of interest so far. The closest I've come was when I was translating Baudelaire, discussed its poetics, and mentioned its depiction in a manga/anime, Aku no Hana (this wasn't even a traditionally academic paper, more of a poetry/creative essay/academic hybrid.) Is it a bad idea to pursue academic research when I've been more trained to pursue an MFA? Would an MFA allow me to explore these academic areas without jumping ship into what's essentially another discipline? Is a bad idea to pursue interest areas in which I have only limited undergrad academic experience? Thank you for any feedback you can give me. I hope I have enough time between now and November to course-correct my time and studies towards a viable area of discipline.

Hi all! Unbelievably, there's no Acting MFA thread for 2020, so let's get the proverbial ball a-rolling, yes? Where is everyone in the process? I received an official offer from East 15 today, and a rejection from Brown. (Womp, womp.) It's been a rollercoaster of a day. Ha. Also, I was rejected from USC at the tail end of January. Anyone hear from USD, NYU, or ACT? I know DePaul is still auditioning!

Hi! I applied to 8 MFA programs. I have been granted interviews from 4 of them so far, as a finalist. I have been accepted to two and am still waiting on the others. I have had 3 interviews so far, all skype. I am wondering how much weight does the 15 minute skype interview actually have? How much does it affect your chances? What are the most important factors in a school's decision? Is it the overall application (statement, portfolio, recommendations) or does the interview have a significant spot in determining the decision? Help! I'm freakin' out Thank you!!!

I haven’t found any online threads discussing this year’s MFA audition experiences. Who else is waiting to hear back ?

This is my second round applying and after the NY Portfolio Review I will be changing my application approach. It was quite an eye opener. How many fellow MFA applicants are over 50? Have you been told Universities are concerned that they don't know how to handle mature students? Worried you are to stuck in your ways and not fit into their programs? How did you convince them that you are the kind of students they desire?

I am applying to an MFA program (CA, TX, RI, CT) and the application says works must be within a certain time period (e.g. within past 12 months). I have a few pieces that are among my best work that I really want to include in my portfolio, but they're older than the rules allow. The works don't have a date on them, just the sig. What to do? Will I be disqualified? It's my work, and most of the pieces I'm including are within the stated guidelines, but I think these really show what I can do. Help!

What MFA program would you think is best for someone studying photography and video? I would love to know. Thanks!

Hi all, I'm looking for MFA recs *specifically for creative nonfiction programs*, would love to hear any ideas! Right now I'm thinking of applying to the Iowa NWP (which is scary af and obvs a long shot) and also to WashU, Columbia and Hunter College. Looking for more, here are my priorities: -A program focusing mostly or solely on CNF (essay, memoir, hybrid, historical, travel, etc.'). I'm probably a memoir/personal essay person, but I feel I need a strong background in the genre. -Academic grounding, in the sense that the program isn't only made of workshops/craft seminars -Full-residency program, 2-3 years. -Very preferably programs w/ full tuition + stipends for all or most students. -Preferably Northeast coast, but I will definitely be willing to consider elsewhere if it's a good fit. -Preferably medical insurance coverage; coverage of HRT for trans* ppl a big plus -Openness to experimentation and non-English traditions of the essay Obviously in no way am I going to get everything I possibly want, but any pointers in the right direction would be v/ appreciated TIA!!

I am applying for my MFA in creative writing. my grades are great and i've been told I have a strong and impressive portfolio but gaining entrance to a creative writing MFA program is very difficult, competitive, relative, and highly selective so I am not a shoo-in anywhere. For one of my graduate applications I submitted the application but put off submitting the fee and then my application status said my fee was waived but there was no explanation. is this normal? does it mean anything? another school I applied to sent me a hand written letter saying they are "thrilled" I submitted my application. Is this normal? does it mean anything? thanks

I am applying for my MFA in creative writing. my grades are great and i've been told I have a strong and impressive portfolio but gaining entrance to a creative writing MFA program is very difficult, competitive, relative, and highly selective so I am not a shoo-in anywhere. For one of my graduate applications I submitted the application but put off submitting the fee and then my application status said my fee was waived but there was no explanation. is this normal? does it mean anything? another school I applied to sent me a hand written letter saying they are "thrilled" I submitted my application. Is this normal? does it mean anything? thanks

I'm trying to gauge the competitiveness of admissions for MFA film programs. It seems like a lot of the place I've researched accept very few students each year, and almost every program requires a portfolio with the application. I didn't study film production for undergrad (I did art history and film history/theory), so I worry it's a disadvantage to be starting from scratch trying to cobble together some videos for the portfolio in time. I'm applying to 18 schools, but I'm not sure I can make the cut anywhere with so little practical experience in film production. Does anyone have any advice or insight for a person applying to MFA programs from different academic backgrounds?

“A picture is worth a thousand words”, a well-known adage that stands true through time. Even before we could speak, we used graphics to communicate. Today, we are surrounded by designs of all kinds- from the home screen on our mobile phones to the big billboards out on the streets, graphics are a timeless medium to communicate. As a school boy, I had always loved to sketch cartoon characters. A Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering gave me exposure to machines of different shapes and sizes. I was intrigued by how design made even the most complex machines easy to use. These experiences gave me the initial push towards graphics and designing which later drove me to the point where I aspire to attain a Masters in Design. During my final year at college, I was introduced to Adobe Photoshop. Impressed by how all-encompassing a software could be, I marveled at how it gave a person the freedom to design what they imagined, without inhibitions. I was eager to start using Photoshop, and started taking tutorials online. Initially, I learnt image retouching and color corrections. As I progressed, I started taking advanced tutorials on compositing, matching lighting and coloring desaturated images. Gradually, I learnt the software in and out. I began by designing as per the tutorials, but after spending hours on reading blogs and looking at designs and compositions for inspiration, I started applying my knowledge to make designs from scratch. During my final semester I got placed as an intern at Skrilo, a firm wherein I had to work on design templates for their mobile application using Photoshop. However, after my internship I graduated and got placed at a firm called Aptara where I had to re-write user manuals for trucks and cars. My interest towards design kept me from continuing at this job. Within 8 months, I quit my job at Aptara and started working for Skrilo again. I now had greater opportunities to learn and work on designs and embraced them. I took a course online - “Introduction to Graphic Design” at Lynda.com. This course made me see how vast the field of Graphic Designing was and taught me the significance of planning my designs on paper before taking it to the machine. I also recognized the importance of feedbacks for designers. Sharing my work with different designers around the world on social media has really helped me grow as a designer and made me realize that the final design evolves with criticism. My job required me to design mobile ad banners for the company’s mobile application. I learnt about the specifications of designing for android devices. This included choosing the right fonts, colors and the specified sizes of the different components on the screens. Though most of my job was done using Photoshop, working with different teams also taught me to study design briefs and make designs tailored to meet specific needs. Enjoying every aspect of being a graphic designer, I started taking tutorials more often, learning about the latest features of Photoshop and studying design in general. After having worked on 4 different versions of Photoshop, I decided to take the Graphic Designing Specialization course by CalArts on Coursera. During this course, I got to work on almost every aspect of designing, including hand drawn sketches, icons, design briefs, color theory and typography. With an insight to the German Art School Bauhaus, I also learnt about the history and origin of design along with the different designers and typographers whose designs are popular till date. The final Capstone Project gave me the opportunity to test all the skills I had learnt so far. For this I got to build a complete Brand Identity from scratch, including its logo, logotype and color scheme. After this course I had gained a much better understanding of how brands work in the real world. I had now worked on it all, except for illustrations. Drawing sketches on a computer is lot more challenging than doing it on paper. Therefore, I have been taking online courses to learn Adobe Illustrator for more than a year now. I have gradually grown into a designer and I feel that with the blend of the creative and analytical mindset that I have developed over the years, I can contribute a lot to the design community. With the field of Graphic Design growing leaps and bounds, the Graphic Design Masters program at the Rhode Island School of Design is well equipped to help me drive my efforts in the right direction. The curriculum at RISD is balanced to prepare aspiring designers like me for the future while at the same time giving us a strong hold of the traditional practices. I believe that having done a bunch of courses online, an opportunity to study design at a campus like RISD will help me get better at what I like doing best and open an ocean of opportunities that the field of design has to offer.

I've been accepted into the MFA in Creative Writing at Oregon State University. (yay!) It is their Low-Residency program, so mostly online, which means they don't offer much funding, since I can't be a TA. I'm also applying to Anticoh and UC Riverside Low-Res. I am having a hard time locating funding for such a specific situation. I'm Latina, first-generation graduate, their must be something out their for me, right?? Please help!

I applied to approximately 11 schools for MFA in fiction and I was rejected from 10 of them. The school that did accept me was College of New Rochelle in Westchester, NY. While the program is tempting given its proximity to NYC, its social justice theme and its exceptional 'newness' (it was launched in 2015), they only offered about 5,000 in merit scholarship overall, and for a school that's $10,000 a semester it barely covers much, especially for someone who has to simultaneously live in new york that is, in of itself, unaffordable. As such, that makes going to get an MFA less than an obvious choice. I am a relatively new writer, wet behind the ears and still trying to get a handle on my work ethic and routine, and as such didn't have much a portfolio to cull from when sending out samples (This was probably what shot me in the foot). Still, I was taken by how impressed the college was by my work, and appreciated their personal approach to writing. My question for the folks here on this forum is thus: should I attend the program at College of New Rochelle now, or should I wait it out and develop a better voice on my own terms and have a better body of work to submit should I apply again? I'm just afraid that if i let too much time elapse, I'll never do this, or if I enter the fray again, I'lll just be rejected across the board again.

Does this exist? I felt like there should be a place where we can post on here (I know about the MFA draft facebook but that thing stresses me out.) So far I've been rejected by Ohio State and I still have pending: Michener, New Writers Project, Michigan, UMass Amherst, NYU, Brown, Houston. What about y'all?

Hello! I've recently accepted an offer from the University at Buffalo for their MFA in Studio Art program. Anyone else accept any grad offers from UB? I'd love to get connected!

hello hello! I have been trying to decide between SVA and Parsons MFA Fine Arts. I wasnt able to find a lot of information online for these fine arts programs. Has anyone attended these programs or have any info that could be helpful. Any help much appreciated since I am running out of time to register! thank you all!

Hi everyone! I'm an International Student. I applied to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts MFA Dramatic Writing Program from December 19th and I was told that notifications are sent out ANYTIME between MARCH 1st and APRIL frickin 15th! I am going crazy!!! It's almost the end of March and I haven't seen ANY applicants on this site with a decision for this program. In fact, I think one of the key committee members has been out of office for 1 week or so, with no "return date" in his automated email reply, so I don't know when he's expected back. I don't want to keep emailing admissions to annoy anyone, but this is ROUGH! At least with Brown University, they stuck to the date they gave (although it was just as long of a wait). At least they stuck to their date. Tisch, I don't know what's taking them so long... I mean... they have 1 month AND 15 days and I haven't seen ONE decision on the Results Search page... sigh... I'm also waiting on Boston U's MA Journalism which I was told would be out by next week.... but Tisch.... what is going on in that dept? Does anyone know? Thanks!

Hi all, I ended up lurking last year and it looked like the forum was helpful and interesting to those involved. So, since I've been chomping at the bit and waiting to take another swing at Grad school, I wanted to go ahead and get the conversation started. About me: I applied to several directing programs in 2015 and went through URTA. Schools: Indiana, Illinois State, East 15, Yale, Northwestern, Cal Arts, FSU, Brooklyn. I interviewed with Indiana, Illinois State, Yale, Northwestern, East 15, and FSU. I received offers from East 15 (couldn't afford it) and Illinois State (not a good fit). My wife applied to MFA Acting programs and was accepted into one of her top choices. So we decided to do that. Last year I applied to Yale again (we decided we could be apart for a year if I got into Yale because...it's freakin Yale). I made it to the first round again and was not selected for the final weekend visit. I can only afford to apply to programs that are fully funded so this year I am applying to Boston U, Brown, Northwestern, and Yale (again). I am seriously considering USCD. Maybe: Purdue and CMU. I won't do URTA this year. Not a great experience. This will probably be my last crack at grad school, so fingers crossed. What is everyone else looking at?

Someone I know is trying to decide between a photography MFA at Yale or UCLA. Are there any informed opinions out there, perhaps from current students of these programs or recent graduates? The programs are so nearly equal in his mind – he likes the prestige factor at Yale and prefers to live on the East coast. UCLA has a great program too and he appreciates the interdisciplinary-ness. Yale has a reputation for molding students whereas UCLA seems to operate with a lot more freedom for the student, which he likes. He wants to teach and UCLA offers that opportunity. Both have offered nearly equal funding. Thanks so much, appreciate any input.

Hi everyone! This may be a bit too early to start asking questions about the next application cycle, but I figured why not. I'm currently a senior in college double majoring in Cognitive Science and Creative Writing and I'm planning on applying to MFA programs this coming fall as a poetry applicant. I've been a member of the MFA Draft '19 Facebook page for some time now and seeing everyone talk about their acceptances (or lack thereof, I should say) is making me extremely nervous. I really really don't want to have to go through the application process multiple times to get accepted into a program with full-funding that's a good fit, but the more I read the more it seems like that's the way of the game. So far I have 13 schools on my list (U of Michigan, NYU, Hunter, Cornell, Brown, Syracuse, Boston U, U of Oregon, U of Washington, the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, Temple, Mills, and UC-Riverside) and it will be a real financial hardship to apply to all 13. I'm planning on working full-time after I graduate in a month so hopefully I will be able to save/budget wisely, but presumably some of that money will be going toward paying off my undergraduate loans. I guess what I'm asking is should I take more time off to apply or should I just bite the bullet and see what happens this coming year? I know an MFA is something I whole-heartedly want and I don't plan on relinquishing that goal just yet, but part of me wonders if it's better to just keep writing on my own and submitting to journals (maybe even do a summer residency?). Yet, at the same time, I don't want to walk away from academia for too long.. If you have any thoughts or advice, I would warmly welcome it! I'm also open to suggestions on schools I should add to or remove from my list. I made sure most of the schools were fully-funded (while still being a good fit stylistically) and that the ones that aren't either fully-fund the majority of students or have a few competitive fellowships. If anything looks misguided, please let me know. Thank you so much!

Anyone hear back from this program yet or know a notification of decision date?

MFA application opened up this month!!! Who's ready for 2018 freak-out forum?