MFA 2020 Freak Out Forum

[MellonHead]

I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into timelines/experience of getting off a waitlist. I'm holding out kinda for one last waitlist to see if I get an offer but I also don't want to wait until April 15th since I do have an offer from another program... any thoughts?

[SeriouslyStellar]

Hey all! I'm sure we are all struggling with limited jobs,, being jobless atm or exhibition opportunities that are postponed/cancelled etc.,  but have any of you written or started writing art emergency grants or any grants in general? I have started on one this week...would anyone be willing to share a sample of your grant, just to get an idea of the structure of grants? 
I'm curious to know how many of you have lost these opportunities while considering grad school options or have committed already? Anybody still working at this time, via at home or in public? 

Edited April 9, 2020 by SeriouslyStellar

[paintingperson]

has anyone been successful in getting off the waiting list at columbia? I'd love to hear from you if so. 

[TheBarnOwl]

18 hours ago, MellonHead said:

I'm wondering if anyone has any insight into timelines/experience of getting off a waitlist. I'm holding out kinda for one last waitlist to see if I get an offer but I also don't want to wait until April 15th since I do have an offer from another program... any thoughts?

I *think* it's pretty unheard-of to get off a waitlist before the April 15 deadline. In my understanding that time is kind of set apart to arrange students who received offers of admission and negotiate funding. I was waitlisted twice last year and ended up hearing that I got off and given an offer of admission in early June and got a rejection from the other waitlist in August (August 30th, seriously!). I did ultimately end up getting an offer of admission right after my interview at the latter school the next year (this year) when I reapplied though. So I guess through my very limited experience I'd sum up my outlook of waitlists as don't-hold-your-breath.

[MellonHead]

Thanks @TheBarnOwl! Weirdly enough thats the opposite feedback I've gotten so far, but it all seemed too rose color glasses for me to believe. Is it unheard of to accept a spot in a program and then if you get off a waitlist to a program you prefer to switch programs and then you would lose the deposit at the other program? 

I think I still prefer the program I am accepted at, I'm just still feeling shaky about that decision considering when I started out I didn't rank this program too highly and now after visiting and reading more I am more happy with it. Oh "the journey"... 

Anyway thanks again for any advice all

[MIQI]

17 hours ago, MellonHead said:

Thanks @TheBarnOwl! Weirdly enough thats the opposite feedback I've gotten so far, but it all seemed too rose color glasses for me to believe. Is it unheard of to accept a spot in a program and then if you get off a waitlist to a program you prefer to switch programs and then you would lose the deposit at the other program? 

I think I still prefer the program I am accepted at, I'm just still feeling shaky about that decision considering when I started out I didn't rank this program too highly and now after visiting and reading more I am more happy with it. Oh "the journey"... 

Anyway thanks again for any advice all

My "journey" was somewhat similar to yours I guess? I came to really like and eventually commit to a program that wasn't initially on the top of my list. There were periods (before I committed) when I felt a bit shaky as you said, but I now firmly believe I made the right choice.

Another thing is, I would personally prefer a program that loves me to begin with, rather than one that places me on a waitlist. It's a bit like dating in my mind. I want to go to a program that is passionate about me.

[TheBarnOwl]

17 hours ago, MellonHead said:

Thanks @TheBarnOwl! Weirdly enough thats the opposite feedback I've gotten so far, but it all seemed too rose color glasses for me to believe. Is it unheard of to accept a spot in a program and then if you get off a waitlist to a program you prefer to switch programs and then you would lose the deposit at the other program? 

I think I still prefer the program I am accepted at, I'm just still feeling shaky about that decision considering when I started out I didn't rank this program too highly and now after visiting and reading more I am more happy with it. Oh "the journey"... 

Anyway thanks again for any advice all

I think that's generally not done because in order for a spot to open up on a waitlist, that means an accepted student has to opt out. So if every accepted student kept their spot while holding out for a waitlist at another school, no one would ever get off a waitlist until I suppose the end of August, which would be an untenable timeline.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 3/15/2020 at 12:55 AM, ............... said:

I got rejected from UCLA, last night.

I was caught REALLY off guard. My sculpture portfolio is very strong, and I have worked on a lot of high profile, beautiful public artwork. So, I looked up the types of art that comes out of UCLA. Suffice to say, if I would have been aware of the kind of art UCLA outputs, I would have never applied. I should have looked into the professors long before. Honestly, if I would have been accepted by UCLA, I still would have looked up their arts program, and would have definitely decided against attending.

I think the best place for a serious artist who enjoys making fine art, wants to teach it via an MFA, and is influenced by the masters, should probably attend an art institute like Cranbrook, California College of the Arts, San Francisco Art Institute, etc... and what-not. Seems like the UC System really leans toward the esoteric, ivory tower, SJW type of thing. Stuff that is emotionally out of reach for the common people.

I applied to UCLA on a whim because I'm a Southern Californian living in NorCal and I didn't really think it out. I'm gonna make an effort to put out applications to art institutes, in the fall, so I can nail down that MFA and start teaching at school.

If you got into UCLA, make good art, please. Don't get brainwashed into making absurd, ugly garbage just because your instructors think that you need to "push the envelope" and make it "visceral" and "bleeding edge." Make beautiful public artwork that poor people and little old ladies in the community can come to and identify with and enjoy. Make art that reflects what matters to the people. Make artwork that the people want, and love.

 

As a conceptual artist that was the most painful entry I ever read.

Then again you may not appreciate Wade Guyton or Walead Bishty?

[SocialKonstruct]

On 3/26/2020 at 11:25 PM, YTgo said:

Congratulations on getting into Yale!! Yale is my top choice. I applied for its MFA Painting program but got rejected. Would you mind sharing your portfolio and artist statement? This was my first time to apply, and I'd like to hear more advice. Thank you! And congratulations again!

 

One of my fellow U of U students got into the Yale sculpture program and her work really kicks ass. She just finished her show up here at UMOCA.

[anti-mfa]

I am kind of a lurker on here. This year I applied to 4 top schools for painting and didn't even get one interview! It's ok, I was obviously not a strong candidate. *cries*

With the Covid-19 situation though, I am kind of glad I didn't end up getting in anywhere. Seeing the way some schools have handled this situation (I know a lot of people that are currently in attendance at one highly sought after program) it's very surprising, the lack of communication on how things will change, "lack of" financial flexibility to provide students with any tuition repayment (president lives in a mansion), condescending treatment of students. It's made me reconsider my plans to pursue an MFA, and why the recognition of these schools is so important or validating to me and my art practice and if it's worth the $$$$$. I also spent time volunteering this year at an after school art program for kids, which was very rewarding for me.

These private art schools have little to no involvement with the community around them, oftentimes situating in a low cost area just because of convenience and make no effort to grow an art market within that community at all. Instead encouraging students that they simply MUST move to NYC, which filters out most of the students who aren't from wealthy families. 

I know this isn't news to anyone but if you are getting frustrated and not willing to accept these shitty facts anymore, maybe we could create an online community that provides support, critiques, and even have shows together... We could have an anti-MFA show in two years! If anyone knows of something like this that already exists, let me know. And reply if you'd be interested. 

Please know that despite my feelings on this I'm not judging those who are planning on getting an MFA, I completely understand the reasoning for doing it. But I don't think my feelings are just resentment or bitterness, just hoping for an alternative... 

[Squirrel8296]

4 hours ago, moon_whale said:

I am kind of a lurker on here. This year I applied to 4 top schools for painting and didn't even get one interview! It's ok, I was obviously not a strong candidate. *cries*

With the Covid-19 situation though, I am kind of glad I didn't end up getting in anywhere. Seeing the way some schools have handled this situation (I know a lot of people that are currently in attendance at one highly sought after program) it's very surprising, the lack of communication on how things will change, "lack of" financial flexibility to provide students with any tuition repayment (president lives in a mansion), condescending treatment of students. It's made me reconsider my plans to pursue an MFA, and why the recognition of these schools is so important or validating to me and my art practice and if it's worth the $$$$$. I also spent time volunteering this year at an after school art program for kids, which was very rewarding for me.

These private art schools have little to no involvement with the community around them, oftentimes situating in a low cost area just because of convenience and make no effort to grow an art market within that community at all. Instead encouraging students that they simply MUST move to NYC, which filters out most of the students who aren't from wealthy families. 

I know this isn't news to anyone but if you are getting frustrated and not willing to accept these shitty facts anymore, maybe we could create an online community that provides support, critiques, and even have shows together... We could have an anti-MFA show in two years! If anyone knows of something like this that already exists, let me know. And reply if you'd be interested. 

Please know that despite my feelings on this I'm not judging those who are planning on getting an MFA, I completely understand the reasoning for doing it. But I don't think my feelings are just resentment or bitterness, just hoping for an alternative... 

Hey @moon_whale I love the idea of the anti-MFA show...I'm in the process of completely redoing my website and I was thinking about starting a free online-only art gallery that might be able to host it as an extra thumbing our noses at the art system.

[3131n3505e]

Hi y’all first time poster here!

I wanted to get some feedback about Columbia since I had my interview back in mid-March with the New Genres department, but never heard back about being rejected, accepted, or waitlisted. I sent them an email and they responded last week that my application was still under review, but will hear back by April 15th. They were also an hour late with the interview. Did they forget about me? What do you think will happen?

Also, I was considering on attending UCSC’s Digital Arts & New Media MFA since it would be free due to tuition remission by TAship plus the fellowship I got from there and I would work under Isaac Julien in his research group the entire time and in his London studio for a quarter max per year. My other choice is Pratt since I got a scholarship that would cover half the tuition. Thoughts? The feedback is greatly appreciated!

Portfolio: FadelFakhouri.com

Edited April 13, 2020 by 3131n3505e
Included portfolio for feedback regarding schools matching my style

[anti-mfa]

On 4/12/2020 at 4:02 PM, M3R71N said:

Hey @moon_whale I love the idea of the anti-MFA show...I'm in the process of completely redoing my website and I was thinking about starting a free online-only art gallery that might be able to host it as an extra thumbing our noses at the art system.

That is awesome!!!

I started an instagram yesterday the username is @anti_mfa. I haven't 100% thought it out yet, but I was thinking that artists who didn't get into grad school could submit their work to get reposted. Once we'd have enough artists we could start doing online exhibitions and stuff. Maybe a select group or "cohort" that report back to each other for zoom crits or when this covid shit is over in person studio visits depending on location. 

Anyways feel free to email me and we can talk! 

Edited April 18, 2020 by TGCA
removed email

[Referableorc]

Just received offer from NYU Studio Art! 
 

I also got into RISD D+M, Hunter combined media, and Goldsmiths MFA. The only thing I don’t like about Goldsmiths is that they force me to take one year per-master, which makes me feel very suspicious about the program. As there are tons of pre master programs aim for international students who aren’t local brits 

 

[highfashion]

Hi All,

What happens if you accept an offer and then you don't end up going to the school?  I'm feeling that I won't hear back about my first choice -waitlist spot -until after the 15th, and I need to make sure I have a backup plan in place.

[lazuli.]

15 hours ago, 3131n3505e said:

Hi y’all first time poster here!

I wanted to get some feedback about Columbia since I had my interview back in mid-March with the New Genres department, but never heard back about being rejected, accepted, or waitlisted. I sent them an email and they responded last week that my application was still under review, but will hear back by April 15th. They were also an hour late with the interview. Did they forget about me? What do you think will happen?

Also, I was considering on attending UCSC’s Digital Arts & New Media MFA since it would be free due to tuition remission by TAship plus the fellowship I got from there and I would work under Isaac Julien in his research group the entire time and in his London studio for a quarter max per year. My other choice is Pratt since I got a scholarship that would cover half the tuition. Thoughts? The feedback is greatly appreciated!

Portfolio: FadelFakhouri.com

Hey! So I got in for MFA New Genres on March 2nd. The April 15th is the deadline for the $800 tuition deposit, which means you probably will be taking my place as I don't intend to pay/attend. I imagine they would get back to you potentially offering you a place? But don't hold me to that.

I had to call it quits because the COVID-19 outbreak has meant the slowing of income and responses from funding bodies and has affected my household and my application (I'm an international student from London). I was offered a few scholarships from the school but the overall cost is still a bit obscene, and when I emailed them my circumstances the first thing the finance office said was: "we have no additional funding" and "we understand you will have to make difficult decisions". To which I though, hm 800 towards a deposit or towards living costs during a literal pandemic. 

If Columbia is the place you really want to go and you have your heart set on it & you have the means to cover the cost of Columbia which is pricey (and I am questioning its worth thanks to https://www.instagram.com/columbiavisualartsmfa/ which has been exposing the asbestos in studios, missing faculty, dissatisfaction of students) then go. But I would say go to the school offering you free tuition. I have a full ride to Parsons which I think I am going to accept over Columbia mainly because I wanted to be in NY and I personally think an MFA is fundamentally what you make it. You're dedicating 2 years to improve on your skill, craft, concepts, and ideas and I think one can thrive wherever. No amount of money or famous name of a school guarantees success. I think we're all just navigating this strange world trying to make it work

Have attached an email the current students sent me just for reference!

 

[Squirrel8296]

11 hours ago, moon_whale said:

That is awesome!!!

I started an instagram yesterday the username is @anti_mfa. I haven't 100% thought it out yet, but I was thinking that artists who didn't get into grad school could submit their work to get reposted. Once we'd have enough artists we could start doing online exhibitions and stuff. Maybe a select group or "cohort" that report back to each other for zoom crits or when this covid shit is over in person studio visits depending on location. 

Anyways feel free to email me emilydebrouxheld@gmail.com and we can talk! 

I love that idea! We should just make our own community.

[3131n3505e]

9 hours ago, lazuli. said:

Hey! So I got in for MFA New Genres on March 2nd. The April 15th is the deadline for the $800 tuition deposit, which means you probably will be taking my place as I don't intend to pay/attend. I imagine they would get back to you potentially offering you a place? But don't hold me to that.

I had to call it quits because the COVID-19 outbreak has meant the slowing of income and responses from funding bodies and has affected my household and my application (I'm an international student from London). I was offered a few scholarships from the school but the overall cost is still a bit obscene, and when I emailed them my circumstances the first thing the finance office said was: "we have no additional funding" and "we understand you will have to make difficult decisions". To which I though, hm 800 towards a deposit or towards living costs during a literal pandemic. 

If Columbia is the place you really want to go and you have your heart set on it & you have the means to cover the cost of Columbia which is pricey (and I am questioning its worth thanks to https://www.instagram.com/columbiavisualartsmfa/ which has been exposing the asbestos in studios, missing faculty, dissatisfaction of students) then go. But I would say go to the school offering you free tuition. I have a full ride to Parsons which I think I am going to accept over Columbia mainly because I wanted to be in NY and I personally think an MFA is fundamentally what you make it. You're dedicating 2 years to improve on your skill, craft, concepts, and ideas and I think one can thrive wherever. No amount of money or famous name of a school guarantees success. I think we're all just navigating this strange world trying to make it work

Have attached an email the current students sent me just for reference!

 

Wow! Congrats on both, especially that full ride to Parsons. My friends in the bay have highly recommended Parsons to me, but unfortunately after the deadline. I was set on accepting the UCSC offer, but then my mentor recommended against that and to focus on location (NY or LA) over schools just as you mentioned. My work emphasizes colonialism in the Middle East and Columbia's Middle Eastern Studies department attracts me to it, but the cost is abhorrent.

Best of luck and stay safe!

[anti-mfa]

12 hours ago, M3R71N said:

I love that idea! We should just make our own community.

Exactly that. I've been to interviews before where the main draw of the program was the relationships formed with the assigned cohort. Why is that something we need to pay for? Feel free to reach out to me via email or on instagram- @anti_mfa. Let's try to get more people interested! 

[honghong]

On 4/5/2020 at 4:10 PM, MFA Troll said:

 Making art is the best therapy so keep taking your art practice seriously . Please Please  Please do not give any art institution your money. If you a are trust fund artist (it's fine most people on here are wildly privileged), please give your tuition money to a local food bank.  I've been trolling this forum since 2009 because I find the delusion on here to be wildly entertaining. However, given the current devastation I feel compelled to chime in now. 10 years ago I was in your boat, so I get it (kind of). I went to a fully funded program in the NYC area and was able to save enough money from the TAship to move to NYC.  BUT I still regret it.... I have a ton of friends with 'top' degrees and .25 mil of debt that they have never made a single payment towards. During the pre-covid19 era art world jobs were complete garbage and my colleagues (now approaching their 40) still live with 3+ roomates in grimmy conditions. Today, the art economy that was always built on exploitation is completely cratering. The art world is OVER. Pretty much every single museum fired their entire staff, despite billion dollar endowments. Most art world jobs are contracted, so artists don't qualify for any type of assistance. Art schools are pyramid schemes. What's more, they instill mental complexes in their graduates. 'Emerging' artists internalize their lack of financial success in the same way MLM 'entrepreneurs' process their own financial struggles. "I just need to network more, work harder and believe in myself." Sorry, believing in yourself is not enough. Professors are delusional ego maniacs who can't comprehend their own privileges, so don't believe anything they feed you. Their entire lifestyle depends on swindeling vulnerable aspiring artists.  The good news? You are already are an artist!! I'm sorry to say however that your are not the 'elite, special' candidate that these scammers make you believe. Thousands of people are dying in NYC right now.  My co-workers 39 year old sister died this week. The funeral home up the block rented a refrigeration truck. NYC is terrifying.  I went to grad school because I thought it would help me. It didn't. Maybe now is the magic moment when artists drop the capitalistic, 'genius' model and actually start building communities. There's basically nothing left to aspire to at this point, so why not start looking outward and think of ways to help the world rather than calcify our individual artistic egos. What is next for art?

Hey everyone. I know what I’ve quoted above is probably not what you want to read. But it’s important that you do. I am about 6 years out of my MFA program. It’s been a long, strange, beautiful, complicated, difficult road. I’m gonna tell you right now that over 99 percent of you will not make it in the way you consciously or unconsciously believe that you need to. And even if you do, your name will be forgotten in a few hundred years. If that doesn’t scare you and if the reality of the art world, which was summarized nicely up above, doesn’t scare you and if you must do this, then know that you are already doing it and you will do it no matter what stands between you and your work. You are choosing it and you will choose it again and again. And that is what matters. I don’t think you should idolize anybody: not Agnes Martin, not famous artists, not your professors, not gallery owners, not museums, not universities, not degrees, not even your peers, etc. If you give even one ounce of shit what anyone else thinks or how anyone else acts, in a real way (because we all care in small, superfluous ways), then you are already lost. If you don’t know who you are and if you don’t have a backbone, do something else. You will suffer much less. Know that art, like life, will bring you to your knees. In humility, in sadness, in awe. Be courageous. Existence requires that of you, no matter what you do. 

[SpillToBuilt]

Nevermind.  ?

Edited April 14, 2020 by SpillToBuilt

[willow j]

I've been following this thread for months. Figured I would update on my stats.

MFA in Painting:

UMass Dartmouth: Accepted, Declined offer

SUNY Albany: Accepted, Declined offer

Pratt Institute: Interviewed, Accepted, Declined offer (wasn't offered any financial aid)

U Indiana: Interviewed, Waitlisted, Haven't heard anything since (???)

Boston University: Interviewed, Accepted

UC Irvine: Rejected

MECA: Accepted, Declined offer

UConn: Interviewed, Accepted, Accepted offer today! (fully funded, paid assistantship over 3 years!) 

 

Super happy about my decision and I wish you all the best of luck!!! 

[Loleagle]

23 hours ago, honghong said:

Hey everyone. I know what I’ve quoted above is probably not what you want to read. But it’s important that you do. I am about 6 years out of my MFA program. It’s been a long, strange, beautiful, complicated, difficult road. I’m gonna tell you right now that over 99 percent of you will not make it in the way you consciously or unconsciously believe that you need to. And even if you do, your name will be forgotten in a few hundred years. If that doesn’t scare you and if the reality of the art world, which was summarized nicely up above, doesn’t scare you and if you must do this, then know that you are already doing it and you will do it no matter what stands between you and your work. You are choosing it and you will choose it again and again. And that is what matters. I don’t think you should idolize anybody: not Agnes Martin, not famous artists, not your professors, not gallery owners, not museums, not universities, not degrees, not even your peers, etc. If you give even one ounce of shit what anyone else thinks or how anyone else acts, in a real way (because we all care in small, superfluous ways), then you are already lost. If you don’t know who you are and if you don’t have a backbone, do something else. You will suffer much less. Know that art, like life, will bring you to your knees. In humility, in sadness, in awe. Be courageous. Existence requires that of you, no matter what you do. 

dood..... the fact that people keep assuming that people going into MFA have some sort of drive to "make it" makes me really hate the idea of getting an MFA. is this what all MFAs are like?? everyone is projecting their own self absorption and ego. some people love to make and talk about work and when else can you devote time to something you love.... like some of us are going to low res or affordable programs just to escape the world and be immersed in a passion. some of us have skillsets that are practical and employable outside of art. for example many students at Hunter also work at least part time. stop universalizing an experience of art-making that is only true for some people

Edited April 15, 2020 by Googlyeyes
.

[tdrae]

41 minutes ago, Googlyeyes said:

dood..... the fact that people keep assuming that people going into MFA have some sort of drive to "make it" makes me really hate the idea of getting an MFA. is this what all MFAs are like?? everyone is projecting their own self absorption and ego. some people love to make and talk about work and when else can you devote time to something you love.... like some of us are going to low res or affordable programs just to escape the world and be immersed in a passion. some of us have skillsets that are practical and employable outside of art. for example many students at Hunter also work at least part time. stop universalizing an experience of art-making that is only true for some people

Agreed, but I think they are trying to say that you don't need to pay big $$$$ for that community and conversation. 

Low res and low cost makes a lot of sense, it's a great opportunity to gain the things you mentioned. And I think it is clear that more time space and dedicated peers will raise the level of ones work. But also true that this doesn't = monetary or even critical "success"

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by tdrae

[Loleagle]

4 minutes ago, tdrae said:

Agreed, but I think they are trying to say that you don't need to pay big $$$$ for that community and conversation. 

got it. I completely agree with the anti big $$$. didn't understand that from the post

Edited April 15, 2020 by Googlyeyes