MFA 2021 Freak Out Forum

[NoraEllie]

38 minutes ago, Scrambledmegs said:

Hey, I applied for painting and I interviewed with them. They were all super nice!
However, I was really disappointed to hear that they are only taking one painter this year. I feel like it would be a little disappointing to not have much of a cohort. Maybe not though! You’d have the professors all to yourself. And the teaching opportunities provided sound amazing along with the funding of course. 

Wait wait wait I thought they were taking in 10 students for the painting/printmaking department? Woah lol so glad I didn’t get in this cycle bc for me inspiration and motivation comes from the people around me as well. Would hate to be the only student for painting in my class. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by NoraEllie

[SocialKonstruct]

7 minutes ago, geemun said:

Wow!! Only one painter. Sheesh! Okay I will take that as my rejection then ahahah. Thank you!

 

[SocialKonstruct]

3 hours ago, LisaM said:

You seem very well versed in researching schools. I'm curious your thoughts on this article: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/mfa-degree-successful-artists-620891

I'm also interested in your thoughts on CalArts, and it's ability to create connections for emerging artists...

About the article, there is no doubt that if your goal to make it "big" in the contemporary art world, going to the top 10 MFA programs is pretty much it. With exceptions of Rutgers and a few others.

[kwemo]

Hey all, been lurking and learning a lot from everyone posting here so thank you everyone. Here's an update to my journey through this process.

 

George Washington U (Fine Arts) - Rejected w/ no interview

U of Kansas (Expanded Media) - Rejected w/ no interview

U of W Milwaukee (Cinematic Arts) - Waiting

RISD (Digital + Media) - Waiting

U of M Ann Arbor (Art) - Waiting

U of W Madison (4-D Video & Performance) - Rejected after interview

MCAD (Visual Studies) - Accepted(!) w/ no interview

VCU (Kinetic Imaging) - Waiting

 

So does anyone have any first or second hand stories/knowledge about MCAD's MFA? It looks like a really good fit in terms of what I'm looking for (that's why I applied) but I'm worried about funding. I still have to see what they will offer but I don't care for graduating with 100k debt from a non-name brand school.

[hello this is]

anyone working on navigating Yale financial aid?  I can see how the CSS profile helps account for different layers of privilege but the application is seriously extensive and I can't really see either of my divorced parents getting involved enough to complete it in the next few days, especially as I'm long since financially independent >.<

People talk about Yale financial aid being really available and generous though -  - idk

[katfude]

2 minutes ago, hello this is said:

anyone working on navigating Yale financial aid?  I can see how the CSS profile helps account for different layers of privilege but the application is seriously extensive and I can't really see either of my divorced parents getting involved enough to complete it in the next few days, especially as I'm long since financially independent >.<

People talk about Yale financial aid being really available and generous though -  - idk

One of my friends went and had to seriously fight with them tooth and nail at 30 years old to not require her parents financial information since she was already a literal full fledged adult with no financial contact to them. She said it was grueling, but she was finally at some point able to gain independence at the end of it. I'm not sure how, but be ready for a FIGHT. 

[SocialKonstruct]

21 minutes ago, hello this is said:

anyone working on navigating Yale financial aid?  I can see how the CSS profile helps account for different layers of privilege but the application is seriously extensive and I can't really see either of my divorced parents getting involved enough to complete it in the next few days, especially as I'm long since financially independent >.<

People talk about Yale financial aid being really available and generous though -  - idk

If I remember, Yale wants you to list your parents' assets and those are counted as part of your financial holdings... even if you are 60 years old. It's very odd but that was emphasized quite a bit during last year's discussions.

[dgrkrk]

Anyone receive any rejections yet from Columbia/Georgia State for painting?

[piers2]

2 hours ago, hello this is said:

anyone working on navigating Yale financial aid?  I can see how the CSS profile helps account for different layers of privilege but the application is seriously extensive and I can't really see either of my divorced parents getting involved enough to complete it in the next few days, especially as I'm long since financially independent >.<

People talk about Yale financial aid being really available and generous though -  - idk

I'm working on this as well. I have zero contact with my non-custodial parent so this is going to be tough. 

[PoppyPants]

bard rejections?

[Scrambledmegs]

7 hours ago, NoraEllie said:

Wait wait wait I thought they were taking in 10 students for the painting/printmaking department? Woah lol so glad I didn’t get in this cycle bc for me inspiration and motivation comes from the people around me as well. Would hate to be the only student for painting in my class. 

Well the printmaking department is separate from painting for Tulane.  And I suppose I don’t know for sure. I just asked how large the cohort is in the interview and they told me they were likely only taking one painting student this year and that they only have one for last year. 

[SocialKonstruct]

3 hours ago, Scrambledmegs said:

Well the printmaking department is separate from painting for Tulane.  And I suppose I don’t know for sure. I just asked how large the cohort is in the interview and they told me they were likely only taking one painting student this year and that they only have one for last year. 

Yep and you can see that the program is super small here at- https://liberalarts.tulane.edu/departments/art/studio-art/graduate/mfa-studio-art-alumni

The alumni list is definitely one way to know that the painting program is very tiny.

[theundoing]

On 2/26/2021 at 2:36 AM, 123123435 said:

More very interesting info! Have you heard if this has anything to do with there being a new director? The new director I understand is new since May, with the previous director there since the 90s. That could cause upheaval, even as the new director seems like a very interesting artist and has been there for some time.

 

But this is great info in terms of knowing what questions to ask, especially trying to iron down what faculty one could expect to be there. And if there are recent changes. But of course, yes, all this could be moot in terms of being offered a spot vs no ???

Apparently the old director was also kissing upper admin butt, lol. Just like Columbia as @SocialKonstruct mentioned it seems that the upper admin just doesn't value the MFA so it on the verge on falling apart. (or that is my take on the parallels). Dean Becker at Columbia is very invested in turning the Columbia MFA into a cash cow basically. Not that people aren't still successful after Columbia ...they just have success at the cost of six figures in debt...

My friend says that last year they gave all interviews a list of faculty so I will def be suspicious if they don't give us a list....

[berries]

Anyone who had an interview with Tyler painting heard anything from them yet? I’m starting to think that I’m rejected... considering I did pretty bad at the interview

[Killerdonuts]

3 minutes ago, berries said:

Anyone who had an interview with Tyler painting heard anything from them yet? I’m starting to think that I’m rejected... considering I did pretty bad at the interview

I interviewed with painting at Temple and haven't heard either. I think the sculpture department is doing interviews this weekend, so maybe they have to finish all the interviews before they send out acceptances. It might be financial aid related. Just a guess. ?

[NoraEllie]

4 hours ago, theundoing said:

Apparently the old director was also kissing upper admin butt, lol. Just like Columbia as @SocialKonstruct mentioned it seems that the upper admin just doesn't value the MFA so it on the verge on falling apart. (or that is my take on the parallels). Dean Becker at Columbia is very invested in turning the Columbia MFA into a cash cow basically. Not that people aren't still successful after Columbia ...they just have success at the cost of six figures in debt...

My friend says that last year they gave all interviews a list of faculty so I will def be suspicious if they don't give us a list....

Jeez, the thing is that success isn’t promised after Columbia as it all depends on the artist but to take a risk with being in 6 figure debt, god no.

[NoraEllie]

Has anyone here had their Yale Painting/Printmaking interview? If so, how was it? 

[joeyjoejoeshabbadoo]

got accepted to TCU! awesome experience. I got a phone call from a faculty member shortly after my interview.

[slickjaketheruler]

1 hour ago, Killerdonuts said:

I interviewed with painting at Temple and haven't heard either. I think the sculpture department is doing interviews this weekend, so maybe they have to finish all the interviews before they send out acceptances. It might be financial aid related. Just a guess. ?

When I met with the printmaking department head at Tyler, he explained to me that they really don't like to offer admissions unless they are able to give some sort of financial aid. So their process tends be long, since they apply for fellowships on the students behalf to the Dean and university as a whole before sending any sort of notice of acceptance. They try to prioritize students they can give funding to. He explained to me that the process of applying for funding can take close to 4-6 weeks to hear back from the Dean of the university. 

I hope that might ease your mind of the wondering by any chance why you haven't heard back. It's probably because they are still weighing their options of who they can give that aid to.

[mari11]

20 hours ago, SocialKonstruct said:

About the article, there is no doubt that if your goal to make it "big" in the contemporary art world, going to the top 10 MFA programs is pretty much it. With exceptions of Rutgers and a few others.

I definitely don't have any illusions about making it "big," I don't think my work is of the type that really does that ( :  but I do have the goal of eventually having enough of a career to be able to show regularly and to have spaces to exhibit installation work...Thanks for your feedback!

[SocialKonstruct]

2 hours ago, NoraEllie said:

Jeez, the thing is that success isn’t promised after Columbia as it all depends on the artist but to take a risk with being in 6 figure debt, god no.

It could be a matter of perspective. Let's imagine a scenario here. If you were a curator for the Whitney Biennial would you be more likely to select from Columbia or RISD or someone from University of North Texas.

Granted, six figure debt is bad but if you were in law school or medical school that debt would be much larger :o.

[CSElli]

I just finished my Hunter interview... and it went great! Andrea Blum and Tom Weaver asked thought provoking questions and were great listeners. I was required to screen share five images and walk them through the work. They had great follow-up questions and while they were on a time crunch, they were very polite about it. I asked almost all the same questions as I did in my MICA interview and they responded very positively. Even letting me know that if enough students are interested in a new program (like inviting alumni back for artist talks) then they are open to it. The interview was short (20 minutes) but the time felt valuable to me. I feel inspired and I may even start a new painting today!
If anyone has a Hunter interview coming up, I hope you have a similar experience! 

[123123435]

31 minutes ago, SocialKonstruct said:

It could be a matter of perspective. Let's imagine a scenario here. If you were a curator for the Whitney Biennial would you be more likely to select from Columbia or RISD or someone from University of North Texas.

Granted, six figure debt is bad but if you were in law school or medical school that debt would be much larger :o.

I know this is a cliche, but if the work is that good, I can easily imagine the artist from North Texas getting the pick.

Something else: if youre cool yourself, I really don't think you need to go to a cool school. That's to say, I think image matters, but I don't think you need to rely on a brand name school for that image.

Edited February 27, 2021 by 123123435

[rororiroor]

any word from columbia photo for anybody?

[SocialKonstruct]

30 minutes ago, rororiroor said:

any word from columbia photo for anybody?

Asking to be specific. Columbia University or Columbia College? One is in NYC and the other in IL.