MFA 2021 Freak Out Forum

[TheePainter]

2 hours ago, berries said:

I got accepted but nothing regarding financial aid yet.

I got accepted to SAIC Painting recently too! Congrats! I called the Financial Aid office and they told me to check my Self Service portal since they update that periodically to show info about Aid. They just updated mine yesterday. There should be instructions on how to access it in the acceptance package. Hope that helps!

[PlzTakeME]

17 minutes ago, sunnydelightt said:

Rejected from UCLA. Check ur portals!

What does it say and where? 

[everyonelikesbubbles]

7 hours ago, wambam said:

Anybody else that’s waitlisted... how are you feeling about it? What are the chances?  When I look back at past forums it seems like people definitely get in later, but for top programs like Yale and RISD, does it happen? 

Hey wambam,

Anecdotally, it is possible to get into Yale off of the waitlist--I believe in their zoom, they said they've let someone in off the waitlist as late as August before. That said, it may be helpful to check out the yield rate of each program, which calculates [people accepted / people enrolled]. Since Yale is often considered the top program and offers good funding, their yield rate is 95% (1003 applied / 64 were admitted / 61 attended). This might just be the highest in the US  across any type of graduate program. It's stunning. Virtually everyone who is accepted decides to attend. 

Because the next best school is more debatable, changes every year in rankings, and is generally a more personal choice, the yield rate is much lower. Essentially, there is more elasticity because a top art school candidate will have several options of elite schools.

For example, look at RISD sculpture (68 applied / 18 were admitted / 5 enrolled). So for RISD sculpture to generate a full class of 5 students, they must strategically admit 18 people, likely in phases using an algorithm and through admitting people from their waitlist. So if you are on a waitlist for RISD sculpture at least, you have a good chance! 

Check out Peterson's to see more schools / programs (note most schools don't report):

https://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/rhode-island-school-of-design-division-of-fine-arts-department-of-sculpture-000_10027882.aspx

[SocialKonstruct]

1 hour ago, lizavetar96 said:

So I got in touch with the alums only from SVA (as  it is the only place I got accepted to yet) but what I did is asked the graduate adviser to link me to the alums and they immediately gave me their emails. I think if you ask the same fron UW, Tulane and Goldsmiths faculty they will be happy to oblige. (Alternatively you can find the alums whose work you like from the alum catalogues on the universities websites, but who knows if they will reply in time etc.)

Also I have been an alumni at the SVA residency last year and this year so if you want to know more about the faculty and culture there I can provide some insight.

[SocialKonstruct]

53 minutes ago, everyonelikesbubbles said:

Hey wambam,

Anecdotally, it is possible to get into Yale off of the waitlist--I believe in their zoom, they said they've let someone in off the waitlist as late as August before. That said, it may be helpful to check out the yield rate of each program, which calculates [people accepted / people enrolled]. Since Yale is often considered the top program and offers good funding, their yield rate is 95% (1003 applied / 64 were admitted / 61 attended). This might just be the highest in the US  across any type of graduate program. It's stunning. Virtually everyone who is accepted decides to attend. 

Because the next best school is more debatable, changes every year in rankings, and is generally a more personal choice, the yield rate is much lower. Essentially, there is more elasticity because a top art school candidate will have several options of elite schools.

For example, look at RISD sculpture (68 applied / 18 were admitted / 5 enrolled). So for RISD sculpture to generate a full class of 5 students, they must strategically admit 18 people, likely in phases using an algorithm and through admitting people from their waitlist. So if you are on a waitlist for RISD sculpture at least, you have a good chance! 

Check out Peterson's to see more schools / programs (note most schools don't report):

https://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/rhode-island-school-of-design-division-of-fine-arts-department-of-sculpture-000_10027882.aspx

Also UCLA is a huge mystery. I don't think anyone knows what the stats there are like. A few may argue that UCLA could surpass Yale in terms of prestige for certain things.

Edited March 6, 2021 by SocialKonstruct

[lizavetar96]

1 minute ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Also I have been an alumni at the SVA residency last year and this year so if you want to know more about the faculty and culture there I can provide some insight.

thank you! i will keep that in mind (my questions were more about the funding etc)

[SocialKonstruct]

2 minutes ago, lizavetar96 said:

thank you! i will keep that in mind (my questions were more about the funding etc)

I love SVA but my residencies were self-funding. Also I would be interested in this too as well because SVA is a strong contender on my list. I really miss NYC.

[SocialKonstruct]

By the way, I feel it's key to take some breaks from just doing application related stuff. Here is a wonderful group show (which anyone can enter) at https://www.shrine.nyc/group-show

This gives us an international cross-section of various visual styles too... what's hip and cool. And tbh, it's all over the map which I loveeeeee!

[lizavetar96]

no matter what my decision is this year I will let you know what their final funding offer will be

[SocialKonstruct]

8 minutes ago, lizavetar96 said:

thank you! i will keep that in mind (my questions were more about the funding etc)

As a small insight, I noticed that SVA MFA cohorts are with a huge fraction of Asian students (not Asian-Americans) which suggests that China and the East have a strong economic power. I suspect (no clue) that many of them have no issue paying for their SVA MFA programs without any scholarships or funding (or probably minimal).

Also as future artists we cannot ignore the power of the Chinese art market. Despite their human rights violations and cultural issues, many of the young hot collectors are hungering for all types of Western art styles and tbh, I feel strongly that working an art practice that accomodates their interests and tastes ought to be a good factor for contemporary works.

Edited March 6, 2021 by SocialKonstruct

[lizavetar96]

Abso-fucking-lutely. 

This was one of the things that the SVA alumni had told me about on the phone when I contacted them (and something I have noticed while looking through the alumni catalogue) and I came to the same conclusion as you do. 

It does say a lot about the way admin deals with funding-related issues for need-based students....

[SocialKonstruct]

Just now, lizavetar96 said:

Abso-fucking-lutely. 

This was one of the things that the SVA alumni had told me about on the phone when I contacted them (and something I have noticed while looking through the alumni catalogue) and I came to the same conclusion as you do. 

It does say a lot about the way admin deals with funding-related issues for need-based students....

Apart from funding, I honestly would love to be in that type of cultural environment despite funding. As the oddball Asian-American Muslim dude around SLC, to be hanging out for two years with Asian influences would be nice. Even my taking a Buddhist art class this semester doesn't make up for the lack of exposure to Asian contemporary ideas and styles. And I want to look at everything. When I enter my MFA in 2023, I want to have a clean slate and start fresh with a reset button.

[wambam]

2 hours ago, everyonelikesbubbles said:

Hey wambam,

Anecdotally, it is possible to get into Yale off of the waitlist--I believe in their zoom, they said they've let someone in off the waitlist as late as August before. That said, it may be helpful to check out the yield rate of each program, which calculates [people accepted / people enrolled]. Since Yale is often considered the top program and offers good funding, their yield rate is 95% (1003 applied / 64 were admitted / 61 attended). This might just be the highest in the US  across any type of graduate program. It's stunning. Virtually everyone who is accepted decides to attend. 

Because the next best school is more debatable, changes every year in rankings, and is generally a more personal choice, the yield rate is much lower. Essentially, there is more elasticity because a top art school candidate will have several options of elite schools.

For example, look at RISD sculpture (68 applied / 18 were admitted / 5 enrolled). So for RISD sculpture to generate a full class of 5 students, they must strategically admit 18 people, likely in phases using an algorithm and through admitting people from their waitlist. So if you are on a waitlist for RISD sculpture at least, you have a good chance! 

Check out Peterson's to see more schools / programs (note most schools don't report):

https://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/rhode-island-school-of-design-division-of-fine-arts-department-of-sculpture-000_10027882.aspx

Yeah, odds for Yale are low like I assumed.  Might be worth applying again next year if you’re waitlisted I would think... they know your work, they like you enough to interview, it’s got to raise your chances next time!

[geeeeebie]

15 hours ago, Scrambledmegs said:

So I was rejected from Yale after interviewing which is really hard obviously. 
I’m trying to see the bright side though. I have acceptances to UW and goldsmiths and I also was accepted to Tulane today. I feel like I’m leaning towards Tulane because they are funded with a stipend.   They are definitely encouraging me to decide soon too. If anyone has any advice please let me know. 

SO sorry to hear about your rejection but HUGE congrats on Tulane. it is soooo competitive, and totally free and such an honor to get in!!! Amazing for you!

[dramallama_07]

1 hour ago, lizavetar96 said:

Abso-fucking-lutely. 

This was one of the things that the SVA alumni had told me about on the phone when I contacted them (and something I have noticed while looking through the alumni catalogue) and I came to the same conclusion as you do. 

It does say a lot about the way admin deals with funding-related issues for need-based students....

Thats disheartening. What else did the alum tell you? I too noticed that most students were Asian but couldnt figure out why lol.

But yeah I definitely for one would need at least 40percent scholarship to be able to afford it.

[geeeeebie]

 

11 minutes ago, dramallama_07 said:

Thats disheartening. What else did the alum tell you? I too noticed that most students were Asian but couldnt figure out why lol.

But yeah I definitely for one would need at least 40percent scholarship to be able to afford it.

My partner attended SVA for undergrad and said they do massive advertising in Asia to pull in wealthy international students who need no aid. As someone mentioned here, its a for-profit school, and most folks I know that went there said it FEELS for profit. It feels like youre there to make them money. 

Edited March 6, 2021 by geeeeebie

[dramallama_07]

Just now, geeeeebie said:

Also, accepted to Purchase today! 

My partner attended SVA for undergrad and said they do massive advertising in Asia to pull in wealthy international students who need no aid. As someone mentioned here, its a for-profit school, and most folks I know that went there said it FEELS for profit. It feels like youre there to make them money. 

Can you expand on the last part wherein you said it feels for profit? Does that mean they lack quality education? Or contrarily that they promote you a lot in their networks?

[lizavetar96]

Just now, dramallama_07 said:

Thats disheartening. What else did the alum tell you? I too noticed that most students were Asian but couldnt figure out why lol.

But yeah I definitely for one would need at least 40percent scholarship to be able to afford it.

Please do not get me wrong - I feel like I am sounding like a raging racist here - I think inclusion should be at the forefront of the MFA programs both at the cohort side and at the faculty (it is horrible to see that for example none of the program I applied to have no black faculty at_all, I have noticed only one Asian professor and USC has been the only school with Latinx faculty) - but my conjecture is (and I will be glad to be proven wrong) is that SVA might be accepting a lot of Asian students from high-economic backgrounds, so yes, we are getting cultural diversity but at the same time are getting very upper-class cohort coming from very wealthy families, which is_not_what_inclusion_is_about, at least for me. 

[geeeeebie]

1 minute ago, dramallama_07 said:

Can you expand on the last part wherein you said it feels for profit? Does that mean they lack quality education? Or contrarily that they promote you a lot in their networks?

Hmm... from my understanding, it was that they have a lot of big name professors who don't really care about teaching. So you have access to big names, but they are not dedicated to you. And that every little thing is an extra charge, and what you get for your money is not a lot. I don't personally know what the studios look like and my partner was in illustration, but his studio was a cubicle. Now, you only really need a cubicle for illustration maybe but.. thats in comparison to my experience where illustration got studios same size as fine arts students, and they were all large. I also had a friend do a residency there with the same complaints - fancy professors who were never around or willing to help, meh access to facilities, a huge fee, etc etc. None of the professors from that program were even willing to write her a recommendation. 

SO you're paying for access, to be in NY, to be around the professors, but not necessarily for rigor or building a long lasting community. 

[katfude]

5 minutes ago, geeeeebie said:

Also, accepted to Purchase today! 

My partner attended SVA for undergrad and said they do massive advertising in Asia to pull in wealthy international students who need no aid. As someone mentioned here, its a for-profit school, and most folks I know that went there said it FEELS for profit. It feels like youre there to make them money. 

This is pretty common at a lot of schools tbh, and becoming more and more common each year specifically for the promise of wealthy international students needing no aid, which is then supposedly supposed to give schools the ability to have more funding for US students. 

[dramallama_07]

2 minutes ago, lizavetar96 said:

Please do not get me wrong - I feel like I am sounding like a raging racist here - I think inclusion should be at the forefront of the MFA programs both at the cohort side and at the faculty (it is horrible to see that for example none of the program I applied to have no black faculty at_all, I have noticed only one Asian professor and USC has been the only school with Latinx faculty) - but my conjecture is (and I will be glad to be proven wrong) is that SVA might be accepting a lot of Asian students from high-economic backgrounds, so yes, we are getting cultural diversity but at the same time are getting very upper-class cohort coming from very wealthy families, which is_not_what_inclusion_is_about, at least for me. 

Well I understand you perfectly and I just wished there would've been more diversity in the sense if there could be more black or Hispanic people too because that wouldve been a more diverse experience; And I especially say this keeping myself in mind since I'm Asian too and would love to have a cohort with people from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures too. But yeah I'm definitely not as wealthy as these students and would def need some aid.

Did the alum mention what percentage aid do they give out?

[hsag]

4 hours ago, Rsrs said:

Rejected after interviewing at Yale sculpture  they only had 4 spots this year.

has anyone heard back from UCLA and Columbia? If so which departments? 

Applied for Interdisciplinary Studio at UCLA and have heard nothing at all (no interview). I know it's probably healthier to assume rejection at this point, but the fact that they don't interview every finalist still gives me some (perhaps naive) hope. 

And 45 min ago I just had my interview for New Genres at Columbia, I felt it went quite good. Don't know when I'll hear back.

(Edit: Sorry, I don't know if this is helpful regarding sculpture department, perhaps not)

Edited March 6, 2021 by hsag
more info

[hsag]

3 hours ago, sunnydelightt said:

Rejected from UCLA. Check ur portals!

Nothing yet for me.

[dramallama_07]

6 minutes ago, geeeeebie said:

Hmm... from my understanding, it was that they have a lot of big name professors who don't really care about teaching. So you have access to big names, but they are not dedicated to you. And that every little thing is an extra charge, and what you get for your money is not a lot. I don't personally know what the studios look like and my partner was in illustration, but his studio was a cubicle. Now, you only really need a cubicle for illustration maybe but.. thats in comparison to my experience where illustration got studios same size as fine arts students, and they were all large. I also had a friend do a residency there with the same complaints - fancy professors who were never around or willing to help, meh access to facilities, a huge fee, etc etc. None of the professors from that program were even willing to write her a recommendation. 

SO you're paying for access, to be in NY, to be around the professors, but not necessarily for rigor or building a long lasting community. 

Well that is very disheartening to hear esp. since I was really considering the Fine Arts program due to some big name faculties like Tsibi Geva, Laurel Nakadate, Kameelah Rashid, Jasmine Wahi etc (if you've even heard of them)

In any case, would you or someone else happen to know the case with Parsons Fine Arts? Is it for-profit too? And are the faculty over there as callous?

[lizavetar96]

Just now, dramallama_07 said:

Well I understand you perfectly and I just wished there would've been more diversity in the sense if there could be more black or Hispanic people too because that wouldve been a more diverse experience; And I especially say this keeping myself in mind since I'm Asian too and would love to have a cohort with people from all kinds of backgrounds and cultures too. But yeah I'm definitely not as wealthy as these students and would def need some aid.

Did the alum mention what percentage aid do they give out?

I totally second your sentiment about black and Hispanic students. 

Did you receive the brochure from the chair about the departmental assistanships? So this is the only way to get aid from school in my understanding -- applying to an assistanship where you work in a certain department (they are highly competitive positions) and if you get a part time assistanship you get a quarter of a tuition off, and if you get a full time (I think it is 20 hours a week) you get half tuition off. If you did not get a brochure for some reason email them NOW to apply. (it also would be incredibly weird if they did not send it to you). 

but as far as i know - there is no other funding at all