Fall 2021

[Hedonismbot2000]

13 hours ago, jondewitt said:

I think it went ok? I feel like self-assessment is difficult unless you did an extremely good job, and I can't say if I did lol

In addition to the expected interview questions like "why our program," many were highly specific to my interests and the interview felt like a formal Q&A with some conversational stuff sprinkled in. I heard that many programs will have interviews that are much more conversational and designed to specifically gauge for personality compatibility (i.e., you're basically in and they want to make sure you're not going to be a pain to work with or teach). But this one was definitely also geared towards seeing a goodness of academic fit. My POI was there as well and asked a couple of questions, but it's now up to the selection committee to make a decision. The interview was also capped at 30 minutes, which is no time at all if you're trying to impress a selection committee AND ask your own questions.

I know the IFA is severely cutting its incoming PhD class so I fully prepped myself to be rejected and I'm just happy to have made it this far. @wookie55 did you get an interview too?

@jondewitt how did you know that the IFA was cutting its class size? I didn't see anything to that end on their website. Was it a rumor/grapevine thing?

And @wookie55 damn that's crazy (re: record-breaking applications to the IFA). Did the prof give you any indication why? My guess is that museum, non-profit, and gallery jobs have dried up so severely that everyone is flocking to grad school. I'm told it was a similar situation after the '08 crash.

[wookie55]

@Hedonismbot2000 Yep it's all gone wild - the profs I spoke to in the fall told me that they were reducing class sizes. Almost all the programs I applied to reduced their class sizes substantially...

[AM20128]

Long time lurker, first time poster and all that.

I applied to 7 PhD programs this year, including Michigan and WashU st. Louis (both of which, from what I'm hearing, I can assume I'm not getting in or I'd have heard something by now.)

I also had an interview at the IFA this week. As a previous poster mentioned, it was a bit like a panel discussion and they were definitely asking pointed questions.

Re: questions about the IFA's application boom and reduced cohort--I got my MA there a few years ago, so I was able to ask my old advisor about it: they are only taking 5 this year (normally 12) and they definitely got an avalanche of applications. I'd say that's a combination of fewer museum/gallery jobs and lots of people who are deciding to make big life changes as well as the fact that several other top schools aren't accepting applications (I was waitlisted at UPenn last year and was really disappointed not to be able to give it another go this year.)

Anyway, I hope that this is helpful in any way! Good luck to everyone!

[hollydaycheer]

longtime lurker, first-time poster, etc etc

did anyone here apply to smu? :/ it's my top choice and i haven't heard anything yet. do these things happen all at once or in multiple rounds? best of luck to everyone!! what a crazy year to be applying haha

[Maple1eaf]

3 hours ago, hollydaycheer said:

longtime lurker, first-time poster, etc etc

did anyone here apply to smu? ? it's my top choice and i haven't heard anything yet. do these things happen all at once or in multiple rounds? best of luck to everyone!! what a crazy year to be applying haha

Yes, multiple rounds. Usually some applicants receive interviews in january and then get acceptance in early Feb. There is another uptick in mid February and then again at the end of Feb/beginning of March. This usually happens because programs are trying to gauge how many accepted applicants will immediately respond vs. those they reject/put on the waitlist. 

[SavannahW]

Hey all! I submitted applications to the PHD programs at USC, UCSB, UCLA, and Michigan, and the MA programs at American University, and Illinois. Also applied to the curatorial studies MFA at the University of Kentucky, where I got my bachelors. Wondering if anyone has applied to these programs and has hear anything back from them. So far I have only heard from American University, and got in, but haven't been informed about the funding package yet. I've seen on here that some people have heard from Michigan and USC, can anyone confirm that? Thanks and good luck to everyone ❤️

 

 

[a-c-relly]

Hey everyone! Has anyone heard back from UMD? I interviewed in early January for a terminal MA, and it's been radio silence. I'm assuming based on previous seasons that it's a rejection. 

Also, any other Tufts applicants? :)Good luck, all!

[Smln]

9 minutes ago, a-c-relly said:

Hey everyone! Has anyone heard back from UMD? I interviewed in early January for a terminal MA, and it's been radio silence. I'm assuming based on previous seasons that it's a rejection. 

Also, any other Tufts applicants? :)Good luck, all!

Hi, I have applied to Tufts, have not heard from them.

[a-c-relly]

1 hour ago, SavannahW said:

Hey all! I submitted applications to the PHD programs at USC, UCSB, UCLA, and Michigan, and the MA programs at American University, and Illinois. Also applied to the curatorial studies MFA at the University of Kentucky, where I got my bachelors. Wondering if anyone has applied to these programs and has hear anything back from them. So far I have only heard from American University, and got in, but haven't been informed about the funding package yet. I've seen on here that some people have heard from Michigan and USC, can anyone confirm that? Thanks and good luck to everyone ❤️

 

 

Hey! I also heard back from American. They said they haven't begun determining merit funding as of now! Fingers crossed we hear soon. 

[naixx]

On 1/20/2021 at 2:42 PM, ebp said:

I haven't heard anytrhing at all yet, but I got slightly stressed out by the Duke interview on the Results board (I applied to that program as well). 

Hi! Finally, have you received an email or an invitation?

[ebp]

I still haven’t heard anything from Duke at all, but I did have a big day: Columbia interview invite and a Harvard admit!! I got an email to view the portal.

[ClassicsCandidate]

1 minute ago, ebp said:

I still haven’t heard anything from Duke at all, but I did have a big day: Columbia interview invite and a Harvard admit!! I got an email to view the portal.

Congrats!! ?

[ebp]

Thank you so much!

[lingc35]

34 minutes ago, ebp said:

I still haven’t heard anything from Duke at all, but I did have a big day: Columbia interview invite and a Harvard admit!! I got an email to view the portal.

I also have a Columbia interview and was just accepted at Harvard! Good luck on Columbia and I suppose I'll see you on zoom whenever Harvard has an open day etc ha 

[ebp]

2 minutes ago, lingc35 said:

I also have a Columbia interview and was just accepted at Harvard! Good luck on Columbia and I suppose I'll see you on zoom whenever Harvard has an open day etc ha 

Congrats to you! Will this be the second interview with Columbia for you? 
(And yeah, hope to see you!)

 

[lingc35]

2 minutes ago, ebp said:

Congrats to you! Will this be the second interview with Columbia for you? 
(And yeah, hope to see you!)

 

Technically the third which is odd. I had two separate informal chats with POIs who are not on the committee a couple of weeks ago and so now this is my first chat with AdCom. Honestly, who knows what could happen but based on what people have told me its pretty likely that we're in. They also don't have a waitlist this year FYI, not sure if you had heard that 

[ebp]

Yeah, that’s so bizarre. Especially since it seems like they’ve rarely done interviews in previous years. I’ve heard absolutely nothing, so that is all news to me. Thanks for the heads up. 

[RomeSweetRome]

7 hours ago, SavannahW said:

I've seen on here that some people have heard from Michigan and USC, can anyone confirm that? 

Hi, I've heard from both. Interview for Michigan at the end of February and acceptance to USC w/ invite to virtual recruitment event in March. Hoping for good news for you!

Edited February 10, 2021 by RomeSweetRome

[Smln]

To those accepted to Harvard: congrats, you are awesome! ? What are your fields?

[lingc35]

7 hours ago, Smln said:

To those accepted to Harvard: congrats, you are awesome! ? What are your fields?

Modern and Contemporary, focus on time-based media and photography oddly enough. Definitely wasn't thinking it was a great fit but I guess I was wrong! 

[Smln]

Just now, lingc35 said:

Modern and Contemporary, focus on time-based media and photography oddly enough. Definitely wasn't thinking it was a great fit but I guess I was wrong! 

Cool!) Thank you so much for sharing! And good luck!

[hmci]

19 hours ago, Smln said:

Hi, I have applied to Tufts, have not heard from them.

I usually just prefer to lurk, but thought I would let you know as a current Tufts student that the earliest they typically inform people is in March, so its normal to not hear from them!

I applied to UMD, BU, and McGill for my PhD this year and have yet to hear anything.

[Smln]

21 minutes ago, hmci said:

I usually just prefer to lurk, but thought I would let you know as a current Tufts student that the earliest they typically inform people is in March, so its normal to not hear from them!

I applied to UMD, BU, and McGill for my PhD this year and have yet to hear anything.

Thank you! Quite late, would I say. I have applied to a few PhD programs (Stanford, NYU, Harvard, Wisconsin, hahaha) and funded MA's (Williams, Tufts, Tulane, Case, ISM at Yale). And CEU in Vienna, Medieval studies.

[ebp]

7 hours ago, Smln said:

To those accepted to Harvard: congrats, you are awesome! ? What are your fields?

Thank you! My field is African Diaspora (20th Century/Francophone) 

[Smln]

Just now, ebp said:

Thank you! My field is African Diaspora (20th Century/Francophone) 

Thanks a lot! Just being curious!