Critical/Visual & Curatorial Studies - Fall 2021

[Dottie]

Has anyone even anecdotally heard of a MODA admissions decision being released this year? I think it's kind of unacceptable to have people wait until May! And my application /still/ just said "submitted"

 

I've heard from everywhere else! A bit fed up 

[gennie]

17 hours ago, gogomaddy said:

Hey I’ve done a zoom interview with CCS earlier this month. I think it went well and having a set deadline (mar 31) makes the waiting doable. I’m kinda letting my hopes down for MODA. Any news?

Any idea if all final candidates were required to interview? Or if they have in past years?

 

Did they say you’d know precisely on March 31, or by then? This is frustrating because there are other programs that require a declaration and tuition deposit by April 1, so if MODA admissions decisions aren’t sent out until March 31... It takes time to work with financial aid departments... 

 

Fingers crossed for you! ???

Edited March 18, 2021 by gennie
Misspelling

[gennie]

3 hours ago, Dottie said:

Has anyone even anecdotally heard of a MODA admissions decision being released this year? I think it's kind of unacceptable to have people wait until May! And my application /still/ just said "submitted"

 

I've heard from everywhere else! A bit fed up 

Did you apply to Bard? I haven’t heard from them yet... ?

[brubrews]

I just saw someone log an acceptance to the art history masters program at Columbia today. Not sure about MODA. My plan is to call them in a week if I still haven't heard back. SAIC has an April first deadline which is just cruel.

[gennie]

3 minutes ago, brubrews said:

I just saw someone log an acceptance to the art history masters program at Columbia today. Not sure about MODA. My plan is to call them in a week if I still haven't heard back. SAIC has an April first deadline which is just cruel.

From what I’ve heard, the deadlines are strategic, especially Bard/CU/SAIC. Those three programs, in particular, compete for a lot of the same applicants. Having those deadlines is designed to force applicants’ hands, either by declaring before they’ve received all their admissions decisions, or by not declaring and betting they’ll be made an offer (or better offer) from another program. Unbelievably frustrating. 

[Calvin4w]

Hi all, I applied to the Courtauld and Bard CCS after deferring an offer from last fall for the MA contemporary art theory program at Goldsmiths. Rejected from Courtauld last month, interviewed for Bard 10 days ago and received an offer today. I got the sense that they try to interview all final candidates because they suggested a bunch of different days for the interview and kept it very tight at 30 min per interview, seemed like they conducted many interviews. They also gave me till April 15th to confirm my spot.
Hopefully that offers some clarity! Also, when I was applying last year, I reached out to some programs I hadn’t heard from when deadlines for others were approaching. Though the reply was often disappointing (rejection or no decision yet) I think it’s a very reasonable email to send. Good luck!

... Can’t believe I’m going to choose rural New York over London.

[gennie]

28 minutes ago, Calvin4w said:

Hi all, I applied to the Courtauld and Bard CCS after deferring an offer from last fall for the MA contemporary art theory program at Goldsmiths. Rejected from Courtauld last month, interviewed for Bard 10 days ago and received an offer today. I got the sense that they try to interview all final candidates because they suggested a bunch of different days for the interview and kept it very tight at 30 min per interview, seemed like they conducted many interviews. They also gave me till April 15th to confirm my spot.
Hopefully that offers some clarity! Also, when I was applying last year, I reached out to some programs I hadn’t heard from when deadlines for others were approaching. Though the reply was often disappointing (rejection or no decision yet) I think it’s a very reasonable email to send. Good luck!

... Can’t believe I’m going to choose rural New York over London.

Congratulations!! ? Bard is a FANTASTIC program and the campus is *gorgeous* (much prettier than London imo lol). Sending vibes your way for much success at CCS! 

How were you notified? (Phone, email, etc.)

 

[Calvin4w]

11 minutes ago, gennie said:

Congratulations!! ? Bard is a FANTASTIC program and the campus is *gorgeous* (much prettier than London imo lol). Sending vibes your way for much success at CCS! 

How were you notified? (Phone, email, etc.)

 

Haha thank you, I’m not ready to go back to those winters having spent the past year in California after 4 years of undergrad in Chicago. 
 

I received an automated email saying there was an update on my application portal, I also received an email later during the day from the administrative assistant notifying me

[Dottie]

Heard from Bard yesterday, same process as w @Calvin4w

 

And I'm also deciding between Goldsmiths and Bard! Have you been to Goldsmiths' campus? I've never been to either campus ! 

[Calvin4w]

@DottieOh wow no way, congrats! I’m assuming you are deciding between CCS and goldsmiths mfa curating? 
 

and no, I have not been to either! I spent a semester in london fall 2018 and have wanted to go back ever since. I was pretty set on goldsmiths (and London) but applied to CCS because it fits my interests way too well, wasn’t really expecting anything since I only graduated last year and don’t have a lot of practical experience.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Calvin4w

[gennie]

Still waiting......... *sigh* ?

[jddg]

longtime lurker here... as I'm also waiting to hear from MODA before making a final decision (basically told by CCS Bard I'm waitlisted, though no final decision – interview went well), the wait has been disheartening, to say the least. But on the other hand, I've heard that Columbia GSAS has been generally slow to release admissions this year, for whatever reason (strikes, increased applications, pandemic, etc). Using this time to discuss programs I've already been accepted into with POIs and likely emailing Columbia at the end of the week if I don't hear back, FWIW. 

[gennie]

1 hour ago, jddg said:

longtime lurker here... as I'm also waiting to hear from MODA before making a final decision (basically told by CCS Bard I'm waitlisted, though no final decision – interview went well), the wait has been disheartening, to say the least. But on the other hand, I've heard that Columbia GSAS has been generally slow to release admissions this year, for whatever reason (strikes, increased applications, pandemic, etc). Using this time to discuss programs I've already been accepted into with POIs and likely emailing Columbia at the end of the week if I don't hear back, FWIW. 

Yeah, I think I’m going to call/email if I don’t hear anything by mid-week. I just received a special scholarship from another program — essentially a full-ride, which is a really big deal for me at this particular time in my life — but it’s contingent on an answer sooner than I thought, so I can’t wait much longer to hear from other programs.

[jddg]

28 minutes ago, gennie said:

Yeah, I think I’m going to call/email if I don’t hear anything by mid-week. I just received a special scholarship from another program — essentially a full-ride, which is a really big deal for me at this particular time in my life — but it’s contingent on an answer sooner than I thought, so I can’t wait much longer to hear from other programs.

Yes I feel you! To be more transparent: I'm already based in NYC, so the more conventional MA Art History program at Hunter appeals to me most right now, in terms of cost/life change to quality ratio, but that deadline is also rapidly approaching on April 1. Of the other three acceptances I received, seriously considering UChicago's oft-derided MAPH program based on funding I received (31k) and faculty (prob best fit of all programs I applied to), but weighing the obvious drawbacks and additional living expenses of moving short-term. Fortunately, my building has already agreed to sublet my apartment for a year, so at least I could hold onto some Manhattan real estate at pandemic pricing for the MAPH year, hahaha.. Regardless, please update us if you get some response from Columbia before the rest of us, it's been agonizing wondering if the lack of response means probable rejection/waitlist or the GSAS dean has just been slow to send emails...I feel that I'm a great candidate for that program, but it could just go either way in a competitive year. I'll keep you all posted as well. 

[gogomaddy]

On 3/19/2021 at 8:46 AM, gennie said:

Any idea if all final candidates were required to interview? Or if they have in past years?

 

Did they say you’d know precisely on March 31, or by then? This is frustrating because there are other programs that require a declaration and tuition deposit by April 1, so if MODA admissions decisions aren’t sent out until March 31... It takes time to work with financial aid departments... 

 

Fingers crossed for you! ???

Thank you so much! I also heard from Bard last Friday same process as w @Calvin4w and @Dottie!!

CCS is my dream program so I saved my spot asap. I’m currently waiting on my financial aid though.

CU sucks for taking this long but Its really nice you got an offer at SAIC already. 

 

Fingers crossed for you on whatever may come!!! ???

[gogomaddy]

On 3/19/2021 at 11:10 PM, Dottie said:

Heard from Bard yesterday, same process as w @Calvin4w

 

And I'm also deciding between Goldsmiths and Bard! Have you been to Goldsmiths' campus? I've never been to either campus ! 

@Dottie I’ve been to the ‘spaghetti’ building of Goldsmiths and saw some MFA degree shows in 2012. It’s a long time ago, the arty vibe and everything seemed very charming but I personally find the English university’s administrative procedure hard to rely on...  Not Goldsmiths but I have a friend who got in to MFA Photography at RCA last Fall, she suffered immensely due to the office’s poor response, plus they didn’t even gave the candidates to defer a year due to the pandemic. (fyi neither of us are English)

My knowledge is limited to the MFA studio programs though. Have no clue about how the curatorial program works. 

 

Congrats on getting in to both programs tho!!!!! ?  ? 

[gennie]

9 minutes ago, gogomaddy said:

Thank you so much! I also heard from Bard last Friday same process as w @Calvin4w and @Dottie!!

CCS is my dream program so I saved my spot asap. I’m currently waiting on my financial aid though.

CU sucks for taking this long but Its really nice you got an offer at SAIC already. 

 

Fingers crossed for you on whatever may come!!! ???

Congrats on CCS!! ?

CU is my AM, so I’m suuuuuperrr anxious to hear from them, lol. I would be over the moon if I had the opportunity to go back! But if I go to SAIC I’ll have a studio, which is a huge incentive for me because I wouldn’t have that elsewhere. One of my undergrad degrees is in studio art— It seems like most applicants come from art history backgrounds, though?? Dunno. Still haven’t heard anything from Bard— It’s the not knowing either way that’s tough! ?

[Calvin4w]

On 3/21/2021 at 9:48 PM, jddg said:

Yes I feel you! To be more transparent: I'm already based in NYC, so the more conventional MA Art History program at Hunter appeals to me most right now, in terms of cost/life change to quality ratio, but that deadline is also rapidly approaching on April 1. Of the other three acceptances I received, seriously considering UChicago's oft-derided MAPH program based on funding I received (31k) and faculty (prob best fit of all programs I applied to), but weighing the obvious drawbacks and additional living expenses of moving short-term. Fortunately, my building has already agreed to sublet my apartment for a year, so at least I could hold onto some Manhattan real estate at pandemic pricing for the MAPH year, hahaha.. Regardless, please update us if you get some response from Columbia before the rest of us, it's been agonizing wondering if the lack of response means probable rejection/waitlist or the GSAS dean has just been slow to send emails...I feel that I'm a great candidate for that program, but it could just go either way in a competitive year. I'll keep you all posted as well. 

I'm a UChicago grad and would be happy to answer any questions/concerns you might have! I've taken many classes with MAPH students and am familiar with a number of people who are involved with the MAPH program and curatorial track. I also considered MAPH, in fact I would've applied in the second round if other programs didn't work out. Its reputation as a cash cow isn't exactly untrue, I think the tuition is ridiculous. However, I also think think they offer significant scholarships to more competitive students. Personally, in classes I have taken with MAPH students, they've always seemed bright and motivated. More importantly, my personal reasoning for considering MAPH was that courses are still taught by UChicago faculty, who in the English and Art History departments are exceptional. The curatorial track is much less structured than other curatorial specific programs but then again, I think an advantage of MAPH is that you can take classes from any discipline.

[Calvin4w]

14 minutes ago, gogomaddy said:

@Dottie I’ve been to the ‘spaghetti’ building of Goldsmiths and saw some MFA degree shows in 2012. It’s a long time ago, the arty vibe and everything seemed very charming but I personally find the English university’s administrative procedure hard to rely on...  Not Goldsmiths but I have a friend who got in to MFA Photography at RCA last Fall, she suffered immensely due to the office’s poor response, plus they didn’t even gave the candidates to defer a year due to the pandemic. (fyi neither of us are English)

My knowledge is limited to the MFA studio programs though. Have no clue about how the curatorial program works. 

 

Congrats on getting in to both programs tho!!!!! ?  ? 

Congrats! I'm leaning very heavily towards Bard as well, though I am not happy about not being in London lol. I emailed them with some questions about the student research trip, possible elective offerings etc. and it seems that we'll almost definitely be in person, though the trip may be postponed a while (which I don't mind because then we might go to one of the many great events that are occurring in 2022, Venice/Berlin/Documenta). @gogomaddyI'd be happy to chat more so pm me if you'd like to!

[a-c-relly]

Has anyone tried reaching out to Columbia? I emailed admissions a few days ago with no response. I'm thinking it's a no - I wish they'd just rip the band-aid already! 

[a-c-relly]

Actually they just now got back to me saying my application is still under review and that an estimated timeline for a decision isn't possible. Fun!

[brubrews]

I just got accepted. It was sent at noon. Still haven't processed it but I'm very excited!

[Dottie]

2 hours ago, brubrews said:

I just got accepted. It was sent at noon. Still haven't processed it but I'm very excited!

Congrats!!!!! Were you interviewed? 

 

This is great that they are telling people ~ let's hope everyone hears soon :^) 

Edited March 23, 2021 by Dottie

[gogomaddy]

19 hours ago, gennie said:

Congrats on CCS!! ?

CU is my AM, so I’m suuuuuperrr anxious to hear from them, lol. I would be over the moon if I had the opportunity to go back! But if I go to SAIC I’ll have a studio, which is a huge incentive for me because I wouldn’t have that elsewhere. One of my undergrad degrees is in studio art— It seems like most applicants come from art history backgrounds, though?? Dunno. Still haven’t heard anything from Bard— It’s the not knowing either way that’s tough! ?

From my experience the majority of art history MA students come from humanities background but a lot of curatorial studies students come from studio art background. Its amazing SAIC offers a studio for non-studio majors as well!! 

Fingers crossed for you!!!!????

[gogomaddy]

5 hours ago, Calvin4w said:

Congrats! I'm leaning very heavily towards Bard as well, though I am not happy about not being in London lol. I emailed them with some questions about the student research trip, possible elective offerings etc. and it seems that we'll almost definitely be in person, though the trip may be postponed a while (which I don't mind because then we might go to one of the many great events that are occurring in 2022, Venice/Berlin/Documenta). @gogomaddyI'd be happy to chat more so pm me if you'd like to!

Living in London sounds so sweet, but I think it'd be worth thinking how ldn is handling the pandemic cause it'll def not be the same as in 2018... ?

Visiting 2022 Venice/Berlin/Documenta with the whole class sounds AMAZING. I'm so looking forward to Sharjah 2022 as well!!!

I'm currently preoccupied with other immediate concerns but I'll PM you soon!!!