From Art History to UCLA MLIS

[Aplanck]

Hi all! first post -

I was accepted to the UCLA MLIS program under archival studies! I have a BA in Art History and have also been accepted to MA Art History programs at other colleges.  Trying to find what is right for me. Anyone have experience with the MLIS program who has an interest in art and museum work/special collections? I haven't really seen any posts about the UCLA MLIS except from several years ago. Anyone wanting to also connect who's in the program I would love to talk about it! Thanks!

Edited March 9, 2021 by Aplanck

[pointlessusername]

Congrats on your acceptance!

I am also applying to the MLIS program but I havent received a decision yet. I am doing my best to stay calm since they said I would have an answer by mid march. I am curious to know if you could share how they reached out to you. Was it through email and, is so, what did it look like? Anything you'd be comfortable sharing would be helpful. 

Edited March 10, 2021 by pointlessusername

[Aplanck]

1 hour ago, pointlessusername said:

Congrats on your acceptance!

I am also applying to the MLIS program but I havent received a decision yet. I am doing my best to stay calm since they said I would have an answer by mid march. I am curious to know if you could share how they reached out to you. Was it through email and, is so, what did it look like? Anything you'd be comfortable sharing would be helpful. 

Hi!! thank you!

Stay calm!! They're supposed to be sending out emails this week! I only accidentally found out because I got a letter in my junkmail about my prospective cost of attendance and provisional financial award! I had to email the department being like - did i get in...? They told me yes, sorry for the mixup, and that I would be receiving a departmental email sometime this week!  

What focus did you apply under? Fingers crossed!

 

[pointlessusername]

27 minutes ago, Aplanck said:

Hi!! thank you!

Stay calm!! They're supposed to be sending out emails this week! I only accidentally found out because I got a letter in my junkmail about my prospective cost of attendance and provisional financial award! I had to email the department being like - did i get in...? They told me yes, sorry for the mixup, and that I would be receiving a departmental email sometime this week!  

What focus did you apply under? Fingers crossed!

 

Thanks for the reassurance! I gotta admit I have been lowkey panicking the last few days from waiting to hear so hearing that decisions had only ramped that up my anxiety all while I'm still worrying about finishing up my undergrad. That's pretty funny that you found out accidentally but I am jealous you benefited through the mix up. I applied for the Media Archives Specialization myself since I want to work in special archives and collections. Though something I have heard is you have some room to explore your interests so who knows where I'll end up. 

[Aplanck]

23 minutes ago, pointlessusername said:

Thanks for the reassurance! I gotta admit I have been lowkey panicking the last few days from waiting to hear so hearing that decisions had only ramped that up my anxiety all while I'm still worrying about finishing up my undergrad. That's pretty funny that you found out accidentally but I am jealous you benefited through the mix up. I applied for the Media Archives Specialization myself since I want to work in special archives and collections. Though something I have heard is you have some room to explore your interests so who knows where I'll end up. 

Yes don't panic! I couldn't imagine applying for grad school while I was in my undergrad so I can only feel for you seeing as how nervous I am as it is! I'll post back on here as soon as I get the ACTUAL email, if that helps any. How wonderful! Yeah I am between programs right now trying to weigh my options. I'm a little nervous about the MLIS because I don't really have a lot of like tech or digital experience and am hoping to navigate the program to work for my interests also! I applied for the Archival Science portion with the goal of getting back into museum work/special collections - hoping it will give me an extra edge when applying for jobs and or fellowships after grad!

[met221]

Do you think I should be concerned if I still haven't heard back from UCLA yet? I don't want to seem needy and reach out to them for an update but I can see that more people on the results page are getting decisions while my portal status still only says submitted. Congratulations BTW, maybe we'll be classmates!!

[Aplanck]

1 hour ago, met221 said:

Do you think I should be concerned if I still haven't heard back from UCLA yet? I don't want to seem needy and reach out to them for an update but I can see that more people on the results page are getting decisions while my portal status still only says submitted. Congratulations BTW, maybe we'll be classmates!!

Hi!!! Fingers crossed for you ! I would definitely reach out to the department they seem really nice and often reply pretty quickly. I talked to Amy Gershon. I just received the notice from the school I was accepted today finally, but still yet to get a departmental email so I’m wondering if they are behind. It never hurts to ask I would definitely shoot them an email! 

[pointlessusername]

2 hours ago, met221 said:

Do you think I should be concerned if I still haven't heard back from UCLA yet? I don't want to seem needy and reach out to them for an update but I can see that more people on the results page are getting decisions while my portal status still only says submitted. Congratulations BTW, maybe we'll be classmates!!

I am glad I am not the only one in this boat since I still haven't heard a decision either. I'm taking that as a potential good sign that we are still just waiting. Personally, and even though it kills me, I was going to wait to send out an email until after the weekend since they technically said "mid-March". If you do reach out to them please let us know what they said. In the meantime, all my best wishes and hopes that we make it in. 

[cartof]

On 3/12/2021 at 4:59 PM, pointlessusername said:

I am glad I am not the only one in this boat since I still haven't heard a decision either. I'm taking that as a potential good sign that we are still just waiting. Personally, and even though it kills me, I was going to wait to send out an email until after the weekend since they technically said "mid-March". If you do reach out to them please let us know what they said. In the meantime, all my best wishes and hopes that we make it in. 

I sent an email asking about the decision timeline since I have other school that need decisions from me soon. It's been almost two weeks and still no response, so I would send an email early because they might take a while to reply.

[cartof]

I just got accepted! Maybe we'll be classmates in the fall

[pointlessusername]

 

9 minutes ago, cartof said:

I just got accepted! Maybe we'll be classmates in the fall

I just got the email too! Congratulations! Whats your specialization? Just wondering though cause the email I received said I was enter into the grad division website but I don't know what url that's referring to. Would you have any idea or is it that the application site? I don't see any updates on that one so maybe it takes a day...

[cartof]

Just now, pointlessusername said:

 

I just got the email too! Congratulations! Whats your specialization? Just wondering though cause the email I received said I was enter into the grad division website but I don't know what url that's referring to. Would you have any idea or is it that the application site? I don't see any updates on that one so maybe it takes a day...

I applied for the Library Studies specialization, but I think I want to change to the Rare Books / Print and Visual Culture specialization instead lol. Not sure about the website part.

[Aplanck]

Oh yay congrats everyone!!! I’m really leaning towards UCLA as of right now so hopefully we will be classmates! As far as the program goes I heard it’s really really fluid in terms of choosing your specialization or changing as you go. I think they really only have you choose a specialization so that they can match you with a potential advisor and see your interests! I’ve seen people even with like two specialization so I think it all depends like how many specialization classes you take? Like I’m definitely interested in the rare books and print cultures too and hoping to meld it with archival science!!  Also I would definitely email Amy a Gershon with any questions she’s been super helpful!! Can I ask what background you are coming in from ??

Edited March 17, 2021 by Aplanck

[cartof]

8 hours ago, Aplanck said:

Oh yay congrats everyone!!! I’m really leaning towards UCLA as of right now so hopefully we will be classmates! As far as the program goes I heard it’s really really fluid in terms of choosing your specialization or changing as you go. I think they really only have you choose a specialization so that they can match you with a potential advisor and see your interests! I’ve seen people even with like two specialization so I think it all depends like how many specialization classes you take? Like I’m definitely interested in the rare books and print cultures too and hoping to meld it with archival science!!  Also I would definitely email Amy a Gershon with any questions she’s been super helpful!! Can I ask what background you are coming in from ??

My undergrad was in American Studies and I also have a strong background in modern languages. What about you?

Edited March 18, 2021 by cartof

[mlis664]

On 3/9/2021 at 7:42 PM, Aplanck said:

Hi!! thank you!

Stay calm!! They're supposed to be sending out emails this week! I only accidentally found out because I got a letter in my junkmail about my prospective cost of attendance and provisional financial award! I had to email the department being like - did i get in...? They told me yes, sorry for the mixup, and that I would be receiving a departmental email sometime this week!  

What focus did you apply under? Fingers crossed!

 

This happened to me too! I received a provisional financial aid award letter at the beginning of the month but wasn't too sure if that meant I had been admitted. I got the grad division decision letter on March 11th but I was confused bc I wasn't sure if I was going to hear from the department and when. I finally received an email from the department yesterday! Has anyone received further info? Amy shared that we're supposed to hear from the dept. by the end of the month. 

I would love to connect with other MLIS UCLA admits :D I'm wondering if instruction will be online or in person in the Fall... 

[cartof]

6 hours ago, mlis664 said:

This happened to me too! I received a provisional financial aid award letter at the beginning of the month but wasn't too sure if that meant I had been admitted. I got the grad division decision letter on March 11th but I was confused bc I wasn't sure if I was going to hear from the department and when. I finally received an email from the department yesterday! Has anyone received further info? Amy shared that we're supposed to hear from the dept. by the end of the month. 

I would love to connect with other MLIS UCLA admits I'm wondering if instruction will be online or in person in the Fall... 

We should make a group chat so that we can get to know each other before classes start.

[met221]

Anyone accepted into UCLA know about funding opportunities? It's my absolute dream to attend but don't think I'll be able to without a GAship/funding of some kind. 

[mlis664]

On 3/18/2021 at 3:30 PM, cartof said:

We should make a group chat so that we can get to know each other before classes start.

I'm down! I tried to do like a discord thing for us but I've never used it lol and I couldn't figure it out. 

[cartof]

1 hour ago, mlis664 said:

I'm down! I tried to do like a discord thing for us but I've never used it lol and I couldn't figure it out. 

Share the link! We can all figure it out together lol.

[daniaaa]

Hey all! I'm joining this thread a little late. Been a while since I checked the threads (I made a 2021 cycle thread back in the fall when applying but then got, well, caught up in the swing of applying.)

I applied to UCLA as well and got in, so I might be seeing you all in the fall! All of their internship locations look incredible (particularly for archives, media archives, and film- what better school for that?) 

I didn't get the "provisional financial award" email though- I might've just missed it, and I have cleared my email since then. I know they're supposed to send out financial info by the end of the month- has anyone gotten an official email from them yet? 

[Sam Solomon]

Hi, also joining this thread a little late!

They mentioned in the official acceptance email that ANOTHER email would be sent "at the end of the month" with more details and an actual link to accept admission (?). I'm just waiting at this point to get that email, but wish there was more information available. I would also like to find out more about funding and graduate assistantships. 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Sam Solomon

[cartof]

I made a Discord for anyone who got into UCLA for Fall 2021

 

https://discord.gg/5xSXKM4Q

[daniaaa]

On 3/23/2021 at 7:42 PM, Sam Solomon said:

Hi, also joining this thread a little late!

They mentioned in the official acceptance email that ANOTHER email would be sent "at the end of the month" with more details and an actual link to accept admission (?). I'm just waiting at this point to get that email, but wish there was more information available. I would also like to find out more about funding and graduate assistantships. 

Sam, I posted in the main thread. I got an email back from the graduate coordinator, Amy Gershon, today, about assistantships... she made it sound like there weren't many, but the official email that's supposed to come at the end of the month might be more comprehensive. What other schools' funding info are you waiting on?

 

[mlis664]

On 3/19/2021 at 8:04 PM, met221 said:

Anyone accepted into UCLA know about funding opportunities? It's my absolute dream to attend but don't think I'll be able to without a GAship/funding of some kind. 

I haven't heard much either  I emailed Amy but she said that there was only a limited amount of TAs and library positions, but that we would get an email at the end of the month. I'm also interested in learning about funding opportunities, I missed the deadline for the bigger scholarships, like the Spectrum scholarship program etc...  She also said that it's not for sure that instruction will be in person. How are y'all feeling about virtual instruction?

[Aplanck]

Hi all! Sorry for getting back late, but I’m so happy for everyone who is going and would love to connect also! I’m going to check out that discord link! I’ve decided to officially to accept the program :). I’m coming from a background in art, and it’s so fun that we will have such a diverse range of people coming in from all backgrounds! In terms of funding - I missed all major deadlines for ALA scholarships not realizing, but I am receiving a small amount of money from an interdepartmental IS fellowship - they told me also that more info will be shared towards the end of the month as well. Hopefully they’ll be able to share more info soon I’m anxiously waiting :)!