MFA 2023 Freak Out Forum

[d.arren]

Just updating that I got waitlisted at U Arizona for photo/video/imaging a few days ago. The wording of the email is a bit odd because they don't technically use the word waitlist and instead say that they are still making decisions about the best mix for the cohort and are highly interested in me but cannot yet guarantee a spot. They also said they'd be happy to hear updates about what I think about the school, which I guess is them gauging who may be accepting other schools. I have what I am expecting to be my final interview tomorrow with UCSD and then will just be waiting to hear back from them, WashU, UM, and CMU. Relieved to hopefully have the stress of interviews behind me but a bit nervous about what's to come lol.

[Paintingpaintings]

Congrats to everyone that got into CalArts. Has anyone received their rejection to CalArts MFA after interviewing? Still waiting to hear back from Slade MFA after interviewing last week and still holding a Glasgow MFA offer.

[AJJAY]

Question for everyone in here...in your opinion, is it OK to email the schools I haven't heard back from yet and ask about admission status? I'm assuming they are going to be rejections because it's so late and I've heard nothing, but it would be good for my mental health to hear a "sorry buddy probably not" rather than this waiting game.

 

If you think it can't hurt to ask, how should I go about emailing, and what should I say?

[thisisnotapipe]

I have a question... Would you accept an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend award, that has a 100% hire rate out of the program from your concentration into faculty positions (some tenure track, others at R1 universities, etc) BUT is in a city you don't want to live in, is a generally underfunded program at the school, has lack luster facilities, and basement grad studios with no windows? OVER an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend that has beautiful well-funded facilities, and *stunning* grad studios, but actively is discouraging students from teaching with their degrees and doesn't have the connections to help you get hired after you graduate? 

I am thinking its a hell yes decision for future me to pick the first option. But I am worried that the conditions of the first program will make my time there difficult and hard to make art in. If I keep my head down, and work hard for three years, and know I'll get a job it seems like a no-brainer...but is there something I'm missing here? 

I am very aware this is a first-world problem to have. And I am so grateful to have this decision to make. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or other perspectives to consider here. 

[bloopers]

18 hours ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Cool beans! Btw, are you familiar with how funding for ArtCenters in the previous years tended to go?

 

Sounds like minimal funding was offered, small scholarships and federal aid. One or two ppl got more or close to full rides. 😕

[greengrass]

7 minutes ago, thisisnotapipe said:

I have a question... Would you accept an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend award, that has a 100% hire rate out of the program from your concentration into faculty positions (some tenure track, others at R1 universities, etc) BUT is in a city you don't want to live in, is a generally underfunded program at the school, has lack luster facilities, and basement grad studios with no windows? OVER an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend that has beautiful well-funded facilities, and *stunning* grad studios, but actively is discouraging students from teaching with their degrees and doesn't have the connections to help you get hired after you graduate? 

I am thinking its a hell yes decision for future me to pick the first option. But I am worried that the conditions of the first program will make my time there difficult and hard to make art in. If I keep my head down, and work hard for three years, and know I'll get a job it seems like a no-brainer...but is there something I'm missing here? 

I am very aware this is a first-world problem to have. And I am so grateful to have this decision to make. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or other perspectives to consider here. 

I totally get what you're saying. BUT for me, while quite the dilemma, I'd pick option two. The quality of my work fluctuates so much based on my mental health and I personally couldn't hack 2-3 years even with solid job prospects at the end of it. I also am horrible at making good work in locations I hate. I dunno. I think your cons are valid and its not necessarily a no brainer.

[thisisnotapipe]

35 minutes ago, greengrass said:

I totally get what you're saying. BUT for me, while quite the dilemma, I'd pick option two. The quality of my work fluctuates so much based on my mental health and I personally couldn't hack 2-3 years even with solid job prospects at the end of it. I also am horrible at making good work in locations I hate. I dunno. I think your cons are valid and its not necessarily a no brainer.

Thanks for this! Very good points to consider. I guess it all comes down to how well I know myself and my abilities to make art in different situations. My partner suggested we prioritize getting a house where I could have a studio at home too, so I don't have to use the grad studio provided to help. This is a hard decision. I wish it was more cut and dry. 

Edited February 27, 2023 by thisisnotapipe

[sussy.spacek]

1 hour ago, thisisnotapipe said:

I have a question... Would you accept an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend award, that has a 100% hire rate out of the program from your concentration into faculty positions (some tenure track, others at R1 universities, etc) BUT is in a city you don't want to live in, is a generally underfunded program at the school, has lack luster facilities, and basement grad studios with no windows? OVER an offer to a fully funded program with a generous stipend that has beautiful well-funded facilities, and *stunning* grad studios, but actively is discouraging students from teaching with their degrees and doesn't have the connections to help you get hired after you graduate? 

I am thinking its a hell yes decision for future me to pick the first option. But I am worried that the conditions of the first program will make my time there difficult and hard to make art in. If I keep my head down, and work hard for three years, and know I'll get a job it seems like a no-brainer...but is there something I'm missing here? 

I am very aware this is a first-world problem to have. And I am so grateful to have this decision to make. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or other perspectives to consider here. 

This is a valid dilemma, and a good question to bring up! I personally think any program that "actively" discourages teaching is a red flag (or, is openly discouraging of your career choices at all, is a red flag). Do you feel as though you could push back or challenge this? If not, I would say don't go... To me, MFA programs that help set you up with teaching jobs are truly looking out for you, at least in the most practical sense, because job and art market prospects out there are tough. Also, I'm currently working at a university and they stuck me in a closet. I hated it at first, but I'm so productive in here (mind you, I'm doing admin work and not art, so...). Maybe reach out to current students to see what the vibe is like? But the second school sounds like a no for me.

Btw, congratulations on acceptances to two fully-funded programs!!

Edited February 27, 2023 by sussy.spacek

[paul123]

1 hour ago, AJJAY said:

Question for everyone in here...in your opinion, is it OK to email the schools I haven't heard back from yet and ask about admission status? I'm assuming they are going to be rejections because it's so late and I've heard nothing, but it would be good for my mental health to hear a "sorry buddy probably not" rather than this waiting game.

 

If you think it can't hurt to ask, how should I go about emailing, and what should I say?

I think there's absolutely no harm in emailing to ask if interviews have gone out, etc. There's usually a departmental administrator you can email, as opposed to a faculty member. Some schools are really uncommunicative, and it's not respectful of the time, effort, and money people invest in applying. I would reach out--and in my case, I have. 

[thisisnotapipe]

3 minutes ago, sussy.spacek said:

This is a valid dilemma, and a good question to bring up! I personally think any program that "actively" discourages teaching is a red flag (or, is openly discouraging of your career choices at all, is a red flag). Do you feel as though you could push back or challenge this? If not, I would say don't go... To me, MFA programs that helps set you up with teaching jobs are truly looking out for you, at least in the most practical sense, because jobs and art market prospects out there are tough. Also, I'm currently working as a researcher at a university and they stuck me in a closet. I hated it at first, but I'm so productive in here (mind you, I'm doing admin work and not art... so). Maybe reach out to current students to see what the vibe is like? But the second school sounds like a no for me.

Btw, congratulations on acceptances to two fully-funded programs!!

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I don't think I could really push back against the culture in the second program. I have some inside knowledge that the faculty at the program are bringing in guest speakers to discourage the current cohort from teaching after their MFA. I've visited both programs, and spoken to current students. They both speak about the positives/negatives I've listed above in my dilemma, and both groups of students are happy with the positives and acknowledge the negatives. 

[AJJAY]

Ok everyone, my goal is to make it to Thursday without checking my emails for admissions info and/or logging in to my grad student portal. Would anyone like to do this with me in solidarity? 

[E_b]

Update on Saic aid grants for everyone. They haven’t processed the graduate student stuff yet and will most likely have it done this week. ( not the merit stuff, just general need based financial aid ) 

[etm94]

Hi, i participated in last year's forum and have been a lurker this year. finally feeling ready to join the convo after having finished my first two interviews last week with Yale and Columbia. Both went pretty well, and the questions were hyper-specific to my applications (Yale went as far as quoting parts of my written statement in a couple of their questions). I surprised the Columbia interviewers by showing them new work that I've made since applying, and they were very receptive to that and seemed super excited about it, which was nice.

Right now I'm still waiting to hear back from UCLA, like others. Was rejected by SAIC and Hunter, although the Hunter rejection surprised me since I previously have been accepted into their MFA program. Guess it wasn't meant to be !!

[SocialKonstruct]

20 minutes ago, E_b said:

Update on Saic aid grants for everyone. They haven’t processed the graduate student stuff yet and will most likely have it done this week. ( not the merit stuff, just general need based financial aid ) 

Epic fail on my end and I forgot to submit my FAFSA until today! Facepalm on me.

[SocialKonstruct]

15 minutes ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Epic fail on my end and I forgot to submit my FAFSA until today! Facepalm on me.

Okay looks like I had submitted it early in December but ended up correcting it. Still why do they claim that they haven't received it?

[edgecase]

39 minutes ago, AJJAY said:

Ok everyone, my goal is to make it to Thursday without checking my emails for admissions info and/or logging in to my grad student portal. Would anyone like to do this with me in solidarity? 

Hi AJJAY, I support this. I feel unable to stop checking my email but I will commit in solidarity to not checking this forum, the results page, as well as the facebook forums I'm checking for other grad app updates until Thursday. 

[cease.and.perish]

Safe to assume I have been rejected from Columbia for sculpture right? Lol

[lazuli.]

40 minutes ago, tmngc said:

Hi, i participated in last year's forum and have been a lurker this year. finally feeling ready to join the convo after having finished my first two interviews last week with Yale and Columbia. Both went pretty well, and the questions were hyper-specific to my applications (Yale went as far as quoting parts of my written statement in a couple of their questions). I surprised the Columbia interviewers by showing them new work that I've made since applying, and they were very receptive to that and seemed super excited about it, which was nice.

Right now I'm still waiting to hear back from UCLA, like others. Was rejected by SAIC and Hunter, although the Hunter rejection surprised me since I previously have been accepted into their MFA program. Guess it wasn't meant to be !!

Helloo!! Also had an interview for Yale but my questions were pretty generic (uh oh) but still kind of intense; why now/why Yale/What excites you/Whats your process? But feeling slightly better abt getting an interview this time after a deny+reapply 5 years ago. I literally can't focus on anything except the decisions coming within the next week lol.

Wishing you all the best !!

[futuredesigner]

OMG I JUST GOT INTO RISD

[AJJAY]

52 minutes ago, tmngc said:

Right now I'm still waiting to hear back from UCLA, like others. Was rejected by SAIC and Hunter, although the Hunter rejection surprised me since I previously have been accepted into their MFA program. Guess it wasn't meant to be !!

I have a friend who is a ceramicist, and was accepted to UPenn, Arizona State, and Alfred, but still waiting to hear back from UCLA, which is his top school. Good luck! I think he said something about how he still wouldn't know for a bit, so it sounds like maybe they just do things later in the year than a lot of other schools?

[AJJAY]

8 minutes ago, futuredesigner said:

OMG I JUST GOT INTO RISD

LET'S GOOOOOO big congrats! 

[rootingforeverybody]

I found Yale interview to be intense as well - a lot of questions in 20m. No introductions just straight into it. The wait is really taxing.

Edited February 27, 2023 by rootingforeverybody

[rootingforeverybody]

Radio silence from UCLA is also not enjoyable. 🫠

[etm94]

20 minutes ago, lazuli. said:

Helloo!! Also had an interview for Yale but my questions were pretty generic (uh oh) but still kind of intense; why now/why Yale/What excites you/Whats your process? But feeling slightly better abt getting an interview this time after a deny+reapply 5 years ago. I literally can't focus on anything except the decisions coming within the next week lol.

Wishing you all the best !!

what department did u apply to? i applied for Paint/Print, maybe different departments do things differently. Or even individual interviewers—I interviewed last year as well, and last year's interviewers asked me pretty generic questions.

trying to distract myself until the decisions come out, but  it's pretty difficult!

[SocialKonstruct]

Today I finally got back to the studio and started to work on painting. Stressing out about the results has been unhealthy for me so I am going to relax and listen to others and I can chill while doing what I do best :)... making more art.