MFA 2023 Freak Out Forum

[lebleu]

19 minutes ago, sussy.spacek said:

Who thinks we're going to hear back from Yale today or next week?? (I'm betting on next week, but hope I'm wrong.) 😝

The wait is killing me, I can't concentrate on anything 💀

[poppingballoons]

I’m already starting to think about next application season, assuming I’m out of the running as I’ve heard nothing, but I really want to get a head start and start planning for next year. 

Does anyone have a solid list of Graphic Design MFA programs that are fully funded?

I know about Cranbrook and a couple others but I’m having a hard time researching it out.

[thisisnotapipe]

18 hours ago, abcdefg23 said:

Same here. Not sure what the stipend looks like. I'm curious to see where it falls 

I have a couple friends who graduated from UConn the last few years. The stipend is $1200. I believe healthcare is subsidized greatly, because the graduate assistants and teachers are unionized. I also got accepted to UConn yesterday! 

 

7 hours ago, Björk said:

MFA photo applicant here. Chiming in with my details to support others waiting for answers, and also to help demystify things for anyone who visits this forum in future years. Not seeing any other photo people lurking around here. 

…

It's certainly nice to be getting admitted to the top universities (on my first time applying, no less), but I wish that I'd thrown some more state schools in the mix. As reputable and wealthy as all these institutions are, it doesn't sound like any of them (aside from UCLA) have a track record for offering generous funding packages. I don't want to take on debt for this degree, so I may just walk away from all of them if I can't get funded and go to a state school next year.

Congratulations on those great options and offers!! I am also a photo major. Was waiting for all my offers and decisions to come in before sharing. I only applied to three state schools that had 100% fully funded tuition and a stipend.  

UW Madison - Waitlisted 

GSU - Accepted with scholarship stipend

UConn - Accepted 

[abcdefg23]

Just now, thisisnotapipe said:

I have a couple friends who graduated from UConn the last few years. The stipend is $1200. I believe healthcare is subsidized greatly, because the graduate assistants and teachers are unionized. I also got accepted to UConn yesterday! 

 

Congratulations on those great options and offers!! I am also a photo major. Was waiting for all my offers and decisions to come in before sharing. I only applied to three state schools that had 100% fully funded tuition and a stipend.  

UW Madison - Waitlisted 

GSU - Accepted with scholarship stipend

UConn - Accepted 

oh congrats!!! Wow, only 1,200? or 12,000? That's definitely way less than some of my other offers. yikes

[thisisnotapipe]

4 minutes ago, abcdefg23 said:

oh congrats!!! Wow, only 1,200? or 12,000? That's definitely way less than some of my other offers. yikes

$1200 per month! sorry for not being more clear. Yes, it’s the smallest stipend I’m currently looking at. Some things like the subsidized healthcare work it its favor, but housing is expensive and hard to find near Storrs. 

 

Maybe it’s increased since they went, but that was the number I was operating under since I’m also waiting for my official offer with details. 

Edited March 3, 2023 by thisisnotapipe

[AJJAY]

Hey everyone, I'm curious as to the ages of everyone applying. I'm 27 (2 weeks shy of 28). Took a few years off after undergrad and started teaching HS Art. Realized I would rather be an art professional than a teacher.

I'm thinking if I don't get in this cycle, I'll do a post bacc for 1 year and then find 2 year MFA programs to apply to for 2024.

I have this weird thing about not wanting to be in my mid 30's by the time I finish, lol. 

 

[rootingforeverybody]

1 hour ago, sussy.spacek said:

Who thinks we're going to hear back from Yale today or next week?? (I'm betting on next week, but hope I'm wrong.) 😝

I think we’re gonna hear today

another week wait would be murderous

[rootingforeverybody]

I just got my SAIC “award” and it’s horrible. No way I can afford going if it doesn’t increase. Is anyone else still dealing with this? Had to set a meeting for next Wednesday which is uncomfortably far off

[rootingforeverybody]

Also WTF is going on with UCLA? Have any painters heard back?

[AJJAY]

Update: Rejection letter from Oslo. Here's where we're at:

 

1. Trondheim academy of Fine Arts: Silent.

2. Oslo National Academy of the Arts: Rejected 3/3.

3. Colorado State University: Decisions coming around 3/15.
4. New Mexico State University:  Interview 2/23, silent since.

5. Arizona State University: Silent, probable rejection.

6. Boise State University: Waitlisted on 2/28.

[Sweetie123]

On 3/2/2023 at 10:56 AM, rhonda89 said:

I received a fellowship from one of the schools that I was accepted to with full (as far as I can tell) tuition remission and a living stipend, and am completely ecstatic about it since I wasn't expecting it. Still haven't heard back from six of the eight schools I've applied to and it feels silly to wait for the other programs when I have such an incredible offer on the table from a school that I am excited about. I think if I haven't heard back from anyone else at this point, odds are I won't be getting nearly as good an opportunity as this from any other institutions. 

Is the fellowship your received a teaching assistant position? Or is it a fellowship with no departmental responsibilities? 

[bloopers]

48 minutes ago, rootingforeverybody said:

I just got my SAIC “award” and it’s horrible. No way I can afford going if it doesn’t increase. Is anyone else still dealing with this? Had to set a meeting for next Wednesday which is uncomfortably far off

Sorry to hear 😕 Sounds like SAIC doesn't tend to offer generous financial support. Curious about what a "horrible" award looks like if you don't mind sharing. Trying to brace myself for a similar outcome. 

[Sweetie123]

9 hours ago, Björk said:

MFA photo applicant here. Chiming in with my details to support others waiting for answers, and also to help demystify things for anyone who visits this forum in future years. Not seeing any other photo people lurking around here. 

Applications and status:
RISD -- invited to interview on Feb 17,  interviewed Feb 27, admitted March 1
Yale -- invited to interview on Feb 5, interviewed Feb 23, no updates ever since (low confidence on this one)
CalArts -- invited to interview Feb 2, interviewed week of Feb 13, notified via email of admission a few day later w/ an official letter arriving Feb 27
UCLA -- complete silence
RCA -- offered admission the spot during a portfolio review in February

It's certainly nice to be getting admitted to the top universities (on my first time applying, no less), but I wish that I'd thrown some more state schools in the mix. As reputable and wealthy as all these institutions are, it doesn't sound like any of them (aside from UCLA) have a track record for offering generous funding packages. I don't want to take on debt for this degree, so I may just walk away from all of them if I can't get funded and go to a state school next year. 

For what it's worth, the schools that admitted me thus far both seemed to have made up their minds already when I walked into the interview. They didn't say that I'd gotten in, but they spoke to me as if I already had. 

I feel like I'm in the opposite boat as you - I only applied to institutions that offered full tuition and gave a stipend, and these programs so fricken competitive. I've been offered a couple admissions (with tuition remission and stipends) and I'm trying to figure out if I will be able to swing it - even with the stipends I will still have to go into some debt to be able to afford living expenses. 

[rootingforeverybody]

4 minutes ago, bloopers said:

Sorry to hear 😕 Sounds like SAIC doesn't tend to offer generous financial support. Curious about what a "horrible" award looks like if you don't mind sharing. Trying to brace myself for a similar outcome. 

Don’t mind at all - they want me to take it all out in loans. Thinking there must be a paperwork issue on my or their end, or hoping that’s what it is… my financial info in no way suggests I can afford anywhere near the cost, so I’m not sure why they’re not giving me any aid.

[rhonda89]

13 minutes ago, Sweetie123 said:

Is the fellowship your received a teaching assistant position? Or is it a fellowship with no departmental responsibilities? 

First year is no departmental responsibilities, second year is 20 hours a week of departmental service, likely an assistantship! 

[Huis.clos]

1 hour ago, rootingforeverybody said:

I just got my SAIC “award” and it’s horrible. No way I can afford going if it doesn’t increase. Is anyone else still dealing with this? Had to set a meeting for next Wednesday which is uncomfortably far off

 

30 minutes ago, bloopers said:

Sorry to hear 😕 Sounds like SAIC doesn't tend to offer generous financial support. Curious about what a "horrible" award looks like if you don't mind sharing. Trying to brace myself for a similar outcome. 

I am in a similar situation. Though I was offered 34% in scholarship grant +$8,000 in work study (for fall/spring) I'm expected to take out $39,000 each year in loans. $78000 in debt for 2 years with no housing/living expenses accounted for is wild to me. I'm a first time applicant so are candidates finding this amount of debt for a MFA reasonable??

Edited March 3, 2023 by Huis.clos

[Sweetie123]

1 hour ago, rhonda89 said:

First year is no departmental responsibilities, second year is 20 hours a week of departmental service, likely an assistantship! 

Awesome!!!! Congrats! 

[lysol]

On 3/2/2023 at 11:27 AM, triphugger said:

Yale decisions should come out tomorrow right? according to last year's forum. 

I wonder if they're trying to keep people on their toes this year and we'll get another email on Sunday again lol

[Garamond]

It has been interesting hearing of the offers other people have been getting. I only applied to state schools that at least offer full tuition (in-state or out-of-state). Some offer subsidized healthcare, and the stipends I've been offered range from $6,000-$22,000.

I don't think private art schools typically give generous funding. I'd be surprised to hear of anyone getting a fully-funded ride to one. The trade-off is that they accept more students, so I would think it's easier to get into one. Some people like its sole focus on the arts, too.

For reference, this is what I believe constitutes a "great" offer.  From Indiana-Bloomington:

$22,000 Annual Stipend Guaranteed for 3-Years

Fully Funded Tuition (In-state or out-of-state)

Fees also paid for (but this is not typical)

100% Subsidized Healthcare (PPO)

Dental (This is rare, and not typical)

If anyone has received an offer that matches or exceeds this, I'd be curious to hear about it...

[anonymousartstudent]

anyone got results from Columbia? The level of anxiety is no good for my mental health……

[borg]

Wondering if anyone might have completed the online interviews for Hunter sculpture and if they'd like to share their experience with it. The 25 minutes they allotted seems like not enough time!! Many thanks!

[CactusWren22]

5 hours ago, rootingforeverybody said:

Also WTF is going on with UCLA? Have any painters heard back?

They are too busy hibernating for the winter lol. Still no word from the photo people as well :/.

[etm94]

2 hours ago, anonymousartstudent said:

anyone got results from Columbia? The level of anxiety is no good for my mental health……

I interviewed with Columbia last week, so I'd imagine we hear back in the next week or so? Or at least by mid-March, I hope...

Edited March 3, 2023 by tmngc

[paul123]

6 hours ago, rootingforeverybody said:

I just got my SAIC “award” and it’s horrible. No way I can afford going if it doesn’t increase. Is anyone else still dealing with this? Had to set a meeting for next Wednesday which is uncomfortably far off

I had a meeting with them because my "award" was...not great. Admittedly this is for the low res program, so funding might be different if you were accepted to a different program. The woman I spoke to was very nice, and told me how to appeal my student aid package, but she was not optimistic that things would improve enough for me that it would make a difference. It seemed like they don't haver a ton to offer. I hope you have better luck than I do!

[Miso]

5 hours ago, rootingforeverybody said:

Also WTF is going on with UCLA? Have any painters heard back?

I believe someone in this forum talked to their friend that isn't in this forum, and their friend who applied to UCLA for Painting/Drawing has already done their interview. I usually try to stay optimistic but I think it's safe to say if you didn't hear from UCLA in February then be ready to receive your rejection letter Mid-March