MFA 2023 Freak Out Forum

[SocialKonstruct]

I am done with all of my 3 applications for CalArts including every single Integrated Media essay tonight.

I still have to do the 3 sets of portfolios and then submit and pay the fees.

Once that's done, I have four applications left.

[slickjaketheruler]

On 9/30/2022 at 10:49 PM, dawndothat said:

Hello everyone, I haven't decided on the MFA programs I want to apply to yet, but I'm looking at Yale(painting/printmaking), RISD(painting), Columbia(visual arts), and SAIC(Painting.&Drawing). 
I made videos, installations, and oil paintings during my undergrad. But I'm thinking about including only oil paintings with several series of my works in a portfolio(because my undergraduate thesis exhibition was of all oil paintings. And I've done oil paintings last six months).

Here is the thing I'm afraid that is putting only oil paintings into the portfolio might not be a good idea. Should I put a few videos or installation pieces together with oil paintings or focus on the media(oil paints) that I deal with best in the portfolio?

As someone who had a very mixed bag and interdisciplinary portfolio, I say diversity doesn't hurt as long as it is cohesive and relevant to your artist statement and that it is your strongest work. I'm still making works in wildly different mediums (drawing, printmaking, glass, and material studies) at the graduate level. If anything, if you get into a program with an interdisciplinary approach, then you know the program welcomes that sort of exploration and that it probably is a better fit.

In other words, show what your gut is telling you to rather than what you think will get you into the program. It's okay to edit for strength, but if something is speaking to you by all means include it in. 

[dawndothat]

On 10/3/2022 at 12:19 PM, slickjaketheruler said:

As someone who had a very mixed bag and interdisciplinary portfolio, I say diversity doesn't hurt as long as it is cohesive and relevant to your artist statement and that it is your strongest work. I'm still making works in wildly different mediums (drawing, printmaking, glass, and material studies) at the graduate level. If anything, if you get into a program with an interdisciplinary approach, then you know the program welcomes that sort of exploration and that it probably is a better fit.

In other words, show what your gut is telling you to rather than what you think will get you into the program. It's okay to edit for strength, but if something is speaking to you by all means include it in. 

On 10/1/2022 at 2:56 PM, Gaara said:

Hellooo, 

I feel like most schools prefer focused portfolios, gives them a sense of what direction you will go at their program. (but some may like variety) Maybe wouldn't hurt to email each school to find out...because most schools websites give very vague information about what's expected in the portfolio. 

To me it would seem completely understandable to include a few videos or installation pieces because applications always make you choose a first and second choice major. Like if my first choice was painting/drawing and my second was photography....how would I be considered for my second choice if I didn't include a few photographs. Seeing that most portfolios are 20 pieces....I would either do all 20 in my speciality/first choice major OR do 17 in my first choice and 3 in my second for a little sneak peek. 

But to play it safe, you should probably ask the schools you're applying to....be prepared for a vague answer tho lol. 

 

ps: I am also applying for painting+drawing, all my work is in graphite, charcoal, etc. I don't want to have to settle for a second choice major so I'm going all in on my first choice...I could include videos and photography I have but I'd rather not. 

Thank you for answering my question! I think I need to mail the admission office before I submit works in slideroom. And also, I'm going to edit the video work that I made several years ago and make some other pieces using various media. 

[limpcigarette]

I used this forum a lot for the 2021-22 application season, and now go to SAIC. If anyone had any questions about the school, shoot me a message!

Best of luck!!

[SocialKonstruct]

Working on my Columbia MFA printmaking app and tomorrow starting on my two Yale apps.f

[CarnegiemellonMFA]

I’m also confused about interdisciplinary work and what programs look for. I’m transferring out of the program I am in right now because it isn’t focused at all, and I am concerned that my portfolio might be too varied to fit into other programs.

[SocialKonstruct]

I am working on my UCLA new genres application and this will be my last one.

I should be finished with all of my 11 program applications and now it will be a waiting game for interviews.

[SocialKonstruct]

A few minutes ago I just finished up my UCLA app which means I am done with all 11 applications and 9 turned in except Yale which right now has an issues with its payment vendor online

[Miso]

On 10/13/2022 at 10:06 PM, SocialKonstruct said:

A few minutes ago I just finished up my UCLA app which means I am done with all 11 applications and 9 turned in except Yale which right now has an issues with its payment vendor online

Congratulations!! Finishing apps is an accomplishment in itself. Hope we all get into our top choices. What 5 other schools did you end up applying to? (besides the ones you told us about: UCLA, Yale, SAIC, ArtCenter, Otis, Calarts) 

 

 

[SocialKonstruct]

4 hours ago, Gaara said:

Congratulations!! Finishing apps is an accomplishment in itself. Hope we all get into our top choices. What 5 other schools did you end up applying to? (besides the ones you told us about: UCLA, Yale, SAIC, ArtCenter, Otis, Calarts) 

 

 

Here are all 11 programs I applied to:

1) Yale University- painting and drawing (completed but unpaid due to third party vendor issue)

2) Yale University- sculpture (completed but unpaid due to third party vendor issue)

3) UCLA- new genres

4) Columbia University- printmaking

5) School of Art Institute of Chicago- painting and drawing

6) School of Art Institute of Chicago- photography

7) School of Art Institute of Chicago- sculpture

8) CalArts- studio art

9) CalArts- photography

10) CalArts- art and technology

11) ArtCenter College of Design- studio art

and that's it folks!

Edited October 15, 2022 by SocialKonstruct

[SocialKonstruct]

On 10/7/2022 at 4:51 PM, limpcigarette said:

I used this forum a lot for the 2021-22 application season, and now go to SAIC. If anyone had any questions about the school, shoot me a message!

Best of luck!!

How are you liking the program at SAIC and which track are you in? Are you getting visits from curators and gallerists?

[Miso]

8 hours ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Here are all 11 programs I applied to:

1) Yale University- painting and drawing (completed but unpaid due to third party vendor issue)

2) Yale University- sculpture (completed but unpaid due to third party vendor issue)

3) UCLA- new genres

4) Columbia University- printmaking

5) School of Art Institute of Chicago- painting and drawing

6) School of Art Institute of Chicago- photography

7) School of Art Institute of Chicago- sculpture

? CalArts- studio art

9) CalArts- photography

10) CalArts- art and technology

11) ArtCenter College of Design- studio art

and that's it folks!

Ohhh this whole time I thought you were applying to 11 different schools lol. But it's 6, just multiple areas of focus. Is there a reason Otis ended up being removed from the list?

[SocialKonstruct]

7 minutes ago, Gaara said:

Ohhh this whole time I thought you were applying to 11 different schools lol. But it's 6, just multiple areas of focus. Is there a reason Otis ended up being removed from the list?

I was advised strongly against applying to Otis as a backup school by three separate folks. a) a Calarts professor, b) a Calarts MFA graduate and working artist, and c) an Otis MFA graduate who is represented by a top end gallery in LA.

I am focusing only on schools where there is a high level of critical theory and/or a gateway to the highest tiers of the contemporary art world. Person B said it's pretty much the top 10 MFA programs or don't even bother.

[Miso]

5 hours ago, SocialKonstruct said:

I was advised strongly against applying to Otis as a backup school by three separate folks. a) a Calarts professor, b) a Calarts MFA graduate and working artist, and c) an Otis MFA graduate who is represented by a top end gallery in LA.

I am focusing only on schools where there is a high level of critical theory and/or a gateway to the highest tiers of the contemporary art world. Person B said it's pretty much the top 10 MFA programs or don't even bother.

Ahhh I see, definitely would avoid that place especially seeing that a successful alumni advises against it. 

I was thinking about applying to Yale for painting/printmaking. Class of 2022 for painting/printmaking looks like it was around 50 students and I heard they get around 1,000+ applicants for each area of focus. So basically the typical 5% acceptance rate....for every 20 applicants 1 gets in.

And of those accepted, most will receive little to no scholarship as they state on the website, “Most students pursuing Master's degrees do not receive financial support from the Graduate School and are responsible for paying tuition, but some programs offer limited funding.” So for 9 months it will legit be like 75k….program is 2 years so 150k:/

I like 2 out of the 3 painting/printmaking professors at Yale.  I tried convincing myself to apply to Yale because I love all the stories about how cut throat and brutally honest critique is, but it just doesn’t seem worth it for me. Other programs have insanely talented professors without the debt. Does anyone know why artists are so obsessed with Yale? Would love to know 

 

[Miso]

This is for everyone:

The Student loan forgiveness application is open and literally takes 30 seconds to complete. You technically have until December 2023 to fill it out and get up to 20k in debt relief, but just do it now and get it out the way. I know for some people 20k is more than all their debt. 

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/debt-relief-info

[f0untain]

Hello everybody,

Knew a forum like this existed but nice to actually join in! 

Anyone currently at an MFA program with other students in your cohort that came directly from undergrad straight into grad school? Or does this even happen? Do schools bother looking at portfolios that are fresh out of undergrad?

 

 

[tomatoriot]

On 10/18/2022 at 9:32 PM, f0untain said:

Hello everybody,

Knew a forum like this existed but nice to actually join in! 

Anyone currently at an MFA program with other students in your cohort that came directly from undergrad straight into grad school? Or does this even happen? Do schools bother looking at portfolios that are fresh out of undergrad?

 

 

I got into 3 programs right out of undergrad. Most people in my cohort are 2-3 years out of undergrad. As far as I know from experience and anecdotal sources, schools look at the work first. If you pass that then they start to consider other details. 

[f0untain]

On 10/20/2022 at 10:46 PM, tomatoriot said:

I got into 3 programs right out of undergrad. Most people in my cohort are 2-3 years out of undergrad. As far as I know from experience and anecdotal sources, schools look at the work first. If you pass that then they start to consider other details. 

cool my schools about to have a graduate portfolio day and im gonna scope out the general response and then see if its worth applying to the hotshot schools haha. feeling overwhelmed graduating undergrad, wanna keep momentum and dive into either grad school or residencies. gotta work for it though

[f0untain]

Also pretty clueless on schools would love recommendations on schools I should show my portfolio:

https://nationalportfolioday.heydays.io/conventions/970/exhibitors

currently thinking about checking out cranbrook, maine college of art , parsons

[slickjaketheruler]

Current Tyler student dropping a link to MFA info sessions that are spread out from the 7th through the 11th. I recommend registering with your prospective department if interested.
 

I highly recommend doing one of this if you are considering Tyler, bc most info sessions will be with faculty in respective departments. A great way to put a name to a face. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CkbgFYUg-48/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[sussy.spacek]

hi all, i'm re-applying to yale mfa painting - i got an interview last year, but didn't get in. any thoughts on re-using some of the same artwork from the previous year? my other schools are cornell and columbia (as a first-time applicant).

btw, good luck everyone! i know how this can be a stressful time with grad school apps.

Edited November 25, 2022 by sussy.spacek

[Miso]

15 minutes ago, sussy.spacek said:

hi all, i'm re-applying to yale mfa painting - i got an interview last year, but didn't get in. any thoughts on re-using some of the same artwork from the previous year? my other schools are cornell and columbia (as a first-time applicant).

btw, good luck everyone! i know how this can be a stressful time with grad school apps.

I don't see anything wrong in re-using some of the same artwork. But I also don't think it would be good for anyone to submit the exact same portfolio because they probably can view your previous application and see that you didn't do anything new. I am in a similar re-applying situation and out of the 20 pieces in my portfolio, 5 were in the previous application and 15 are new. 

Same to you, goodluck! It's been quiet in this forum lately, everyone must be locked in on their applications, don't stress too much...what's meant for us will happen. 

Happy Holidays : )

[Miso]

Hi everyone! 

Does anyone know why UGA doesn't use slideroom? 

Every other school either uses slideroom where the file size can be 5MB for each image. Or they use an area on their application where each image can be up to 5MB. 

UGA is the only program where they have you upload a pdf of your 20 piece portfolio and they limit the entire file size to 10MB. This seems extremely old school and it limits the quality of the photos you've taken of your art. I'm going to call the school about it, but if anyone knows anything then please let me know. I might end up taking them off my list of schools.  

[SocialKonstruct]

I just paid for my Yale sculpture application this morning so I am officially done early with all 11 program MFA applications. No clue about UGA however, Gaara.

If anyone needs advice on essay writing or portfolio management, then so ask :).

I will be doing some third party work with my girlfriend to save up some money to play for the MFA program. I hope to get some scholarships.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 11/24/2022 at 5:02 PM, sussy.spacek said:

hi all, i'm re-applying to yale mfa painting - i got an interview last year, but didn't get in. any thoughts on re-using some of the same artwork from the previous year? my other schools are cornell and columbia (as a first-time applicant).

btw, good luck everyone! i know how this can be a stressful time with grad school apps.

I would keep any repeat artworks to a minimum.

I also applied for the same program too!