MFA Photography 2011

[Arsolo]

I've been following this forum for a while now. It seems last app season there was a lot more talk from photographers. Was wondering who else is out there applying for Fall 2011? Where to?

I'm currently looking at Yale, SAIC and SVA. It's been such an experience working on everything. I'm finally at the point where everything is alllmost done and I'm just putting the final touches on my statement and the work. All I have left to do is upload and send.

[zaquon]

I was thinking of starting a photo thread too. Don't want the painters to have all the fun!

My list is: SAIC, SMFA, UCLA, RISD, CalArts, USC, UT. Maybe a couple of others. The photo programs are really all over the place, and most of the schools I'm applying to have all the disciplines in the same pool, which I reaylly even though I only do photos. RISD and SAIC being the notable exceptions. This is my second time around so everything is going a lot smoother.

How's you come to choose your schools?

I looked at your web page and saw you're a fellow CUSNer! I think one of your photos in a show last spring.

[Arsolo]

You went to CSUN, too? Doooo I know you?

I really came to the school based on faculty and partially the location. I knew I wanted to move away from so cal so that eliminated the schools here. I really wouldn't want to attend Cal Arts because of where it is. I've been to UCLA's MFA open studios twice and I really don't think that I'd be a good fit in their program, even though I would absolutely love to work with Catherine Opie. It has really boiled down to Yale being the most fitting school in terms of both their faculty They have Tod Papageorge, Philip-lorca diCorcia, An My Le, Gregory Crewdson, Collier Schorr, and Paul Graham, who are all people whose work I both admire and have ideas in common with the work I'm doing.

[zaquon]

I graduated in 2002. I was there for an AHis class in the spring, though so I'd pop into the gallery from time to time. When I left the photo lab was still in the basement of one of the science buildings.

I agree with you about leaving SoCal, but a prof at CalArts seemed to like my work, USC is well funded, and my gf is a Ph.D student at UCLA, so i'm required to apply there.

I don't quite have the guts to apply to Yale. I'm applying to schools that have strong conceptional/theory emphasis, since that's where my work fits in. I've never really looked into SVA, seems really doc oriented.

[femmedephoto]

Hello!

I'm applying for Fall 2011 in Photo as well. I KNOW there are more of us out there... if not? hey maybe that'll help my chances I have a semi non-traditional background, I have a BA in French and I minored in Studio Art but my school did not offer photography so I did a lot of painting. The hardest part for me, besides putting this artist statement together-- has been the portfolio, so much to share but editing is so important! Has anyone else found this to be challanging? I'm wondering if people with BFA's have had similar problems?... it seems to me like it might be slighltly easier putting this kind of stuff together coming from an art school... Anyway! i'm rambling now.

I'm looking at:

CCA, USC, UCR, Pratt, RIT, Mills, NYU (Arts Admin) and Seattle U (Arts Leadership)

I almost applied to UCLA too! but finally it wasn't a good fit for me.

I love all these schools and I'm totally nervous!

[zaquon]

The hardest part for me, besides putting this artist statement together-- has been the portfolio, so much to share but editing is so important! Has anyone else found this to be challanging? I'm wondering if people with BFA's have had similar problems?... it seems to me like it might be slighltly easier putting this kind of stuff together coming from an art school... Anyway! i'm rambling now.

I come from a non-tradional background as well--Film and Theatre, but had a few photo classes in college and I've been taking AHis and photo classes for the last couple of years.

The moment I realized about a year and half ago that they wanted a "cohesive body of work" I just about died since I've never thought about what I was trying to say with my work and so it was all over the place. But it's all been for the best since I'm actually thinking about what my work says. I'm only showing one series this year and it's super-tight, which I think is what they want.

I think BFA students don't always come out with that "cohesive body of work" seeing as I've seen several schools state that your port shouldn't just be random class assignements, so it's probably a problem for them, especially with fresh out of undergrad BFAs.

[Arsolo]

Just submitted my Yale application. Now the waiting.

[allenm82]

Hey Everyone! First of all, I just want to say good luck to all of you! I wrapped up my applications last week...man am I glad it's over. Its my first time applying for grad school, so hopefully something good will happen. I ended up applying to: University of Washington, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, RISD, and SMFA. It was an experience let me tell ya. I got my BFA almost 6 years ago, so it will be very interesting to see if the committees think my work since then is up to snuff. Now, it's just the waiting game...I suck at the waiting game. LOL.

Quick question - do any of you have an exhibition history? I know that my applications required a resume/CV (which I assume is standard practice across the board) and I was sort of sad when I had to submit mine. I've been working as a freelancer and had some studio gigs since I got my BFA, but haven't had any luck landing a gallery show. How about you guys and gals?

Edited January 9, 2011 by allenm82

[zaquon]

Quick question - do any of you have an exhibition history? I know that my applications required a resume/CV (which I assume is standard practice across the board) and I was sort of sad when I had to submit mine. I've been working as a freelancer and had some studio gigs since I got my BFA, but haven't had any luck landing a gallery show. How about you guys and gals?

I've got a few shows on my CV, mostly little stuff. I think it matters, but what's in your portfolio is the most important thing. I think they want people with some experience showing, but it's not a total deal breaker. At least I hope so.

Anyway, I've got 7 apps down and 2 to go, then it's 2 months of waiting!

[Arsolo]

resume/CV

My resume consists mostly of shows at my school, a few of which were curated by people outside the school. I do have one group show that was off campus.

In other news I finally finished all of my applications, mailed my last one (to SVA) off last Wednesday. Finally done! It definitely was a huge experience going through the entire application process. Here's hoping all the work pays off!

[thisandthat]

Applied to a few places - not many on the lists here apart from risd - i would like to go somewhere that has some decent funding and is perhaps not a big 'name' - so as to take the pressure off myself and allow me to make better work.

edit - nice large format work there ricky, 'of leaves' is my fav - i'm kind of wondering why we couldnt all just get together on the internet and crit ourselves : )

Edited January 11, 2011 by sgtserenity

[Arsolo]

Applied to a few places - not many on the lists here apart from risd - i would like to go somewhere that has some decent funding and is perhaps not a big 'name' - so as to take the pressure off myself and allow me to make better work.

edit - nice large format work there ricky, 'of leaves' is my fav - i'm kind of wondering why we couldnt all just get together on the internet and crit ourselves : )

Thanks!

Weird thing happened today, SVA emailed me saying my application was incomplete. I bought delivery confirmation for my materials and USPS says it arrived last Friday. With the deadline being this coming Wednesday (the 15th) I'm confused as to why they'd email me to say this. I'm assuming they haven't had enough time to process all of the applications yet. I'm going to call tomorrow and see if I can find more information.

[alexanderbot]

I have a semi non-traditional background, I have a BA in French and I minored in Studio Art but my school did not offer photography so I did a lot of painting. The hardest part for me, besides putting this artist statement together-- has been the portfolio, so much to share but editing is so important! Has anyone else found this to be challanging? I'm wondering if people with BFA's have had similar problems?... it seems to me like it might be slighltly easier putting this kind of stuff together coming from an art school... Anyway! i'm rambling now.

Same here. BA in Japanese, minor in Studio Art - Photography. I've been as active as I can, but I have a full-time job doing something else and it's hard to find enough time to shoot as much as I'd like to. Up until I decided I was ready for an MFA I had taken a lot of photos, but nothing that really could be considered a series. I had to really look hard for a common thread and then spent a few months building it up. I think I have a pretty solid portfolio now, but I guess we'll see...

I applied to:

Yale

CalArts

University of Colorado Boulder

RIT

SCAD

I wanted to apply to a bunch of others, but not having a BFA really shut me down.

Arsolo: Same thing happened to me with RIT. Some of my transcripts are shown as having never arrived. I know they got them, but in the worst case scenario, there's not much I can do now...

[femmedephoto]

Same here. BA in Japanese, minor in Studio Art - Photography. I've been as active as I can, but I have a full-time job doing something else and it's hard to find enough time to shoot as much as I'd like to. Up until I decided I was ready for an MFA I had taken a lot of photos, but nothing that really could be considered a series. I had to really look hard for a common thread and then spent a few months building it up. I think I have a pretty solid portfolio now, but I guess we'll see...

I applied to:

Yale

CalArts

University of Colorado Boulder

RIT

SCAD

I wanted to apply to a bunch of others, but not having a BFA really shut me down.

Arsolo: Same thing happened to me with RIT. Some of my transcripts are shown as having never arrived. I know they got them, but in the worst case scenario, there's not much I can do now...

[femmedephoto]

Hi-- it's nice to hear someone else is in the same "boat".

RIT has a really great program, I'm finishing up my application now.

CalArts is great too! My brother went there and I considered it but for me it was the location that I wasn't so keen on.

of course Yale is fabulous. Good luck : p

[Arsolo]

If anyone experienced the same message from SVA they just emailed me this morning saying my application was complete.

[alexanderbot]

Hi-- it's nice to hear someone else is in the same "boat".

RIT has a really great program, I'm finishing up my application now.

CalArts is great too! My brother went there and I considered it but for me it was the location that I wasn't so keen on.

of course Yale is fabulous. Good luck : p

Thanks! Good luck to you, too.

Finished all my apps and FAFSA. Looking into scholarships now.

I decided to give up on RIT. I can't get them on the phone, and they aren't responding to multiple emails about my transcripts. It wasn't my top choice anyway, so I don't feel too torn up about it. But, still...

[benditaepifania]

HI! I recently sent all of my applications, I applied to SAIC, SVA, NYU and PARSONS i have read things about all of the schools that i am applying except for PARSONS, do any of you have any thoughts on their Photo dept?

I went to the school and it seemed preatty nice, I am just wondering since no one talks about it.

[thisandthat]

also with the rit - can't see if they got transcripts etc either - mabe it just doesnt show up yet, or they will email you about it.

[zaquon]

Any other photo people out there?

My final list:

SMFA

SAIC

CalArts

UCLA

UT Austin

RISD

Cornell

USC

Rutgers

It's out of my hands now...

[thisandthat]

also with the rit - can't see if they got transcripts etc either - mabe it just doesnt show up yet, or they will email you about it.

Well what do you know, rit emailed and have got everything.

Everything, that is except a toefl - presumably because people in the uk don't speak english obv.

[bergenline]

haha! that's classic...

Well what do you know, rit emailed and have got everything.

Everything, that is except a toefl - presumably because people in the uk don't speak english obv.

[thisandthat]

to their credit, they did sort it out - maybe they've watched trainspotting and got a bit worried : )

[femmedephoto]

Hi Everyone.

Just out of curiosity, who is applying right out of undergrad or one/two years out of undergrad vs. post grad 3 or more years?

[zaquon]

I'm 8 years out of undergrad with a non-visual art background (Film studies major, theatre minor). Although the last 2 years i've done two semester's worth of photography and art history at various schools.

I'm probably a bit of a wild card as candidates go.