sarah J Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 looks like i'm screwed.... I wanted to ask folks what they thought about davis. they made me a very sweet offer, but I am now feeling scared that the program is just desperate/ failing or something..It was not my 1st pick anyway. does anyone want to chime in on what they have heard about the program, or their general opinions on deciding between a perhaps less fabulous school with great aid or a "better" ranked school with large loans? thoughts?
Payne Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 What program did you ask about? I'm starting to freak out about SAIC. I feel like I'm already rejected. I called to ask when they send interview requests and the receptionist said they sent those out this week by mail (just like last year, I noticed). I mean, if I got an interview, wouldn't she just tell me on the phone? Since she didn't, I feel like I didn't get one...Rejection letters came out around mid-Feb. from last year too. i just spoke with an admisions person at SAIC and they told me i should be hearing back, mid-march, i thought id share
sarah J Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Oh man, you are totally screwed! BTW this 8-ball is rad.... i have gotten addicted already.
L333makes Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Which program are you applying for (do they specify?)--I had a friend who went there a couple of years ago for sculpture, and he hated it: he transferred out after one year, to SUNY Albany. That's just one person's experience, and I think it had something to do with the faculty person he wanted to work with being on sabbatical, so it may very well be a fine program, but that's the only thing I know about it. I wanted to ask folks what they thought about davis. they made me a very sweet offer, but I am now feeling scared that the program is just desperate/ failing or something..It was not my 1st pick anyway. does anyone want to chime in on what they have heard about the program, or their general opinions on deciding between a perhaps less fabulous school with great aid or a "better" ranked school with large loans? thoughts?
presson Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 i just spoke with an admisions person at SAIC and they told me i should be hearing back, mid-march, i thought id share Thanks for sharing. What program did you apply to?
robobabycrusher Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I don't know if I'd assume you didn't get accepted. They were supposed to be getting back to applicants "during the coming weeks" from what they said in an e-mail on 2/3, so I wouldn't worry about that just yet. That makes sense. It just makes me really anxious! haha.
Curious12345 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I wanted to ask folks what they thought about davis. they made me a very sweet offer, but I am now feeling scared that the program is just desperate/ failing or something..It was not my 1st pick anyway. does anyone want to chime in on what they have heard about the program, or their general opinions on deciding between a perhaps less fabulous school with great aid or a "better" ranked school with large loans? thoughts? I actually visited Davis a couple times since I'm a Bay Area local, it was my first choice for school, just found out today I didn't get in :/ The program is nice from what I heard/saw, it is very independent, the studios aren't HUGE, but they aren't small either. They vary in size greatly and the space is kind of dumpy to be honest. It reminded me of UCLA or my undergrad school SFAI..except a little worse. The saving grace is that you get a full ride and a monthly stipend for TAing. I feel like they are very Bay Area art scene connected and situated right in between Sacramento and SF, making it fairly easy to get to either by car, (you NEED a car if you are going to be in California). I didn't get to meet any of the professors or faculty, just a few students and the grad advisor, everyone was nice and seemed to know what they were talking about and were making pretty decent work. I wouldn't say they are on the EDGE of whats going on in art, but definitely in the realm of the now. BTW, what is a sweet offer? I mean...everyone who gets in gets a full ride and a 25% pay for the 2 years...did they offer you something better than that?
sarah J Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Which program are you applying for (do they specify?)--I had a friend who went there a couple of years ago for sculpture, and he hated it: he transferred out after one year, to SUNY Albany. That's just one person's experience, and I think it had something to do with the faculty person he wanted to work with being on sabbatical, so it may very well be a fine program, but that's the only thing I know about it. They dont specify, its just a general MFA. The art dept also has this technocultural program (for undergrads) which has some amazing faculty in new media/sound art- I can take classes there as well but would not be "officially" under the art studio umbrella. I suppose any school is what you make it, but its such a big commitment.... was your friend in grad or undergrad?
sarah J Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 BTW, what is a sweet offer? I mean...everyone who gets in gets a full ride and a 25% pay for the 2 years...did they offer you something better than that? well, I think all cali residents get a full ride, but i am from out of state- so I normally would not. but they said they would cover my out of state tuition and give me a monthly stipend as well. plus they are playing for me to fly there and check it out too. they want me bad. arg! i miss the east coast already! so hard to make these decisions. Im still waiting to hear back from 5 schools but I am sure there are some rejections coming. i would also love to go to hunter, but even their program (only 9000 a year for me, in-state) would be sooo expensive compared to getting PAID to go to davis.
L333makes Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 grad--and his work is AMAZING. he just won the international sculpture center's awd for most promising young sculptor (or some title like that)--not that that should neccessarily give his word any more cred... They dont specify, its just a general MFA. The art dept also has this technocultural program (for undergrads) which has some amazing faculty in new media/sound art- I can take classes there as well but would not be "officially" under the art studio umbrella. I suppose any school is what you make it, but its such a big commitment.... was your friend in grad or undergrad?
twentyeleven Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I wanted to ask folks what they thought about davis. they made me a very sweet offer, but I am now feeling scared that the program is just desperate/ failing or something..It was not my 1st pick anyway. does anyone want to chime in on what they have heard about the program, or their general opinions on deciding between a perhaps less fabulous school with great aid or a "better" ranked school with large loans? thoughts? Going to a school with a good reputation is certainly a factor, but it shouldn't be the only factor. Forget about rankings and names for a second and delve deeper–which school's work resonates with you? Which faculty excites you more? Which facilities seem best for your practice? Which city do you find more attractive? Is access to a liberal arts community important? What kind of diversity in work and people are you after? What financial sacrifices are you willing to make? How close do you want to remain to home? No program–from Davis to Yale–can make you any guarantees. And everyone will have a different experience just because of the sheer number of variables. If you like what you see, and get money to boot, don't let "name" hold you back, but if you're settling, that's another thing. Anyway–there are still schools to hear from and plenty of time to decide, so don't panic yet! Congratulations on Davis and good luck with the rest of your schools!
vermillion Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 That's interesting, when Annabeth called me she said the art department didn't know how much money it was going to receive for fellowships until March, but I am glad they are gonna pay for all the prospective grads to go check out the campus and program and such, its really nice of them. well, I think all cali residents get a full ride, but i am from out of state- so I normally would not. but they said they would cover my out of state tuition and give me a monthly stipend as well. plus they are playing for me to fly there and check it out too. they want me bad. arg! i miss the east coast already! so hard to make these decisions. Im still waiting to hear back from 5 schools but I am sure there are some rejections coming. i would also love to go to hunter, but even their program (only 9000 a year for me, in-state) would be sooo expensive compared to getting PAID to go to davis.
Curious12345 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 well, I think all cali residents get a full ride, but i am from out of state- so I normally would not. but they said they would cover my out of state tuition and give me a monthly stipend as well. plus they are playing for me to fly there and check it out too. they want me bad. arg! i miss the east coast already! so hard to make these decisions. Im still waiting to hear back from 5 schools but I am sure there are some rejections coming. i would also love to go to hunter, but even their program (only 9000 a year for me, in-state) would be sooo expensive compared to getting PAID to go to davis. Ya, maybe that was just a pre-req for me to apply, I don't want to pile on more to the loans. I'd just go wherever you are happy, and I'd take that free trip, They will probably fly you in to Sacramento since it is closer and easier to get to Davis that way. Just so you know, the town of Davis itself is in the middle of NOWHERE , its literally on a stretch of hwy 80 that connects SF to Sacramento, both of which are 40 miles in either direction. Plus it is generally a shit kicker area (cowboy) since there is nothing but farmland all around it. As far as student life goes, the biggest major (that UCD is known for) is agriculture, so expect to meet a lot of farmer/vet types. All in all, I'd just go where you think you are going to be happy. Not trying to talk down Davis at all, I think its a great place, but you really have to know what you are getting into. You have to REALLY like or want to be in California to want to go there, cause its not like LA or whatever notions that you might have of here. ...oh...and the bikes...hope you bring your helmet, bicycles are HUGE in Davis.
Curious12345 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 Side note, seems like EVERYONE on here got into Davis except for me and it was my #1 choice
daiy Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) I saw a few people here getting emails for phone interviews at PennDesign, and a few people didn’t, and I personally didn’t, but I was curious because they told many people that they do not conduct interviews as part of the admission process. So I called them today – The lady put me on the phone with Jane Irish, the coordinator. They are all super nice people and really patient. I asked her whether I should assume that I was not accepted because I didn’t get theinterview, and she told me no, and that different faculty members were interested in certain people’s work for different reasons and sometimes they request to speak with the candidates, but it’s not necessarily a selective process. She said it was an on-going process and that they do not have a final list. But she sounded a little reluctant the whole time so it sounded to me that getting an interview was definitely a positive thing, but not getting an interview doesn’t mean that you are rejected already. However, at the end, she insisted that she needed to write down my name because she can let Joshua (the chair) know that I called. She said that it’s always good to know who’s advocating their application. That made me really nervous afterwards because I didn’t know that “advocating my application” is a positive thing at all – or is it? Is there any purpose of writing down the names of people who called or attended open house? Also, I didn't advocate my application - I simply called to ask a question, which doesn't show that I care about my application more than when I didn't call... Or maybe I'm just reading into things way too much because it been such a stressful and nerve-racking month... I’m an international student so I didn’t go to any open house or portfolio review, nor have I called any school to ask questions because it was expensive to call from abroad (and I do not even have high speed Internet for Skype to phone calls). In that case, I've done a terrible job advocating my application... My question is – has anyone heard of this “advocating your application” thing? Does MFA application resemble a job application in a way that the more contact and connection you have with your employer/ faculty /coordinator / school the better? Edited February 11, 2011 by daiy
Curious12345 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I saw a few people here getting emails for phone interviews at PennDesign, and a few people didn’t, and I personally didn’t, but I was curious because they told many people that they do not conduct interviews as part of the admission process. So I called them today – The lady put me on the phone with Jane Irish, the coordinator. They are all super nice people and really patient. I asked her whether I should assume that I was not accepted because I didn’t get theinterview, and she told me no, and that different faculty members were interested in certain people’s work for different reasons and sometimes they request to speak with the candidates, but it’s not necessarily a selective process. She said it was an on-going process and that they do not have a final list. But she sounded a little reluctant the whole time so it sounded to me that getting an interview was definitely a positive thing, but not getting an interview doesn’t mean that you are rejected already. However, at the end, she insisted that she needed to write down my name because she can let Joshua (the chair) know that I called. She said that it’s always good to know who’s advocating their application. That made me really nervous afterwards because I didn’t know that “advocating my application” is a positive thing at all – or is it? Is there any purpose of writing down the names of people who called or attended open house? Also, I didn't advocate my application - I simply called to ask a question, which doesn't show that I care about my application more than when I didn't call... Or maybe I'm just reading into things way too much because it been such a stressful and nerve-racking month... I’m an international student and although I got my BA in the US, I am currently living abroad. So I’ve done a terrible job advocating my application – I didn’t go to any open house or portfolio review, nor have I called any school to ask questions because it was expensive to call from abroad (and I do not even have high speed Internet for Skype to phone calls). My question is – has anyone heard of this “advocating your application” thing? Does MFA application resemble a job application in a way that the more contact and connection you have with your employer/ faculty /coordinator / school the better? I'd imagine yes and no, I think generally a lot of schools don't like you calling a bunch or really bothering them with your app, if everyone did that at lets say Yale or UCLA imagine how many calls they would be fielding a day just for people who want to "advocate" for themselves, it seems like a lost battle to me. It is obvious you want to go there since you are applying. I think you are just over thinking a choice of words the person on the phone chose to use.
daiy Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 thanks for your response... yeah... i think i might be going a little crazy with all this waiting process..... !
benditaepifania Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 What program did you ask about? I'm starting to freak out about SAIC. I feel like I'm already rejected. I called to ask when they send interview requests and the receptionist said they sent those out this week by mail (just like last year, I noticed). I mean, if I got an interview, wouldn't she just tell me on the phone? Since she didn't, I feel like I didn't get one...Rejection letters came out around mid-Feb. from last year too. hmmm, you are scaring me... i am applying to the photo and the paint and drawing. (i do mix media) www.angelapulido.net
sarah J Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 oh just two of us. Yeah and I had heard about davis and its location, etc. I actualy applied to it over UCB because I thought it might be too much of a pain to live in oakland and commute to school.. I like bikes, it could be fine.. if I get a good vibe from the place and faculty. I applied to a couple in LA, but Im not sure i am keen on LA car-culture anyways. (Or that I will get in.) well we will see. has anyone heard from hunter, UCLA or VCU regarding interviews yet? I still have not, and am wondering if that means I did not make the cut. thanks all. Side note, seems like EVERYONE on here got into Davis except for me and it was my #1 choice
HopeDreamPaint Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Hi I didn't apply to Davis but I can offer some insight, as I know the Cali UC system really well. That's all pretty standard for admittance....And it does have as someone mentioned a bit of a "dumpy" rep in the Cali art scene but not horrible. It's a great option if you don't get into any of the other UC's for sure! Another bit of friendly advice would be to consider how you feel about loans and to know what you'd like to come out of your program with in terms of debt. My absolute goal is to have no more than 5,000 in debt for unforeseen costs at the end of it all if any. Hope this helped a bit and if they "want you bad".....I'd contact previous students and get insight into what they got offered because um surely it could be a bit more.....?...! Good luck! well, I think all cali residents get a full ride, but i am from out of state- so I normally would not. but they said they would cover my out of state tuition and give me a monthly stipend as well. plus they are playing for me to fly there and check it out too. they want me bad. arg! i miss the east coast already! so hard to make these decisions. Im still waiting to hear back from 5 schools but I am sure there are some rejections coming. i would also love to go to hunter, but even their program (only 9000 a year for me, in-state) would be sooo expensive compared to getting PAID to go to davis. Edited February 11, 2011 by HopeDreamPaint
HopeDreamPaint Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 haha, what rubbish!! But thanks for making me laugh, I needed that looks like i'm screwed....
lpayne23 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 where in canada did you apply to? I applied to UBC and Guelph cool! i've applied to Guelph too, as well as Toronto and Concordia. didn't know if anyone else on here was applying to Canadian schools. I know people working at Guelph and word is they were supposed to make/announce first cuts starting next monday, but it's been delayed by at least a week. so don't hold your breath just yet!
lpayne23 Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 also, i've just been offered a phone interview for next week at MICA (Mount Royal), via email.
inscho Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 also, i've just been offered a phone interview for next week at MICA (Mount Royal), via email. congrats! i got an interview as well!
orangetrousers Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 That is so exciting! I wonder if Low Res and Hoffberger are done with their reviews... congrats! i got an interview as well!
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