MFA 2025 Freak Out Forum

[prosthetic_head]

Got my RISD rejection yesterday 💔

and financial aid package from CCA this morning

[Plausiblefox]

  On 3/6/2025 at 7:06 PM, blablah said:

Lurker here.

Received offers from Columbia, Yale painting, waiting on Bard post interview but seemed positive! Applied to different disciplines for each school as my work is interdisciplinary. Don't want to identify myself by listing what disciplines of the other 2 as its really specific. Never made a painting in my life lol but I discussed this in the interview with Yale and they were pretty open minded.

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When did you interview at Columbia? And when did you hear back?

[freshman2024]

Just got accepted into UConn. 

So far for full funding: 

Ohio State 

Indiana Bloomington 

Kent State 

UConn

 

I went to visit OSU and really enjoyed it, and they've offered the best package so far. Does anyone else get nervous about being in a red state with the current Trump attacks on higher ed? It's one of my only holdouts for committing to OSU. 

[paintstress]

I just emailed SAIC about funding and found out that I was mistaken and the financial aid package was indeed sent out at the same time as offers and that I will not be receiving any funding. I also just got my offer for MICA with scholarship but not enough to make it feasible. Looks like I'll be reapplying again next year. For those who have successfully reapplied and gotten into more competitive programs, how much of your portfolio was stuff from the previous cycle and how much of it was new work? Im looking at reapplying to UCLA, Yale, Northwestern and Columbia, and applying to Hunter, CCA, UCSD, UChicago and RISD next year. 

Edited March 7 by paintstress

[bugsybee]

has anyone heard back from pratt? 

[mermaidkt33]

  On 3/5/2025 at 9:05 AM, nanaaaa said:

I'm just asking out of pure curiosity, but how old is everyone here applying? I'm in my mid 20s and I don't know why but I almost feel already too old to start a new chapter in my life. 

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I'm 43. You're never too old

[mermaidkt33]

Accepted into Low-Res at SAIC! This was my top choice. No funding, but I did a webinar last night that said I can request a FAFSA exception for extenuating circumstances (death in the family.)

[ArtsyAF]

  On 3/7/2025 at 2:24 AM, beanbagboy said:

Thanks for sharing! I would be a part of Tyler Sculpture, but I was specifically wondering about how student centric and collaborative Tyler as a whole was. 

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Congrats on being accepted into the Sculpture MFA! I think that depends on your cohort/dept. head. Graphic Design was very separate due to the dept. heads controlling nature so we did not get a sense of collaboration or commingling(the GD dept. is awful but from what I have heard the other programs don't seem to have these issues).

I know many in the more fine art MFAs that have had the opposite experience and have truly felt they are in a collaborative environment not only with direct peers in their discipline but also those outside of! They are very happy! I would definitely reach out to current students and get their genuine opinions without a professor standing near by and do a visit if possible! Tyler does host a TON of lectures and demos with a wide array of visiting artists for the students. Tyler also has phenomenal funding, awards, connections, and GA/TA opportunities for the students. If you have something you want to learn/make, odds are Tyler has the tools and a professor that has done it and could give advice! 

[manti]

  On 3/7/2025 at 12:54 AM, Rosebud510 said:

Just getting an interview is huge! Someone else mentioned that their waitlist is very minimal - reapply! Everyone I spoke to said to be prepared to apply more than once for the top tier programs.

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  On 3/7/2025 at 1:22 AM, thenightowl212 said:

If you believe it's the program for you, then yes. It took me three tries before getting the acceptance. Perseverance is all that I can say

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Thanks! I think I will apply again because I do think I am a good fit but was too nervous during the interview. People were right - trying too hard and over preparing will backfire.

[tjsgh]

Has anyone interviewed for Pratt MFA Sculpture? I'd love to hear about your experience and what kinds of questions they asked!

[sillygooseart]

General question, is there any chance acceptances go out after waitlists? Cause someone I know got waitlisted to a program I applied to and I haven’t heard anything. I’m assuming I’ve been rejected from this program and I’m kinda surprised! I know it’s super unlikely that I’ll hear something positive after this tho

[artstudent555]

SO nobody has heard anything back from UCLA painting regarding acceptance or rejection after the interviews?

[sillygooseart]

  On 3/7/2025 at 11:42 PM, sillygooseart said:

General question, is there any chance acceptances go out after waitlists? Cause someone I know got waitlisted to a program I applied to and I haven’t heard anything. I’m assuming I’ve been rejected from this program and I’m kinda surprised! I know it’s super unlikely that I’ll hear something positive after this tho

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Nvm found someone who got accepted lol

[Rosebud510]

  On 3/7/2025 at 10:00 PM, manti said:

 

Thanks! I think I will apply again because I do think I am a good fit but was too nervous during the interview. People were right - trying too hard and over preparing will backfire.

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Hey! I don't think there's any harm in being very prepared, in fact, I think thats the thing that keeps you from being nervous - prepare some answers and be ready to pivot. The main thing to remember is if you've gotten to the interview stage, they're already interested. Your only job is to be confident and show them you're ready. Think about it this way, they are who you could be in 10 years (or 5! or 2!) - how do you impress yourself? Confidence and really knowing who you are is all that matters. And you know those answers. You're you! They're just people who were once on your side of things, no need to be afraid of them. 

[Josh Turner]

Hi! Is there anyone who got into Hunter's IMA program? how prestigious or competitive it is? I'm thinking of committing but still not sure yet. Also any information on financial aid for Hunter's MFA programs would be much appreciated😊

[mmav]

  On 3/8/2025 at 4:25 AM, Josh Turner said:

Hi! Is there anyone who got into Hunter's IMA program? how prestigious or competitive it is? I'm thinking of committing but still not sure yet. Also any information on financial aid for Hunter's MFA programs would be much appreciated😊

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Hunter is pretty well regarded for their painting program (and other traditional media).  Their grads make some cool work. I remember you saying that you are doing more art/tech work though, so I'm not sure how strong Hunter's program in that area is. When I was narrowing down schools for new media, I specifically looked at the work of their faculty and their facilities/other departments that could support that work (ex, schools that also had PhD programs in media art technology that MFAs could register courses with) -- I'm not sure if Hunter has that or not. 

[beepbeepmeep]

  On 3/7/2025 at 2:48 AM, sCuLpTuRe123 said:

Hell yeah! Congrats! 

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Thank you!! you too!!!

[boltcutter]

  On 3/7/2025 at 12:16 AM, wooowza15 said:

For anyone who got into RISD, did you get any financial aid breakdown in your award letter? There's none on mine and if this basically means there's no support, I'm unfortunately going to need to decline. 

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the letter I opened on the 6th had no specific information about financial aid but then a new letter was added that had the payment breakdown.

[intheclerb]

  On 3/5/2025 at 1:31 PM, tryinggg said:

So, I got a call from one of my top choices last Thursday telling me I was on the waitlist and to expect an official email in a few days. It’s almost been a week, should I reach out? It’s probably just the stress of this whole process but my first instinct is to worry

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I wouldn't be afraid to reach out, it conveys interest! I reached out to both schools I was waitlisted at, one (VCU) was very friendly and even gave me a virtual tour

[tryinggg]

  On 3/8/2025 at 11:19 PM, intheclerb said:

I wouldn't be afraid to reach out, it conveys interest! I reached out to both schools I was waitlisted at, one (VCU) was very friendly and even gave me a virtual tour

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that’s so nice of them! what did you say? I don’t want to sound too eager reaching out, I just worry about not having the official “you’re on the waitlist email”

[intheclerb]

  On 3/9/2025 at 12:50 AM, tryinggg said:

that’s so nice of them! what did you say? I don’t want to sound too eager reaching out, I just worry about not having the official “you’re on the waitlist email”

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I asked if we could have a brief phone call and I asked them on the call about the waitlist timeframe. It was helpful, I got more information than I expected. (I think an email would be fine too)

[kamlee]

I officially accepted my offer at RISD today! So excited to attend in the fall. Has anyone else made decisions on where they are going? 

[orangebean]

  On 3/10/2025 at 5:33 AM, kamlee said:

I officially accepted my offer at RISD today! So excited to attend in the fall. Has anyone else made decisions on where they are going? 

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How did you make your decision? Was it between Yale and RISD? 

[kamlee]

  On 3/10/2025 at 2:43 PM, orangebean said:

How did you make your decision? Was it between Yale and RISD? 

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Yes! It came down to those two schools. I was leaning toward RISD because I felt like I would enjoy the program structure a bit more, but ultimately I was offered a great scholarship at RISD that made my decision really easy between the two. 

[bluemargo96]

Has anyone been accepted into Hunter's program? I was waitlisted and wondering when those accepted need to make a decision by