Getting ready for 2012

[jldstudio]

So far I'm busy researching schools and avoiding my statement. I hope to narrow my school list down and keep it under ten. What I want is to stay near the east coast and find an MFA that is more interdisciplinary. Maybe you know some schools I am overlooking?

Which programs are you guys deciding between? The only school I really have any info to give you on is VCU where I did sculpture for undergrad, feel free to ask.

School list & notes as of June 28---

MICA (mt royal)

Columbia

SVA (flexible within concentrations?)

Hunter (not interdisciplinary, but I am curious about the works on paper program)

SMFA

UPenn

Cornell

UGA (flexible within concentrations?)

UIC

MassArt (2D)

UT Knoxville (Visited. I like tennessee and the heat. The campus and city are appealing overall and the art building seemed average. Do have to pick a department)

[Demain]

Tyler! Its an amazing school that you have to visit to appreciate; although for interdisciplinary I'd say MICA is the strongest program.

[jldstudio]

Thanks! I will look at Tyler too, I know at VCU I heard them mentioned for sculpture often.

[jldstudio]

Now I'm looking at- Stanford, MICA, Columbia, MassArt, Hunter, UIC, Cornell, USC, UT Knoxville, and Penn.

I'm wondering if it's a bad plan to go to school on the west coast when you'll likely end up back on the east coast after you graduate?

[leee]

If you think you'll end up back on the east coast, it might be a good idea to stay and build connections now...but you'll never know what the other side is like unless you check it out, which in turn may be for you. I'm narrowing my list down right now too, could you give some insight on the painting program at VCU. also, what type of work are you making?

[losemygrip]

Hunter not interdisciplinary? The last time I checked they had a concentration in intermedia.

I, too, question the wisdom of limiting yourself to the east coast. But the ones you have now chosen from the west coast are NOT interdisciplinary. You need to look to UCSD, UCLA, and Arizona State.

[jldstudio]

lee-

I only had two classes up in the painting department, but I enjoyed the faculty I worked with. The building the department is in is really great. Each floor is a different department. I think painting is set up the same way as sculpture where grad students have their own studios at one end of the floor separate from the undergrad area. In the sculpture department I felt like we really benefited from having our grads working with us in the same building and the atmosphere is very relaxed at VCU. I will warn you though, you will be overshadowed by the sculpture department. If I had to say anything negative about the school I would say that everything other than sculpture feels like it gets secondary attention. (Or maybe I'm biased?)

I've been doing a lot of drawing lately. I'm working on one painting and two sculptures right now.

losemygrip-

I believe USC and Stanford were, but I will look at the others you mentioned too! I think I found what you are talking about at Hunter, their website describes it as "Combined Media (Installation, Performance and Video. NOT Mixed Media or Collage)." Hunter does have a works on paper department though and I would have enough drawings to apply for that.

I imagine I'd get too used to the weather out west and end up staying.

[Whinchat]

Hello All,

I've been lurking for awhile on this board, but now we're all looking toward 2012 applications I'm ready to wade in. I'm originally from the UK, but looking to study abroad for a post-graduate degree in art. My work is mainly photographically based, but not pure photography, I tend to montage found images but have been know to dabble slightly in video and film.

I am currently looking to attend either SAIC or Columbia University. So far most of my research has been over the internet, however I hope to get a more hands on view of SAIC when I visit for the national graduate portfolio day in November. I would be greatful if anyone could give me some impartial advice for either Institution and their aesthetic.

I have noticed that the graduates at SAIC are rather polished, but I'm weary that this could lend itself to being rather commercialised, much like some of the work coming out of the Royal College of Art in London. I think I would prefer a freer type of education, but then location is also really important to me - I like being in big cosmopolitan cities.

Any feedback or school recommendations will be welcome, when I get the chance I'll stick up the first draft of my portfoilo.

[losemygrip]

UCLA. Overall, the best MFA program in the country in my opinion. Also highly competitive--I think only Yale and Columbia are more so.

[michaelwebster]

Hello All,

I've been lurking for awhile on this board, but now we're all looking toward 2012 applications I'm ready to wade in. I'm originally from the UK, but looking to study abroad for a post-graduate degree in art. My work is mainly photographically based, but not pure photography, I tend to montage found images but have been know to dabble slightly in video and film.

I am currently looking to attend either SAIC or Columbia University. So far most of my research has been over the internet, however I hope to get a more hands on view of SAIC when I visit for the national graduate portfolio day in November. I would be greatful if anyone could give me some impartial advice for either Institution and their aesthetic.

I have noticed that the graduates at SAIC are rather polished, but I'm weary that this could lend itself to being rather commercialised, much like some of the work coming out of the Royal College of Art in London. I think I would prefer a freer type of education, but then location is also really important to me - I like being in big cosmopolitan cities.

Any feedback or school recommendations will be welcome, when I get the chance I'll stick up the first draft of my portfoilo.

SAIC can be very interdisciplinary. I don't know a lot about the photo department, but one student I know exhibited all sculpture and installation in the MFA show. Most of what I see at SAIC is your standard MFA large format photography, but I haven't seen much of photo's work. http://adamekberg.com/home.html Adam Ekberg was a recent graduate. You can take any class and work 1 on 1 with professors in any department, so it can really be what you want it to be. There are enough faculty at the school you can always find people to work with.

I would agree that the school seems to be a little too polished sometimes, but Columbia will probably be more so.

Edited August 8, 2011 by michaelwebster

[jldstudio]

Starting to feel like I've got things set.

UCLA, USC, UCB, UCI, UCD, NYU, UPenn, U of C, UIC, Rutgers

Anyone have any thoughts on Northwestern?

[losemygrip]

Well, for someone who started out saying "I want to stay on the east coast," you've certainly had a change of heart.

My problem with your list is that you don't really have any "fallback" schools. Those are all pretty competitive. UIC is probably the closest you get to a fallback school. You might want to throw in a Cal State (Fullerton or San Diego)

I would dump UPenn for Tyler, and NYU for U Conn. Those are STILL really competitive, but there's really no reason to go to Penn in studio art. (And that pretty much sums up my thoughts on Northwestern as well.) NYU's MFA program is really new and has little track record (despite NYU's good reputation in many other arts areas). Throw something crazy in there instead--maybe SUNY Buffalo? I think they're pretty interdisciplinary.

[losemygrip]

Oh, and just go ahead and apply to as many as you can afford. I don't think you should put artificial limits on yourself. If you're financially independent you may be able to apply for application fee waivers. I did that years ago, and was successful every place except Berkeley.

[gentlebreeze]

I would dump UPenn for Tyler, and NYU for U Conn. Those are STILL really competitive, but there's really no reason to go to Penn in studio art.

Would you mind elaborating further on this opinion? Are there any specific sub-specialties within their MFA program that you consider particularly weak or strong versus the rest? I am applying to UPenn for various reasons (would be willing to discuss further in Private Message). Overall, I consider it my safety school amongst the other programs where I'm applying.

[losemygrip]

It really depends on why you're going to graduate school.

I'm basing my responses largely on the premise that you're thinking about the possibility of a future career in academe. I've seen few Penn (or Northwestern) grads on the market over the years, and those that I have were not very good. (I didn't even know Northwestern HAD an MFA program--and I know a LOT about art in academe. That's how little known it is.)

If you're just going to give further thought and time to your art, well, almost any place will do. Just find a program with a sympathetic professor to advise you.

Tyler's overall reputation is much stronger than Penn or NYU. It's a top ten program for sure, up there with RISD, UCLA, SAIC. It does have administrative problems--as I've said elsewhere, deans have been bouncing in and out of that office like ping-pong balls. But it still has an excellent reputation. Another thing about Penn--they are known to have limited funds for grad students, and once you run out, you're on your own paying that expensive Penn tuition. This is probably less important with an MFA since you won't be sitting around for 9 years writing a dissertation.

[gentlebreeze]

I do want to somewhat be involved in academe (preferably as an adjunct/visiting critic situation) but I already have a different degree that qualifies me for that, outside of Penn. There are a few most likely "sympathetic" faculty at Penn that I would tend to gravitate toward. Would it be OK if I pm you for some advice?

It really depends on why you're going to graduate school.

I'm basing my responses largely on the premise that you're thinking about the possibility of a future career in academe. I've seen few Penn (or Northwestern) grads on the market over the years, and those that I have were not very good. (I didn't even know Northwestern HAD an MFA program--and I know a LOT about art in academe. That's how little known it is.)

If you're just going to give further thought and time to your art, well, almost any place will do. Just find a program with a sympathetic professor to advise you.

Tyler's overall reputation is much stronger than Penn or NYU. It's a top ten program for sure, up there with RISD, UCLA, SAIC. It does have administrative problems--as I've said elsewhere, deans have been bouncing in and out of that office like ping-pong balls. But it still has an excellent reputation. Another thing about Penn--they are known to have limited funds for grad students, and once you run out, you're on your own paying that expensive Penn tuition. This is probably less important with an MFA since you won't be sitting around for 9 years writing a dissertation.

[jldstudio]

I know, I flipped pretty hard from east to west coast at some point! I'll look at the cal states too. Any fallback schools recommended on the east coast?

[Whinchat]

SAIC can be very interdisciplinary. I don't know a lot about the photo department, but one student I know exhibited all sculpture and installation in the MFA show. Most of what I see at SAIC is your standard MFA large format photography, but I haven't seen much of photo's work. http://adamekberg.com/home.html Adam Ekberg was a recent graduate. You can take any class and work 1 on 1 with professors in any department, so it can really be what you want it to be. There are enough faculty at the school you can always find people to work with.

I would agree that the school seems to be a little too polished sometimes, but Columbia will probably be more so.

Thanks for the feedback - I'm super excited about SAIC, the more I look into it the more I fall in love with it.

On the same topic, I think I may have sorted the final list:

SAIC, Slade School of Fine Art (UCL), Danish Royal Academy, CalArts, SVA, UCLA and Pratt.

What does everyone else think?

[losemygrip]

Skip Pratt. Not that great of a reputation in photo or combined media, and they don't have tons of money for grad students. Did you consider SUNY Purchase?

The rest of your list is quite ambitious. Good luck.

[Whinchat]

Skip Pratt. Not that great of a reputation in photo or combined media, and they don't have tons of money for grad students. Did you consider SUNY Purchase?

The rest of your list is quite ambitious. Good luck.

Cheers, your advice has been really helpful over the last few days. Are you on an MFA yourself, or do you teach?

I've found it quite hard picking the right programmes, with only the use of the internet and the opinions of a few people close to me. I am looking forward to going over in October and at least speaking face to face with some of the representatives for each University. I've recently had to drop the idea of the Royal Danish Academy as although I've been in touch with them for awhile, they've massively overhauled their course structure. I feel like I should apply to another European school just so my options are open, but I'm not entierly sure where.

[R. Mutt]

I am in the UGA Art X department and they are about to have a grad program. It will be official very soon and is completely interdisciplinary - Professors are great, I'd think you'd like it.

[ellsworthy]

Can someone explain UCLA's short statement of purpose and also the "required" statement of purpose? The 2012 online application has yet to be opened so I wanted to get a sense of what they meant by the required statement and then the short statement.

Thanks and good luck to everyone applying this year!

[jldstudio]

Starling- That will be interesting, is art X more like 'new genres'?

Paintcutter-

I took it to mean all grad applicants submit a general statement of purpose, but the art department wants an artist statement as well.

[crashingnancie]

For those of you working in an interdisciplinary sort of way I HIGHLY recommend SVA. I am in my second year in the MFA program and the faculty is amazing. You've got rockstar teachers like Marilyn Minter (who also teaches at Yale), Kate Gilmore, Fred Wilson, and James Siena who really invest in you and mentor you. Plus SVA is BLOCKS from the big galleries in Chelsea. PACE, David Zwirner, Barbara Goldstein, etc.

[losemygrip]

And SVA has a gallery space in Chelsea as I recall (or at least I saw undergrad work exhibited there once.

Question for nancie: does SVA provide any opportunities for grad students to get teaching experience? That's really important if you want to go into academe.