SMFA

[imogen]

Thoughts about this school? Is it a strong program? Does it have a good reputation?

[allenm82]

The program was great...I had an interview there last year for the Photo MFA program. The only thing that was a turn off...and in the end it was a big turn off...is the studio spaces they provide are not great. One graduate student enrolled that I spoke with referred to it as a "Shanty Town". They're pretty small spaces blocked in my tall cubicle walls. I'm sure it fosters collaboration and camaraderie...but as a photographer, I needed more space to work than I was going to be given there.

It was tough because, like I said, the program seems STELLAR. If you get the chance, you should swing by and see if you can schedule a visit. That's the only way you'll know!

[brown06]

I applied to their postbacc program and was offered 12k in aid so I visited. It's a decent school but like the poster above said, sucky studio spaces. Its in a sterile area of boston for my taste too. The proximity and relationship with the museum is amazing and they have a plethora of opportunities going on there. Are you into interdisciplinary work? They are very much into that. Most of the school is in one building acrss the street from the museum, its quite large and maze like with lots of open studios to sit in and work from--the place is very very gritty with tons of projects going on everywhere, it looks as if its in cnstruction permanently--maybe thats your thing maybe not. Grad students seem happy and well taken care of. I wouldnt ever consider it for undergrad, far too impersonal for them.

I ended up going with Brandeis b/c of the larger studios, less than half the tuition cost, and more personalized attention. But if youre a big city living and working in a scrappy art school setting then you will love it.