MFA 2012 All Art ADMISSIONS freak-out forum!!!!!!!!

[Fool4nine]

This isn't scientific or anything, but I find it a little interesting that the thread with the same name as this one except for the year being 2011, was starting in January of that year, had a quarter million views, and 2251 posts.

The current numbers on this thread are much smaller by comparison. I can't help but wonder if the pool of applicants is way down this year. I know undergraduate enrollment numbers are way up and I would except graduate applications to be at record levels too since there are no jobs. Just wondering out loud if the cost of graduate school coupled with a terrible economy is causing people to wait on grad school.

Your thoughts?

Does anybody have inside information on how stiff the competition will be this year?

[jldstudio]

I don't have any inside information but I've been wondering the same. Or perhaps it could shift where people are applying as they try to go more for programs that they feel are likely to fund well. Maybe we'll see lesser known state programs receiving more interest.

[ellsworthy]

It looks like I'll be one of the many submitting at the very end... :-(

[berto]

You ask the people who you want to write a letter of rec months in advance so they don't wait till the last minute. These people are going to give me a panic attack if they don't get busy!!

[LovelyPainter]

Goodness what a crazy month. Bit chaotic managing exhibits+applications+holidays. Hope everyone got to stuff themselves silly. I'm officially calling myself plump. Five applications in and six more to go... dun dun dunnnnn

[LovelyPainter]

@Roberto

Ugh how stressful! The most "ugh" time consuming so far for me has been all the different portfolio upload systems used. It took me much longer than I'd like to admit to get through all the randomly specific requirements of different Uni.s

Edited December 27, 2011 by LovelyPainter

[Fool4nine]

You ask the people who you want to write a letter of rec months in advance so they don't wait till the last minute. These people are going to give me a panic attack if they don't get busy!!

Yea that sucks. I had three people lined up four months ago. They all waited till the semester was over and only a few days before Christmas. One professor who retired last semester, flaked out and has been out of town for the last 6 weeks so I had to ask my department chair at the last minute. He said he was happy to do it, then was kind of irritated that I applied to more schools than he was expecting. He let me know that he was a bit put out by the short time to get them done.

It was the most stressful part of the whole application experience as it is the one part that is totally out of my hands.

You aren't kidding - Besides that, I am officially done with my application process after I get to the post office tomorrow::

I'm with you starling. I'm headed to the post office tomorrow to mail two last minute applications. Then I'm all done. It's going to be tough waiting for the next few months.

[jldstudio]

I'm nearly done. Everything is mailed. I'm off tomorrow from work so my plan is to get my final four applications submitted. I already sent out the LOR requests for them. Just have to submit online, pay and I'm done! This is going to be tough to wait for.

[raspberrymushroom]

first year applying.deadline in 8 days and just started to write my personal statement.

my goal is to get into the interviews.

[Fool4nine]

first year applying.deadline in 8 days and just started to write my personal statement.

my goal is to get into the interviews.

That's kind of insane. I started writing my personal statement four months ago. Started submitting applications three months ago and used nearly every bit of that time to get everything complete. Of course I had classes and home work but it was still a very time consuming venture. I guess you have enough time if you are only applying to a couple of schools. But with acceptance rates being in the 2-10% range for many programs, it is wise to apply to as many as you can afford and have time to do.

It is also tough getting the reference letters complete as it is out of your hands.

All I can say is ... good luck!

[raspberrymushroom]

That's kind of insane. I started writing my personal statement four months ago. Started submitting applications three months ago and used nearly every bit of that time to get everything complete. Of course I had classes and home work but it was still a very time consuming venture. I guess you have enough time if you are only applying to a couple of schools. But with acceptance rates being in the 2-10% range for many programs, it is wise to apply to as many as you can afford and have time to do.

It is also tough getting the reference letters complete as it is out of your hands.

All I can say is ... good luck!

Thank you.

Seriously I really wish I have had started earlier... now I am really thinking about the statement even when I am sleeping...

[jldstudio]

When do you guys think it is good to send out reminder emails for letter writers?

I've got a few due Jan 15th that are not submitted, but they are all online. I was thinking to wait longer because of the holidays and then email if it's not done around the 7th.

[Fool4nine]

When do you guys think it is good to send out reminder emails for letter writers?

I've got a few due Jan 15th that are not submitted, but they are all online. I was thinking to wait longer because of the holidays and then email if it's not done around the 7th.

If you can speak with them via email or phone right after new years, then I would do that first before sending out online reminders from the application websites. It is possible that they just missed them in their inbox. By speaking with them, they can tell you to resend the emails and they will know to watch for them. I would not wait till the 7th.

[ellsworthy]

Do you guys have any ideas on gifts for recommenders? I'm having a tough time figuring out how I can thank them without just sending them a card.

[LovelyPainter]

Do you guys have any ideas on gifts for recommenders? I'm having a tough time figuring out how I can thank them without just sending them a card.

I gave all of mine small gift cards to Starbucks...

[LovelyPainter]

What Fool4nine said... Get them on the phone. Sometimes ppl do genuinely forget especially with the Holidays.

When do you guys think it is good to send out reminder emails for letter writers?

I've got a few due Jan 15th that are not submitted, but they are all online. I was thinking to wait longer because of the holidays and then email if it's not done around the 7th.

[berto]

All Applications are signed sealed and delivered. (uploaded)

I must say the slideroom and other portfolio image upload systems make it so much easier than burning a disk and testing it on a zillion other computers to make sure it will read. Not to mention the anxiety thinking about the disk getting crushed by the new post office worker....

Feels great to be done, Im very proud of my portfolio, statements etc and hope for the best.....but still waiting on that one single recommendation letter. I hate to come across obnoxious and pesky, because it is a lot of work writing these things....boo.

Happy New Year to all.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Roberto

[Appli-can]

I'm nearly done. Everything is mailed. I'm off tomorrow from work so my plan is to get my final four applications submitted. I already sent out the LOR requests for them. Just have to submit online, pay and I'm done! This is going to be tough to wait for.

What are you mailing? Your applications were not all online? Thanks!

[sciencegirl]

Hey all, my older sister got her MFA in photography from a top California school a few years back... over the holidays I showed her this forum (I'm applying to phD programs in a completely different field right now)... and she was shocked about this online forum thing as she didn't have this when she applied in the early 2000s. She's staying with me for a few more days and volunteered to give advice to people if needed - we figured for anonymity reasons, people can just message me here and I'll have her answer. She now teaches studio art at a liberal arts college and has her own budding art career so she stressed keeping private.. however, she felt bad about the lack of solid advice from people who have successfully gone through the process. She had no idea that this forum existed and doubts her colleagues teaching MFA programs know of this either. She also thought some of the advice here could be stronger. Anyway, might be too late now to help, but she'd be happy to lend a hand and to answer questions from her experience.

[susanbanthony69]

I feel like I screwed up- for some reason I didn't think it was a big deal if I checked 'do not waive my rights' on the recommendation section.... what do you guys think

I assumed it was a given to waive your rights on the recommendation letters, like the difference between official transcripts and unofficial transcripts. More so for the confidentiality between the letter writer and person receiving it. I wouldn't sweat it though, I'm sure it's near the bottom of the list of things they give a shit about.

[berto]

I feel like I screwed up- for some reason I didn't think it was a big deal if I checked 'do not waive my rights' on the recommendation section.... what do you guys think

I've had a couple of professors mention that the school may take it a bit more serious if you waive your right. Although The same professor let me read his rough draft! ha! So all in all, you shouldn't lose sleep over it.

[LovelyPainter]

starling, on 28 December 2011 - 03:47 PM, said:

I feel like I screwed up- for some reason I didn't think it was a big deal if I checked 'do not waive my rights' on the recommendation section.... what do you guys think

I agree with Susan+Roberto...it's kind of a given that you are suppose to waive your rights. I even had one of my mentors tell me that ..."oh and make sure" bit when I asked him to write a rec. But I wouldn't sweat it. They will probably just contact your recommenders.... Again at the end of the day if your work is stellar, the rest is just icing on the cake.

Edited December 29, 2011 by LovelyPainter

[ellsworthy]

Did anyone fill out the Diversity Fellowship or any part of the Fellowship section on the UC school application? I noticed it was the same for UCI and UCLA.

[nimda]

I'm doing this for all the apps that ask. a few have full diversity fellowships (like penn) others partial. What have you all heard about these?

[jldstudio]

Thanks! I'll wait until new years then and check with her to see if she'd like me to re-send those emails or not.

Anyone else applying to UCSD? Have you been sent your login to the portfolio site? I emailed about it around the 22nd and was told two days or so. Have not heard back yet.