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

[losemygrip]

So guys,

Now that some of us have received offers from colleges, it has become calculation time. One piece of advice I have gotten about choosing a program is to choose the one that gives me the best outcome after graduation.... But I don't know how to determine this. If I want to get a teaching position then I suppose the biggest, most reputable college would suffice. Am I right about this?

Then again if I want to just be a great artist, then I would choose the university with the best/most inspiring faculty. After all, we are choosing our mentors when we choose our place of study.

Any thoughts?

PS - Sorry if this is the wrong thread to post in.

PPS - If youre still waiting for responses, hang in there. I'm still waiting for 3!

If you want to get a teaching position, the biggest, most reputable college that will give you lots of teaching experience is the best choice. Factor that in with finances. Generally those teaching assistantships come along with a good offer.

[Itsem]

Snail mail rejection from MassArt. I figured it was coming since i didn't get invited for an interview. Hopefully, all the other east coast schools will take a hint from them and let me know their decisions soon.

[funny]

Do not go to Cranbrook. I repeat: do not go to Cranbrook. If you want to teach, you're going to be much better off getting teaching experience with one of your other options. Not to mention the money you'll save.

I have had two different teachers in undergrad who went to Cranbrook. Both were great. Both got teaching jobs early in their careers. Also, if you are need based cranbrook will help you out if you fill out your fafsa. Not as much as some schools, but certainly a nice chunk of change.

If you are a successful artist, with gallery respresentation, grants, impressive residencies, and or public art pieces, ect. there are schools that will want to hire someone like you. Cranbrook will focus on your studio practice. They are very straightforward in explaining this.

Getting teaching experiance is a good way to build a path toward teaching, but talk to your past proffessors and you will see that many did not follow that path. There are tons of different paths in something as happenstance as the art world. There are great teachers and artists who come from such a diverse background of schools. So my advice is to go to the school you are most excited about. Don't feel that you need to go to the "biggest most reputable school." Go to a program you like. And if you don't want student loans, take that into consideration too.

[RortyRorty]

Snail mail rejection from MassArt. I figured it was coming since i didn't get invited for an interview. Hopefully, all the other east coast schools will take a hint from them and let me know their decisions soon.

Sorry to hear that. Best of luck on the other schools.

[Itsem]

Sorry to hear that. Best of luck on the other schools.

thanks!

i'm from the south, so boston was probably going to be too cold for me anyway. Good luck to you too!!

[Kiks Ignacio]

Congratulations on all the good news.

SVA invited me to an interview! Yay.

Now I 'just' need to pass the interviews...

CONGRATULATIONS! I'm still waiting on mine good luck on yours!

[frez83]

Hunter rejection over here too, everyone. Seems like at this point all my schools are a no-go except my two interviews. Hopefully I do well on those, but like many of you I am starting to plan on what to do different for applying next year.

[sphil17]

Are you talking about SAIC? If so, they do have waitlists. And I believe the post-bac is a one year degree, not a non-degree.

Post Bac, I'm sure, is a non degree. You basically get all the perks of a graduate student, you just get absolutely no degree for it. Studios are usually available, crits with professors and your peers. Just no degree.

And yes, the graduate level hours look great for your next round of applications. And you could probably get some pretty good rec letters out of it too. Like I said, if you can afford it, GO FOR IT! If you are looking to improve your work, that's the way to do it. Another option instead of post bacc is applying for a residency. Once you apply, some will actually pay for you to go. And there are different residencies for different amounts of time-between a week to a year. Looks just as good as post bacc on a resume or application.

[sculptor]

Sorry to hear about the bad news, everyone. (Congrats to those with good news!) Hang in there. It's Saturday, so who knows what the mail will bring.

...and seriously, where are you, Kazoo?

[Galkyd]

Snail mail rejection from MassArt. I figured it was coming since i didn't get invited for an interview. Hopefully, all the other east coast schools will take a hint from them and let me know their decisions soon.

I'm waiting for my rejection from MassArt too...no interview.

If this trend continues I'm thinking more and more about residencies, better portfolios, statements etc...

Good luck to all.

[Galkyd]

How many painters out there have heard from RISD? Feeling like no new is a bad sign at this point.

[Noceh4]

How many painters out there have heard from RISD? Feeling like no new is a bad sign at this point.

I was counting 3-4 in the past 2 days.

[Noceh4]

I'm waiting for my rejection from MassArt too...no interview.

If this trend continues I'm thinking more and more about residencies, better portfolios, statements etc...

Good luck to all.

Just in case, look into Woodstock/Byrdcliffe residency - I think the deadline is March 15th?

[RaphaelF_S]

I have had two different teachers in undergrad who went to Cranbrook. Both were great. Both got teaching jobs early in their careers. Also, if you are need based cranbrook will help you out if you fill out your fafsa. Not as much as some schools, but certainly a nice chunk of change.

If you are a successful artist, with gallery respresentation, grants, impressive residencies, and or public art pieces, ect. there are schools that will want to hire someone like you. Cranbrook will focus on your studio practice. They are very straightforward in explaining this.

Getting teaching experiance is a good way to build a path toward teaching, but talk to your past proffessors and you will see that many did not follow that path. There are tons of different paths in something as happenstance as the art world. There are great teachers and artists who come from such a diverse background of schools. So my advice is to go to the school you are most excited about. Don't feel that you need to go to the "biggest most reputable school." Go to a program you like. And if you don't want student loans, take that into consideration too.

Thank you, I was going to respond to that post as you did. I've also had and known a number of tenured professors who went to Cranbrook for either their undergrad or graduate degrees. Most universities are concerned with your "research" record more than the breadth of your teaching experience.

[michaelwebster]

Post Bac, I'm sure, is a non degree. You basically get all the perks of a graduate student, you just get absolutely no degree for it. Studios are usually available, crits with professors and your peers. Just no degree.

And yes, the graduate level hours look great for your next round of applications. And you could probably get some pretty good rec letters out of it too. Like I said, if you can afford it, GO FOR IT! If you are looking to improve your work, that's the way to do it. Another option instead of post bacc is applying for a residency. Once you apply, some will actually pay for you to go. And there are different residencies for different amounts of time-between a week to a year. Looks just as good as post bacc on a resume or application.

Yes its a certificate, not a degree. What I meant is just that you get a piece of paper and a line on your resume at the end of the year. But I agree, its expensive.

[Galkyd]

Just in case, look into Woodstock/Byrdcliffe residency - I think the deadline is March 15th?

Thanks for that.

I'll check it out.

[kylebta]

Had an amazing experience with Hunter:

Double checked my application status on their site only to see my transcripts were never received. After trying to get ahold of the grad dept. offices all day, I finally spoke with someone who told me it would only make a difference if I became a finalist. Big relief. Then checking my email at the end of the day, I had a rejection from Hunter. Is this foul play?

[kylebta]

Has no one heard from Columbia or UCLA?

[SkeezySquid]

Has anyone heard from SVA - Illustration as Visual Essay?

[zecchi]

Has no one heard from Columbia or UCLA?

no word just yet for me. I know UCLA painting notifications go out 'mid march'. As for Columbia, no word yet. How did you find out about your rejection from Tyler? Congratulations on your interview at RISD, that is excellent!

[stars_pluto]

Yay!!!! Got Accepted to PAFA via snail mail!!!!! but with equal to no scholarship. I am an International student and 33K per year plus living expenses will be a huge expense for me. Is it worth accruing so much debt for PAFA, or would reapplying next year be a better option?

Any suggestions on how the school is and if burying myself in debt would be worth for PAFA are welcome. I have to reply to them by April 15th.

Edited March 3, 2012 by stars_pluto

[OutWest]

Has no one heard from Columbia or UCLA?

UCLA: heard of people on here getting into the traditional MFA (new genres I believe?), but also I was hearing notifications will go out later...I'm supposed to hear from the program I applied to (media arts MFA) early next week.

Best of luck!

[OutWest]

Yay!!!! Got Accepted to PAFA via snail mail!!!!! but with equal to no scholarship. I am an International student and 33K per year plus living expenses will be a huge expense for me. Is it worth accruing so much debt for PAFA, or would reapplying next year be a better option?

Any suggestions on how the school is and if burying myself in debt would be worth for PAFA are welcome. I have to reply to them by April 15th.

Yes, 33K x2 = 66K, and that's just tuition, right? So, you're looking at 66K (probable tuition) + 20K (at least, for living expenses for two years... if you go home your first summer) + 10+K to make the art you want to make (supplies, etc).

You could be spending 90~100+K on that education. I say, not worth it by any means...it's tough to get great funding at most schools for overseas people

Where are you located? Are you EU? They have such terrific funding for EU people from what I've seen.

Edited March 3, 2012 by OutWest

[gouache]

wait so all hope isnt lost if we havent heard from ucla yet? Ive heard so many things idk what to believe.

[OutWest]

wait so all hope isnt lost if we havent heard from ucla yet? Ive heard so many things idk what to believe.

I think UCLA made first round decisions on New Genres and Media Arts...that's what I've been hearing or have come across on this Forum. Don't think I've seen any of the painting people say they received an answer from them.