SFAI or MassART? Low- Residency MFA Painting

[bambamart]

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  • LocationBoise, ID
    
  • Application Season:2012 Spring
    
  • Program:MFA Painting
    

  Posted Today, 01:29 PM

  I am going to grad school for an MFA in painting.

  It will cost about 60K in loans (after a 6k scholarship over 2 yr's at 3k/yr.) to go to Mass Art, 116k to go to SFAI.

  SFAI will take 3 years and 11 mo's (low residency program 9 weeks /yr).

  Mass. Art will take 2 yr's and 1 mo. (low residency program 7 weeks /yr).

  Massart MFA is ranked 3.6 on US News rankings

  SFAI is ranked 3.5 for overall MFA programs on US News rankings.

  SFAI is ranked #19 in painting. Rankings only went 25 places or so and Mass. Art wasn't on the list for painting.

  Mass Art is half the time and almost half as expensive.

  Mass Art has some classes online and is taught at a small facility on the tip of cape Cod in Provincetown, SFAI is taught at the regular school facility by teachers who are (more so than MASS ART) also instructors in the full time program.

  For some logic defying reason I can't completely justify, I want to spend almost twice as much time AND money going to SFAI (who haven't offered me any scholarships etc... though I was a last minute applicant applying 2.5 months after the priority deadline). Financial help next year(s)... unlikely???

  SFAI program seems a bit more legit with more full time staff and facilities, SF seems like a better place to be in general.....

  Anyone have advice for me... i have about 18 hr's to make up my mind and I have never been so conflicted...

  My work is anatomical Pop Surrealism btw.

  Thanks in advance!

[surreal05]

I'm experiencing a similar situation. I was accepted to MassArt as well and I was also offered a $6000 scholarship. I am transferring from a state school where I had a tuition waiver plus an assistantship. I left my previous school because I wanted to attend a art school as oppose to a state school with an art program. However, now I am having second thoughts about attending MassArt. I find the total cost of the program to be expensive plus all the travel expenses. I also feel conflicted about the caliber of work I have seen thus far from the students and people attending the FAWC. I looked up the galleries around Provincetown where MassArt students have exhibited and I found the work to be poor and quite kitschy. I'm afraid to get loans to pay for a program that might not be that great. What did you end up deciding?