Anyone familiar with the CUNY MFA programs?

[stephanieb]

Wondering if anyone has anything to share about any of the CUNY MFA programs. Firsthand experience or otherwise. Just looking for stories/info beyond what can be gathered from their sites. Most of them don't seem to have too much student work up, blogs, anything of the sort. Particularly interested in Printmaking, but also curious about Painting/Drawing, facilities, and faculty.

[losemygrip]

Hunter generally considered the best, but I've never been impressed by any of the MFA work from any of the campuses (even though a dear friend of mine received a Hunter MFA a few years back--so not since her at any rate).

[caitlingm]

Just got back from a visit to NYC and I checked out CUNY Queens College. They have a small program with 15 students, a beautiful campus, and huge private studios. Personal downsides: focus on Social Practice program ( public-ish art and art activism as far as I could tell) and poor student work with no focus on theory or history. Also I heard from the students that the academic component (art history and theory classes) is very poor. Good luck!

[ylagandre]

I have a friend who had an excellent experience at Hunter. He's a video artist so they set him up to work under Tony Oursler as a studio assistant right off the bat. Now he shows at MOMA P.S.1 and is published in Flash Art magazine. I have another friend who went to a different CUNY and he also seemed to have a beneficial experience by making connections in the city. The city is definitely a huge asset to consider.