MFA 2014 All Art ADMISSIONS freak-out forum!!!!!!!!

[kafralal]

I'm starting the new thread for the next round of applications. There seems to be enough activity on last year's to warrant it.

 

Best of luck everyone!

[agrobaby]

Are we switching over from 2013?

 

Kafralal, did you see distinctions between ucla's new media and interdisciplinary MFA programs that seem worth noting?

[kafralal]

2013 was for the round of applicants starting their programs this fall. We're fall 2014.

 

No difference noted between new genre and interdisciplinary from the show, but it is something I will be looking into when I visit.

[manohman]

yaaaaayyyy!  i love this new forum, also if anyone knows someone who applied to any of the following schools got in, they could perhaps tell us how the interview was? what sort of questions they asked etc.

pratt

RISD

SVA

SAIC 

YALE

NYU

add more if you want =)

[douchamp]

I posted this in the other thread.

 

 

 

I too am interested in UCLA. One of the things that attracts me to this program is how seriously the faculty takes the written component of the MFA. Elsewhere it's typically a formality. I think I heard that the written supplement one has to complete to graduate from the MFA program is a minimum of 15 pages. 15 pages may seem like standard fare equal to a typical final written assignment in an undergrad humanities course, However I've typically seen that the written component is 5 or so pages.

 

I haven't actually heard much of Columbia. All I know is that they have star faculty members.

 

I think if your interested in sculpture, Yale may be a disappointment as the facilities are a bit limited compared to other schools.

 

Bard college appears to be truly interdisciplinary. I read an article in the Brooklyn Rail a few months ago which discussed its MFA program. It's interdisciplinary to the extent that professors and graduate students of performing arts, creatie writing, music, acting and other creatives sit in on your critiques and offer feed back as much as the art professors. The article also mentioned that its a low residency summer only program and that the school struggles to award much in funding ti its enrolled students. I think you can find it online on the website. I'll try to pull it up later.

 

Cranbrook is another school I'm interested in, there are no classes, grades, or professors. There are only art students and visiting artists. Despite it all the school is still considered to be among the most respected institutions. It still has departments divided into disciplines (with no interdisciplinary department), but it seems like the program encourages and invites you to draw from and incorporate other mediums in your work. Definitely a more experimental school. It seems like a very intense program with focus being emphasized on producing work thorough critiques. Students must even submit written critiques to their peers.

 

The discussion of interdisciplinary programs also reminded me of Cooper Union. I heard a while ago that Cooper Union was developing an MFA program. It's easily the most selective undergraduate art school and has some really interesting faculty. The program is entirely interdisciplinary even at the undergraduate level. Does anyone have more info on the program/heard any news?

[agrobaby]

I visited Bard. It is super expensive (private and lacks funding), and seemed a bit lonely and strange during the summer. No one is there, but it is located on the Hudson in the woods, so it is a peaceful and beautiful environment. The nearby train will take you to nyc in an hour though. It is a great program, but their facilities seem limited. Bard gets really great visiting artists in for critiques from nyc, and a friend of mine who did their MFA there loved it, and is doing well with his art and teaching career. He went straight from Bard to the Whitney ISP. The price and lack of funding makes it financially impossible for me, though.

 

For sculpture + extended media, VCU has really great facilities, and post all their equipment on their site. That program is somewhat interdisciplinary, because they clearly encourage you to use all the resources they have available. I don't know how rigorous the theory/writing side of the program is, but I will be visiting again this fall and asking more specific questions, which I will post here. 

 

http://arts.vcu.edu/sculpture/mfa-program/facilities/

 

For me, VCU could be free (I'm in-state and impoverished) and have a TA spot or stipend if I got in. They are a big state school, and have the resources to give out funding. The TA positions are competitive, which means they come with more money. But they give them out before the first year, so you have extra money to work with right away. 

[kafralal]

Great info douchamp and agrobaby, thanks! Here's that Brooklyn Rail article on Bard.

 

http://www.brooklynrail.org/2012/12/art/figuring-it-out-bards-low-residency-mfa-program

[kafralal]

douchamp - No particular mention of a 15 page thesis requirement on the website. It just says "a statement by the artist"

 

"In addition to the completion of the required coursework, each degree is awarded on the basis of the quality of the student's work as demonstrated in the exhibition which is part of the comprehensive examination. The examination includes a formal exhibition and faculty review, in addition to the submission of a curriculum vitae, documentation of artwork, and a statement by the artist. The document becomes the property of and is retained by the University."

 

Here: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/pgmrq/art.asp

 

Definitely a question to ask directly.

[evd]

Great info douchamp and agrobaby, thanks! Here's that Brooklyn Rail article on Bard.

 

http://www.brooklynrail.org/2012/12/art/figuring-it-out-bards-low-residency-mfa-program

 

If only more MFA review articles could be this comprehensive! Thanks for sharing

[kafralal]

SAIC has a new low-residency program starting Summer 2014. They are doing an webinar info session today at 6:30 (CST) for anyone interested.

 

ww.saic.edu/academics/graduatedegrees/lowresmfa/

Edited July 30, 2013 by kafralal

[agrobaby]

Did anyone do the webinar session for SAIC's new low res program?

[kafralal]

Did anyone do the webinar session for SAIC's new low res program?

 

 

I did.

They are going to put it online at some point, but if there's something specific you want to know before then ask away!

[agrobaby]

cool, I will watch it online.

Did you get a sense of funding options being better or worse or the same as their regular semester MFA?

[kafralal]

They listed the same options, fafsa loans and need-based scholarships, but there was no indication of how it will compare to the regular program. In the Q and A they said there will be only one or two merit based scholarships.

[manohman]

so i put up the link to my work in the last forum and i got a zero response, i'm almost scared to put it up again, =/. i could really use some insight arghh! you guys are all so talented,it's very intimidating 

[kafralal]

Hi nairamushtag. I'm not big on commenting on people's art in this context and at this time. I think it is more helpful to make comments about things that are easy to change, but hard to get a handle on, like statements. Having said that I don't think you have any reason to feel insecure about your work.

A general comment for your portfolio is that the "transfers on paper" look like they need to be re-photographed—without the frames. If I'm wrong and the frames are part of the imagery, then your statement can clarify that.

Edited August 1, 2013 by kafralal

[agrobaby]

so i put up the link to my work in the last forum and i got a zero response, i'm almost scared to put it up again, =/. i could really use some insight arghh! you guys are all so talented,it's very intimidating 

 

  I agree with kafralal, It seems to me that the strongest work are your photo-transfers and paintings, and that the photo-transfers should be rephotographed. Post your statement when you have one together!

[manohman]

duly noted, and i completely agree, i have to update the images  and this body of work is from my thesis show, i have new work which i will post soon. thanks you guys i really really appreciate it  . i will put up my statement as well even though i think it's not very good but any criticism is better than none.

[kafralal]

Does anyone have any advice for someone in their Mid-30s applying for the 2014 Fall Admissions Cycle?  While I have kept my practice current, the only potential recommenders I have are those who have taught summer courses at Ox-Bow and community art classes at LillStreet Art Center in Chicago.  I am relatively certain that my undergraduate professors have probably forgotten me and my work today has little resemblance to what I did as an undergraduate Studio Art major (thank God!).  If the Ox-Bow and LillStreet folks are unable to provide me with recommendations, I'm not sure where to turn--thoughts?  Also, I'm currently looking at UT-Austin, Indiana University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, and UW-Madison.  Some of these programs require one to apply to a specific area, but my current work doesn't really fall into one particular category, though I feel it is most closely aligned with Printmaking (I create marbled paper collages, marbled canvas pieces, and recently have been creating marbled monoprint/ collages using acetate)--I am wondering if it will hurt my chances if apply to Printmaking departments, because my work doesn't read as print media, per se.

[kafralal]

I would start by going to your undergrad profs and bringing images of the work that they may have known at the time. Try to refresh their memory both visually and verbally and perhaps show them your marks for the course work, then ask them if they think they could write you strong letters of recommendation. If they don't think they can, then I would try elsewhere. Then, it could be anyone outside academia who can attest to you and your work,  and your likelyhood of success in an mfa program. The following is a list of things that are apparently discussed in a LoR (this comes with a disclaimer to the effect that I can't fully vouch for the acuracy of the content, but it sounds good to me!) .

ability to work with others
ability to work alone
communication skills (both oral and written)
creativity
dedication and persistence
independence
industriousness
initiative
intellectual ability
integrity
judgment
leadership
maturity
organizational skills
originality
teaching potential
social skills

 

As far as which area to apply to...I think that depends on which discourse you relate to the most. This can be part of what you talk about in your SOP. I'm pretty sure that just because you use some print-like techniques, you wouldn't be limited to that genre if you really think of yourself as a painter, let's say. Or, if on the other hand you want to be part of printmaking discourse, I wouldn't be concerned that they might look like something else.

 

Anybody else want to weigh in?

[kafralal]

Thought I would posts my shortlist of places I'm thinking of applying to.

UCLA

USC

Calarts

UCSD

Bard

SAIC (low-res)

UBC

[pulpandink]

Thank you for the above advice and letter of recommendation insight!  Any thoughts about mentioning the desire to teach in a Statement of Purpose/ Intent?  I have read arguments on both sides--"yes," because it puts you in the radar for TA positions, and" no," because it may paint you as someone who's more committed to teaching than serious art-making.   I have been teaching preschool and children's art classes for the past five years, in addition to leading teacher trainings on art-for-preschoolers.  I feel that my teaching practice informs my art-making and vice versa, so I feel it is something I SHOULD mention.  However, I don't want to be labeled as strictly an "educator" and not taken seriously during the application process as an artist.

[kafralal]

Yah, not sure about that. On the one hand, I'm thinking that your resume will show the connection and that maybe you should just focus on the art practice. But on the other hand, if your interests in education are radical and you can link them to expanding ideas in contemporary art, or if teaching serves as an important source of inspiration (in some unique, rather than romantic way) then maybe you should talk about your desire to teach. I think you would just need to be able to connect the teaching to your work in a meaningful way, beyond "I love to teach, and kids are so inspiring," because that kinda goes without saying.

 

In regards to the LoR list I posted earlier...it was a list for grad school letters in general and not particular to mfa letters. I'm not sure if there is a difference.

[kafralal]

For those interested in VCU sculpture, I talked to the interum chair, Carlton Newton, about what people do after graduating. He said that the trend is that 3 of the six leave Richmond the summer after graduating, while the rest usually leave within two years.

Then I saw an interview with Carlton where he said that most graduates (not sure whether he is talking bfa, mfa or both) end up in Bushwick.

[agrobaby]

For those interested in VCU sculpture, I talked to the interum chair, Carlton Newton, about what people do after graduating. He said that the trend is that 3 of the six leave Richmond the summer after graduating, while the rest usually leave within two years.

Then I saw an interview with Carlton where he said that most graduates (not sure whether he is talking bfa, mfa or both) end up in Bushwick.

 

For those interested in VCU, I just want to put my two cents in, since I visit Richmond, Virginia often, it's pretty much the Bushwick of the South. Not surprised where students go from there post-graduation! Contemporary art galleries, a large art museum, great food, drink, cheap rent, and a blend of art students and old southern aristocracy. If you have any romance for the southern gothic meets brooklyn, you will love it there.