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

[tabbykiki]

Well, MICA is reviewing my portfolio now. So I should hear back soonish.

I've entered the valley of 'despair' and 'desperation' on that coaster all in one go.

 

I really need to start a new photography series, but I just have no time. That and winter doesn't agree with me. The outdoors is something I particularly rely on, but the places I go are becoming either dangerous to traverse or too popular. That and the cedar waxwings. Poop everywhere man.

 

Urgh, February is gonna be fun. Not to mention that the regional manager came in today and she doesn't like me at all. We will see if I still have my job at the end of the week

I feel yeah. Over corporate America and the added stress. Come on March!! (Should have some answers and more sunshine by then!)

[ismewilde]

I'm pumping out the positivity as much for myself as for anyone else. I feel the roller coaster as well- just trying to keep from falling into the well of "what if"- especially since there may be two more months of waiting...

[seeingeyeduck]

Today I got an email from Berkeley saying I was "shortlisted" and that they'd like to "follow up" by phone tonight. Just got off the phone and am a little more nervous about this one. They asked about how I presented work in the past, what I want to do in the program and why, and whether there were artists that I admired who do what I want to do. I feel like I kinda bonked that last one because I'm not as informed about the media I want to explore as much as the one I am comfortable with. Should've done more research or just pulled up my blog to remind myself of stuff I've liked in the past, but it's over now! They also asked about an item on the CV and what I am working on now.

 

Wish I had more time, but maybe that's exactly why they do it this way. I got the email confirming the interview time 10m before the interview cuz Google delayed delivery! Argh. Also, maybe it wasn't a good idea to do on it my crappy Ptel phone with the crappy connection where almost half of his sentences were muffled. Skype was better. Yikes.

 

Apparently different faculty are calling different candidates, then they will decide next week. I'm not sure if that means we will hear next week, but soon after that for sure. Nervous about this one.

Edited February 4, 2014 by iomarch

[ismewilde]

Yay, iomarch! Great to get the call! They have to know that people get nervous and blank on these phone calls, right?

[seeingeyeduck]

Yay, iomarch! Great to get the call! They have to know that people get nervous and blank on these phone calls, right?

 

Thanks!

 

I'm sure they're aware of it, but on some level it's still gotta count against you if someone else is naming names and being eloquent, right? I'm sure it won't make or break it, but it's just regret rearing it's head. It's like those conversations where you are not sure what to say, then after you go home, you think of a zinger. Fluxus, Oliver Lutz - why didn't I mention those!! I just said, "I don't know as much about that medium, but I do like this guy that works in the medium I'm already working in which is not really what you asked me..." Not quite that bad, but pretty bad!

[seeingeyeduck]

Yay, iomarch! Great to get the call! They have to know that people get nervous and blank on these phone calls, right?

 

Oh and by the way - what made you want to apply to Mills? I thought about it, but it seemed like they didn't really offer much in the way of financial support? They seem to be a great place though. If it wasn't for the finances, I would've applied.

[kafralal]

Today I got an email from Berkeley saying I was "shortlisted" and that they'd like to "follow up" by phone tonight. Just got off the phone and am a little more nervous about this one. They asked about how I presented work in the past, what I want to do in the program and why, and whether there were artists that I admired who do what I want to do. I feel like I kinda bonked that last one because I'm not as informed about the media I want to explore as much as the one I am comfortable with. Should've done more research or just pulled up my blog to remind myself of stuff I've liked in the past, but it's over now! They also asked about an item on the CV and what I am working on now.

 

Wish I had more time, but maybe that's exactly why they do it this way. I got the email confirming the interview time 10m before the interview cuz Google delayed delivery! Argh. Also, maybe it wasn't a good idea to do on it my crappy Ptel phone with the crappy connection where almost half of his sentences were muffled. Skype was better. Yikes.

 

Apparently different faculty are calling different candidates, then they will decide next week. I'm not sure if that means we will hear next week, but soon after that for sure. Nervous about this one.

 

Pretty sure most people blank out in situations like that. It is really hard to already "own" work you are thinking of doing...maybe it wasn't even been conceived in the context of some other artist's work. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Thanks for the report.

Things seem to be going well for you, congrats!

[kafralal]

I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to brainstorm ideas for dealing with the various kinds of interviews beyond a list of potential questions, although that is useful. I think phone and Skype interviews can be particularly challenging as it is harder (or impossible) to read body language. What are people's experiences? What are effective ways to prepare for them?

[ismewilde]

Oh and by the way - what made you want to apply to Mills? I thought about it, but it seemed like they didn't really offer much in the way of financial support? They seem to be a great place though. If it wasn't for the finances, I would've applied.

 

Quotes like this:

 

"With its dreamy campus full of grassy meadows, tree-lined streets, squirrels, and swimming pools, Mills churns out high-quality batches of Masters of Fine Art who all seem to make fresh and positive work. Many artists I've interviewed have mentioned a need to shake their grad school restrictions out of their heads as if they need to undo a brainwashing. But I suspect it's different for the students at Mills. They seem to grow and develop exactly as they need to, then hit the ground running, with momentum, straight out of the gate. When they graduate, I picture them hugging and crying like kids boarding the buses home from the best summer camp ever." - from an art review by Kristin Farr.

 

I believe I was reminded of them from this board under the schools with the best funding thread. It only came up at 50+%, but I guess I was being overly hopeful. The second year has pretty good funding with 15 hours a week TA (if you qualify). Still, I would need to try to find a way to fund it.

 

The place seems very calm and serene, yet intellectually stimulating. Its in the SFbay area, but Oakland is more affordable. Looking at their grads work and their faculty, I thought it may be a good fit for me. It lacks a few things I would like to have access to, but it has a lot of my "wish" list. 

[seeingeyeduck]

Yeah, they do sound pretty dreamy. In my research I found out that one of their new faculty is Amy F and she's great. Very energetic and willing to mentor. I hope you get in there!

[drusillatheteenagewitch]

Anyone here from Ohio State yet?  I had an interview about a month ago, yet still no word.... 

 

Or hear from Minnesota Twin Cities?

 

Whatever I am just gonna eat this entire can of tuna to distract myself.

Edited February 4, 2014 by drusillatheteenagewitch

[mirror_logic]

i recieved an emiaL re. a supplemental application from Rutgers today and immediately f'd something up in the chain of URL commands and locked myself out of this mysterious supplemental form. lol whooops. the email mentions

"If you have any questions about the Mason Gross Supplemental Application or your audition/interview", is this an interview request? anyone else get this email today :-?

[Rother]

 

Or hear from Minnesota Twin Cities?

 

 

 

Nope

[seeingeyeduck]

I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to brainstorm ideas for dealing with the various kinds of interviews beyond a list of potential questions, although that is useful. I think phone and Skype interviews can be particularly challenging as it is harder (or impossible) to read body language. What are people's experiences? What are effective ways to prepare for them?

 

I think the biggest thing is to go over your answers to the common questions a bit before and write them down in bullet points or something. In the moment it's harder to remember all the things you calmly were preparing when there wasn't someone on the other end silently waiting. And remember to say, "let me take a moment to think," if you want to. That's definitely what I forgot to do. It's easier to feel like you need to minimize awkward silences on the phone whereas in person I think they'd easily see that you were thinking. But if you just clearly say that you're thinking, I think it's fine unless you take like, more than 2m! All in all, just good general interview technique, not just for grad school, but any interview. I'm sure if you google phone interview tips you will get a ton.

[ismewilde]

Yeah, they do sound pretty dreamy. In my research I found out that one of their new faculty is Amy F and she's great. Very energetic and willing to mentor. I hope you get in there!

 

Thanks! It would be nice. I was just talking to some grads here about applying for grad school and one of them mentioned that I should look at Mills. 

[marzipanned]

i recieved an emiaL re. a supplemental application from Rutgers today and immediately f'd something up in the chain of URL commands and locked myself out of this mysterious supplemental form. lol whooops. the email mentions

"If you have any questions about the Mason Gross Supplemental Application or your audition/interview", is this an interview request? anyone else get this email today :-?

 

Yeah, I got that one last week. Not about interviews. It's a link to a (fairly redundant-seeming) online form that takes about 5 minutes to fill out. I think there's more info they collect there out of dance/theater/music folk but so not much for us.

[Alpha-numeric]

I just received a SAIC painting interview email.

[DidacticPrinter]

Received official confirmation and a Skype contact request for my interview with SAIC. Interview won't be until March 1, but they did let me know that it will be 25 minutes and while we're talking they'll be looking at my images on a projector... which will totally blow my pieces out of size (most of them are fairly miniature, like 3"x5"), but yanno. Ugh. Only one more month to get my answers to the popular questions prepared and rehearsed!

[kafralal]

I think the biggest thing is to go over your answers to the common questions a bit before and write them down in bullet points or something. In the moment it's harder to remember all the things you calmly were preparing when there wasn't someone on the other end silently waiting. And remember to say, "let me take a moment to think," if you want to. That's definitely what I forgot to do. It's easier to feel like you need to minimize awkward silences on the phone whereas in person I think they'd easily see that you were thinking. But if you just clearly say that you're thinking, I think it's fine unless you take like, more than 2m! All in all, just good general interview technique, not just for grad school, but any interview. I'm sure if you google phone interview tips you will get a ton.

 

Good points!

 

Congrats to all those getting SAIC interviews, and good luck!

[sj0930]

Any photography mfa applicants here? 

[01010101010101101010101010]

mlk, I would really like to see your work. I intend to apply to Yale next season and I'm curious to see what their prospective painters are making. 

[meese]

Any photography mfa applicants here? 

I be one!

Already have one rejection, and I'm slowly suspicious that my SAIC will be a rejection too

[Loric]

I keep telling myself that if I can't handle the stress of the wait at this point, then I'm not cut out for grad school.. then I remember I awkwardly inserted myself into a grand cluster of a situation with timelines and weirdness and that without intervention the overly complex system is very likely to fail. Le sigh.

[seeingeyeduck]

Any photography mfa applicants here?

Yeah, me too, though I'm hoping to branch out in the MFA. Good to see some photographers on here tho.

[kierstin]

i recieved an emiaL re. a supplemental application from Rutgers today and immediately f'd something up in the chain of URL commands and locked myself out of this mysterious supplemental form. lol whooops. the email mentions

"If you have any questions about the Mason Gross Supplemental Application or your audition/interview", is this an interview request? anyone else get this email today :-?

Got one last week. The subject line of the email was something like "invited to Rutgers," which had me pretty excited for about 8 seconds....until I realized it was just another form to fill out.