MFA 2016 All Art ADMISSIONS freak-out forum!!!!!!!!

[looingk]

I got accepted to uw, no funding info yet, they did mention that they'll call to describe the package.

[haphazardedly]

Congratulations to everyone on their momentum! (whether that is into a grad program or back into their work with a newfound vigor)

I got into UCLA's Design Media Arts last night. I am still fairly shocked. That program is the top tier in my field. I have to make a really immense decision very soon because I really truly loved Berkeley and they both have similar funding packages. The catch is Berkeley needs me to decide by the 25th (!) in order to secure their funding. I haven't even visited UCLA yet! Anyone have any advice?

[MrBixler]

58 minutes ago, mlarghydracept said:

Congratulations to everyone on their momentum! (whether that is into a grad program or back into their work with a newfound vigor)

I got into UCLA's Design Media Arts last night. I am still fairly shocked. That program is the top tier in my field. I have to make a really immense decision very soon because I really truly loved Berkeley and they both have similar funding packages. The catch is Berkeley needs me to decide by the 25th (!) in order to secure their funding. I haven't even visited UCLA yet! Anyone have any advice?

Congratulations @mlarghydracept!! 

My strong suggestion is to make every effort to visit UCLA this week so you can make an informed decision. Good luck! 

[yolandak]

11 hours ago, stitcher said:

I also have not received any financial aid decision from SAIC.

Hi @stitcher - I would contact them about it. When I wrote them I found out that my FAFSA had been selected for review and that they would need additional documentation before they would send me my package. If I had not written it would take them another week to let me know and I would definitely miss the April 1st deadline to reply to my offer of admission.

 

@Relm and @nogo thanks for letting me know! I probably will be receiving the same package. Really undecided about taking out loans or waiting and applying another year. Only applied to two schools this year and got into SAIC... I have a family so I feel a bit undecided about the loans! I agree that sometimes it is a good call to do it anyway. Wish you the best of luck!

[cpw0021]

8 hours ago, grandguignol said:

damn, I just got into iu Bloomington with a really good offer, after I'd already decided I was reapplying to schools next year. feeling very indecisive!  

Congrats!!

Are you not interested in Bloomington anymore? Is that why you feel indecisive? 

[KRT]

9 hours ago, grandguignol said:

damn, I just got into iu Bloomington with a really good offer, after I'd already decided I was reapplying to schools next year. feeling very indecisive!  

Congrats on acceptance! How did they notify you (email/ mail)? I have been unable to get into my account to check my status. 

[Amy Xu]

Anyone hear back from RISD 2yr graphic design?

[rmc]

I've been accepted to two schools to date.  One school has offered me a funding package that about covers tuition, but it's in a city with a really high cost of living.  The other school says I have to accept their offer in order to apply for a TA position, but that I will most likely be funded.  The deadline for that school is rapidly nearing.  I think I should accept their offer, but if they don't give me any funding, then I may need to back out down the road.  What do people think about this strategy? I don't really want to back out of a commitment, but I'm a poor artist and need to accept the best (financial) offer I'm given.

[stitcher]

2 hours ago, yolandak said:

Hi @stitcher - I would contact them about it. When I wrote them I found out that my FAFSA had been selected for review and that they would need additional documentation before they would send me my package. If I had not written it would take them another week to let me know and I would definitely miss the April 1st deadline to reply to my offer of admission.

Yes, thanks, I have an inquiry in.  Mine may be held up because I already have an account as a prior degree BFA student (official status is "on leave")  Financial aid still has me listed as undergrad. They stated April 15th as my deadline for placing a deposit. May also be complicated by being accepted into a post bacc and MFA.  It'll get sorted out eventually.

[junie]

On 3/18/2016 at 11:18 AM, scaredapplicant said:

Any news? @junie @oneagain?

Nope, at this point I'm just waiting for my official rejection letter

[oneagain]

56 minutes ago, junie said:

Nope, at this point I'm just waiting for my official rejection letter

I wouldn't think about it that way (unless you think you really bombed your interview).  Very competitive schools notify their first picks and prepare funding offers for them.  Only after those first people decline their offers does the school begin to extend offers of admission to additional students.  At this point we're basically on the wait list, even if they haven't formally told us so.  I think once the Yale, Bard and UCLA kids start receiving their funding offers, we'll see some spots open up at Columbia.

Out of curiosity, do we all still have MFA after our applications in slideroom? @trapnado @marg37 @scaredapplicant @photo @junie

Edited March 19, 2016 by oneagain

[CoffeeKiang]

I got accepted to Calarts on Thursday morning. It didn't mention anything about the financial aid, but since i am an international student, i guess it would be hard to get any fund. I just don't know if it worths the tuition feesXD.

[langley]

7 hours ago, mlarghydracept said:

Congratulations to everyone on their momentum! (whether that is into a grad program or back into their work with a newfound vigor)

I got into UCLA's Design Media Arts last night. I am still fairly shocked. That program is the top tier in my field. I have to make a really immense decision very soon because I really truly loved Berkeley and they both have similar funding packages. The catch is Berkeley needs me to decide by the 25th (!) in order to secure their funding. I haven't even visited UCLA yet! Anyone have any advice?

Legally schools are supposed to give you by April 15th to make a decision on funding offers. Do you have a letter from Berkeley saying you have to decide by the 25th? They should have a sent a letter with the funding package that declares April 15th as the legal date, all UC's as far as I know abide by these common laws.

I'll start this by saying I don't know a lot about tech-focused MFA programs, but living in Los Angeles I meet a lot of MFA students and my view of the Design Media Arts program is that a lot of students seem to have issues and negative experiences with it. I would strong urge you to try and visit, or at least contact current students and faculty and ask them tons of questions about the program and their experiences. Even from a few phone calls and emails, if that's all you an manage, you may learn enough to get a good sense of what you want.

Congrats and good luck!

[langley]

4 hours ago, rmc said:

I've been accepted to two schools to date.  One school has offered me a funding package that about covers tuition, but it's in a city with a really high cost of living.  The other school says I have to accept their offer in order to apply for a TA position, but that I will most likely be funded.  The deadline for that school is rapidly nearing.  I think I should accept their offer, but if they don't give me any funding, then I may need to back out down the road.  What do people think about this strategy? I don't really want to back out of a commitment, but I'm a poor artist and need to accept the best (financial) offer I'm given.

Can you contact any students at the TA school and see how reliable the TA positions are? I would be weary of administration promising something like a TA position that doesn't come through. Even if you can't get a written confirmation about it but the general sense from current students is that they happen, it might settle you enough to feel good about committing. Does the other school with expensive cost of living offer on-campus housing? Depending on where it is, I would try to see what kind of affordable areas are nearby the campus that you would want to live in. Also, and perhaps you have already done this, you should definitely tell these two schools the contrasting offers you are getting, the full tuition award might convince the TA school to give you more guaranteed funding, and vice-versa. Always negotiate! 

 

[junie]

1 hour ago, oneagain said:

I wouldn't think about it that way (unless you think you really bombed your interview).  Very competitive schools notify their first picks and prepare funding offers for them.  Only after those first people decline their offers does the school begin to extend offers of admission to additional students.  At this point we're basically on the wait list, even if they haven't formally told us so.  I think once the Yale, Bard and UCLA kids start receiving their funding offers, we'll see some spots open up at Columbia.

Out of curiosity, do we all still have MFA after our applications in slideroom? @trapnado @marg37 @scaredapplicant @photo @junie

I actually think I didn't do so hot on my interview, but what you said comforted me a bit, haha. I absolutely loved the program and faculty so it bums me out that I'll most likely be rejected, but at this point I've gotten over it and feel happy to even have gotten an interview. In any case working full steam on my work this year led me to some personal breakthroughs and progress in my art so I feel pretty optimistic about that.

And I just checked my slideroom, it says 2016 Painting MFA. Yours?

[llyMx]

I just saw about an hour ago a decision had been made on my Parsons application for painting. I had an interview and had my fingers crossed for that school, but it was a rejection. Kinda bummed. 

[aimee]

10 hours ago, Amy Xu said:

Anyone hear back from RISD 2yr graphic design?

 

I've sent an email to them (admission office) couple of days ago and they said results will be noticed by next week.. but I'm guessing a rejection for me cause I didn't even have a chance to interview. Did you have an interview with them?

Edited March 20, 2016 by aimee

[sstout84]

On March 17, 2016 at 4:33 PM, 2222222 said:

I interviewed at Hunter, but I found the process off-putting.  At other schools, the people who interviewed me were already familiar with my work, and had questions that pertained directly to what I am doing.  Being in front of people who were looking at my work for the first time (who also do not work with my discipline) felt more like a pitch.  Overall, I didn't find it very impressive.

Huh, I'm surprised to hear that. Was not really how I experienced it. I did think there would be faculty from the discipline I was applying in though (pretty sure I was told explicitly there would be one from my discipline and one from another). Anyway, I feel like the program is a really good one and I would get what I am looking for from it. Hope you find the right fit.

[cpw0021]

33 minutes ago, nogo said:

interesting. i really dig that saic is so on top of their game as far as administration goes. they had two online info sessions before apps were due and i went to an info day for my dept. (fvnma) yesterday and everyone knew my name and my work and they were excited to see me. i checked my vimeo and i can see that they viewed my work on slideroom before the info day to familiarize themselves with it. so i was stoked. it was really informal and friendly and i decided that im going to go, even though i havent received my other decision and i have to take out a boat load of loans. i dig the vibe there, especially for grad students. i can remember from my undergrad, they treat their grad students really, really well. each grad has to give a lunchtime lecture on their work that we as undergrads had the option of attending. very excited!

that's great! I'm happy it fits for you. I think it just depends on the department. I felt the Printmedia department was really nice, really great. But, I just don't think I'll get what I want from SAIC in general. And, of course, loans are a no go for me. 

[hacunamatata]

RISD(digital +media) and PARSONS(design and technology) with fellowship.

If you have to choose one, where do you want to go??

[Amy Xu]

@amiee I didn’t have interview in RISD(2year graphic design),did you know anyone  get their interview chance?(2year program)

[Amy Xu]

On 2016年3月20日 at 9:23 AM, aimee said:

 

I've sent an email to them (admission office) couple of days ago and they said results will be noticed by next week.. but I'm guessing a rejection for me cause I didn't even have a chance to interview. Did you have an interview with them?

I didn’t have interview in RISD(2year graphic design),did you know anyone  get their interview chance?(2year program)

[aimee]

1 hour ago, Amy Xu said:

I didn’t have interview in RISD(2year graphic design),did you know anyone  get their interview chance?(2year program)

I heard from someone who participated in an interview day at RISD and he (or she) said there were people who applied for GD 2yr and 3yr.  So knowing this made me giving up on RISD  A bunch of people already had interviews.. RISD hardly accepts students without interviews.

[Amy Xu]

5 hours ago, aimee said:

I heard from someone who participated in an interview day at RISD and he (or she) said there were people who applied for GD 2yr and 3yr.  So knowing this made me giving up on RISD  A bunch of people already had interviews.. RISD hardly accepts students without interviews.

I know that Risd hardly accepts students without interviews ,and it’s so sad,in my country(china),most of applicants have no any message from RISD(including interview…)…maybe we will receive final letter around this week

 

[mfahopeful]

1 hour ago, Amy Xu said:

I know that Risd hardly accepts students without interviews ,and it’s so sad,in my country(china),most of applicants have no any message from RISD(including interview…)…maybe we will receive final letter around this week

 

RISD 2-year graphic design is the only program I haven't heard anything from. I also didn't get an interview there. At this point, I'm just curious to see what happens. I've already made the decision to go to VCU. My final results:

VCU: Accepted + full tuition coverage and grad. student assistantship stipend (Going here!)

Iowa: Accepted + full tuition waiver and stipend

MICA: Accepted with about 1/3 scholarship

NC State: Accepted, no word on funding 

Edinburgh College of Art (University of Edinburgh): Accepted (There are several decent scholarships for international students that you apply for after being accepted. Also, sticker price there comes in lower than private art schools in the US, and lower than out-of-state public tuition in some cases.) 

Yale: Rejected

RISD: Presumed rejection

Edited March 21, 2016 by mfahopeful