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

[sstout84]

Finally learned that I was waitlisted at Rutgers. For those still waiting to hear, maybe check your status on their website. Anyone know what steps you should take after being waitlisted? There was no prompt to let them know if I'm still interested or not. Do we just... wait at this point?

Bard was a no a few weeks ago.

Now I'm just waiting for Hunter after interviewing last Saturday. 

[2222222]

46 minutes ago, sstout84 said:

Finally learned that I was waitlisted at Rutgers. For those still waiting to hear, maybe check your status on their website. Anyone know what steps you should take after being waitlisted? There was no prompt to let them know if I'm still interested or not. Do we just... wait at this point?

Bard was a no a few weeks ago.

Now I'm just waiting for Hunter after interviewing last Saturday. 

What did you think of the bard and hunter interview processes?

Wait list is just waiting! If you have contact info for your interviewers or your dept head, it doesn't hurt to write and email restating your interest in the program.

[Laceybug]

My application to SMFA got delayed over my transcript coming in with my maiden name, so I still held onto hope when everyone else got interview requests and I didnt. Well, I got an email this morning asking me to chat next week!! It's the first good news I've received! What kind of questions did they ask those of you who already interviewed?

Also, has anyone heard from Boston University or University of Miami yet?

[efacdarg1]

2 minutes ago, Laceybug said:

My application to SMFA got delayed over my transcript coming in with my maiden name, so I still held onto hope when everyone else got interview requests and I didnt. Well, I got an email this morning asking me to chat next week!! It's the first good news I've received! What kind of questions did they ask those of you who already interviewed?

Also, has anyone heard from Boston University or University of Miami yet?

Hey Laceybug: 

I interviewed at SMFA. It was a pretty relaxed and informal interview with a prof and a current student. I can recall some specific questions they asked (off of a sheet, actually). They provided these questions to me prior to the interview. Here they are: 

Why do you want an MFA and why are you applying to the Museum School?

Discuss the aesthetic, technical, and conceptual successes and challenges in your recent work?

What / Who has influenced your recent work ?  Consider art intellectual and cultural influences.

How do you see your work relating to contemporary art and or the traditions from which it draws?

What are the relationships between theory, practice, concept, and process in your work?

What do you perceive as the advantage of attending a graduate program with an interdisciplinary program ?

[Laceybug]

Thanks! @efacdarg1

[painthuffer]

Tulane rejection by email

[painthuffer]

just got the call from university of washington!!!!!!!! ACCEPTED!!!!!  I can hardly believe it

[hypoart]

9 minutes ago, painthuffer said:

just got the call from university of washington!!!!!!!! ACCEPTED!!!!!  I can hardly believe it

Congratulations!!!!! Do you think youre Seattle bound?

[painthuffer]

Just now, hypoart said:

Congratulations!!!!! Do you think youre Seattle bound?

yes for sure.  

[Relm]

20 hours ago, dryheat said:

new grad school rankings for those who are interested. kind of interesting to see how the programs i applied to moved up or down since the last time the rankings were published...

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-fine-arts-schools/fine-arts-rankings

I've said it before, I'll say it again. LOL @ methodology: "The rankings of Master of Fine Arts programs, completed in 2016, are based solely on the results of a peer assessment survey. Deans and other top academics at 229 Master of Fine Arts programs in art and design were surveyed in fall 2015 by Ipsos Public Affairs.

"Survey recipients – one per school – were asked to rate the academic quality of fine arts programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding). Scores for each school were totaled and divided by the number of respondents who rated that school. The response rate was 29 percent."

But you're right -- it is really interesting. There are some big changes represented. I'm also fascinated by how some schools seem to stick in their rankings. Curious what people's biggest surprises are in that regard -- are there schools you think don't really deserve the rank they have (whether that's for being over- or underrated)? I'm also really interested in the psychological impact that these rankings have on perceived school prestige, but that's another matter altogether.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Relm

[hypoart]

2 minutes ago, painthuffer said:

yes for sure.  

That's awesome!  

[smartstrategy]

21 minutes ago, Relm said:

I've said it before, I'll say it again. LOL @ methodology: "The rankings of Master of Fine Arts programs, completed in 2016, are based solely on the results of a peer assessment survey. Deans and other top academics at 229 Master of Fine Arts programs in art and design were surveyed in fall 2015 by Ipsos Public Affairs.

"Survey recipients – one per school – were asked to rate the academic quality of fine arts programs on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding). Scores for each school were totaled and divided by the number of respondents who rated that school. The response rate was 29 percent."

But you're right -- it is really interesting. There are some big changes represented. I'm also fascinated by how some schools seem to stick in their rankings. Curious what people's biggest surprises are in that regard -- are there schools you think don't really deserve the rank they have (whether that's for being over- or underrated)? I'm also really interested in the psychological impact that these rankings have on perceived school prestige, but that's another matter altogether.

I am glad you posted this.

It is very important to note the response rate of only 29 percent!

One could speculate that officials from a fair number of the top schools were among the 29 percent who responded;) No way of knowing. Did the respondents visit each school and look at the program in detail?!

I think the list does contribute to perceived school prestige because many don't read the fine print like you did (onlly 29 percent response rate) and might think hey this is a printed publication that says that these are the best schools. Many of them are excellent. Other factors come into play. For example, a few years ago Rutgers was not well known. Then an online article was written about schools offering Best Bang for your Buck. Rutgers was on it. People on the forum wrote about large stipends. Now they get many more applicants due to the publicity boost. They seem to be a good school.

However in my opinion I would take the rankings list with a grain of salt. Some are riding on a stellar reputation which might have existed years ago. The magazine is a marketing tool. They make money from publishing the info in this survey. People who don't know where to start in choosing a school might use the info when deciding where to apply because they don't have any other reliable source of info. Countless people on this forum apply to "the top ten" and they may well have decided based on that list.  I was accepted at several schools with  much higher "list" rankings than the one I decided to go to. I don't regret my choice.

As always, my advice is go for funding unless you are able to pay yourself. Choose schools that offer funding where you think you might fit in. No school no matter how highly ranked guarantees your career path in the art world. It is very competitve out there.

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by smartstrategy

[dryheat]

I've only had up-close-and-personal contact with a handful of programs, but, for what it's worth, this round of rankings does seem to have them situated more accurately (or at least closer to my personal experience/feelings) than the last round. 

[KRT]

2 hours ago, painthuffer said:

Tulane rejection by email

Rejected from Tulane also just now. 

[hypoart]

Is there anyone out there also accepted to Columbia College/have you received your formal letter? I was told to expect a formal letter to arrive soon after the final week of February...

Just a litle anxious about funding.

[Ms000]

9 hours ago, hypoart said:

Is there anyone out there also accepted to Columbia College/have you received your formal letter? I was told to expect a formal letter to arrive soon after the final week of February...

Just a litle anxious about funding.

Yes I got a formal letter, but no funding options

[hypoart]

6 hours ago, Ms000 said:

Yes I got a formal letter, but no funding options

Oh, I was hoping that funding info would be in the letter

[sstout84]

On March 16, 2016 at 0:12 PM, 2222222 said:

What did you think of the bard and hunter interview processes?

Wait list is just waiting! If you have contact info for your interviewers or your dept head, it doesn't hurt to write and email restating your interest in the program.

I never got to the interview stage at Bard. I was so anxious about the interview at Hunter that I think anything would have seemed simple and casual after having worked myself up about every possible question and interpretation of my work. It was a pretty straight forward discussion, very conversational, nothing that seemed like a trick question or anything. They asked about my work (themes, technical process, how they relate to each other, etc) and where I see myself going in the near future, why I want to go to Hunter, where else I applied, and who inspires me. I was quick to place my work in the context of other areas of my life (literature and activism mainly) so I think I may have cut off some of the other questions they might have asked. They were happy to answer my questions, seemed to be selling me a bit on the program (not needed, as it's always been my top choice). So hard to tell how it will all go down. I know there were a lot of qualified applications for a few spots.

Did you interview there?

[2222222]

1 hour ago, sstout84 said:

I never got to the interview stage at Bard. I was so anxious about the interview at Hunter that I think anything would have seemed simple and casual after having worked myself up about every possible question and interpretation of my work. It was a pretty straight forward discussion, very conversational, nothing that seemed like a trick question or anything. They asked about my work (themes, technical process, how they relate to each other, etc) and where I see myself going in the near future, why I want to go to Hunter, where else I applied, and who inspires me. I was quick to place my work in the context of other areas of my life (literature and activism mainly) so I think I may have cut off some of the other questions they might have asked. They were happy to answer my questions, seemed to be selling me a bit on the program (not needed, as it's always been my top choice). So hard to tell how it will all go down. I know there were a lot of qualified applications for a few spots.

Did you interview there?

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.

[cpw0021]

Accepted at CalArts via email earlier this afternoon. 

Edited March 17, 2016 by cpw0021
did not mean to quote anyone!

[whoevenknows]

1 hour ago, 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.

Same for me; I interviewed with two old white dudes (i'm not one) who weren't painters (i am one) who were super unfamiliar with my work, and it was kinda like they had never seen abstract ptgs before.. they kept asking how sculptors and photographers were supposed to look at / talk about the work.

i showed them some pics i snapped of my sculptures on my phone and the sculptor asked, "Why didn't you apply with these?" ---BECAUSE i thought i was applying to a painting program! i feel like they shouldn't make you apply to a specific discipline if ultimately that will damage your interview.

[beemovie]

36 minutes ago, cpw0021 said:

Accepted at CalArts via email earlier this afternoon. 

Awesome news @cpw0021 !!! Congrats  

[cpw0021]

2 hours ago, 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.

You know, that's how I felt in my SAIC photo interview--seemed like none of them knew anything about my work or had even seen it, or were even remotely engaged by it. Axe 'em in my opinion--if a school asks/expects us to be considerate and take our time formulating our applications, we should demand that they use that same amount of consideration and time to review our work, ESPECIALLY if we're finalists.

Ahem, clearly that's a pet-peeve of mine.  

Edited March 17, 2016 by cpw0021

[langley]

3 minutes ago, cpw0021 said:

You know, that's how I felt in my SAIC photo interview--seemed like none of them knew anything about my work or had even seen it, or were even remotely engaged by it. Axe 'em in my opinion--if a school asks/expects us to be considerate and take our time formulating our applications, we should demand that they use that same amount of consideration and time to review our work, ESPECIALLY if we're finalists.

Ahem, clearly that's a pet-peeve of mine.  

I found this to be true in both interviews I had this year! Even though, in the end, the interviews turned out to be great, at the beginning it felt like no one looked at the essays, images, or anything I had sent in my portfolio beforehand. I understand the whole process is probably somewhat equally exhausting for the admissions committees, but it was quite a surprise to me how the faculty seemed slightly disengaged in the whole interview process. Did you find your UCI interview this way at all? It seems like we interviewed different days with different panels, but I found the day I was there to be off-putting and the others I talked to that day felt similarly. UCI although still seems like a great program, and still awaiting the rest of their results....In the end I'm leaning towards the other two schools I've already been accepted to. 

[cpw0021]

Just now, langley said:

I found this to be true in both interviews I had this year! Even though, in the end, the interviews turned out to be great, at the beginning it felt like no one looked at the essays, images, or anything I had sent in my portfolio beforehand. I understand the whole process is probably somewhat equally exhausting for the admissions committees, but it was quite a surprise to me how the faculty seemed slightly disengaged in the whole interview process. Did you find your UCI interview this way at all? It seems like we interviewed different days with different panels, but I found the day I was there to be off-putting and the others I talked to that day felt similarly. UCI although still seems like a great program, and still awaiting the rest of their results....In the end I'm leaning towards the other two schools I've already been accepted to. 

That's interesting to hear about UCI. What was odd about your interview? My interview was great, honestly. I only interviewed with Simon and Kevin though, so maybe that's one reason why? I felt like they were very engaged with my work, especially Simon who I discovered, during the interview, has very similar interests as me. And they've been really kind and responsive since the interview. 

Also, my SAIC Printmedia and CalArts interviews were very pleasant. Honestly, the only interview I felt was off-putting was Photo at SAIC. My UChicago interview was fine up until the end, when one of the professors was really weird about answering one of my questions...which was just a huge red flag for me. 

What schools have you been accepted to?