Directing MFA 2016? Who else is looking?

[nomoredeskjobplease]

Got the Yale call yesterday! Congrats @aprilcleveland and @bluebane 

Best of luck to others! 

[mwatt]

Stumbled upon this thread because my I have yet to hear from Yale anxiety was out of control. Reading everyones post was weirdly super helpful. Congrats to those of you who got the call! ( I am a little heart broken that it looks like I won't be getting an interview ( I really just wanted to talk to Liz Diamond). 

I have a CMU skype interview this Saturday. Is anyone else applying there? and anyone know more about their interviews? 

all the best and I am so glad this heard exists! 

[bluebane]

Hey @mwatt, thanks for joining us! Sorry you didn't get the Yale call -- hopefully this thread helps at least ease the anxiety -- I know it sure does for me!

I interviewed over Skype with CMU last year -- it was a one on one with Caden Manson. It was by far the most pretentious interview that I had... questions such as "What are the problems currently facing American Theatre and how do you fight against those problems in your work?" They have a huge sense of self-importance, so be prepared to play that game with them. I hated the experience, but it could be the right fit for someone else.

[SpiderFromMars]

How did I go through this entire application process without knowing about this forum?! This is great. 

Congrats to everyone getting interviews! I have a few lined up so far (Yale, CMU) and was wondering if anyone else might be able to talk about their past interview experiences. I'll also be in Chicago for the URTAs. 

[mr.taco]

Bluebane, thanks for the heads up for CMU. Any other Caden questions you remember? Sounds a little lame. My CMU is tomorrow.

Did anyone apply to Columbia? I auditioned with them last year and will be returning this year for that fun but druddggggging weekend! 

[mwatt]

@bluebane thank you for the heads up about CMU thats super helpful to know. They are the school I know least about so I am doing some major research before the

interview. 

And happily I spoke to soon about Yale they called me this morning to schedule an interview- So looks like I will get to talk to Liz Diamond after all! 

And I second what SpiderFromMars said, I would love to hear what peoples past experiences were like with the interview process.   

[bluebane]

Welcome to the forum @SpiderFromMars!

Congrats on the Yale interview, @mwatt!

I interviewed with Yale last year, and Liz is just about the warmest, most welcoming person you could possibly be in a room with. The interview lasts about one hour, and it's a one-on-one with Liz. With me, she seemed to be gathering information, but it also seemed to be a personality test -- seeing if we got along. A couple points in the interview she offered points of advice on various directing issues (for example, explaining to me what the function of an assistant director should be), which seemed to be a test of how receptive I was to instruction. The questions in this first interview are not too tricky -- the standard fare of "Why Yale, why a Directing MFA, where do you think you need development", etc. She is an intense listener, which is a little disarming -- it seems like every word you say is being stored away somewhere. 

It's important to know the numbers we're up against: out of probably 600+ applications, they interview 45-50 applicants, invite 9-12 to a final callback, and take three students every year. Yale definitely likes taking foreign students and people of color, so that's a factor as well. So, even if you nail the interview, it may not be enough to get you to the final callback, but you should feel proud for making the first cut!

 

[voldy24601]

After reading everyone's post this morning I was just starting to come to terms with the fact that Yale wasn't going to call me. Then I got the call about 20 minutes ago setting up an interview. Congrats to the others that are also interviewing! 

[bluebane]

Hell yeah -- we cleaned up this year! Good job, everyone!

[QuirkyDirector]

Hey folks.

First time MFA directing applicant here, I'm 25 years old from New York, and I've been working as a freelance director in New York for a few years. First year applying to Grad School.

Just interviewed with Carnegie Mellon today (didn't love it, but it was my first interview so I expected things to be a bit rusty. Have you all found that interviews got better for you the more you did them?). Interviewing with Pace (aka Actor's Studio Drama School) and Yale in about two weeks. Also applied to Columbia and New School, haven't heard anything yet (Though New School's deadline hasn't happened yet). Looking forward to seeing this pan out over the next couple of months and seeing everyone's journey throughout this.

[mr.taco]

Got a finalist email from DePaul today...I'm excited but there's no funding, right?

 

[Directorial]

Hi all. Newbie here. Been working in the industry about a decade. Didn't study it in undergrad. First time going through the grad school application process. Glad to find this thread.

I've applied to Washington, CalArts, DePaul and New School. Decided not to go the URTA route this time. Actually just got an interview/audition invite from DePaul today. They were the first I applied to, so I'm taking that as a confidence booster. Just finished my New School application today, just under the deadline. I don't normally push deadlines like that but (let's all say it together!) "I'm in tech." 

 

 

[voldy24601]

It's awesome to see new names joining in on the conversation and it's great to see so many people called in to interview with Yale. I wish everyone the best of luck.

As I mentioned before this is my first time going through the Grad School process. I know in the interview they'll ask "Why this program? What can you improve in? and why a directing MFA?" Anybody else any insight on what other questions often come up?

Thanks!

[bluebane]

Welcome to the thread, @QuirkyDirector and @Directorial!

@aprilcleveland, congrats on being a  DePaul finalists! It's a very intense interview/audition process -- the feedback I got on my directing sample last year was insanely critical -- in a good way, if you've got the stomach for it  My biggest hold-out with DePaul is that the funding is poor: they offer a scholarship equal to half the tuition (about 17k a year), and you don't teach any classes so there is no honorarium/stipend past the partial tuition reimbursement. So you're looking at 17k a year in tuition + full living expenses every year, so that's probably a $80-100k degree when all is said and done. My final impression of them was being a fancy, impressive school for rich students to go to. Still, the interview process with them gave me a lot to unpack and steeled me for my future interview experiences!

@voldy24601: My 10 most frequently asked questions from last year, after "Tell me a bit about yourself.":

Why do you need grad school? // Why is grad school right for you right now?

What about this program speaks to you?

Where do you personally need development in your work?

What would your career after grad school look like?

Where do you see yourself in 5/10/20 years?

What plays would you be interested in directing at this program?

Tell me about a production you've directed. // Is there a project that you're most proud of?

Tell me about a directing challenge you've faced and how you dealt with it.

So you've done (project from your resume) -- what did you learn from that? // How was working on (project from your resume)?

(Casually/Conversationally, usually at the end of the interview) Are you applying for other programs? // Where else are you applying?

[mwatt]

Thank you for the run down of interview question @Bluebane. And congratulations @aprilcleveland and @directoral on your interviews!  I just had my CMU interview on Saturday- ultimately I would say i enjoyed it. Some of the question I thought were fun like " what shows have you recently seen that inspired you" and "who are some directors that you admire". Though I will says I could tell I was the last interview of the day and that he was tired.  Just got my audition date for brown so I need to start prepping a monologue. I am up in the air on whether to do an monologue that suites me type wise or to do something a little more out there that I am more interested in form a directing stand point - if that makes sense. Do any other schools make you do monologues? Also  anyone else applying to BU? I am trying to figure out how many pages they want per essay. I didn't  see anything on their webpage so I sent them a email but I just got an automated responds saying they would try to contact me soon. 

[voldy24601]

THANK YOU @bluebane! Just having something to go on make me feel a little less nervous.

[bluebane]

@mwatt, I'm also applying to BU. I'm assuming letter of intent is 3 pages max, two essays probably 1-2 pages max each. Whenever they don't specify, I think you're free to use your discretion.

[mr.taco]

Guys, I had a weird URTA experience. UCLA called me to tell me the envelope I sent them had been tampered with and the contents had been removed. Fortunately, this particular envelope just contained a jump drive with my digital portfolio on it and not my whole application. During this conversation, it became apparent that all my interactions with UCLA had been wrong--when I contacted UCLA directly in late 2015 (which URTA instructs us to do), UCLA's graduate theatre department told me that I needed to pay another application fee and fill out their unique application.

This administrator said, "no, you didn't need to do that, they don't know what they're talking about. Applicants who applied through URTA should have sent their application to this one person (some particular person at UCLA who is in contact with Sara Falconer)." So I lost an extra $100 and now, if they want to interview me, I'm not an applicant through URTA--I'm a regular UCLA grad school applicant. 

So...question: how did everyone do this URTA thing? I contacted each school directly and then sent them a paper and email copy of my common packet. Was I missing a step here? After sending these, I filled out the reference form. Did I miss the boat or did UCLA?

Also, are there any other lady directors on this here forum? 

[mwatt]

Hey @aprilcleveland I am sorry that happen with UCLA. I have not applied with or through URTA so I don't have any extra enfo there but that dose sound wired. And I am a lady director as well  

[bluebane]

Hey April,

That's pretty fucked up. You should have been able to email your common packet to Annette Lee (annette@tft.ucla.edu) at UCLA without sending and physical documents or applying to UCLA directly. I interviewed with UCLA last year at the URTAs and did not have to apply to the school.

I would check in with Annette, tell her what's going on and if they have what you need to consider you for the URTAs.

[QuirkyDirector]

I received more info about my Yale interview today, and I was told that I am not interviewing with Liz Diamond, but with a professor named Yura. Is this common among Yale applicants? I only ask because a lot of you talked about a Liz interview, and I have someone else.

[mr.taco]

I have Yura too and I'm sad =(

[bluebane]

That's weird.... I'm not sure what to make of that. Who is Yura?

Where are you guys interviewing? Chicago, SF, or New Haven?

Edited January 14, 2016 by bluebane

[mwatt]

I think I met Yura at the Yale visitors day. ( did anyone else go to that?) He co - teachers a lot of the classes with Liz Diamond and he defiantly teaches the first year directing class on Chekhov. He seemed very nice albite a little quite and more reserved.    

[mr.taco]

But all I wanted for my early consolation prize of not getting into Yale was to talk to Liz Diamond for 45 minutes ;(. BTW I'm interviewing in New Haven on the 22nd. Where are you interviewing Bluebane?

Edited January 14, 2016 by aprilcleveland