MFA 2017 All Art ADMISSIONS freak-out forum!!!!!!!!

[Gwhar1]

On 3/23/2017 at 2:00 PM, Causofit said:

How do you guys/gals feel about Hunter College?

I will be attending out of state. I wonder if going there might be a distraction? I am worried the city will drain me? 

I am told getting a part time job is encouraged? But Do I really want to work!? NO. 

I don't know, I am having a hard time deciding. 

 

Any insight/experience would be sooo appreciated! 

 

 

re: drain. I find the city to be vibrant and uplifting and the opposite of psychologically draining, but financially draining, absolutely! Draining is the right word. If I were accepted to Hunter, this would be my number 1 concern and I thought I would go ahead and take the loans with the rational that tuition was, at least less than a private school with equal program assets. I suppose that if your undergraduate loans are low then you have a little wiggle room for justification. 

[Causofit]

9 hours ago, Gwhar1 said:

re: drain. I find the city to be vibrant and uplifting and the opposite of psychologically draining, but financially draining, absolutely! Draining is the right word. If I were accepted to Hunter, this would be my number 1 concern and I thought I would go ahead and take the loans with the rational that tuition was, at least less than a private school with equal program assets. I suppose that if your undergraduate loans are low then you have a little wiggle room for justification. 

??

[onajourney]

On 3/21/2017 at 7:45 PM, EmD28 said:

Hi guys, I need your help in choosing schools!!

I applied for graphic design with math as a major in undergrad, and got into the following schools. Now I am having such a hard time deciding where to go...

CalArts MFA GD 3yrs (20000/yr Scholarship)

CCA MFA Design 3yrs (24000/yr Scholarship)

SVA MFA Design 2yrs

Pratt MFA VCD 2yrs

I am now really choosing between CalArts and CCA. If you guys can give me any advice or insights, I will really really appreciate it!!

Go to CCA, I'm planning on joining the MFA in Design (IxD) in the fall!

[xyz36]

Does anyone have opinions about RISD vs RCA for sculpture?  I was accepted to both schools and am still debating.

[onajourney]

2 minutes ago, xyz36 said:

Does anyone have opinions about RISD vs RCA for sculpture?  I was accepted to both schools and am still debating.

Both great schools, I'd say it comes down to funding.

[cheeseball]

I'm feeling pretty bad about this whole thing. I applied to a lot of schools. I was hoping that I might get lucky and somewhere might open their doors to me and give me a full ride. I'm poor, I don't have any savings, and I don't have access to money.

RISD (est. total cost cited by school) = 73,430 - (12,000 assistantship + WS) = $122,860 two-year debt

Penn (est. total cost cited by school) = 72,000 - (14,700 scholarship + WS) = $114,600 two-year debt

ArtCenter (49962+18000+719) = 68,681 - (4,000 scholarship) = $129,362  two-year debt

RCA (35500 Tuition + 25000COL) = 60,500 = $121,000 two-year debt

I knew these are expensive schools. They gave me free applications and I was hoping for the best. I applied to plenty of known free schools and I got waitlisted at my top one. I suppose it feels good to be liked, but I have a pretty terrible feeling in my stomach knowing I will probably have to say no thank you to these wonderful people.

I was prepared to go into debt, but I wanted that to be a more reasonable number in the range of 20-60k

Edited March 26, 2017 by cheeseball

[hastr683]

On 3/23/2017 at 2:00 PM, Causofit said:

How do you guys/gals feel about Hunter College?

I will be attending out of state. I wonder if going there might be a distraction? I am worried the city will drain me? 

I am told getting a part time job is encouraged? But Do I really want to work!? NO. 

I don't know, I am having a hard time deciding. 

 

Any insight/experience would be sooo appreciated! 

 

If you are interested in building a career in NYC and connecting to the scene here, Hunter is great. There are so many other artists to connect with, you'll be at the hub of many major arts organizations, have access to incredible intellectual and social resources, and be able to access an art economy where people generally get paid better for creative work (**when** they actually get paid). I imagine you might eventually want to get a part time job if you end up at Hunter. Going rate for rooms in the city is about $1000/month (finding cheaper is possible, but usually smaller and farther away) and food/transit is expensive. You could do all of that on loans, but if you can find some freelance work it might ultimately be more realistic in terms of what living and working in NYC as an artist is like, and help you after school if you stay. There's also lots of creative ways to side-hustle here if you are more entrepreneurial in your interests. The city can be draining. That's why I'm looking at schools elsewhere-- I've been hustling here for 15 years and I'm tired. But it can also be challenging, energizing and a bit of an adrenaline rush. If you thrive on intensity, it can be very rewarding to spend time here. 

[meghanmetier]

1 hour ago, cheeseball said:

I'm feeling pretty bad about this whole thing. I applied to a lot of schools. I was hoping that I might get lucky and somewhere might open their doors to me and give me a full ride. I'm poor, I don't have any savings, and I don't have access to money.

RISD (est. total cost cited by school) = 73,430 - (12,000 assistantship + WS) = $122,860 two-year debt

Penn (est. total cost cited by school) = 72,000 - (14,700 scholarship + WS) = $114,600 two-year debt

ArtCenter (49962+18000+719) = 68,681 - (4,000 scholarship) = $129,362  two-year debt

RCA (35500 Tuition + 25000COL) = 60,500 = $121,000 two-year debt

I knew these are expensive schools. They gave me free applications and I was hoping for the best. I applied to plenty of known free schools and I got waitlisted at my top one. I suppose it feels good to be liked, but I have a pretty terrible feeling in my stomach knowing I will probably have to say no thank you to these wonderful people.

I was prepared to go into debt, but I wanted that to be a more reasonable number in the range of 20-60k

Ah yikes, that's so much.  I also got into a good school and I told them I'd need good funding to go.  They gave me their highest merit scholarship but I'm still very weary of taking on that debt, I'm in a similar situation of just not wanting to really go because of the cost.  I could buy a 2 bedroom house on a half acre in my hometown for that money.  When I was in school I talked to grad students I knew who all stressed don't take on debt, and wait a few years.  My classmates from undergrad who went to grad school told me the same thing.    

You got into all those school tho, you're obviously very talented.  You could always ask to defer your acceptance if you wanted and look into better funded programs and decide a year from now.  This chart is super handy over finding funded programs!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qWCmafgtAJ7376ojOBZhznks0vhn_gjdDiRhCIgzRww/edit

Edited March 26, 2017 by meghanmetier

[strawberry_jam]

On 3/23/2017 at 5:38 PM, oliveoil said:

Thank you!! 

I haven't heard anything about funding yet — but I have been blessed with duel (US/French) citizenship and applied as a Frenchie and with EU RCA is much cheaper then RISD! I have lived in the US for most of my life though, so I hope they honor this... I am going to email them about funding sometime this week and let you know if I hear anything!

Oh man, you're lucky - I hope it works out and you get to pay the UK/EU tuition fee!!

I'm planning on calling at some point this week too, to see if there's anything at all available to me in terms of funding or scholarships. RCA isn't covered by the National Student Loans Service Centre in Canada so I can't get government issued student loans for my studies

Let me know if you find anything out and I will do the same!! 

[AnniKatt]

I'm at a loss for what to do. I want to contact RIT again (it's been a week since last time I did), but I don't want to come off sounding desperate. Anyone got advice?

[sthahir]

Hey everyone, I've been accepted into two programs, MassArt's Film/Video and RISD's Digital + Media program. 

I've been swayed by the so-called elitism of RISD but also by the students' ways of doing and their approaches to dense subject matter in the digital world. MassArt just feels good because the departments brand of teaching is something that I resonate with due to it being very similar to one of my favorite professors in undergrad. 

 

MassArt will be roughly $15-20k cheaper per year than RISD, all things considered. 

Location and housing is a huge factor too because I have a small dog, and my partner and I will be moving in together. I want to make this transition easier for them as well. I don't know what having a dog in Boston is like vs. having all that green green nature near the RISD and Brown campuses.

We will be splitting the rent and I want it to be easy on my partner, and because of this Providence seems to more appealing due to it's low cost of living, but perhaps there is more money to be made in Boston.

 

What do y'all think?? I have to let RISD know by the end of the week if I'm in.

[hihello326]

Does anyone have opinions about MFA photography program at SVA and SFAI? I can't really decided...... need some help ! :-)

[felixo]

22 hours ago, cheeseball said:

I'm feeling pretty bad about this whole thing. I applied to a lot of schools. I was hoping that I might get lucky and somewhere might open their doors to me and give me a full ride. I'm poor, I don't have any savings, and I don't have access to money.

RISD (est. total cost cited by school) = 73,430 - (12,000 assistantship + WS) = $122,860 two-year debt

Penn (est. total cost cited by school) = 72,000 - (14,700 scholarship + WS) = $114,600 two-year debt

ArtCenter (49962+18000+719) = 68,681 - (4,000 scholarship) = $129,362  two-year debt

RCA (35500 Tuition + 25000COL) = 60,500 = $121,000 two-year debt

I knew these are expensive schools. They gave me free applications and I was hoping for the best. I applied to plenty of known free schools and I got waitlisted at my top one. I suppose it feels good to be liked, but I have a pretty terrible feeling in my stomach knowing I will probably have to say no thank you to these wonderful people.

I was prepared to go into debt, but I wanted that to be a more reasonable number in the range of 20-60k

Your future self will very likely thank you profusely for making a tough but prudent decision that will ultimately give you a better chance to lead a freer and more practice based and self directed lifestyle. Keep trying and be patient for the *right* opportunity. 

[LingX22]

55 minutes ago, hihello326 said:

Does anyone have opinions about MFA photography program at SVA and SFAI? I can't really decided...... need some help ! :-)

Hi! I heard that SVA Photography is more commercial while as SFAI focus more on conceptual works. However, I am not 100% sure its true. Do you get any funding for both of them?

[Poodle-Doodle]

DONT PAY FOR GRAD SCHOOL. 

[MarleneM]

On 3/24/2017 at 0:31 PM, ENP said:

Does anyone have opinions about east vs west coast programs? Specifically Columbia vs UCLA? I was accepted to UCLA with a first year fellowship and stipend. I am still waiting to hear from Columbia and if they have any financial aid offer. 

Applied to Yale, was not admitted

Applied to Hunter, decided not to attend interview / cancelled my application

 

Hello, 

When were you notified of the fellowship? I was notified of my nomination last week but nothing official from the Grad Division yet. 

[Poodle-Doodle]

[downtomars]

14 minutes ago, Poodle-Doodle said:

Where did you choose?!

[Vespertine]

3 hours ago, hihello326 said:

Does anyone have opinions about MFA photography program at SVA and SFAI? I can't really decided...... need some help ! :-)

Have you been able to visit either school or talk to current grad students? I visited SVA's photo department (after connecting with some professors at a portfolio review), and it just didn't feel like the right fit to me. I agree with @LingX22 that SVA is more on the commercial side, and they seem to expect you to find/have more of your own equipment, studio space, etc. The photo facilities are kind of limited compared to what I've seen at other grad schools. 1st years typically don't get their own studio. Good facilities + having a studio are super important to me, so that was a deal breaker.

If you can visit either one, you definitely should!

Edited March 27, 2017 by Vespertine

[Gwhar1]

4 hours ago, sthahir said:

Hey everyone, I've been accepted into two programs, MassArt's Film/Video and RISD's Digital + Media program. 

I've been swayed by the so-called elitism of RISD but also by the students' ways of doing and their approaches to dense subject matter in the digital world. MassArt just feels good because the departments brand of teaching is something that I resonate with due to it being very similar to one of my favorite professors in undergrad. 

 

MassArt will be roughly $15-20k cheaper per year than RISD, all things considered. 

Location and housing is a huge factor too because I have a small dog, and my partner and I will be moving in together. I want to make this transition easier for them as well. I don't know what having a dog in Boston is like vs. having all that green green nature near the RISD and Brown campuses.

We will be splitting the rent and I want it to be easy on my partner, and because of this Providence seems to more appealing due to it's low cost of living, but perhaps there is more money to be made in Boston.

 

What do y'all think?? I have to let RISD know by the end of the week if I'm in.

I vote RISD.  Providence is a very cool city and cheaper than Boston 

[Mfa2017jjj]

I got email from Columbia that I am on the waitlist.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Mfa2017jjj

[ZahP]

On 3/23/2017 at 10:35 AM, Poodle-Doodle said:

Go you! 

Was it a fellowship? I am international so pretty much I'm screwed from every angle especially from publicly funded institutions. 

Oh yesh, it was the graduate opportunity fellowship. My bf is international so I totally get it but you're doing so well and I love your work!

[Xxanderr]

 

@Poodle-Doodle its been *8 hours...

[eyerolling]

13 hours ago, Mfa2017jjj said:

I got email from Columbia that I am on the waitlist.

Also waitlisted at Columbia in New Genres...

[Kailyn90]

Hey everyone ! 

I was accepted to Slade and Goldsmiths. Slade has always been my favorite program -but can anyone give me insight between the two ?? ( for painting ) both are around the same cost. I have been to the campuses too so I'm really interested in hearing about experience of the actual program - thanks !!!