How competitive is receiving MFA TAship, in your experience?

[mayk]

Hi! Fairly new to grad cafe, been lurking for awhile and have some questions!!

What has been your experience in receiving a TA position? I know it probably depends on the program and how competitive it is. How much do they take into account previous teaching experience?

I'm trying to figure out how much of a long shot it is to apply...I also work in a weird, non-traditional medium and most of the TAships I hear about are like, teaching intro to drawing, etc. Am I doomed for funding???! I will also have been out of undergrad for five years if/when I enroll...should I wait another year and try to get teaching experience some way, some how??

 

SO MANY QUESTIONS.

 

Here are the schools I'm interested in (mostly in the pacific northwest because my husband and I wanna stay close to family/his work):

• Washington State U, MFA Interdisciplinary
• U of Oregon, MFA Fibers
• Northwestern, MFA Art Theory & Practice (longshot)
• Portland State U, MFA Contemporary Art Practice

 

Here is my website if anyone is interested: maykytonen.com

 

Edited September 21, 2016 by mayk

[Cigarettes12]

I'm not sure I can answer your question but these are the tidbits I have:

-you can sometimes do TA for art history professors (I don't know whether you were thinking more like teaching actually a class section or assisting them.)

-you can sometimes do TA for museum

-you can sometimes get like work in the office of the department or library

I wonder whether there would be a way that you could by phone or email ask whether most successful applicants get a TA or whether they automatically are set up with one...my personal experience is that a small place is more likely to toss something like that as a rule...but I think it would be smart to take the best one you can even if that means not getting a TA or better funding package for like how well you do in the future---after floating around in the things for awhile.

[KRT]

I would say that your work ethic (what your CV and resume show- consistency in regards to jobs and exhibitions) plays a big factor. And then of course your portfolio is the key. While I have experience teaching at high school / college level and received a TAship last year, others that received a TA had no teaching experience. Therefore, show that you are serious in your statement of purpose and interviews and submit a great portfolio and as you said it is based on the institution- most are competitive.