Playwriting MFAs

[Sylvia Zhou]

2 hours ago, Silverlake said:

感谢您提供有关布鲁克林的提示：很高兴知道。

我还向朱莉亚（Juilliard）申请了签证-我想知道收到他们的时间表是什么？

I'm not sure if the different apartments are on the same timeline, but my violin friend who applied Juilliard has received the interview request recently.

[jck349]

9 minutes ago, Sylvia Zhou said:

I hope so, thank you for consoling me?And I just asked Mica (the enrollment director), here's her response: "We will be in communication by February 1 with the status of your application.  Thank you for your patience as we review applications." Feel like she is swamped recently.

Ahh that is TOO SOON!! I've just been nervously checking the gradCAS status page every day. Still just says "Complete." Thanks for taking one for the team and asking her haha!

[Sylvia Zhou]

3 minutes ago, jck349 said:

Ahh that is TOO SOON!! I've just been nervously checking the gradCAS status page every day. Still just says "Complete." Thanks for taking one for the team and asking her haha!

You welcome, I'm super nervously as well. I almost take the Chinese divination everyday(*/ω＼*)

[sns1106]

7 hours ago, PlayWitch said:

People who've had interviews: what are they like? What kinds of questions do they ask you? 

def interested if any veterans are out there!

[sns1106]

6 hours ago, jck349 said:

Ahh that is TOO SOON!! I've just been nervously checking the gradCAS status page every day. Still just says "Complete." Thanks for taking one for the team and asking her haha!

 do you think we'll solely find out via GradCAS or via email as well??

[kevinmalone]

11 hours ago, sns1106 said:

def interested if any veterans are out there!

In my experience with interviews – have gone in for Yale and Hunter in the past – they usually bring in just a handful of people, so at that point they already know and like your work. My sense is that schools are usually just trying to get a feel for your personality/who you are, and what you're looking for from career/grad program. Conversations have felt pretty personal and comfortable. Questions around what you want to focus on while you're there, why you want to go to grad school now, what you're working on. Also tend to ask questions about the play that you submitted – what you're still working through, how it's evolving, what inspired it, etc. Hope that helps! Happy to chat about my experience with both those schools via message if helpful. 

[space94]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:45 PM, kevinmalone said:

@space94 you are so kind...we'll see what happens. where are you applying?

NYU, Hunter, Yale, Columbia, and Brooklyn. I'm hoping to stay in NYC.  I read your above post about interviewing for Hunter and Yale as well--were these all last year? 

[jck349]

12 hours ago, sns1106 said:

 do you think we'll solely find out via GradCAS or via email as well??

If they want an interview, I'm sure they'll email us! I just keep checking gradCAS to confirm to myself that I actually submitted everything haha. But for real though, everything for CMU is submitted through gradCAS/Slideroom, right? It throws me off that none of it was actually through CMU's own website.

[sns1106]

1 hour ago, jck349 said:

But for real though, everything for CMU is submitted through gradCAS/Slideroom, right? It throws me off that none of it was actually through CMU's own website.

it is weird but we're def in the clear. there isn't a portal on their website. the next 3 days are going to be torture ?

[Silverlake]

On 1/27/2020 at 4:48 PM, kevinmalone said:

Yes seconding your earlier post - I had to stay on them quite a bit last year and have checked in this year as well. 

Applying to Brooklyn, Hunter, Juilliard, Iowa, and Austin. ?

Hi All, Just looping back about Brooklyn. I just checked in with the main admissions office about missing paperwork, etc., and they were super nice about it -- so that made me feel better!

[kevinmalone]

3 hours ago, space94 said:

NYU, Hunter, Yale, Columbia, and Brooklyn. I'm hoping to stay in NYC.  I read your above post about interviewing for Hunter and Yale as well--were these all last year? 

That's exciting! All amazing schools. Hunter and Brooklyn were last year - Yale was a few years ago, haven't applied since. But it's an amazing program for sure.

[PlayWitch]

4 hours ago, kevinmalone said:

In my experience with interviews – have gone in for Yale and Hunter in the past – they usually bring in just a handful of people, so at that point they already know and like your work. My sense is that schools are usually just trying to get a feel for your personality/who you are, and what you're looking for from career/grad program. Conversations have felt pretty personal and comfortable. Questions around what you want to focus on while you're there, why you want to go to grad school now, what you're working on. Also tend to ask questions about the play that you submitted – what you're still working through, how it's evolving, what inspired it, etc. Hope that helps! Happy to chat about my experience with both those schools via message if helpful. 

Thank you, Kevin! If I'm lucky enough to get an interview, I'll hit you up!

[Sylvia Zhou]

Anything from CMU? Anybody hear anything from CMU? (Screaming like the groundhog)...

[jck349]

26 minutes ago, Sylvia Zhou said:

Anything from CMU? Anybody hear anything from CMU? (Screaming like the groundhog)...

Hahaha, I haven't heard anything yet! I wouldn't be surprised if it took another week-ish because they had to extend the deadline... (and now i go and check my spam filter again).

[sns1106]

1 hour ago, Sylvia Zhou said:

Anything from CMU? Anybody hear anything from CMU? (Screaming like the groundhog)...

i am glad i wasn't the first to break lol ? nothing. driving me crazy.

[sns1106]

1 hour ago, jck349 said:

Hahaha, I haven't heard anything yet! I wouldn't be surprised if it took another week-ish because they had to extend the deadline... (and now i go and check my spam filter again).

@Sylvia Zhou I was really thinking they'd send it today since Mica told you so recently that we'd hear by tomorrow. 

[jck349]

JUST GOT THE CMU UPDATE!!! They'll give us more info by February 8th. Now we can relax for the weekend and get back to being anxious on Monday.

[Agez]

On 1/24/2020 at 1:18 PM, jck349 said:

That few?? Dang. And here I was thinking it was twice that.

Yeah, I'm thinking people sike themselves out of applying because of the "Yale" title.

On Visitor's Day they said they divide the applicants amongst the reading committee (including Tarell). Each person picks about 2-3 from their stack, leaving Tarell with 20. Then I think he picks who to interview from there.

[Agez]

On 1/29/2020 at 10:26 AM, kevinmalone said:

In my experience with interviews – have gone in for Yale and Hunter in the past – they usually bring in just a handful of people, so at that point they already know and like your work. My sense is that schools are usually just trying to get a feel for your personality/who you are, and what you're looking for from career/grad program. Conversations have felt pretty personal and comfortable. Questions around what you want to focus on while you're there, why you want to go to grad school now, what you're working on. Also tend to ask questions about the play that you submitted – what you're still working through, how it's evolving, what inspired it, etc. Hope that helps! Happy to chat about my experience with both those schools via message if helpful. 

Thank you for this! I haven't even let myself think that far yet lol

[newengland1]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:09 PM, Coffee&Flowers said:

@newengland1- Super curious how it was for you! I'd love to hear about your experience in general, and would also love to know:

• Approximately how much of a scholarship do admitted students receive? Did the scholarship amount depend on your financial means (last year they told me I would be automatically considered for a scholarship if I got admitted, and this year apparently everyone has to fill out the FASFA)? I understand that every student receives some sort of a scholarship, but the tuition is quite high to start with, so I wonder how doable it could be for me. 
• What was the best part?
• What were the cons?
• Did you feel like your time there was worth it and truly helped advance your career?

Thank you so much in advance!

Hey only just saw this. Sooo ...

- Everyone always has to fill out a FAFSA, and I think everyone gets considered for money. Some people were offered full rides, and others were offered varying amounts of scholarship money. I actually was not initially offered any scholarship money. Then I got into a different (free & stipended) program and went back to NYU and negotiated for a scholarship. They then gave me some (really not a lot at first), and after I started the program, they wound up quadrupling the amount I was given--due to merit. I don't know if everyone is given a scholarship, actually.

- The best part was the level of talent around me. The playwrights were really strong. The faculty are stars in their various genres. This doesn't always equate to good teaching, but I felt I lucked out--most everyone I studied under was an exceptional teacher. Another clear strength of NYU is the cross-training in TV and screenwriting. Some programs offer a course or two in each of those, but they're longstanding areas of expertise for NYU faculty. It's useful, and you can take advantage of that to the extent that you want.

- I would also say that the reputation has been helpful to me. I don't know that Tisch opens as many doors as quickly as Yale or Juilliard, but it's up there. Being in the NYC mix was also pretty helpful for networking. A few random examples: I feel I could easily get coffee with one of my professors who's in the writers room at Mrs. Maisel; I'm friends with Tisch film grads; Spike Lee made a phone call and got one of my peers an agent at ICM. And the program has strong ties to the Public Theater.

- The biggest weakness is clearly the financial aspect. For most people, it is not a free program, and this is problematic. For this reason, the department can occasionally feel like a bastion of privilege. Other potential disadvantages of the program include: bigger cohort, and they don't produce your plays. Maybe I'm biased, but I didn't mind either of these things.

- It truly helped advance my career. When I look at where I was career-wise just before entering, and where I was when I came out of school, it's kind of night & day. By the time I finished, I had an agent and a publication contract. I have a number of high-profile people who will write me letters of rec. I got a nice playwriting fellowship in NYC a couple months after graduating. Not everyone fares as well, and some have skyrocketed faster. But I think of the 9 or so playwrights in my year, the vast majority--particularly those who have been disciplined and productive about both writing and networking since graduating--have had some really nice things happen for them.

Happy to talk more, on or offline!

-c

[space94]

@newengland1 Thank you so much for all this. I actually also met a current DDW MFA student this weekend through one of my recommenders who said a lot of the same things about the program, but doesn't yet have the perspective of life after the program. Hearing from both of you has made me really glad I applied.  I'll probably be DM'ing you later today because there is something I'm feeling uneasy about, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Thanks again for all of this!

[Silverlake]

I've refreshed this page 100 times since Monday ... I'm just so anxious for some kind of news / update....!

[esbrain]

47 minutes ago, Silverlake said:

I've refreshed this page 100 times since Monday ... I'm just so anxious for some kind of news / update....!

Very much same lol. Anyone have a feeling on when Yale started to let people know last year?

[sns1106]

4 minutes ago, Ezra Brain said:

Very much same lol. Anyone have a feeling on when Yale started to let people know last year?

I went all the way back and people received notification from Yale on February 13th last year. Also, UTA (T&D I believe) sent semifinalist interview requests on February 4th last year so hopefully they're on the same schedule this year. 

[Dongato]

This is my first year applying, and I have applied to Brown, Yale, Columbia, Juilliard, Ohio, UTA, Iowa, and Northwestern. This waiting game is no joke on my anxiety!