Playwriting MFAs

[zayzay]

I saw the thing about UT Austin T&D sending out semifinalists info on the 4th last year. Just curious: has anybody here heard anything from UT Austin this year yet?

[jck349]

1 minute ago, zayzay said:

I saw the thing about UT Austin T&D sending out semifinalists info on the 4th last year. Just curious: has anybody here heard anything from UT Austin this year yet?

I applied T&D. Haven't heard anything yet! My application status on their website hasn't changed either.

[kevinmalone]

2 minutes ago, jck349 said:

I applied T&D. Haven't heard anything yet! My application status on their website hasn't changed either.

Ditto! My friend applied there as a director and interviewed as a semifinalist by phone on Monday and is waiting to hear about finalist interviews. I know there's a lot of overlap for the playwriting/directing faculty, so guessing they have been busy with directing candidates. 

[zayzay]

Thanks for your quick replies!

This is such a scary process and it's so comforting to have this forum. I've been reading it for months. I applied to UCSD, UT Austin, Iowa, Yale, and ASU. Has anyone heard from any of these programs or have any idea about the timeline roughly for when they start reaching out? 

[jck349]

@zayzay: I applied to UCSD, UT Austin, Iowa, and Yale! Nothing from any of them... At least we're all in the same boat.

@kevinmalone : I bet UT Austin's gonna take a bit longer this year. I think this is the first year they haven't had a GRE requirement so their number of applications probably shot way up

[kevinmalone]

@jck349  that's a good point! 

@zayzay if past years are any indication, I wouldn't expect to hear from Iowa before mid-March - and it sounds like they typically don't do formal interviews, but just make offers by phone. Yale usually invites finalists for late February or early March, and I believe they send out rejections simultaneously, so imagine you'll hear in the next few weeks either way. Not sure about UCSD or ASU - have never applied to those schools!

[Zadican]

Hey folks, longtime lurker, first time applicant (Yale, Brown, Hunter, Brooklyn, Iowa, UT, UCSD).

I got my semifinal email for UT pretty recently, and today was video interview day (they seemed like they were doing them all back to back). Just wanted to let everyone know. 

[jck349]

6 minutes ago, Zadican said:

Hey folks, longtime lurker, first time applicant (Yale, Brown, Hunter, Brooklyn, Iowa, UT, UCSD).

I got my semifinal email for UT pretty recently, and today was video interview day (they seemed like they were doing them all back to back). Just wanted to let everyone know. 

Thanks for letting us know! Hope your interview went well. Did you apply Michener or T&D (or both)?

[zayzay]

Congratulations!

Curious to know if you applied to Michener or T&D

[Zadican]

@zayzay @jck349 both

[zayzay]

Ok, assuming I'm out of the running there then. Again, huge congratulations! And thanks to everyone who has answered my questions. We're all in this together. Curious if anyone has heard from UCSD. Based on earlier posts in the forum, they usually reach out like this week or next, or so I've read.

[jck349]

16 minutes ago, zayzay said:

Ok, assuming I'm out of the running there then. Again, huge congratulations! And thanks to everyone who has answered my questions. We're all in this together. Curious if anyone has heard from UCSD. Based on earlier posts in the forum, they usually reach out like this week or next, or so I've read.

Nothing from UCSD yet for me!

Any word from CMU, anybody?? I know we're supposed to hear something by tomorrow but I'm jumping every single time I have a new email...

[sns1106]

49 minutes ago, jck349 said:

Nothing from UCSD yet for me!

Any word from CMU, anybody?? I know we're supposed to hear something by tomorrow but I'm jumping every single time I have a new email...

Nothing for me from CMU. But they did wait until like 6:30 to tell us they were pushing it back last time. Also going to assume I’m out of the running for Texas, I applied to both as well. A little relieved though! The not knowing is worse than rejection for me at this point.

[ovrzlous]

Hello all! Longtime lurker and first time applicant (Yale, UCSD, NYU, Columbia, Juilliard). Figured I'd come out of the woodworks to embrace this community! How's everyone doing emotionally? I didn't realize how much anxiety I was carrying around waiting for decisions until it sideswiped me earlier in the week. 

How have you all been staying active as you wait? And for those of you who have applied in the past and experienced rejection, what advice do you have on bouncing back and not tethering your self worth so closely to your work and a decision?

Good luck to all! Congratulations @Zadicanon your interview!

[secretavatar]

Congrats on the interview @Zadican!!!! 

I haven't heard anything from UCSD.

My homework from therapy, which I will share with/assign to you all is to plan and execute a date night for yourself. I assume if you have a partner you can include them, him, her, or any combination in between.  That said, I have a reservation for one at the White Castle on Valentine's Day...and I can't check devices during my date. Just me and some burgers! 

Any one reading any new plays or seeing shows? 

[Zadican]

Thanks everyone! Best of luck to you all too!

@zayzay, I haven't heard from UCSD either. 

@ovrzlous I'm just trying to keep writing. I've got two new plays I'm working on, and that distracts me some. As for bouncing back, I feel like I just keep applying for things. Of course, I really want the MFA, but keeping busy with contests and fellowships makes it so that this decision isn't the only one in the mix. 

[space94]

1 hour ago, ovrzlous said:

Hello all! Longtime lurker and first time applicant (Yale, UCSD, NYU, Columbia, Juilliard). Figured I'd come out of the woodworks to embrace this community! How's everyone doing emotionally? I didn't realize how much anxiety I was carrying around waiting for decisions until it sideswiped me earlier in the week. 

How have you all been staying active as you wait? And for those of you who have applied in the past and experienced rejection, what advice do you have on bouncing back and not tethering your self worth so closely to your work and a decision?

Good luck to all! Congratulations @Zadicanon your interview!

I'm doing a lot better emotionally this year than I did last year. I think it's really important to keep busy in whatever form that means to you personally. I have a playwriting workshop, but also a job and in my spare time I've been text message canvassing for the primaries. I think it's also important to keep working on your writing. I had a reading shortly after all the apps were due, which had me pretty down on my portfolio sample because the weaker elements of the script were so plain to me after that. But I was offered a production of that same play earlier this week out of nowhere, so I'm feeling a bit better about my chances, again! I guess my biggest advice is to remember that your application was the strongest it could have been at the time you submitted it and it's out of your hands now. It's also important to realize that no matter what happens, it really isn't the end of the world. Last year, I crashed and burned and then went on to have a great summer/fall that wouldn't have been possible had I actually gotten into a program, and ultimately didn't regret it much since this year's application was stronger for it. 

That's not to say I won't start having a heart attack when interview requests and the like start coming in, but I think I won't stake so much of myself into it this time. Good luck, guys. We are all worthy and deserve the best education around. 

[Agez]

2 hours ago, space94 said:

I'm doing a lot better emotionally this year than I did last year. I think it's really important to keep busy in whatever form that means to you personally. I have a playwriting workshop, but also a job and in my spare time I've been text message canvassing for the primaries. I think it's also important to keep working on your writing. I had a reading shortly after all the apps were due, which had me pretty down on my portfolio sample because the weaker elements of the script were so plain to me after that. But I was offered a production of that same play earlier this week out of nowhere, so I'm feeling a bit better about my chances, again! I guess my biggest advice is to remember that your application was the strongest it could have been at the time you submitted it and it's out of your hands now. It's also important to realize that no matter what happens, it really isn't the end of the world. Last year, I crashed and burned and then went on to have a great summer/fall that wouldn't have been possible had I actually gotten into a program, and ultimately didn't regret it much since this year's application was stronger for it. 

That's not to say I won't start having a heart attack when interview requests and the like start coming in, but I think I won't stake so much of myself into it this time. Good luck, guys. We are all worthy and deserve the best education around. 

This was really reassuring to hear. Thank you

[space94]

10 minutes ago, Agez said:

This was really reassuring to hear. Thank you

It was nice to vocalize. I'm glad it helped.

[Sylvia Zhou]

6 hours ago, jck349 said:

Nothing from UCSD yet for me!

Any word from CMU, anybody?? I know we're supposed to hear something by tomorrow but I'm jumping every single time I have a new email...

No, nothing...still nothing...

[sns1106]

Just got the email from CMU - I got an interview! Anyone else hear anything?

[nerv]

@sns1106 congratulations!!!

Rejection for me. First one under the belt (except probably also UT, given the info above) - let's do this. ?

[jck349]

8 minutes ago, sns1106 said:

Just got the email from CMU - I got an interview! Anyone else hear anything?

Just got the email too!! Congrats! I figure I'll email them first thing tomorrow morning... Don't want to seem TOO eager haha

[Sylvia Zhou]

I got a email from CMU, says I'm in the waiting list...fine: ) I'm waiting for Northwestern now.

[SuddenBeth]

1 hour ago, jck349 said:

Just got the email too!! Congrats! I figure I'll email them first thing tomorrow morning... Don't want to seem TOO eager haha

I got an interview as well! I emailed the immediately lol, guess there's no hiding my obsessive email checking now.