Playwriting MFAs

[rintea]

Got denied acceptance from Boston (sad summer hours) but hopefully that means people have started hearing back about interviews and/or acceptances!

[toreckonwithhenry]

I just received an interview request for Hunter! Not sure if they are sending them out in rounds, but it had interview slots available through mid-march, so my guess is their decisions may be a bit on the later side this year. Hope others are getting good news as well!

[ramennoodlerose]

Going crazy waiting for some Brooklyn and Brown... anyone heard anything? sending love and support to everyone out there in the waiting ether... ❤️ 

[flipperdoodlegumgum]

Also waiting on Brown. Rumor has it that we'll have some news on that front this week. Who knows when! Anyone have any idea how many people usually apply to Brown? Just curious how big their pool is. 

6 hours ago, ramennoodlerose said:

Going crazy waiting for some Brooklyn and Brown... anyone heard anything? sending love and support to everyone out there in the waiting ether... ❤️ 

Any news from anyone on Yale? Haven't seen anything on the results page, which seems odd based on previous years.

I'm curious if it's uncouth to email schools and ask what their timeline is? Seems like it's a simple question, but also don't want to jinx myself... Baby is getting antsy! (it's me- i'm baby)

[dramatic]

Wanted to put this on here for my friend who was accepted into UCSD. She wanted to share because data is important (her anxiety was not fun, she says, she'd like to save future applicants).

This is pretty consistent with what has happened in the last few years though sometimes they're earlier with the initial interview request but the timeline remains the same. All interviews were on Zoom. Their website said there's an on-campus interview but she thinks they've done away with that.

- First interview notification was on Sunday 2/25.

- Interview with Naomi was on Tuesday 2/27.

- Second interview notification was on Friday 3/1.

- Second interview with current playwriting student was on 3/3.

- Got the acceptance call from Naomi Tuesday 3/5. 

[KevinKlineLuvr]

18 hours ago, ramennoodlerose said:

Going crazy waiting for some Brooklyn and Brown... anyone heard anything? sending love and support to everyone out there in the waiting ether... ❤️ 

I think a Brooklyn acceptance was posted on GradCafe on February 28 

[rintea]

20 hours ago, ramennoodlerose said:

Going crazy waiting for some Brooklyn and Brown... anyone heard anything? sending love and support to everyone out there in the waiting ether... ❤️ 

I got an email from Brown today notifying me of a decision (not accepted). You have to log onto the portal to see the decision letter, though, so maybe check there? Not sure if they have finished making decisions on everyone's applications yet.

[ihhtd]

1 hour ago, KevinKlineLuvr said:

I think a Brooklyn acceptance was posted on GradCafe on February 28 

hey everyone, longtime lurker finally posting — that was me! was definitely a welcome surprise, since they dont do interviews — i think everyone they accepted has heard back given the timeline unfortunately (theyre doing meetings w us this & next week)

in other news though, just received my brown rejection a few minutes ago 😵‍💫 was my top program and knew the chances were suuuuper low (re: numbers, julia said in the info session ~150 applicants / 5-10 interviews / 2 spots) so im comforting myself by asking if i really wanted to leave the city anyway haha

good luck to everyone & my love to u all! this was my first time applying and AFAIK no one else in my undergrad year was applying to playwriting, so finding this board made me feel a lot less alone ❤️

[rintea]

4 hours ago, ihhtd said:

hey everyone, longtime lurker finally posting — that was me! was definitely a welcome surprise, since they dont do interviews — i think everyone they accepted has heard back given the timeline unfortunately (theyre doing meetings w us this & next week)

in other news though, just received my brown rejection a few minutes ago 😵‍💫 was my top program and knew the chances were suuuuper low (re: numbers, julia said in the info session ~150 applicants / 5-10 interviews / 2 spots) so im comforting myself by asking if i really wanted to leave the city anyway haha

good luck to everyone & my love to u all! this was my first time applying and AFAIK no one else in my undergrad year was applying to playwriting, so finding this board made me feel a lot less alone ❤️

Congrats on Brooklyn! Sucks about the Brown rejection, but I feel like getting rejected from them is almost a rite of passage.

[aojfpajfapodjf222]

Hello! I am a first-time applicant and have received 0 interviews at any US schools. I applied to Hunter, Yale, Juilliard, NYU so wasn't expecting much but still obviously disappointed. I was admitted to Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Goldsmiths in the UK and am debating accepting or waiting another year and reapplying (I'm NYC-based). 

It seems like a lot of people apply multiple times, but I'm wondering if it's worth it since I didn't even get an interview? Appreciate any insight or anecdotes. I can't imagine going through the application process again with the same result, but also don't want to give up if it's something that typically takes a few tries. My biggest fear going to the UK is that it would be less helpful in launching a career in New York. THANK YOU ALL!!! This forum has been amazing and so helpful as I've waited to hear. 

[MChammerstein]

On 1/22/2024 at 5:29 PM, MChammerstein said:

Hiya fabulous writers,

Longtime shadow reader, first time posting in the sun. Applied to Yale, UCSD, Brown, Iowa, UT Austin (T&D), BU, Columbia, Hunter, and Juilliard. Looks like I'm in awesome company! Sending well wishes to everyone this season. Way to go us for handing shit in and exhausting ourselves fully and opening veins for those personal statements (and statements of purpose, how the heck is that different from the former?!).

I can speak on UK schools. I got a degree in Playwriting and Dramaturgy from Glasgow Uni years back. Pros and cons to UK schools for playwriting:

Pros:
-Lots of time and motivation to write (yay classes with deadlines and the pressure of other people reading and hearing your work).
-Production opportunities (depending on the school ASK THIS QUESTION BEFORE YOU PAY THEM THE MONEYZ) where the work of casting and finding a director is handed to you.
-You get a feel for writing styles outside your comfort zone, such as the emphasis on physical theatre (Lecoq and Frantic Assembly) is really eye opening in the UK. Scotland is quite experimental especially (in my opinion). Sometimes you’ll also be able to find and work with companies that produce work outside of the U.S. and western canon. For example, I was able to work with a South Asian theatre company and another collaborating with Syrian refugees.
-Meeting and making art with like minded theatre artists from all over the globe.
-Like a year long writers’ retreat (that you pay for)
-Cheaper than US schools
-Living abroad
-Ability to travel (if you have money, I did not, ha)

Cons:
-Depending on the program, there might be little or no production opportunities and if you ask for school support (or even to attend your own shows), profs are all so busy they’ll say no.
-Profs are hit or miss and some really just care about publishing their next essay, but sometimes some of the guest profs who are working playwrights are epic. Also sometimes the UK grading scale is wAcKo if you’re used to the US ABCD shebang.
-No one in the US really gives a crap you went there and your degree will probably never be recognized by another job or school ever. At most you might get out of a class or two (like research methods, ugh, which is actually great to get out of tbh) if you get another degree someday.
-Odds of you getting any financial aid money from the school are 0%
-It’s not an MFA, it’s a year outside of time to grow as an artist and person that you funded yourself.
-Brits and Scots take care of their own first. You’ll have to fight really hard to get your work stage while you’re there and/or afterwards.

Take this with a grain of salt as this was in Glasgow, not London. I chose Scotland over London in the end because of the experimental nature and the emphasis on blending movement with theatre there. I wanted to put a show on at the Ed Fringe as well (which I did without the school's help, hehe). Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED my time there and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but for me personally, I’m glad I did it straight out of undergrad, not later on. It is more of a fellowship and play incubator situation, rather than a degree that is going to help you advance in the US. If you want to teach at the university level in the US, then avoid going to school in the UK. 

Hopefully that helps! Feel free to ask follow ups if you’d like clarification!

P.S. Pre-apologies to the team if I go silent on this thread. Majorly anxious human over here who might need to lock themselves in a box in an old forgotten props closet and just meditate for three months until the results are out. I’ll phone in any interviews from my box.
 

5 hours ago, aojfpajfapodjf222 said:

Hello! I am a first-time applicant and have received 0 interviews at any US schools. I applied to Hunter, Yale, Juilliard, NYU so wasn't expecting much but still obviously disappointed. I was admitted to Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Goldsmiths in the UK and am debating accepting or waiting another year and reapplying (I'm NYC-based). 

It seems like a lot of people apply multiple times, but I'm wondering if it's worth it since I didn't even get an interview? Appreciate any insight or anecdotes. I can't imagine going through the application process again with the same result, but also don't want to give up if it's something that typically takes a few tries. My biggest fear going to the UK is that it would be less helpful in launching a career in New York. THANK YOU ALL!!! This forum has been amazing and so helpful as I've waited to hear. 

 

Hi @aojfpajfapodjf222! Back on page 135 and linked here, I offer some information about going to the school in the UK. In my opinion, will it launch your NYC career? Probably not. Will it give you an extended writer's retreat and help you become a better playwright? Most likely! So it could be very beneficial and advance you on your playwriting journey which could help you in NYC indirectly. It's a big decision, good luck!

Huge congrats to those in at UCSD, Pace, Brooklyn, and more, BRAVO! Good luck also to those interviewing at Hunter, Columbia, and elsewhere. I hope you wow them! Remember you already have dazzled them with your writing alone!

To those who are receiving rejections, my heart goes out to you. I am in the same boat, rejections from Brown and UCLA so far. It's looking like UCSD is a "no" as well, considering people have been interviewed and admitted already. Thanks for the info @dramatic. That's good to know. I'm usually pretty good at looking at theatre companies saying "no" to my work and saying, "it's just information," and I collect the data and move on. It feels a bit more personal with grad school, probably because we wrote that darn document called a personal statement.

I have a wonderful friend who gave me this advice, and I'll leave it here in case it helps anyone else. Right now, you may feel like you are at the bottom of the mountain. We have to climb to get to the top: being admitted to your dream school. But here's the thing. We already wrote a play. Two plays. Ten plays. We climbed. We had a reading with actor friends. We incorporated feedback. We climbed. We wrote a personal statement and poured our sweaty truths and pain onto the page. We climbed. We answered annoying questions about where we went to school and our addresses and jobs. We climbed. We pressed submit. We applied to graduate schools. We put our hearts out there. We are not at the bottom right now. We are making progress. We are getting there. This is not the start. We've already accomplished so much. And for most of us, the peak is not grad school. It's having a play staged that really impacts people. For some, maybe that's already happened! Maybe you've already climbed one mountain. Maybe you're on your second or third. We are not at the bottom of the mountain. We are already on our way.

Hope that helps some of you who like me, may be feeling pretty hopeless at the moment. Sending deep breaths and peace to everyone.

Edited March 7 by MChammerstein

[flipperdoodlegumgum]

Does anyone know anything about where Yale is at? I still haven't heard a thing from anyone on here or on Draft about their playwriting applications. Have they begun? Is this FAFSA recalculation screwing everything up? So many questions!

Had my Pace interview last week and felt really good about it, but haven't heard a word since. Feeling quite antsy.

Haven't been officially rejected from Columbia yet, though I'm anticipating it's on the way. No interviews or communications of any kind, which I'm not taking as a good sign since other interviews have been sent out already.

I was among the Brown massacre on the results page, but was surprised a few hours later when I got an email from Julia saying she liked my play, which was nice to hear. Softened the blow a little bit. 

Overall I feel a little demoralized right now. I've been feeling really trapped by this constant web of what-ifs for almost 3 months now with grad school, a potential major job change, waiting to hear back on a huge grant, in addition to a handful of other opportunities... and now i'm staring down the barrel of none of it happening. It's hard to have been so overwhelmed by possibilities and then end right where I began. Hoping I'll know more next week.

Until then, madness ensues...

[rintea]

Just got done interviewing with Columbia! I had heard rumors that they began the interview asking what questions the applicant had for them so I made sure to write mine down beforehand. The rumors are true, so I would recommend making sure you have a good idea of what you want to ask if you haven't considered it already! Don't let that scare you, though—they were so lovely and kind throughout, and they put a lot of thought into answering and asking questions.

[aojfpajfapodjf222]

On 3/6/2024 at 9:53 PM, MChammerstein said:

 

Hi @aojfpajfapodjf222! Back on page 135 and linked here, I offer some information about going to the school in the UK. In my opinion, will it launch your NYC career? Probably not. Will it give you an extended writer's retreat and help you become a better playwright? Most likely! So it could be very beneficial and advance you on your playwriting journey which could help you in NYC indirectly. It's a big decision, good luck!

Huge congrats to those in at UCSD, Pace, Brooklyn, and more, BRAVO! Good luck also to those interviewing at Hunter, Columbia, and elsewhere. I hope you wow them! Remember you already have dazzled them with your writing alone!

To those who are receiving rejections, my heart goes out to you. I am in the same boat, rejections from Brown and UCLA so far. It's looking like UCSD is a "no" as well, considering people have been interviewed and admitted already. Thanks for the info @dramatic. That's good to know. I'm usually pretty good at looking at theatre companies saying "no" to my work and saying, "it's just information," and I collect the data and move on. It feels a bit more personal with grad school, probably because we wrote that darn document called a personal statement.

I have a wonderful friend who gave me this advice, and I'll leave it here in case it helps anyone else. Right now, you may feel like you are at the bottom of the mountain. We have to climb to get to the top: being admitted to your dream school. But here's the thing. We already wrote a play. Two plays. Ten plays. We climbed. We had a reading with actor friends. We incorporated feedback. We climbed. We wrote a personal statement and poured our sweaty truths and pain onto the page. We climbed. We answered annoying questions about where we went to school and our addresses and jobs. We climbed. We pressed submit. We applied to graduate schools. We put our hearts out there. We are not at the bottom right now. We are making progress. We are getting there. This is not the start. We've already accomplished so much. And for most of us, the peak is not grad school. It's having a play staged that really impacts people. For some, maybe that's already happened! Maybe you've already climbed one mountain. Maybe you're on your second or third. We are not at the bottom of the mountain. We are already on our way.

Hope that helps some of you who like me, may be feeling pretty hopeless at the moment. Sending deep breaths and peace to everyone.

thank you for your insight!!

[Lovemybigfur]

Has anyone heard back from Carnegie Mellon? I had a great interview last month but haven't heard anything yet. (fingercross

[MChammerstein]

I haven't heard from Carnegie Mellon (didn't apply), but according to the MFA draft on Facebook, one person received an acceptance on March 1st. They might do rolling acceptances (I think they have in years past).

I hate to be the barer of bad news for many of us (including myself), but Yale and Iowa have sent out interview requests. I personally haven't heard anything, so I think it's a no for me on those two schools. Congrats to those who have been invited to interview! Yale is apparently doing one round of zoom interviews, and then a second round of interviews in person. Just trying to populate information for those who are still waiting in limbo. 

For those feeling a bit lost, I would recommend listening to David Henry Hwang's episode on American Theatre Magazine's "The Subtext." He talks a bit about carrying on when your worst fears come true. Hopefully it brings solace to those of us struggling with rejection at the moment.

[ramennoodlerose]

got a rejection from the dramatic writing mfa at nyu yesterday... that one stung but oh well. keeping my fingers crossed for the three schools i got interviews from. i feel like we've reached the rejection bubble of march where most of the late interview requests have been sent out and schools are narrowing down their applicant pool--- cannot wait for what hopefully looks like a kinder era in late march/early april. sending love into the grad application void < 3 

my strategy for dealing with the rejection stress has been simply writing more, and it's working pretty well. 10/10 recommend. we are playwrights, regardless of what happens with grad school. wishing everyone best of luck!!! 

[Lovemybigfur]

Thank you for telling me this! I didn't know this group before. I will wait for one week or so. Good luck to you all!

[rintea]

I had a weirdly vivid dream where I found a website that showed whether I had been rejected or accepted from every place I applied to, and before I could see whether my top three had accepted me, I woke up. I am so anxious waiting to hear back from Columbia and Iowa, simultaneously not trying to feel defeated but not trying to get my hopes TOO high. Crossing my fingers we all hear good news soon.

[toreckonwithhenry]

I saw someone posted on the results page a Hunter acceptance on Mar 15th! Congrats to whoever that is! & if you are willing to come out of being anonymous, I would love to ask a question about it! feel free to dm me if youd like!

[ramennoodlerose]

I had a school ask for a second writing sample, but no second interview. They said they would get back to me by the end of this week... a little confused. Does this sound like a rejection? Or am I reading too much into it? 

[Raja012]

1 hour ago, ramennoodlerose said:

I had a school ask for a second writing sample, but no second interview. They said they would get back to me by the end of this week... a little confused. Does this sound like a rejection? Or am I reading too much into it? 

How long have they not responded? I would say some time would make sense as they could ask for that secondary piece from you and perhaps from other applicants. That in mind with the fact that some schools just had spring break could mean it's still okay.

[toreckonwithhenry]

has anybody heard anything from juiliard at this point?

[Lovemybigfur]

After I sent a bunch of emails to the Carnegie Mellon's professor and the admissions office, they finally sent me my acceptance letter into CMU’s Dramatic Writing program today with $55,500 financial aid + fellowship per year!

Is anyone here currently attending or graduating from this program? I want to be a screenwriter and playwright, so I especially want to know about the program's career resources for screenwriters (This program provides training in screenwriting and playwriting but CMU doesn't have a film school...)

Edited March 26 by Lovemybigfur

[rintea]

I've been trying to figure this out on my own and talking about it with people in my life, but I would love some thoughts/advice.

I got accepted into UCLA, New School, and Iowa. I have not heard back from Columbia, and the interview was a couple weeks ago. I think it is probably safe to say I didn't get in since others have been waitlisted or accepted.

I turned down UCLA because it felt financially unfeasible. With New School, I would receive half of my tuition covered through merit scholarships with the chance to contest the scholarship to receive more aid. With Iowa, I would receive full tuition covered except for some small fees, along with a stipend. I am leaning toward Iowa because of the financial aspect and also because I think my aesthetic and goals as a playwright align with the program. However, I am wondering whether it would be more beneficial for me to go to New School, since I would be in New York in an experimental, interdisciplinary program.

Does anyone have any advice?