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Playwriting MFAs


dampka

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Hey y'all! Hope all of your weeks are going well.

Teethwax: I was looking back through older posts, and I saw that you had your Columbia interview today-- yay! How'd it go? Any insights into how the experience was/what kind of questions they asked?

Hope it went really well!

Also, just FYI to all: I called NYU yesterday, and all they'd say is that final decisions will be coming within the next 2-3 weeks. Not very good info,but just so y'all know!

I have no idea how it went, really.  I spoke with Chuck Mee and Kelly Stuart, and they were both very nice -- they said that they enjoyed my play, and that they mostly wanted to know what questions I had.  I did have some questions, but I don't think I said anything particularly brilliant or exciting, so I'm kind of second-guessing myself now.  

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Teethwax-- thanks for the information! I'm sure it went really well.

 

And failsafe-- I haven't gotten a Yale rejection yet, either. I checked my status on the Yale website, and it just says "submitted". Strange. Now I'm kinda worried my application didn't process correctly or something. Hmm. I'm sure it's coming soon though, as I wasn't called as a finalist or anything. 

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@longwalktonever - now that i think of it, i got my yale rejection later last year, too.  it was a fancy one saying "yay, you're great!  we just won't accept you!" with a handwritten note attached...perhaps we are both in that queue this year. ;-)

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Ditto on the Yale rejection, but got an acceptance at University of New Orleans today. Does anyone know anything about that program? Applied kind of blindly...

I don't know much about their program but I lived there years ago. It's changed a lot. What about the program attracted you?

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Just found out that I got into USC's MFA Dramatic Writing program! Hooray!

CONGRATS! That's supposed to be a wonderful program! Is that where you're planning to go? Do you know what the funding is like? 

 

And congrats to everybody who has received good news lately -- acceptances or interviews!  :)

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Hey all- I have been lurking religiously for the path month-anxiously awaiting any updates! Just thought I would share that I did get an email request for an interview at NYU's dramatic writing program. They did specify that I was "local" so not sure what that means;) Just wanted to see if anyone was in the same boat. Congratulations to everyone on their acceptances thus far!

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Wow! Lots of good news since I checked in last! Congrats to everyone who got acceptances and interviews and such! I've got good news myself. I got accepted to Villanova's MA program and after much deliberation (which really only took a day) I took it. The faculty and the department I just fell in love with and I came to a bit of an epiphany myself when I was interviewing with the department. College professor is for me which means I need to go on and get a PhD. Maybe sometime in the far future I may reconsider getting an MFA in playwriting, but for now I figured I would keep writing in the background and focus on my teaching career which is my long term goal. Not to mention Michael Hollinger (Incorruptible) is part of their faculty as well ^^. They just started a brand new playwriting competition at the University too so that tells me they're opening roads for student playwrights. 

 

The crazy thing is I haven't heard anything from Indiana or Texas yet, but I doubt its good news by now. And, even if I did get a better offer from them I wouldn't take it to be honest. Illinois never got my letters of recommendation (even though they were sent out months ago)-and funny enough I got that email from them not even two hours after the Villanova acceptance. Funny how things work out isn't it? I'm still in disbelief myself and I don't think it will sink in until I get my official paperwork in the mail or start getting emails, but this playwright will keep you guys informed when she hears word from Indiana or Texas.

 

Congrats again to you guys!  :)

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Hey all- I have been lurking religiously for the path month-anxiously awaiting any updates! Just thought I would share that I did get an email request for an interview at NYU's dramatic writing program. They did specify that I was "local" so not sure what that means;) Just wanted to see if anyone was in the same boat. Congratulations to everyone on their acceptances thus far!

Congrats on the interview, Troy2013! :) 

Just curious... is the interview in person or phone?

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@longwalktonever - Congratulations! That's fantastic. I've also heard great things about the program. Did you have to interview? 

I applied last year, almost interviewed but then they asked me not to, and then I was waitlisted. 

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congrats on the interview, Troy!  i guess the rest of us NYU hopefuls will just have to wait and see...

 

@k-hotspur--I thought Neva was pretty dreadful.  They were smart to pack the house with insider comps on reviewer weekend, as there were a lot of "this is what actors do, amiright?" "jokes" that got warmer-than-deserved responses from the young theater crowd going to a free show.  A weird directorial choice to have the play in near-total-dark the whole time made it even more agitating.  (Only one portable spotlight, set on the fake stage, illuminated anything at all and sometimes they even turned that off and just practiced coughing like they had tuberculosis in the dark for a while.)  There was a pretty spectacular monologue at the end, not in the writing of it so much as the acting.

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Thanks for all the congratulations, everyone! This forum is such a great place for support in the crazy process, haha.

 

@failsafe: That's awesome! If your friend is a second-year USC MFA, I probably know him as well. It's a great group!

 

@lurkinglucy: Thanks! The program is 75% funded the first year, and 100% funded the second two years pending TA-ships. So, I'm very excited about the funding package!

 

@janesays: Thanks! I didn't interview, but that probably has something to do with me going to USC for undergrad and having studied with two/four professors on the MFA admissions committee. But I've heard they don't always interview. 

 

And congrats on the NYU interview, Troy2013! Let us know how it goes!

 

Question to all: USC wants me to officially get back to them by March 14th about whether or not I accept their offer (giving me only a week since I was notified). Is there a reasonable way to request an extension without seeming like I'm disinterested? I'd really love to accept, but I'd also love to hear back from all my other prospects first. Has anyone experienced something like this before? 

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@longwalktonever Perhaps simultaneously reach out to the programs you're waiting to hear from while at the same time asking for more time? The other programs might be able to give you an idea or firm answer if you tell them you've been given a deadline. 

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I haven't, Lucy.  Or from Brooklyn College...seriously has anyone else heard from either place?  I can at least share that my friend who got her MFA at Tisch told me that they often accept without interviewing.

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Hey everyone,

 

So, I found out that "students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15." This is standard best practices for the Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants. You can read more about it here -  http://www.cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution.

 

"Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. In those instances in which a student accepts an offer before April 15, and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit in writing a resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. However, an acceptance given or left in force after April 15 commits the student not to accept another offer without first obtaining a written release from the institution to which a commitment has been made. Similarly, an offer by an institution after April 15 is conditional on presentation by the student of the written release from any previously accepted offer. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution or a link to the URL should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer."

 

Hopefully, this can put some of you at ease regarding whether to accept an offer right away. 

 

Failsafe ~ I haven't heard from Tisch and Brooklyn College either. I asked a playwriting colleague of mine who graduated from Tisch last Spring whether they interview or not. Apparently they interview by phone when you're out of state, and in-person when you're "local." I've also heard that Tisch accepts without interviews. So, I guess it all depends on the year and how bad they want you. And don't forget the "wait list" -- those interesting bittersweet things. Again, more waiting. It's a tricky game...

 

I had to pull back for a couple of days because I was driving myself absolutely insane. Now, I'm calmer and in a better space knowing that I submitted a good play, a tight statement of purpose and LORs from people who believe in me. That's all you can do, right?

 

For those of us who haven't heard from our preferred schools, we'll all know where we stand by April 15. 

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