Starsandsound Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Thank you. I was contacted last Monday, and I interviewed for about 30 minutes on Thursday. It was very conversational. I was asked why I wanted to go to grad school and about some things I wrote in my statement, and then I asked a bunch of questions about the program. It didn't really feel like an interview. That's so cool, best of luck!
lavendercloud Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Okay! I'm a little late to join the conversation, but I'm going slightly crazy and I'm sure some of you are too - so hopefully I can be of some help! Here's where I'm at so far: Brown - rejected (and I agree with everyone, that letter was lovely!) Michener - rejected UCSD - finalist. I had phone interviews in early February and went for a visit in mid-Feb. They told me that they will be deciding by March 1. Yale and UT Austin (Theatre) - haven't heard anything yet. Are people starting to get calls from Yale? I assume they must be, since we got that email a couple weeks ago, so I'm assuming that I'm not moving forward. Sounds like some people have heard from the Theatre department at UT Austin? Happy to answer any questions about UCSD! They're only taking 1 person this year, so I'm still pretty nervous about it. I believe they had about 3 finalists. cobbler 1
GlenwoodRed Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 No one here or on GradCafe's results search has heard from Yale - in the past, some people have heard on Sundays (at least in 2011 they did) - so I wouldn't rule it out yet. Last year they notified on the 22nd. I anticipated word would come Friday, and it may have. But until NEXT Friday, I'm going to continue to hold down the hope fort!
lavendercloud Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Yay! Good to know. It seems like Yale was much earlier last year. Everyone seems a bit late, in fact - I was told that UCSD, which usually makes its decisions very early, is about 3 weeks behind this year.
Starsandsound Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Fair enough. I'm on the east coast and we've had loads of snow
cobbler Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Could you tell me more about UCSD? I guess that's off the table then. I haven't heard anything from them.
lavendercloud Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) Sure! I heard from UCSD in late January and was told that I was on the shortlist. I had two phone interviews, one with Allan and one with Naomi, that week. Then within a few days, they let me know that I was a finalist and they wanted me to come for a campus visit. I spent two days on campus with a booked itinerary, most of which was a one-on-one meal with each of the five current students as well as Allan and Naomi. I also sat in on some classes and attended a reading at the La Jolla Playhouse. It was really lovely to get to know everyone in the program and hear about all the amazing resources they have! I was incredibly impressed. Very little of the process felt like an actual interview, so I think that at this point they are mainly looking for a good fit in personality. After the other finalists finish their visits (I believe by the end of the week), they'll let me know their decision. I have to say, given the discussion on here about ageism, I do feel young for UCSD - I'm 24, and it seems like all of the current students are at least a couple years older. Some have had major productions, while I've pretty much just been doing the intern circuit. If I don't get in, I will definitely apply again next year. It's such an incredible program and I feel so lucky to have gotten this far in the process! Cobbler, did you say you'd heard from the UT Austin Theatre program? How is that going? Starsandsound - good point about the snow. I live in the one corner of the country that hasn't been plagued by it, but I'm sure it's gumming up the works in a number of programs. Edited February 23, 2014 by lavendercloud roguesenna and cobbler 2
cobbler Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 I did. I had a very short phone interview about two weeks ago, and I got the sense that that was the only step in the process, but that could be totally wrong. Haven't heard anything since, but I haven't gotten a rejection letter either, and I applied to both Michener and Theater and Dance. It shows you how subjective the whole thing really is.
lavendercloud Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Best of luck with both programs. Yes, it certainly is a subjective process. I never expected to be a finalist for UCSD, while I half-expected to at least interview at Brown, which so many people had told me I'm a great fit for. There's no way to know what will happen. I actually planned to apply to more programs, but as a first-time applicant I found the process very overwhelming, so I stopped when I'd gotten to five and will hopefully have a much more polished application if I end up reapplying next year - though I'm absolutely in love with UCSD and really hope that they feel the same way about me!
roguesenna Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 catching up: 1. I'm 26 now but I was 22 when I got into my MFA. I had meant to take a year off, but I graduated in spring 2009 so the job market was just SOOOO bad, I couldn't find anything and I was going crazy living with my parents. So I decided it was grad school or culinary school and grad school happened. 2. I've written a LOT of 10 minute plays. I like to experiment with form. Of my last two plays, one was a one-act farce (which will never be produced again because the set requirements are stupid -- it is a farce after all). The other was a short full-length (about 60ish pages) in which I tried to preserve the Aristetotilian whatchamacallits. You know, conservation of time, space and action. Lately, like I said, I've been writing screenplays/tv pilots and most of my ideas have been circling around epic fantasy/sci-fi and/or circus arts (because I'm also a circus freak). 3. I have a PhD app in at Columbia and haven't heard anything yet. Obviously not the same, but I guess don't panic yet.
wrighter Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Hello! I've been lurking for a while now, and since reading all of your posts has really helped me get through this whole grad school application process, I felt like it would only be right to say hello and thanks for sharing info about your experiences. It's so nice to have a forum to exchange information on the process and who has heard what, etc. I've applied to a bunch of programs: Yale, Juilliard, Brown, CMU, Columbia, NYU and Brooklyn College. I may apply to Hunter, but the application isn't due until April, so I guess I will wait and see if I hear any good news from the others. I was rejected at Brown, and I have a skype interview coming up with CMU, but haven't heard anything else yet. Does anyone know anything about Hunter? Thanks for your help!
GlenwoodRed Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 rougesenna, where did you get your MFA? and wrighter, your username is phenomenal
Singsalot Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Hi All. I was notified today that I have an interview at Columbia. Did anyone else hear anything? Any Yale news as of yet? I'm starting to believe all of those calls went out last week ...
wrighter Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Haha thanks GlenwoodRed. I got an email about a Columbia interview as well. Still no news from Yale though. I'm crossing my fingers that the Yale news hasn't come out yet. Positive thinking!
GlenwoodRed Posted February 24, 2014 Posted February 24, 2014 Every day I'm positive Yale news is coming that day, and then it's not. ....I hope. At least one of us is going to hear. It's simple optimist economics!
GlenwoodRed Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 Starsandsound, I agree, I'm pulling for all of you so much to get into your dream schools! Bit of an interesting tidbit - today YSOD informed their actors. Last year that happened a week before the interviews to playwrights. Possible the whole school is behind.
Singsalot Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 Interesting ... dunno why but I have a sinking feeling that calls went out this weekend/today.
GlenwoodRed Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 What makes you think that? Just a premonition?
GlenwoodRed Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 Me too! My gut says they haven't called yet.
NickLondon Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 In previous years, how long was it between calls going out, and the rest getting their rejections? Do you think it's worth asking admissions officer if calls have gone out yet?
NickLondon Posted February 25, 2014 Posted February 25, 2014 I was dying of impatience, so I e-mailed Maria Leveton to ask whether they had invited the finalists yet, and if not, when they expected to do so. Will let you know if she gets back to me.
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