Playwriting MFAs

[nerv]

1 hour ago, space94 said:

Was it by chance a Skype/video interview? I know they like to do in person interviews for those who can, and I happened to notice that many of us who didn't hear anything live in the NY area, so maybe I'm just trying to hold on to hope but I have a working theory they might be trying to get the long distance interviews done in one shot before they contact those of us nearby. 

I live in the area and got an in-person interview, but I do believe in staggered interview invites! To quote someone else in the thread, no news is good news (at least I'm holding onto that theory). 

[Zadican]

Hey folks, a few updates. I was one of the people who went on the UT in-person interview over the last couple of days. There were three of us on the trip, and one local Austinite had interviewed before we arrived. It seems as if they're going to choose the class out of the four of us sometime before mid-March. A couple of details that I didn't know going in: 1) Last year's class size was only two people, and it seems like it may be the same thing for this year, though no one confirmed that one way or the other while I was there, and 2) As of last year, the program is fully-funded for playwrights. The Michener fellowship (for which I am currently on the wait-list) funds one student and the Theatre & Dance department now funds the other (or others as the case may be). 

 

As for Hunter, I also live in the area, so I'm doing an in-person interview next week. I currently have not heard from UCSD or Yale, but I haven't been rejected either. Additionally, no news from Brown. I'm waiting on Brooklyn College and Iowa too, but I know that will likely be a while. 

[Agez]

16 minutes ago, Zadican said:

Hey folks, a few updates. I was one of the people who went on the UT in-person interview over the last couple of days. There were three of us on the trip, and one local Austinite had interviewed before we arrived. It seems as if they're going to choose the class out of the four of us sometime before mid-March. A couple of details that I didn't know going in: 1) Last year's class size was only two people, and it seems like it may be the same thing for this year, though no one confirmed that one way or the other while I was there, and 2) As of last year, the program is fully-funded for playwrights. The Michener fellowship (for which I am currently on the wait-list) funds one student and the Theatre & Dance department now funds the other (or others as the case may be). 

 

As for Hunter, I also live in the area, so I'm doing an in-person interview next week. I currently have not heard from UCSD or Yale, but I haven't been rejected either. Additionally, no news from Brown. I'm waiting on Brooklyn College and Iowa too, but I know that will likely be a while. 

Thanks for the update! I was really curious about how seperate the Michener and T&D programs are. Least I know I can peacefully cross that one off my list. 

[zayzay]

19 minutes ago, Zadican said:

Hey folks, a few updates. I was one of the people who went on the UT in-person interview over the last couple of days. There were three of us on the trip, and one local Austinite had interviewed before we arrived. It seems as if they're going to choose the class out of the four of us sometime before mid-March. A couple of details that I didn't know going in: 1) Last year's class size was only two people, and it seems like it may be the same thing for this year, though no one confirmed that one way or the other while I was there, and 2) As of last year, the program is fully-funded for playwrights. The Michener fellowship (for which I am currently on the wait-list) funds one student and the Theatre & Dance department now funds the other (or others as the case may be). 

 

As for Hunter, I also live in the area, so I'm doing an in-person interview next week. I currently have not heard from UCSD or Yale, but I haven't been rejected either. Additionally, no news from Brown. I'm waiting on Brooklyn College and Iowa too, but I know that will likely be a while. 

Was this only for Michener or was this for T&D? Like, were you all being interviewed for the Michener program?

[Zadican]

1 hour ago, zayzay said:

Was this only for Michener or was this for T&D? Like, were you all being interviewed for the Michener program?

I wish I could give a definitive answer, but I'm not entirely sure. I was told the Michener committee is a separate body from the T&D admissions committee, but many professors from T&D were on both committees. Additionally, when I talked to the first-year students there, they told me they both went on the in-person interview the year before, and they talked about admission like they were both admitted off of that interview, and just had different funding sources (in addition to a few small program-related differences). 

To complicate things further, I was the only one on my trip still in the running for Michener at all. I have no idea who was awarded the fellowship over me, whether it was the person who interviewed the day before I arrived or someone else altogether. The difference once you get into the program is clear to me now, but as far as admissions goes, I don't know any more than when I left for Austin. 

[PlayWitch]

14 hours ago, Zadican said:

I wish I could give a definitive answer, but I'm not entirely sure. I was told the Michener committee is a separate body from the T&D admissions committee, but many professors from T&D were on both committees. Additionally, when I talked to the first-year students there, they told me they both went on the in-person interview the year before, and they talked about admission like they were both admitted off of that interview, and just had different funding sources (in addition to a few small program-related differences). 

To complicate things further, I was the only one on my trip still in the running for Michener at all. I have no idea who was awarded the fellowship over me, whether it was the person who interviewed the day before I arrived or someone else altogether. The difference once you get into the program is clear to me now, but as far as admissions goes, I don't know any more than when I left for Austin. 

Can you talk about the two separate programs? Once everyone is in, are they separate?

[Silverlake]

22 hours ago, Agez said:

i interviewed w/ Hunter yesterday at 3pm(EST). They said I was their first interview so they're just starting the process

Congrats on these interviews! Can you say a little about the Hunter one? Was it long/short? What did they ask you about?

[shortymcshortz]

20 hours ago, Zadican said:

Hey folks, a few updates. I was one of the people who went on the UT in-person interview over the last couple of days. There were three of us on the trip, and one local Austinite had interviewed before we arrived. It seems as if they're going to choose the class out of the four of us sometime before mid-March. A couple of details that I didn't know going in: 1) Last year's class size was only two people, and it seems like it may be the same thing for this year, though no one confirmed that one way or the other while I was there, and 2) As of last year, the program is fully-funded for playwrights. The Michener fellowship (for which I am currently on the wait-list) funds one student and the Theatre & Dance department now funds the other (or others as the case may be). 

 

As for Hunter, I also live in the area, so I'm doing an in-person interview next week. I currently have not heard from UCSD or Yale, but I haven't been rejected either. Additionally, no news from Brown. I'm waiting on Brooklyn College and Iowa too, but I know that will likely be a while. 

I emailed Brown a week ago and they said they were still going through applications. 

[SuddenBeth]

Waitlisted at CMU as well ?. Better than a rejection. I'm trying to look at it as at least my work was considered grad school worthy even if it wasn't picked by them this year. I see some folx have had northwestern interviews so I'm guessing I should count that as a rejection as well since I haven't heard from them? Still holding out hope for Hunter, Iowa, and Ohio. I know Ohio's application deadline hasn't past yet and I'm hoping Hunter still has a few waves of interviews left to send out. Anyone else apply to Iowa?

 

 

[jck349]

50 minutes ago, SuddenBeth said:

Waitlisted at CMU as well ?. Better than a rejection. I'm trying to look at it as at least my work was considered grad school worthy even if it wasn't picked by them this year. I see some folx have had northwestern interviews so I'm guessing I should count that as a rejection as well since I haven't heard from them? Still holding out hope for Hunter, Iowa, and Ohio. I know Ohio's application deadline hasn't past yet and I'm hoping Hunter still has a few waves of interviews left to send out. Anyone else apply to Iowa?

 

 

Iowa's the last one I'm waiting to hear back from! Based on previous years, we've still got another 2-3 weeks of waiting...

[Dongato]

Sidebar: Does anyone else wonder how Dampka is? Dampka gave us this thread, and who knows what became of Dampka... I mean, what is Dampka up to right now? Things to think on as you anxiously hope to hear good news.

[PlayWitch]

1 hour ago, Dongato said:

Sidebar: Does anyone else wonder how Dampka is? Dampka gave us this thread, and who knows what became of Dampka... I mean, what is Dampka up to right now? Things to think on as you anxiously hope to hear good news.

Dampka, Dampka, Dampka!

[Agez]

12 hours ago, Silverlake said:

Congrats on these interviews! Can you say a little about the Hunter one? Was it long/short? What did they ask you about?

Sure! It was longer, I want to say 35mins. It was w/ Christine and Greg. Both SUPER nice. Christine mostly ran it while Greg chimed in. It was super chill and I felt relaxed. They asked about my work, where I was from, my experience with workshop, what I liked about the school, how I felt about living in New York etc. I say it wouldn't hurt doing some research before hand on the school, what you like about the program, and about Christine and Greg themselves. Why now?, was another question. Who influences/ inspires your writing? They also spent time selling the school to me, I really appreciated the high likelihood of funding, and all classes are from 5-8pm so you can work during the day. Christine is also really invested in public education. And the integration of the MFA program with the rest of the theatre program was important to them. Sorry, I'm kind of going stream of conscious here lol But all in all it was a positive experience. Just come in with positive energy and they match it.  Break legs!

[Agez]

4 hours ago, PlayWitch said:

Dampka, Dampka, Dampka!

I've yet to have the sense to fav this page, so I always see their name in the search. Heaven bless Dampka and what they've done for us the past decade

[nerv]

Hey folks, got an interview request from Brown this morning. It was individual (not a batch one), so they're likely sending them out one by one.

[tradagram]

43 minutes ago, nerv said:

Hey folks, got an interview request from Brown this morning. It was individual (not a batch one), so they're likely sending them out one by one.

best of luck @nerv!

[Zadican]

On 2/23/2020 at 10:49 AM, PlayWitch said:

Can you talk about the two separate programs? Once everyone is in, are they separate?

As far as playwriting classes go, there is absolutely no difference. They were very clear about that. I was told that the differences are 1) Money: Michener gets a little more of a stipend, though both are fully funded 2) Teaching: The T&D student is required to teach/TA undergraduate playwriting classes as a condition of their financing, whereas the Michener student is explicitly not allowed to teach or TA, 3) Minors: The Michener student is required to take a minor in one of the other Michener writing disciplines (Screenwriting, Fiction, or Poetry) and is easily admitted to those classes. T&D students have no minor and have a harder time getting into those other writing classes (though it is not impossible), and 4) Credits: The Michener Student has to take 3 less credits to graduate, which amounts to one class fewer, than their T&D counterpart. 

[Zadican]

I also got a Brown interview request this morning, also individual

[PlayWitch]

5 minutes ago, Zadican said:

As far as playwriting classes go, there is absolutely no difference. They were very clear about that. I was told that the differences are 1) Money: Michener gets a little more of a stipend, though both are fully funded 2) Teaching: The T&D student is required to teach/TA undergraduate playwriting classes as a condition of their financing, whereas the Michener student is explicitly not allowed to teach or TA, 3) Minors: The Michener student is required to take a minor in one of the other Michener writing disciplines (Screenwriting, Fiction, or Poetry) and is easily admitted to those classes. T&D students have no minor and have a harder time getting into those other writing classes (though it is not impossible), and 4) Credits: The Michener Student has to take 3 less credits to graduate, which amounts to one class fewer, than their T&D counterpart. 

Thank you, this is so helpful!

[tradagram]

9 minutes ago, Zadican said:

I also got a Brown interview request this morning, also individual

best of luck to you too Zadican ?

[nerv]

Thank you, @tradagram!

I really wasn't expecting it, since it came after straight rejections from CMU and Yale so...who knows. Subjectivity is hard!
 

[Zadican]

Thanks @tradagram!

[jck349]

Other people waiting to hear from Yale: I just got an email that my status has changed and to check the portal, but my portal still says my status is just "submitted." Anyone else in the same boat?

[PlayWitch]

1 minute ago, jck349 said:

Other people waiting to hear from Yale: I just got an email that my status has changed and to check the portal, but my portal still says my status is just "submitted." Anyone else in the same boat?

Yes. Ugh.

[jck349]

10 minutes ago, PlayWitch said:

Yes. Ugh.

Hahaha at least we're not alone! I emailed the general admissions email address. I'm sure it's gonna be a rejection, but at this point I'm just concerned that my application didn't even go through or something.