Playwriting MFAs

[secretavatar]

Hmmm wondering if NYU may now be out for me too. Maybe. Could be. Possibly. 

For those re-applicants, how did you approach your revisions? Because this process is so subjective, I'm now even wondering how I will go about re-applying. Of course, I will learn more things, eat more cookies, workshop more, and read/see more but I just don't know how to even approach refining what I don't even know was an issue. 

"Whataya want from me" - Adam Lambert (Philosopher, 2009 C.E)

 

[Silverlake]

13 hours ago, kevinmalone said:

I will say this forum feels very open and generous this year, and that is really wonderful! Keep it coming.

I just want to echo this comment -- about how generous everyone's comments feel -- especially all of this discussion about handling rejection. I was definitely feeling low about it all today, and then when I landed back here, and read everyone's different experiences & perspectives -- it just gave me a broader feeling of having a shared experience, and not feeling so alone in the negativity. So thanks for that!

[Dro.]

23 hours ago, Coffee&Flowers said:

Nope. Waiting as well. Since their deadline was February 15, I am guessing it’ll be a while.

Yup, figured as much! The waiting is terrible ?

[Coffee&Flowers]

22 hours ago, eurialo said:

I wonder if their decision to open every other year + have a later deadline affects their applicant pool. For some reason, I don't see as many people mentioning BU as other programs. I applied, but I see many more for Hunter, Yale, Austin, CMU. Thoughts?

I think that the requirement to be fluent in a second language at a graduate level also deters a lot of people.

[Agez]

On 2/24/2020 at 5:12 PM, Dro. said:

anyone heard back from BU?

 

On 2/24/2020 at 8:12 PM, littlered11 said:

Also has anyone heard anything from UCLA? 

Haven't heard back from either, I'm afraid. But as someone mentioned, BU will probably take a while

[Dongato]

Even though, I know from past years that Columbia won't be in touch about interviews for a week or so, it does not stop me from expecting an email to magically appear in my inbox! 

[Agez]

Thank you @littlered11, @space94 and everyone one else for sharing!

This is still my first round, but someone having really low expectations has been really helpful to me. I am planning my life according to not getting into any school. I'm saving money to move to LA by this time next year. I'm looking for  dramaturgy and AD gigs into the Fall. It helps to feel like my life isn't on pause because of this which is what the whole application process felt like. Now that it's out of my hands I can focus on what I can control. We're still writers without the MFA, still writers if we don't get in this year or the next. The work still needs to be done. We're lucky that we don't need a program to do what we do, and still have opportunities through low-res programs and fellowships and workshops, etc. Of course these come with their own possible rejections, but we just remember there is always more than one way. 

[PlayWitch]

1 hour ago, Coffee&Flowers said:

I think that the requirement to be fluent in a second language at a graduate level also deters a lot of people.

It deterred me. I also don't want to live in Boston. I'm from Boston.

[space94]

Did anyone else happen to hear from NYU yesterday? It looks like the film/TV applicants haven't heard anything, so I'm not really concerned. Also NYU sends out their requests in a TRICKLE, particularly on the playwriting side.

[eurialo]

3 hours ago, Agez said:

 

Haven't heard back from either, I'm afraid. But as someone mentioned, BU will probably take a while

No idea if this means anything (doubtful), but I saw that for poetry, BU started calling people (didn't say for interviews or acceptances). Know they're two completely different programs, but poetry had a 2/1 deadline, so maybe calls could go out in 2 weeks?

[nerv]

On 2/24/2020 at 5:57 PM, shortymcshortz said:

Did you receive an interview with Northwestern?

@shortymcshortz I did, yes, though it was short (ymcshortz). 

Also got a tisch interview request this morning, so I do believe they're sending them out in a trickle. (And it seems like they might be dividing them up among different members of faculty?)

[Dro.]

7 hours ago, Coffee&Flowers said:

I think that the requirement to be fluent in a second language at a graduate level also deters a lot of people.

I wonder why they even have this requirement ?

[jck349]

I went to Tisch for undergrad, and I remember getting emails about Accepted Students events and stuff *weeks* before getting any official acceptance. It's a great school, but it's massive and that scale seems to throw off their admin a little bit.

Edited February 26, 2020 by jck349
Brevity

[shortymcshortz]

19 hours ago, nerv said:

@shortymcshortz I did, yes, though it was short (ymcshortz). 

Also got a tisch interview request this morning, so I do believe they're sending them out in a trickle. (And it seems like they might be dividing them up among different members of faculty?)

I didn’t receive an interview request from Brown but I have received one from Northwestern and Tisch! I’m not too worried. I have two other schools that I’ll hear back from in April that don’t interviews. 

[zayzay]

1 hour ago, shortymcshortz said:

I didn’t receive an interview request from Brown but I have received one from Northwestern and Tisch! I’m not too worried. I have two other schools that I’ll hear back from in April that don’t interviews. 

Just curious as to what schools you applied to that don't do interviews. I know that there are some, I just don't know them by name

[esbrain]

Did anyone else just get an email from Brooklyn College saying that your application is complete? Any idea what it means?

[littlered11]

17 minutes ago, Ezra Brain said:

Did anyone else just get an email from Brooklyn College saying that your application is complete? Any idea what it means?

I got an email saying they’re missing one of my documents (I forgot to send an official version of my study abroad transcript-whoops!), so I think it’s just letting you know that you have everything and you’re good.

[kevinmalone]

18 minutes ago, Ezra Brain said:

Did anyone else just get an email from Brooklyn College saying that your application is complete? Any idea what it means?

I actually emailed them yesterday because the portal said they were still missing my transcript (even though I sent it). I received an automated email letting this morning me know that i'm still missing docs but that my app is being reviewed - so they must just be doing a follow-up with everyone to check in if anything is missing.

[PlayWitch]

2 hours ago, Ezra Brain said:

Did anyone else just get an email from Brooklyn College saying that your application is complete? Any idea what it means?

Yes, and my heart lept into my throat. I guess they're trying to mitigate their usual disasters.

Edited February 27, 2020 by PlayWitch

[shortymcshortz]

1 hour ago, zayzay said:

Just curious as to what schools you applied to that don't do interviews. I know that there are some, I just don't know them by name

UCLA and USC screenwriting programs. 

[newengland1]

I finished my MFA in 2018. It was not a golden ticket to anything. It did help me--most of all, by expanding my network and giving me a resume line that piques interest. I would have written plays even if I was not in school. However---

- I still have to network my butt off to get to know literary managers and other gatekeepers.

- I still have to do the hard work of writing.

- Even though I have an agent, I am still 99% responsible for earning things that happen in my career.

These are the things careers are built on. Grad school, in contrast, is optional, and most of what you'd get in grad school, you can find other ways. Which isn't to say that you shouldn't go to grad school. Just that I don't think it's a magical portal to a career, and that careers in playwriting can happen without it.

Feel free to disagree with me, of course. Curious to know what others think.

[eurialo]

Hi folks -- know this is probably been asked before, but just curious who here is applying for the first time vs applying an additional time? 

For those who have applied before, could you walk us through a little of what happened prior? Did you get in to certain programs, none at all? What have you changed up on your application in successive years? 

This is year one for me, and don't quite know what to expect (except probably a lot of rejections -- already a no on CMU + Yale. No Brown interview either). 

Thanks

[shortymcshortz]

On 2/26/2020 at 12:39 PM, nerv said:

@shortymcshortz I did, yes, though it was short (ymcshortz). 

Also got a tisch interview request this morning, so I do believe they're sending them out in a trickle. (And it seems like they might be dividing them up among different members of faculty?)

@nerv when is your Brown interview? 

[shortymcshortz]

Does anyone know if anyone has gotten into Brown University without an interview? I remember reading on this forum here someone said they did or heard of it?

[PlayWitch]

Has anyone else had their NYU interview? How did it go? Mine was weirdly informal. My interviewer, though super nice, had not read any of my materials. Is that normal for NYU?