Yep, me too, I'm crashing at a friend's place in Queens. Gonna take the bus to Columbia in the morning.

glad that so many people know what they're doing for the fall. i'm still waiting on 2 schools, but i do have some good news! since i just turned 25, i saved a lot of money on my car insurance! also, my federal tax return just came in! that's about it for the news though

im rooting for you LIG- same reason i still check this thread...

I'm still waiting on scholarship/financial aid for two schools before I can be sure about my decision.

I still haven't heard from UW- they said they sent out letters LAST Monday and it does not take 8 days to get mail from Seattle to LA. In light of what happened there on Monday, I feel bad bugging them- but I need to know- this is getting ridiculous. Is it terrible of me to call?

Plus, has anyone receive an OFFICIAL financial aid package from Cincinnati or Austin? Cincinnati wants a response on Friday and I have emailed them several times asking about financial aid and haven't had a response....

I can't make a decision without that information in hand...

I don't think it's terrible to call- they still expect you to respond to them accepting or declining their offer by the same date, right? So you still need to same information as before, regardless of what happened there. The school of art mailed my package last wednesday, and I just got it last night, in LA. So I think they must not have sent your package out when they said they did... or your postman hates you.

I just got a similar story from the UW financial aid office as Starla got from the USC office, that as a non-resident I'll most likely get offered $20k in federal loans. Also to try and qualify for grants, we should all be filling out 'change in circumstance' forms NOW. That's for those of us working full-time now, who won't be when we go back to school.

So, I finally got an email from Pratt saying that I was accpeted.....I think I'm still going to be doing Plan B, however.

scspisak and buckity--

heard back from parsons almost 4 weeks ago. the deadline to turn in deposit to confirm acceptance is april 15th. And their open house was march 29th. I think you should call them soon.

Pratt seems to be taking care of business today... I just got a call from the Dean of the school of design, apologizing to me again for the way I was treated, and telling me that my letter went out on March 29th, so I should be getting it in the mail any day now. He also mentioned that I was admitted to a 48-credit program, which means.... no prerequisites!!! F you SCAD, Pratt thinks I'm good enough, and they've got five times the reputation you do!

Also, he knew right away who I had trouble getting answers from when I called. He asked "did she have an accent?" and when I replied "yes, and spoke very quickly, too." he knew exactly who I was talking about. Is it awful that I don't even feel badly about getting this person in trouble? She treated me shittily, and probably tons of others, too.

Shittily. Excellent word.

Still nada from MIT...maybe they took my email rejection personally.

Maybe so. Like you care, Mr. Rice.

wow...6001

Yeah, but after doling out the time and money for the application I would like some type of response that I actually did apply...oh, I will be in Htown Sunday through Tuesday if you are up for a drink.

Sounds good. Let me know if one night is better than the others. Otherwise, I'll contact you before you leave to give you my cell number. Just promise you won't give it to WonderK.

a tip for those admitted to Pratt: the way to get your financial aid award more quickly is to call financial aid and let them know that another school wants you to respond by April 15th, and you wanted to know whether or not Pratt would be affordable for you to help inform your decision. I just spoke with someone who said she would put my awards decision through today so that I could access it online by monday. After the troubles I was getting before now, this seems too good to be true!

Thanks for the Pratt update, Rationalist.
I now see how Pratt views me, haha.
I have emailed 5 different people, called several times, and NOTHING. Same old ridiculous answers, over and over again.

Congrats again on the acceptance!!! Do you think you are def going to Pratt?

It really depends on the aid package. Well, and a couple of other things. Here's my mental breakdown.

location.... I've dreamed of the east coast for a long time, but Seattle was nice, too. Slight advantage: Pratt

program... UW has an MFA, while Pratt's is an MS. As far as specific courses, there are things I like about both. Advantage: UW

prestige... Advantage: Pratt

teaching opportunities... already offered TAship at UW, don't even know if Pratt has TAs. Advantage: UW

Exhibit opportunities... this ties into the location. Even if I did half the exhibits at Pratt that I did at UW, 5x more people who mattered would see it. And there are more guaranteed opportunities at Pratt, while you've got to go out of your way to find them at UW. Advantage: Pratt

cost... unless Pratt comes through with some mad financial aid, Advantage: UW

faculty... Pratt's will be a bit more prestigious and connected, but I get along with the ones at UW very well. Advantage: ???

Vibe... won't know until I visit Pratt, if I visit Pratt.

what number did you call for pratt?

brooklyn campus grad students? i think i'm going to have to try it!

email jaaron@pratt.edu first if you're trying to find out admissions decisions. She's the person that sets the ball rolling. Just explain that you've been getting the run-around and you're trying to figure out what's going on. She had my quandry unravelled within an hour, whereas I was still getting answers from other staff for questions I emailed two months ago.

For financial aid, I had to call Sonya at the manhattan campus, because GradCommD is a manhattan program (somehow I missed that in the literature, gotta look into that more). But if you call the financial aid office, hold on through the list of people until it mentions someone that does graduate (I think it was #5), and dial that number, you'll be connected with someone who was extremely hepful, to me anyways.

I think you have a petty good break down there...
I have been over to Pratt several times (I live right in NYC so it isn't a far trek) and I have to say that the arch building is a pretty great space. Nothing super out of the ordinary, but great space for studios, labs, shops. They have a pretty impressive 3-d rapid prototyping room! When I visited, a lot of the grad students models were from rapid prototyping.
I just wish I would get a yes or a no from them so I can make some choices and start to plan out the next 3-5 years of my life.

Oh, rationalist, I forgot that you weren't enrolling in an MArch program, right?
Sorry about that. Unfortunately, I have only visited the Arch building.
What program are you entering?

hallojii---
You're kidding!?!? I called Parsons on Monday and was still given the run-around, told i'd know in a week or so. That's shitty, just tell me I'm not admitted!

WhatToDo---
UT Austin financial aid...sign in with your UT EID and you can view your package now, it's pretty sweet.

As for Pratt, I emailed Judy Aaron and still have nothing to show for it...she didn't know my decision status and copied the coordinator my email asking about it so that she'd be aware...but still nada as far as actual status.

Aaarrrrgh!

graduate communication design. From the website, it's supposed to be on the seventh floor of the manhattan building. The description made it sound like architecture was there too, but you guys keep making me think that architecture's in brooklyn.

so here is the deal, i sort of came up with a decision…



I am accepting to UVA because they require a decision first (April 16th). The worst if I accept and end up not going there is that I am out $250.



I found out my Norfolk Foundation Scholarship is renewable for up to four years. ($3,000 each year)



I am pursuing two scholarships:

$1,500- NAWC

$20,000- EREF

(*The first one can only be used at CMU. The second could be used anywhere.)



I have my entire financial aid package to the Graduate School at CMU to send out by Friday. Then I will call them and ask for an advanced standing of my financial aid package because my acceptance is based on that package. I have tentatively set up to visit CMU next weekend.



So… phew… all that being said… if I can get a comprehensive scholarship/grant/fellowship package through these various scholarships to CMU which covers $20-$25k of the tuition for the first year, then I am going there. I won’t have a problem getting the subsequent years covered, it is just getting in for the first two semesters.

If not, I will ask to defer and go to UVA, graduate, and then go to CMU directly into the PhD program.





I hope this works…

the architecture building is in brooklyn, a block or two off campus. i visited it this summer.

ah. They mention something about architecture being in manhattan, I wonder what bit that is? oh well.

DAMNIT! The more I look at Pratt now, the more I get excited about them all over again. If they offer me good $$$, this could be tough.

+i, I think that's a fine plan. I've been thinking of doing something similar- depositing to UW, but recognizing that there's a small chance I'll still go elsewhere when all the information comes in.

yeah, seriously write to judy aaron...don't call (you likely won't get an answer). she emailed me my acceptance within a day or two whereas i got nowhere whenever i called

thanks rationalist- i got the idea to call the department and ask them for serious help because my decison is based on it after reading your post a few minutes ago

yeah, I'm convinced that they don't actually read the question that asks what other schools you applied to. If they did read that, they'd know that anyone applying to a state school (it seems like) needs information sooner, because the state schools all seem to want information 2 weeks sooner than privates.

any advice on my predicament (solid fun program vs. excited well-known program)?

laurilan,
Did you get any info from calling Pratt today?!

rationalist,
it just seems like in general they should give you a COMPREHENSIVE package when they send you an acceptance. i mean anyone who has filled out a fafsa with their application more than likely is looking for aid.
and in my situation- i think there are like a total of 14 people in the program- i mean, come on, like it is so hard to figure out the fin aid when you admitted like 5 people.


i cant really give you any advice on your own dilemma, unfortunately- but it would be really awesome to live in nyc ...

okay - i just talked to pratt fin. aid - and basically - all loans. nothing other than that. they told me this over the phone. i was also told i need to contact the head of the department about any scholarships, other awards, etc?

so, no - i don't think i will be attending pratt. i've got too much undergrad debt to make me take on another 60k-80k. has anyone gotten money from them yet?

i'm confused - i thought everything would be through financial aid.

Hmmm...that does sound odd?? I would think it was all through the financial aid dept too.
It seems like this "head of the department" is the default go to guy for everything!
Must be a very busy person, maybe that's why I have not heard anything from them.

and how can they only offer student loans? is there seriously nothing else? do i need to call back and beg?

there's got to be a way to get some more money.

does this change when you start filling out "change of circumstance" form?

okay - now it's up on my fastawards. and it is def. all loans.

sigh...

Is the change of circumstance for from FAFSA? Or is this something from the school departments?

well, other schools have done it like that for me- for example, UW offered me a TAship + small scholarship through the art department, and I won't get info on loans until JUNE. So they know that my decision is based on the departmental stuff, not financial aid. SCAD was similar, and offered my a scholarship with my acceptance and financial aid to come later- although according to them I should have gotten my financial aid info by now, but I doubt I'll bother to look into it. Both of those awards came with my acceptance letter.

On the other hand, at CCA everything is through financial aid as you'd expect, and I'm still waiting on that. So I guess I appreciate the two-pronged approach when it lets me have some amount of information earlier instead of waiting for all of it.

We'll see how the aid thing goes with me and Pratt. They just told me that since it doesn't really matter to them what order they process aid applications in, they'll put mine into the pile to review today since I'm working on a tight deadline, and hopefully it should be online by monday. It makes me wonder whether they've flagged my file with some code that means "be extra helpful, we've already pissed this one off too much!" or something.

usually once you figure out you're going somewhere - i don't know if you can do it before you quit your job or if you have to wait until you quit - you can submit a form, provided by the school, to show you're not working a full time job anymore.

i've only looked at the u cinn one (which, by the way, i discovered that they say on their website that they might withdraw acceptances if you don't notify by may 1st - which means i probably have more waiting). it's pretty self explanatory. just contact the financial aid dept. if you can't find it online.

i just don't know how it really affects everything when it comes to financial aid.

if you dont mind my asking, what was your EFC laurilan?

laurilan, that blows. Have you recieved your official mailed letter yet, or still waiting on that? I really would speak to the head of your department about it.

Entasis- the financial aid office at schools. I know that UW and CCA both have similar procedures, where you fill out a form to declare that last year's taxes weren't typical because you'll have to give up your full-time job to go back to school, which will bring your income down to approximately X. If they believe you, they then recalculate your aid to reflect those circumstances.

hm, there still is hope since i haven't received my acceptance package yet.

rationalist - you were notified by phone or email, right? nothing in the mail yet?

my efc was 2176... hopefully that is low enuf for "need-based" things

I would hope that there's a fat scholarship waiting in your mailbox, then.

They claim they mailed my acceptance on March 29th, so I hope to have it in hand any day now, but I've just been notified by both email and phone.

What's the deal with this magical "change in circumstance" form?

boomba, why can't I have your phone number?!?

busy now, be back later...

um, something ridiculous like 15k. so i understand why i am not getting anything other than loans.

i wish fafsa took into account how much i'm paying for undergrad still.

yeah, seriously. i mean, if they would take in account my gigantic loan pymt every month they would know exactly why i am not willing to take on another 50k...

wow! +i - you should be getting some good money then, i would think.

better be...