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luvrbuoy

Apr 11, 2008, 9:51 PM

Post #26 of 52 (7675 views)
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Re: [didi] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Didi

How did you get your facts, generally speaking? You posted first about learning this news. Facts would be good to have before moving forward.

didi

Apr 11, 2008, 10:16 PM

Post #27 of 52 (7668 views)
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Re: [luvrbuoy] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I can guarantee to you that the first-year class at Yale will be composed of Paula Vogel's former students at Brown (remember how quickly it was confirmed by that posting by the Brown acceptee? He/she wrote that they will have no second-year class).

You can wait and see once the names of the first years get out there online in the Fall, and double check it yourself, but I urge you to take my word for it. I didn't get in, so I wanted to know who got in instead of me, and I know current students at Yale who confirmed my suspicion. It's soon to be very public knowledge.

A call to Yale or Brown might even confirm this. You don't have to ask under the pretense of being rejected. Use your imagination :) If you hire an attorney he can more easily ascertain and confirm the facts.

Knowing the names of who has been accepted is the only fact you need to proceed (though I understand completely your hesitation). As for anything else I've suggested, it's based on research and contacts and knowing the MFA game.

jal123

Apr 11, 2008, 10:58 PM

Post #28 of 52 (7660 views)
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Re: [didi] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm going to call Monday and see what I can find out.

Thanks for the advice.

luvrbuoy

Apr 14, 2008, 1:21 PM

Post #29 of 52 (7611 views)
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Re: [jal123] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes, that would be great. Anyone care to name names? That would be the easiest way to know, for sure. If this is all true, time will tell. Even that there is a hint of this unfairness; it is really disconcerting.

Mr Excitement

Apr 14, 2008, 4:58 PM

Post #30 of 52 (7587 views)
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Re: [luvrbuoy] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Everyone,

This is Mark from Mr. Excitement News. I appreciate the shout-out here and the complimentary, pseudonymous emails I've been receiving. I'm looking into this and would like to write something about it. Some questions I have for you all:

* If the first-year Brown class is indeed re-enrolling at Yale as first-years, why do you think they would be willing to turn an expensive three year MFA into a more-expensive four-year MFA? Do you know that they are enrolling as first year students at Yale or might they be given the opportunity to enter as "transfer students" at the second year level?
* How do you know that there will be no additional first-year MFA students entering Yale? Isn't it possible that these transfers represent "extra" students?
* Is anyone willing to talk on the record with me about this? I'll protect anonymity, but I feel uncomfortable just repeating anonymous internet chatter.

I'll be checking in here and you can also email me at mrexcitementnews@gmail.com. Confidentiality will be ensured.

Thanks -- looking forward to hearing more.

Mark

theotherlily

Apr 14, 2008, 5:16 PM

Post #31 of 52 (7575 views)
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Re: [Mr Excitement] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Well, I don't have the inside info needed to answer everything, but one question is quite obvious. These aren't "expensive" programs. They're both fully funded, meaning that tuition is waived and students receive money for living expenses. Yale used to be expensive, but Paula Vogel changed that. Students at fully funded programs often have to go into debt, just because stipends don't totally cover living expenses and it's hard to find time to work on the side, but it's still a far smarter financial decision than "taking a year off to focus on my writing," and has exponentially greater benefits.

If I'd been one of the first year Brown MFAs, I wouldn't have hesitated to follow Vogel over to Yale.

Transfer students are incredibly rare in MFA programs- when you switch, you usually start over- but this is a special case. I don't know.

Also, it seems unlikely that Yale will double their freshman class. Remember, these are fully funded spots. Yale is already increasing its financial commitment to the playwriting program- I doubt they'd put an addition three students on the rolls for the next three years.

didi

Apr 15, 2008, 1:40 PM

Post #32 of 52 (7537 views)
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Re: [Mr Excitement] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Mark, thank you so much for your interest. Your blog is intelligent, relevant, and read. I trust that your posting on this will forward it's way into the appropriate inbox and we'll get a reply (if not more).

I want to answer your questions publicly on the board and reiterate what theotherlilly correctly pointed out:

-Yale is basically fully-funded now for playwrights. theotherlilly is correct that Ms. Vogel's move coincides with an increase in funding. And Brown has always been 'free', which made it such a desirable program on all fronts. Regardless of the financial details, the incoming class- in the grand scheme of things- are not swallowing a huge amount of debt. That wouldn't have been a factor in a decision to follow Ms. Vogel- which as theotherlilly points out, was an easy one.

And I know for sure they are not transfers and that they filled out applications like the rest of us. They will enter as first-years.

-There will only be three students in the incoming class and they are all former Brown students. There are a certain number of finalists as well.

As for posting names on the forum, I'd rather not. But feel free to check this out.

http://www.browndailyherald.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=30894819-ea9e-43c2-9b16-fef4c3ec0072

Again, what I want is a refund for all. It's not about Ms. Vogel or the incoming students. It's about the person(s) responsible for assuring the process was open and fair. Which is wasn't.

kellieyraines

Apr 22, 2008, 5:28 PM

Post #33 of 52 (7458 views)
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Notifications for Iowa Playwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Anyone heard anything yet? GradCafe has one post of "wait-listed" that was send via email on April 19. I should assume rejections would have been sent out via email as well to save the cost of postage on us.

Anyone else know anything? My email to the department last week inquiring about a date of notifications went unanswered.

Thanks and good luck!

luvrbuoy

Apr 22, 2008, 6:15 PM

Post #34 of 52 (7447 views)
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Re: [kellieyraines] Notifications for Iowa Playwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I saw that posting, too. No word at all. it seems so late. Just emailed today, who are you emailing over there?

kellieyraines

Apr 22, 2008, 6:18 PM

Post #35 of 52 (7445 views)
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Re: [luvrbuoy] Notifications for Iowa Playwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I emailed the general department email address listed on the site. No response. It just seems so late to even get rejected. :)

luvrbuoy

Apr 24, 2008, 8:54 PM

Post #36 of 52 (7392 views)
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Re: [kellieyraines] Notifications for Iowa Playwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

"At the patron's request, this post has been deleted."

(This post was edited by motet on Nov 28, 2008, 6:39 PM)

februarystar27

May 22, 2008, 1:39 PM

Post #37 of 52 (7307 views)
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Re: [didi] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm a bit late to this thread. I went into hiding a bit as the rejections started pouring in. But it's interesting to hear about Brown's students moving over to Yale. But congrats to those who did get into Brown (and Yale) ...both seem like amazing programs.

I just heard that I'm on the waitlist for BU, but other than that it's been four rejections this year. I didn't have a lot of money to spend on applications so I limited myself to five and tried to stay within the northeast (but not NYC because I was afraid it would be too expensive). Next year I'm going to have to just apply to more places and see what happens. It was nice to at least get the waitlist news though, because it makes me more confident about next year's applications. Again, congrats to everyone who did get accepted someplace this year!

luvrbuoy

Nov 5, 2008, 7:27 PM

Post #38 of 52 (7215 views)
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Re: [luvrbuoy] Notifications for Iowa Playwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Hi, I did get a response back today (to an email). Rejection, as I suspected.

twoheadedboy

Jan 29, 2009, 4:20 PM

Post #39 of 52 (7104 views)
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Re: [motet] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Are there any other screenwriters on here? Where did you apply? I'm feeling lonely.

tobyscales

Feb 27, 2009, 1:52 AM

Post #40 of 52 (6999 views)
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Interview - Columbia Playwriting [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I just got an offer to interview for the Columbia MFA program. I don't live in NYC, so an in-person interview is an outlay of $400-500, which is doable but not easy.

Columbia is not my top pick, but it's obviously a great and very competitive school. Should I hold out for my top choice (NYU/Tisch), and do the Columbia interview over the phone? How much does it matter whether I do the interview in person or over the phone?

Also: anyone else had interview offers yet?

Thanks!

luvrbuoy

Mar 7, 2009, 11:47 PM

Post #41 of 52 (6932 views)
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Re: [tobyscales] Interview - Columbia Playwriting [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello,

I interviewed in New York. Not sure how it went. You?

Twinkie

Jun 2, 2009, 6:19 PM

Post #42 of 52 (6854 views)
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Re: [motet] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi All,

I haven't seen much in the way of recent activity, but I'm beginning my search so I can apply for MFA programs in playwriting this year (2009). I just had a couple of questions for anyone who's out there monitoring.

My wife is receiving her Ph.D. this year and is pursuing post-docs at schools with playwriting programs. Does it make me more or less applicable to say that I'm am potentially arriving with someone who is bringing research experience/grants/etc. for the school?

Are there so few programs/positions out there because nobody wants to write plays or because it's just that competitive?

Does a Masters in education make me more or less desireable for programs?

And...does anybody have the inside scoop on programs for the following schools:

Rutgers
UC - San Diego
UT - Austin

Thanks!

jaywalke

Jun 2, 2009, 9:41 PM

Post #43 of 52 (6816 views)
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Re: [Twinkie] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

My wife is receiving her Ph.D. this year and is pursuing post-docs at schools with playwriting programs. Does it make me more or less applicable to say that I'm am potentially arriving with someone who is bringing research experience/grants/etc. for the school?

A post-doc in what? Unless it's English and she arrives with grants in place, I can't imagine that they would care one way or the other. I work in university research, and our institute brings in tens of millions per year. No department that doesn't want to use our high-priced equipment cares, and there's actually a lot of hostility among everyone else because of the attention the $$ generates.

Sam_Wolf

Jun 7, 2009, 1:33 PM

Post #44 of 52 (6629 views)
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Re: [jaywalke] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I've heard conflicting things from teh internets on this one, but I was wondering, the writing sample for a screenwriting program, is it always a screenplay, or can it be any kind of fiction (short story, novel excerpt)?

Has anyone been accepted or applied without submitting a screenplay sample? It seems like a silly question, but again, I've heard conflicting things on this one, and school websites are not always clear.

Please, drop some knowledge on me.

februarystar27

Jun 10, 2009, 1:44 PM

Post #45 of 52 (6415 views)
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Re: [Twinkie] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Twinkie, if I remember correctly about Rutgers, they only take one or two people, and I don't think they offered much in the way of funding. But I ultimately decided not to apply because I didn't think I could afford to go there even if I were somehow accepted, so I don't know much about the program at all and the info I do have could be outdated/wrong.

I'm pretty sure UT Austin has two different playwriting possibilities--a playwriting MFA in the theatre department and then the writing program at the Michener Center, which is interdisicplinary. You choose at least two genres to focus on out of poetry, fiction, playwriting, and screenwriting. I also didn't apply to either of these though because I was trying to stay in the Northeast (I'll be at BU this fall).

I hope this is at least somewhat helpful, and good luck with your applications!

Twinkie

Jun 18, 2009, 5:19 PM

Post #46 of 52 (6200 views)
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Re: [februarystar27] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks so much for the insight. I feel like the playwriting community where I am (Milwaukee) is either non-existent or invisible. I hope this is not the case in other cities!

taraberyl

Jun 20, 2009, 11:53 PM

Post #47 of 52 (6108 views)
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Re: [Sam_Wolf] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I think it depends on the program. If they don't specify, just send whatever you're most proud of. For example, the screenwriting program at USC (in the film department) will accept fiction/prose (non-screenplay format) writing - and in fact, I would lean towards sending something like that because they have a maximum page count of 15, and I personally feel like you can do a lot more with 15 prose pages than 15 screenwriting pages.
But, to each his own.

22tape

Dec 22, 2009, 8:02 PM

Post #48 of 52 (4728 views)
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Re: [twoheadedboy] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Besides the Michener Center, are there any MFA programs where you can study screenwriting on a fellowship/with some kind of funding? From what I've gathered, it seems like most film schools don't fund their students the way creative writing programs do. What are some well-respected programs in screenwriting, and what kind of funding options are available? Are there any others like the Michener Center that are housed in the creative writing rather than film departments? There doesn't seem to be a comprehensive listing/ranking the way there are for fiction and poetry.

Besides the big film schools like USC and NYU, the schools I know of so far that have screenwriting are UT Austin, Northwestern, Hollins, and...? Anyone know how to find more information? Thanks!

hey guys, so does anyone know any screenwriting programs that are situated within an english dept. rather than film dept; and offer funding? As was mentioned, most screenwriting mfa's don't offer funding. I know USC and NYU don't offer funding. Northwestern offers very little funding. Not sure about Hollis....

Any others?

travisltate
Travis Tate

Nov 2, 2011, 5:22 AM

Post #49 of 52 (2020 views)
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Re: [motet] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm an undergraduate at UT in the Dept. of Theatre and Dance. I thinking of applying to graduate schools for playwriting.

I don't have any prior work experience. I have taken all the playwriting and new works classes offered by my department. Should I wait to apply (work, fellowships, submissions.) or should I apply to a bunch of schools and see what comes my way? My friend did the same thing last year and was accepted to a few schools and decided on NYU Musical Theatre Writing. What are my chances of getting into programs? I know USC explicitly states on their MFA Playwriting webpage that there is no minimum work experience needed to apply and that they will accept college seniors with high levels of creativity. Is this something that is possible? I just want to weigh my odds before paying applications fees, printing scripts and statement letters, etc.

Also, if I do decided to apply, I was looking at the full tuition schools. I know the top ones are difficult to get into like Brown, etc. But I was also looking at lesser known schools, Indiana University Bloomington and Catholic University of America, which both offer full tuition. Does anyone know anything else about these school? Do you think it would be wise to go to one of these programs if they're not well known?

Any help would be great!

Thanks.

bighark

Nov 2, 2011, 11:38 AM

Post #50 of 52 (2016 views)
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Re: [travisltate] Playwriting & Screenwriting MFA [In reply to]	Can't Post

Welcome of the forum, tavisltate.
If you were asking about an MBA or law school, I'd counsel you to work for a few years to gain the experience that those kinds admissions committees find attractive, but since you're looking at MFAs in playwriting, there's no reason why you can't apply straight from undergrad.
Although the median age of MFA students tend to be a little older, MFA programs routinely accept applicants straight from undergrad. Considering an application at this time is not out of bounds. If you feel your writing is ready and you can benefit from a terminal degree, you should definitely apply.
That said, MFAs are extremely competitive. I'm not as well versed in playwriting and screenwriting programs, but fully funded programs in fiction and poetry tend to have acceptance rates of less than 2%.
Also, there's no such thing as a "lesser known school" when it comes to these types of programs. Indiana University, for example, is home to one of the most selective fiction and poetry MFAs in the country. It also houses one the premiere music conservatories in the nation, and its department of theatre and drama is held in high regard.
Again, I'm not as familiar with playwriting and screenwriting programs, but I can assure you that any place with a fully-funded MFA is not going to fly beneath the radar. Offering this kind of support is the institution's way of announcing its seriousness and commitment to the world. IU and Catholic University--indeed, any program that funds its students--are leaders that will attract the best students writing in English from around the world.

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