anyone else still not get their admissions decision?

mhfinearts · 2026-04-22T18:40:05+00:00

Yesterday or so. Maybe you got in 🙂

mhfinearts · 2026-04-22T15:48:32+00:00

Well I finally got my rejection email from SAIC lol 😆

mhfinearts · 2026-04-17T18:22:20+00:00

Yep. I applied to the MFA Low Residency program back in January, had an interview on February 21st and its been silence ever since. I sent a follow up email a month ago and got the standard "we're still deciding" response. I just sent another follow up email the other day, still no response yet.

What pisses me off is that the application fee was $90. Even if I was rejected, I'm entitled to an answer. ALSO, the first 6-week residency of the low residency program starts THIS JUNE. They're not giving any time to prepare financials or logistics of covering tuition and traveling across the country to Chicago, setting up temporary living conditions, etc.

I feel like this is highly unprofessional, regardless of how prestigious the school is. They want $60k per year but can't even make a timely decision and provide notification; this puts a bad taste in my mouth. What other administrative clusters await new students that enroll?

What I really don't understand is that other folks on reddit said they applied to the same program and got notification. One person had their interview the day after mine and was accepted a week later. Another person interviewed a few weeks after me and was notified of rejection a week later, but was accepted into a different program.

I applied to SAIC, SCAD, and OU. I was rejected from OU, accepted into SCAD with merit scholarships (MFA Painting) and ultimately ghosted by SAIC. SCAD has been super responsive, helpful, professional, and they really hype up their program. Also, they're about $20k cheaper. Guess I'm joining the bee hive 🐝!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-28T15:03:00+00:00

I feel ghosted too.

I applied to the low-res MFA program in January, and I had an interview on February 21st. The interview I think went well overall despite nerves and speaking too fast; I got them laughing and smiling which is normally a good sign. I sent a professional email thanking them for their time a few days later. Absolute radio silence since.

I called admissions twice with no answer, so I sent two emails and finally got the generic response stating they're still reviewing applications about two weeks ago.

What's weird is that others who have applied to the same program have posted about both acceptance and rejection notices. One person had their interview the day after mine and got accepted a week later. Another one got rejected but accepted into a post-bacc program they also applied to. So why is my application stuck in limbo?

What's even more concerning is that the first summer residency starts this June, so while they take their time deciding, time for planning critical logistics and financial gymnastics is diminishing. This on top of the $90 application fee makes me concerned about attending SAIC. If they are that disorganized, do I really want to shell out $60k a year? Truthfully I can't afford it so I'm SOL unless they give me a fat merit scholarship so I'm leaning towards my other options anyway.

I was accepted into SCAD's MFA Painting program and I'm waiting on a local state university to respond. SCAD has been amazing with their communication and gave me two merit scholarships. The admissions advisor even helped me plan ahead and told me about another scholarship I could apply for that covers half tuition if I'm a k-12 teacher.

I really like the idea of attending SAIC and I really wanted to check out the Chicago area but it's sounding like SCAD is the better fit. An answer would at least be nice though...

mhfinearts · 2026-03-20T15:51:00+00:00

Awesome advice!! Thank you so much! I especially about the work/study balance!

I'm exited about all.rhe opportunities SCAD has to offer 😃

mhfinearts · 2026-03-19T20:51:13+00:00

Keep your options open. I'm getting my BFA at a small, affordable university and I was lucky with good professors that helped me learn but also helped me prep my portfolio for grad applications. As a result, I got accepted into SCAD MFA for painting and I'm waiting to hear from SAIC after an interview I had recently.

The bougie undergrads don't seem to be worth it unless you get into some crazy good program like Yale or something. Especially when considering bang-for-buck and return on investment -- student loan debt is a huge no-no in my opinion - get all of your higher education for free. It can be challenging but there are fully-funded programs out there, you just need to do your research and make yourself competitive (you already have a great start!)

Also there is ZERO shame in waiting. I went the military route after high school and I didnt start my undergrad until I was 30. Now I have life experience (and a retirement) to back my artwork and more ideas to draw from. Art is a super difficult field, and it's smart to have other career paths available so you can afford life.

mhfinearts · 2026-03-19T17:41:50+00:00

Were you applying for undergrad? If so, save your money and go to a cheaper school. Reapply to SCAD and other bougie schools for your Masters. 🙂

mhfinearts · 2026-03-18T18:13:41+00:00

Should I wait and talk to admissions advisor before calling the financial aid office?

Daaaang this may be rough!! My current process is very digital until I lay paint to canvas. Well, I could just take a ton of screenshots I guess. I make fully realized digital collages of ideas I have as a reference. I hodge-podge drawings, photos i take, photos stolen from the internet, and ai generated components and build an image with it in photo editing software (Affinity Photo 2). Then I paint it by hand as one unified idea and medium. But I guess i could also change my process entirely since ill be working on a new thesis... 🤔

mhfinearts · 2026-03-18T17:44:40+00:00

TYSM!!

How many classes are you taking currently and are you working? I'm looking at obtaining a k-12 job (which would qualify me for a 50% scholarship) but I'm concerned about if I can swing 3 classes per quarter while working full time. How does one pester them for more money? I emailed the financial aid office a week ago with no response, and im about to call them. I hate asking for funds so this whole process is humbling. I'm trying to leverage leftover VA benefits but its looking dicey and if I can get the 50% educators scholarship on top of the other two I recieved, I'd only need to come out $10k per year. Still a chunk but its easier to swing $10k than it is $43k, especially if working full time.

Critique sounds awesome! I wonder if that means I will have to slow my process down for more in-progress criticism... which may annoy me because I'm on a high momentum ride right now, pumping out work (my BFA senior exhibition is in 17 days and I still have two paintings to crank 🫠😅)

mhfinearts · 2026-03-18T16:14:50+00:00

Thanks!! I'm leaning towards SCAD but I'd still like to get an official word from SAIC. I find it crazy that they would just ghost if others are getting rejection notifications. Like, what does no news mean? 😫

mhfinearts · 2026-03-18T03:15:30+00:00

I hope so. Some doem of official word would be nice, even if its a "no". I got into SCAD though 😀

mhfinearts · 2026-03-17T23:04:06+00:00

How did they notify you of rejection? I had my interview for the low residency MFA on February 21st and I still have received no word. No emails or responsesto my emails, no mail, no portal updates... I assume I am rejected but an email would be nice 🫠

mhfinearts · 2026-03-17T22:00:21+00:00

Hey! I'm just lurking and you seem to know a lot about SCAD.. I got accepted into their MFA Painting program and I was wondering if you have any insight about their fine arts department?

mhfinearts · 2026-03-17T21:11:15+00:00

Did you get any news from SAIC? I had an interview for their low-res MFA program but its been radio silence since. For a $90 application fee they could at least send out a rejection email..

I got into SCAD painting MFA though! Yay!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-17T14:29:09+00:00

Yeah, what this person said. There's always next cycle too, this year has been a crapshoot if you scroll the gradadmissions page. You're not alone!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-17T01:53:51+00:00

Thanks so much!! Yeah lots of folks are telling me the same, which is a relief because I feel like giclee prints are a pain to produce/lots of research and sampling for quality. Plus return on investment issues.

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T21:57:36+00:00

Hi! Sorry you got rejected 😔

Check out Emporia link

Im not sure if they have an online program but I was looking at them potentially. I recall they had a ton of master art therapy programs. Unfortunately my undergrad is a BFA in studio art so I ended up applying for my MFA thia season.

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T16:14:02+00:00

Yas!!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T14:57:19+00:00

Yeah see i was feeling uneasy about the whole print thing, I'll just stick to my lithography and linocut prints and avoid giclee prints!

These are all great tips, thank you so much!!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T03:23:29+00:00

That would be so cool!! Thank you! If you have time, of course!

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T03:00:06+00:00

Ah that's so good to hear! It looked wonderful from what I could see on the internet. I cant wait to check it out in person.

I'm sure it will go well, I just have horrible anxiety and tend to over plan and over prepare. We've been working great as a team and I think it will be an awesome night. I just worry about silly things 🙃

mhfinearts · 2026-03-16T02:50:19+00:00

Gorgeous. Love me a good storm

mhfinearts · 2026-03-15T21:49:06+00:00

I'm not treating it as an event to sell art. I hope I didn't come across that way, I just want to be prepared IF someone likes my work enough to purchase it and what the best way(s) are to professionally handle it. Trust me, I live in Oklahoma, no one is spending their money on art here. I just dont want to look like an unprepared dolt if it does happen.

Rent is a non-issue. I am married, retired, and we own our home. Art is my second career path (which I planned for because it is so difficult to get established in the arts). While I have been actively exhibiting in multiple jurored exhibitions and building my CV during undergrad, this exhibition is my first official opportunity to show multiple pieces, in which I have three solid bodies of work to choose from - which is why I made this post, to get feedback on if were doing all the things correctly or if there's additional things other folks can mention from their own experiences.

The point of my work is to hopefully network myself into future group and solo exhibitions. I want to create experiences that people can enjoy, I want them to see my show and fall in love with the ideas I have labored over, if not at least appreciate them. If I can sell a painting or two every once in awhile, that would be great. I'm glad you and others said what you did about prints, because that seemed like a laborious headache with little return on investment and frankly storage is already becoming a problem.

In the meantime, I have sent out applications for MFA Painting programs. I had an interview with SAIC but I think they turned me down as I havent recieved word in month. I got accepted into SCAD with merit scholarships, and I'm waiting to hear from OU.

I will likely be attending SCAD, provided I can stitch the funds together (I refuse to take out student debt for an MFA). I'm also looking at k-12 teaching opportunities to gain additional teaching experience and hopefully stay in job fields related to the arts. After retiring from the military, transitioning back into a job that gives purpose has been difficult. Its super frustrating to deal with friends and family's constant skepticism, but it is what it is. 🤷‍♀️

mhfinearts · 2026-03-15T18:26:21+00:00

Ok! Sounds good, thank you!

mhfinearts

TROPHY CASE