Hello everyone! Some of you have asked me to talk about my experiences with MFA interviews, which I’m happy to discuss. Quick background for any new people: I currently work in a graduate admissions office as an Applications Coordinator. The college I work for offers two MFA programs in creative writing and Emergent Media. We do not have a film MFA! I want to stress that point because any information I’ve presented here is from my personal experience of being in the admissions world. Every institution has their own unique admissions process, and what applies to one school may not necessarily apply to another. That being said, my office does model its practices off of other institutions, so I hope this info can give you a general idea of what an admissions counselor looks for in an applicant.
Ok, interviews. I’ve gone through the questions at the top, and picked out some general ones that I know my office uses frequently. You’ll probably find that every interview has some version of one or more of these basic questions:
1. Why do you think an MFA will help you?
This is a big one. Institutions want to know that the students they are admitting are serious about doing the hard work that accompanies the program. This questions is also used to help the admissions committee (this includes admissions counselors and faculty) get a better sense of who you are as a person. What are your goals? What are your interests? What are the steps you are going to take to get the most out of the program? I think this question is especially poignant to us film applicants, as one could argue that you don’t need an MFA to get into the business. Be sure you can clearly articulate why you want to do this. What opportunities will an MFA offer you that you wouldn’t be able to get on your own? Also, for those of you that are applying straight out of an undergraduate program, you really need to think about your answer to this, and prove to the admissions committee why you think you’re ready for this undertaking. I’ll be honest, graduate counselors like to see that a person has taken a break after finishing their undergrad work. I’m not talking years, but a bit of a breather. Not only does it give you some time to gain some life experience (which counselors like to see), but there is no worry that you’ll get burnt out on schoolwork. Do they admit people who come right from undergrad? Absolutely. But, be sure you have a good argument for why you want to be in the program.
2. What skill set are you hoping to learn?
Grad school is all about learning, and expanding your skills. Have at least 2-3 skills in mind that you would like to discuss if asked this question.
3. Why Columbia? Or NYU? Or USC?
Do your research about the school and program you’re applying too. This is similar to a job interview, in that they will quiz you on what you know about the school and program. Have good, solid answers to this question, and it will show that you are serious about wanting to be admitted into the program. Side note: Unless you are specifically asked by the committee what other programs you have applied to DO NOT bring up other institutions. If you’re interviewing at NYU, don’t compare their program to UCLA. Even if you’re explaining why you think NYU is better, you risk putting your interviewers on the defense. Also, you’re trying to prove to these people that you are passionate about joking that program, and that program alone. One way to ruin that is by bringing up your knowledge of other institutions. In reality, the admissions committee probably suspects you have applied to other schools, but they don’t need to hear about it.
Other tips: Have questions prepared for the committee. They’ll probably ask you at the end if you have any questions, and it’s another great way to show that you are seriously interested about the program. For those of you that are going to in-person interviews: expect to be tested the moment you walk into the building. Admissions counselors have no qualms about asking the people you interacted with what they thought of you. If you get offered to have a student take you for a tour after the interview, know that you are still being interviewed! It’s very likely that the friendly student who showed you around has been trained by the counselors to be on the look-out for certain things, and they will expect the student to report back on you after the tour. All in all, always be on your best behavior.
At the end of the day, these interviews are very similar to job interviews. If you wouldn’t do or day something in a job interview, don’t do it with your admissions interview. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Authenticity goes a long way!
That was a long post-sorry! Hope this was somewhat helpful. Please feel free to ask me questions!
...also, yay female filmmakers! /flex
