NYU Dramatic Writing MFA Fall 2018 (Acceptance, Rejection, Etc.)

[drakeoftoronto]

Haven't seen a thread around for the Dramatic Writing MFA! Does anyone know when we can expect to hear back?

I know last year was around this time, but thought I'd see if anyone had new info.

 

[scribbles9]

I haven't heard anything. Had an interview 2/28. From the spreadsheets, it looks as if we won't hear anything until maybe the 16th//17th. For what it's worth, rejections do seem to come out earlier.

 

[Rujuta]

Hi! I haven't heard back either. I had an interview on 27th Feb. Thank you for starting this thread, I was beginning to panic a little

 

[NoCredentials]

Nothing since my interview. Feels like it should be pretty soon, in the next week or so. Makes me feel better knowing that no one else has heard yet!

 

[drakeoftoronto]

also... same question for northwestern! i saw on the spreadsheet that one person has been accepted and one denied but no other details? a friend told me that the admissions office told them to expect a decision late march/early april!

 

[Rujuta]

also... same question for northwestern! i saw on the spreadsheet that one person has been accepted and one denied but no other details? a friend told me that the admissions office told them to expect a decision late march/early april!

Probably a very silly question, but where do you look at the spreadsheets?

 

[Frankie Bones]

Hi everyone,

I don't meant to interrupt the main focus of this conversation so far (waiting for acceptance, etc.), but I had a question that really has to do more with applying for next year (as I didn't apply this year). NYU Dramatic Writing seems to be one of the few programs that actually requires the submission of a fully formed written project (full-length feature script, TV pilot or play) to satisfy its creative portfolio requirement. As this is actually a pretty big endeavor, can I ask when most people started working on this (and I know answers will vary from person to person), i.e., how far in advance of the November (or December) application deadline? And do most people use an existing work they might have already started working on (or even finished) independently (i.e., before even deciding to apply for the MFA), or did any of you literally start your project from scratch and essentially write an entire movie, TV show, or play purely for purposes of having something to use for the portfolio submission?

again, thanks for taking the time to read this... I know most people here are justifiably nervous waiting on their decisions... wish you all the best!

 

[detroitatheart]

Hey y'all! I'm still waiting on NYU as well. I had an interview about two weeks ago. I am anxiously refreshing my email over here!!

 

[detroitatheart]

Hi everyone,

I don't meant to interrupt the main focus of this conversation so far (waiting for acceptance, etc.), but I had a question that really has to do more with applying for next year (as I didn't apply this year). NYU Dramatic Writing seems to be one of the few programs that actually requires the submission of a fully formed written project (full-length feature script, TV pilot or play) to satisfy its creative portfolio requirement. As this is actually a pretty big endeavor, can I ask when most people started working on this (and I know answers will vary from person to person), i.e., how far in advance of the November (or December) application deadline? And do most people use an existing work they might have already started working on (or even finished) independently (i.e., before even deciding to apply for the MFA), or did any of you literally start your project from scratch and essentially write an entire movie, TV show, or play purely for purposes of having something to use for the portfolio submission?

again, thanks for taking the time to read this... I know most people here are justifiably nervous waiting on their decisions... wish you all the best!

Hey! I applied with a play that I had written the year before (2016), which had gone through a few drafts through various workshop processes (in 2017). I felt it was in good shape and it was my most recent work that had been vetted to that level.

 

[drakeoftoronto]

Probably a very silly question, but where do you look at the spreadsheets?

not a silly question, here's the link to the forum with all the tracking spreadsheets for grad school!

Tracking application status (Google Sheets)

 

[Rujuta]

not a silly question, here's the link to the forum with all the tracking spreadsheets for grad school!

Tracking application status (Google Sheets)

Thanks so much!!

 

[Frankie Bones]

Hey! I applied with a play that I had written the year before (2016), which had gone through a few drafts through various workshop processes (in 2017). I felt it was in good shape and it was my most recent work that had been vetted to that level.

Thanks, Detroit! That makes a lot of sense. I hope you get in!

In a way, for better or for worse, this portfolio requirement almost seems like a way to filter out the "serious" from the "unserious" writers perhaps. In other words, coming up with the portfolio for this MFA isn't something you can just hammer out over a couple of weekends.... Fwiw, I think in the not-too-distant past (maybe even only 3 years ago), the application only asked for something like the first 30 pages of a project or something like that... The new requirement definitely sets the "dedication" bar a lot higher.

Thanks again, D!

 

[scribbles9]

Hi everyone,

I don't meant to interrupt the main focus of this conversation so far (waiting for acceptance, etc.), but I had a question that really has to do more with applying for next year (as I didn't apply this year). NYU Dramatic Writing seems to be one of the few programs that actually requires the submission of a fully formed written project (full-length feature script, TV pilot or play) to satisfy its creative portfolio requirement. As this is actually a pretty big endeavor, can I ask when most people started working on this (and I know answers will vary from person to person), i.e., how far in advance of the November (or December) application deadline? And do most people use an existing work they might have already started working on (or even finished) independently (i.e., before even deciding to apply for the MFA), or did any of you literally start your project from scratch and essentially write an entire movie, TV show, or play purely for purposes of having something to use for the portfolio submission?

again, thanks for taking the time to read this... I know most people here are justifiably nervous waiting on their decisions... wish you all the best!

I submitted a spec script for a half hour comedy that I had workshopped the previous summer. For my original pilot, I had a science fiction script that I had been working on for upwards of two months, but literally during the last week of November I started hating it to the point where I felt as if I couldn't submit it. I scrapped the whole thing, and wrote something that I thought was much better. I think I got lucky that they extended the deadline by two weeks, or else I would have had to submit something I wasn't proud of.

 

[Frankie Bones]

I submitted a spec script for a half hour comedy that I had workshopped the previous summer. For my original pilot, I had a science fiction script that I had been working on for upwards of two months, but literally during the last week of November I started hating it to the point where I felt as if I couldn't submit it. I scrapped the whole thing, and wrote something that I thought was much better. I think I got lucky that they extended the deadline by two weeks, or else I would have had to submit something I wasn't proud of.

Thanks!.... That must have made for a frantic last two weeks!

I hope you make it in!

 

[Teddy]

Hi everyone,

I don't meant to interrupt the main focus of this conversation so far (waiting for acceptance, etc.), but I had a question that really has to do more with applying for next year (as I didn't apply this year). NYU Dramatic Writing seems to be one of the few programs that actually requires the submission of a fully formed written project (full-length feature script, TV pilot or play) to satisfy its creative portfolio requirement. As this is actually a pretty big endeavor, can I ask when most people started working on this (and I know answers will vary from person to person), i.e., how far in advance of the November (or December) application deadline? And do most people use an existing work they might have already started working on (or even finished) independently (i.e., before even deciding to apply for the MFA), or did any of you literally start your project from scratch and essentially write an entire movie, TV show, or play purely for purposes of having something to use for the portfolio submission?

again, thanks for taking the time to read this... I know most people here are justifiably nervous waiting on their decisions... wish you all the best!

I submitted a feature film screenplay that I wrote as part of a course I was taking at a community college (I have a BA in biology and Japanese from 2015, but changed career trajectories and have been taking film classes since fall 2016).
The screenplay was done by November 1, but I was able to use the Nov. 15 extension to go through another round of editing.

In addition to the requirement of a full-length work helping schools make sure applicants are serious, getting interviews/acceptances from schools that read your entire full-length work is a really good feeling! Makes me feel validated, like I have some legit potential.

Hope this helps and good luck next year!

 

[Frankie Bones]

I submitted a feature film screenplay that I wrote as part of a course I was taking at a community college (I have a BA in biology and Japanese from 2015, but changed career trajectories and have been taking film classes since fall 2016).
The screenplay was done by November 1, but I was able to use the Nov. 15 extension to go through another round of editing.

In addition to the requirement of a full-length work helping schools make sure applicants are serious, getting interviews/acceptances from schools that read your entire full-length work is a really good feeling! Makes me feel validated, like I have some legit potential.

Hope this helps and good luck next year!

Thanks, Teddy! I hope you make it into your dream program!

 

[ngs091]

I submitted a full-length, 78-page screenplay.

I wrote it over the 3 summer months with extremely little input from anyone but myself (as in someone editing it for me or giving me a critique,) since I am not in school currently. Although I have written exactly eight (8) 20-page-or-less (at most 5,200 words) short fiction stories, and have been published both fiction (for pay) and art section journalism wise for large entertainment newspapers (always for pay), it was basically my first attempt at a screenplay of any sort. Aside from one less-than-20 page first act I wrote a year ago... and that I rushed in a week or so. Thus, at most, it was only my second attempt at a script in my life. Hell... I had to teach myself how to use the screenwriting formatting program, Final Draft, for it, as for that short and unfinished first attempt I used Celtix. Note: The two individual samples I wrote for USC/AFI I wrote later.

 

[Rujuta]

Hi everyone,

I don't meant to interrupt the main focus of this conversation so far (waiting for acceptance, etc.), but I had a question that really has to do more with applying for next year (as I didn't apply this year). NYU Dramatic Writing seems to be one of the few programs that actually requires the submission of a fully formed written project (full-length feature script, TV pilot or play) to satisfy its creative portfolio requirement. As this is actually a pretty big endeavor, can I ask when most people started working on this (and I know answers will vary from person to person), i.e., how far in advance of the November (or December) application deadline? And do most people use an existing work they might have already started working on (or even finished) independently (i.e., before even deciding to apply for the MFA), or did any of you literally start your project from scratch and essentially write an entire movie, TV show, or play purely for purposes of having something to use for the portfolio submission?

again, thanks for taking the time to read this... I know most people here are justifiably nervous waiting on their decisions... wish you all the best!

Hey! I submitted a full length screenplay, and I had my concept and character sketches drawn out for over a year before I actually sat down to write the script. I literally hadn't attempted to write anything like it before, so it was pretty daunting. Since my decision to apply was also quite last minute, I had to figure it out in a month and a half. I seriously wish I could've started earlier and done a better job.

Hope this helps! And good luck

 

[Frankie Bones]

Hey! I submitted a full length screenplay, and I had my concept and character sketches drawn out for over a year before I actually sat down to write the script. I literally hadn't attempted to write anything like it before, so it was pretty daunting. Since my decision to apply was also quite last minute, I had to figure it out in a month and a half. I seriously wish I could've started earlier and done a better job.

Hope this helps! And good luck

impressive! The time pressure that inevitably is going to come into play (esp. if you're a procrastinator like me) is what terrifies me....

p.s. good luck to you too!

 

[Frankie Bones]

I submitted a full-length, 78-page screenplay.

I wrote it over the 3 summer months with extremely little input from anyone but myself (as in someone editing it for me or giving me a critique,) since I am not in school currently. Although I have written exactly eight (8) 20-page-or-less (at most 5,200 words) short fiction stories, and have been published both fiction (for pay) and art section journalism wise for large entertainment newspapers (always for pay), it was basically my first attempt at a screenplay of any sort. Aside from one less-than-20 page first act I wrote a year ago... and that I rushed in a week or so. Thus, at most, it was only my second attempt at a script in my life. Hell... I had to teach myself how to use the screenwriting formatting program, Final Draft, for it, as for that short and unfinished first attempt I used Celtix. Note: The two individual samples I wrote for USC/AFI I wrote later.

Thanks, ngs... always impressed to hear of someone who makes it to the finish line with any full-length script, let alone as a first-time screenwriter!

p.s. and of course best of luck to you in your apps as well -- and I love how the writers are lurking on the board at 5am EST lol