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Well..............I got the call: I'm in at UC Davis! (@zaira **fist bump**) Jesus Christ, this nearly killed me. Second cycle, dozens of rejections, waitlists fell through, seemed like maybe another bust—until now. To anyone in the dumps: wallow as much as you need, for fuck's sake, and by all means take a break from writing if it hurts (I did), but please don't give up. It's practically a cliché in this forum, at this point, but—it only takes one acceptance! I have a few Davis-specific details, for anyone lurking who just wants some fucking clarity already. - The cohort of 8 (2 poets / 6 prose) is now full; I believe I was the first and only waitlist movement for prose (fiction/non-fiction). This year's cohort is prose-heavy because last year's was poetry-heavy. - They may still admit a third poet this year (so 9 total), at the discretion of the department chair. Not sure if they just have extra money or what? It was mentioned in passing. Will be decided shortly, I believe. - The Davis waitlist is unranked, officially, but apparently ranked internally—which makes sense, but is still hella annoying! If you're first on the waitlist (as I just learned that I was), sure would be nice to know! That said, funding is such that an out-of-state acceptance (I'm in PA) costs the school more than an in-stater, so this detail is also a factor in admissions decisions; whomever turned down their acceptance was also an out-of-stater, in other words. (Also, I don't know shit about the area, so hit me up if you're a Davis, CA expert!)

Accepted to Iowa for poetry!!!!!! Just turned down NYU + fellowship so that money should move to other people soon. Deciding between Iowa and Michigan now...but leaning towards Iowa

rutgers-camden lost all funding for (at least) the incoming cohort. we mourn. we cry. we mourn. we cry. we ball. looks like this year will be a bust for me, but still i feel good. i'm really proud of the writing for my portfolio, and over the next year i can do better. Next year i wont apply to many schools. maybe just three. iowa, uc irvine. But i wont build my life around getting in or not any longer. anyway, I'm so happy for everyone here; it's been a wonderful ride. i'll be day dreaming of yall in all your schools, hoping your having a wonderful time. i'm also wishing everyone some good waitlist luck in the next few weeks!!!

the email from vanderbilt's program director finally came, it was so sweet and personal. i had a little cry about it because i was so, so close. but really grateful at the same time.

Happy D-Day, y'all! 🥂 Here's to good news and bright futures no matter the outcome! xo

Well, that's that I guess? I know not everyone is out of limbo, unfortunately, but I'm finally getting my head around being committed to my top choice program that I've daydreamed about for so long. It's crazy! It's incredible! I could cry just thinking about it! I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful and I'm so happy I got to be neurotic here with you guys. Those of you applying again next year, I wish you the best of luck! Those of you throwing in the towel for MFA apps (even if it's just for now, as I too took a couple years off between my first application cycle and this one), take it easy and keep writing. This shit is exhausting y'all. For those of y'all heading to an MFA, congratulations! To neurotic freaks in the future reading through all of the previous years cycles, hi! ❤️ Take a deep breath! Nothing that's meant for you will pass you by. I'm so grateful I didn't get into anywhere my first cycle, genuinely. I wouldn't have my partner, my dog, or the direction I currently do if I had gotten into my dream program last time. ❤️ Also, the time will pass! You will know eventually! In the meantime, lean on your support systems, irl or on here. Thanks for everything guys ❤️

I just got an email that I got accepted off the waitlist at Arkansas 😵‍💫 I already accepted NAU and I'm feeling a little frazzled/overwhelmed. The stipend they offered is about the same or a wee bit more than what I got at NAU, but COL in Fayetteville is soooo much lower than Flagstaff. It's also a 4 year program vs NAU's 2. Idk just feeling major decision fatigue and needed to vent

Got accepted to UNLV off the waitlist for fiction.

I highly recommend that everyone (who is comfortable with it) post their scores /12, success or no success, and also their committee #'s here. SSHRC lacks transparency in this regard and it is really helpful for next year's applicants to have access to as much information as possible.

so, i got the email that i didn't make it off the waitlist at ohio state this morning. i've emailed SIU for an update and im remaining hopeful. it's been really hard dealing with the rejections because (and i apologize for getting a little too personal) it's really my one chance at an mfa and also being with my partner. im an international student who graduated in december and i've been back in my home country since then. it's been really hard being away from my partner of 2 years during such a hard time and what makes it harder is that my family is homophobic so i can't tell them about her. all of this lumped together along with the state of the US right now makes everything so much harder, especially as a queer person and an international student. i've got my fingers crossed for SIU and i'm asking for good vibes to be sent this way, only if you have a little extra. this is just another shout into the void really.

What are we still waiting on and hoping for, folks? Would love to extend some positive energy your way and (hopefully) celebrate some long-awaited last-moment wins!

@gradschoolpspspsps @jinny-r I also received a waitlist email. However, I'm trying to remain really detached from the whole thing. I don't want to be optimistic at all because it may not turn into an acceptance. But now I do have something to be anxious over again. I'm hoping it does but idk

Okay before I say anything else, I want to say that I am so sorry for anyone who did not win this year. This competition can be a black box of bullsh*t. You all had amazing applications and are equally deserving of this award, do not be too hard on yourself. I did not get it my first time, but I did get CGS-D today. Here are some details of how I did, and what changed: Last year I scored 4.7 in research potential and 4.55 in relevant experience for a total of 9.25/12 in committee 3D. I was heartbroken because I was nowhere near the cutoff (which was around 10.5). But, I was also still a master's student who had just finished my first year. This year I told myself that there was no way I would miss this opportunity again. So I took an entire month to prepare my application. My application this year improved with the addition of one published first authored peer-reviewed paper, one first authored paper in review (both of these in Q1 journals), and a few community products (presentations, posters etc.). I also added new funded research (SSHRC partnership engage grant, Pew charitable trusts), and I changed my writing tone to sound much more confident. There was also no single space of blank document left unused in my application. Lastly, I had at least 5 academics proof-read the entirety of my application (including applicant statement). This year I scored 5.38 in research potential and 5.18 in relevant experience, for a total of 10.56/12 (which was actually lower than I thought it would be considering the improvements I made). Anyway, I hope this provides context for some people who are feeling left in the dark by the whole process. I also hope it provides some of you with hope for next year. I'm happy to share some of my application docs with anyone who would appreciate an example. This is probably particularly relevant for committee 3, because I have seen VERY different applications for other committees.

Hi, I just got to know that University of Michigan’s waitlist has officially been discontinued and they would not be making any more offers. I am obviously devastated, but I am happy to have a programme to go to! Sorry, I wish I had better, mode optimistic news, but this is the update! I wish you guys all the best! University of Minnesota, here I come!

hi everyone! i've been posting on here every now and then but, i'm feeling very discouraged right now. for reference, this is my first round in fiction and i applied to 5 schools. i got rejected from 3, radio silence from SIU so far (it's literally my top choice), and i'm on the waitlist at Ohio State (which I would love to go to and is my last chance). i'm an international student, which i feel is making things more complicated, and this is really my one chance at grad school. this feels like a yell into the void (and a silly wish said out loud that if you got accepted to Ohio State and don't wanna go, give me your spot) but everything feels really heavy right now.

Yay!! Thank you ❤️ I am still in disbelief. Iowa has been my dream for years and I can’t believe I actually did it! Went from no acceptances last year to 9 this year! Goes to show what persevering and reapplying can do. Wishing great news for those on waitlists today, and an amazing season next year to those reapplying🍀

I stand corrected! @phdeeing was right. I dug into the archives (they don't make it easy) and found the following. Good luck everyone - seems like results will be April 16 again. Funding Opportunity Details Funding Organization Vanier CGS Program Name Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships : 2024-2025 ARCHIVED Sponsor(s) The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Program Launch Date 2024-06-19 Deadline Date TBD Important Dates Competition 202410CGV CLOSED Application Deadline 2024-10-30 Anticipated Notice of Decision 2025-04-16 Funding Start Date 2025-05-01

Thank you That is really kind and you are right! Knowing that someone did like my work is reassuring and hopefully a sign that if this year isn't my year, another might be.

I was accepted off the waitlist last night! I'm very excited, emailing my other waitlists today to try to get a clearer picture. Three days to decide!

Oh my god, I got a waitlist email from Ole Miss. I already went through the five stages of grief thinking there's no chance. I'm in shock!

Thanks! Last name begins with F, and committee is 5A. Got a 5.08/6 for research potential and 5.07/6 for relevant experience (total: 10.15 / 12). Of the 98 applications the sub-committee reviewed, 42 were awarded funding. I should also mention that I am a Canadian citizen studying abroad, so I applied directly through the SSHRC.

Got a completely unexpected offer from Carnegie Mellon today! (I interviewed just last night). Going into this application season I was mentally preparing myself to not get in anywhere. Getting two acceptances (Boston University and Carnegie Mellon) was a huge surprise. I am so excited to get this next chapter of my life started!

Thought I’d update that I was admitted to Tulane on 04/15 after being waitlisted. have accepted and enrolled!

CONGRATS TUXEDO!!!! Wow you're the belle of the ball!!! So so excited to see you in Iowa City this fall:))

I was notified just now that I was moved off the Rutgers waiting list and offered admission! For all still waiting, things could still happen today and a few days after!

I have no idea why there is such a turnover. But it seems to mostly be in fiction, so I am unsure if it has to do with any university policies/cuts. I only know of one poet (aside from me) turning down their spot thus far, although there may have been others. That being said, I am a poet who just turned down my spot at Michigan moments ago. Wishing those on the waitlist good luck tomorrow! I will be accepting Iowa instead ❤️

I’m so sorry, Prufrock, that’s devastating :,( are you still on waitlists or did you pull off? You should be proud of the work you’ve put in and of your writing!! It’s been a delight to hang out in the forum with you!

Congrats!!! Congrats, Mystic. It's still a big deal and you should be proud. Whether it turns into an acceptance or not, you're on the right path and more success is coming.

I am losing my mind rn! Is it usual for people to take until the last minute to decide? One of the schools I'm waitlisted for told me NONE of their seats have been confirmed as of this week?? Only one school's waitlist has officially closed (yesterday). I thought for sure people would start making concrete decisions this week/today. I am just so antsy; the closer we get to April 15, the more dejected I am. It's strange, but the longer people are undecided the more unlikely it feels I'll get in from a waitlist. I'm ranked first on one waitlist, so that feels even worse. Ugh!

Like Prufrock said, it's usually frowned upon but not impossible! I just rescinded my commitment to NAU and the faculty were very kind and understanding (I explained the situation in full but concise terms and thanked them for the opportunity) The April 15th resolution says that students don't have to receive a formal release either before or after the April 15th deadline, so you're free to do so! Here's the exact verbiage: "Applicants are not required to obtain a formal release from the program whose offer they accepted, either before or after the April 15 deadline. Once applicants have informed the program that they are withdrawing their acceptance of the offer, they then can accept any other offers." It definitely gets tighter the closer to or further out past the deadline it goes. When CSU offered me the GTA yesterday, they said they'd prefer to know by the end of the week, maybeeee Monday at the latest if I needed. Also, thank you so much @Chex and @curfew❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Y'all crazy news: CSU called and offered me a GTA position last night!!! A whole 10 days after I declined my acceptance because they told me all the GTAships had been claimed. I already accepted at NAU so I just withdrew and accepted my offer at CSU because HOLY FUCKING SHIT are you KIDDING me!!! I know I haven't been active lately, I've just been lurking with nothing new to add but I had to update y'all because y'all listened to me be neurotic about this for months.

Hi. Not my first time applying. No, they do not send that to everyone. Typically, it has been sent to people who are really close and they are possibilities of still getting it. Not everyone accepts - almost all who apply for Vanier also do this, and Vanier is a higher amount and they can only hold one, so they decline this which moves everyone up a spot. Hope that helps.

No funding granted. Research ability and potential: 4.85 / 6 Relevant experience and achievements obtained within and beyond academia: 4.58 / 6 Total Score: 9.43 / 12 No peer reviewed publications Committee 2A - history Canadian Citizen studying outside of Canada Applied Directly Applications: 138 Fellowships Offered: 59 (42.8%) Fellowships Not Offered: 79 (57.2%)

I was awarded a SSHRC doctoral fellowship at midnight today, last name in B, to help with transparency, I got 9.99/12, committee 2A. Good luck everyone! This is all so random, everyone is worthy of funding, regardless of what SSHRC says.

I won — a major relief as I was going to have to withdraw from my program if I didn't get it due to financial strain. Last name C; email received at 8:25am. 10.88 / 12. My sincerest condolences to those who weren't as lucky (I refuse to say successful considering my familiarity with this process).

Idk how helpful this is, but I was accepted off the waitlist to their fiction cohort about two weeks ago, and the cohort was then finalized earlier this week. No idea about poetry tho 😕 wishing you the best!

Also received an unexpected offer from Carnegie Mellon today after interviewing last night! So random but hope to see you there

Does anybody know anything about NC State? I haven't heard anything and I haven't gotten a response when I emailed to see if poetry was filled...Last one I'm waiting on :') Congrats to everyone who's gotten good news and for those of us still waiting or haven't gotten the news we'd hoped for, we persevere!!

Still waiting on Davis, keep your candles lit! They should be in touch, yes, and write them if they aren't. Also, this post-April 15th process can take more than few days, so don't count yourself out too soon.

I'm not sure if this is helpful, but I've been thinking through a similar scenario, and I have been convinced that money and teaching load are huge factors in overall MFA enjoyment. At first I thought 1/1 and 1/2 teaching sounded pretty similar, but when I think about the actual time difference, 1/1 is significantly lighter. And similar for stipend: at first, a difference of a few thousand seemed small, but when I actually work out the cost of living, I realize that having enough to live comfortably is huge. So for me, those factors come before anything else. A wonderful program that overworks me for not a lot of money might start to feel less wonderful very quickly.

I don't think you have to worry about that! An MFA is a major life milestone, and programs know this. I doubt they'd hold it against you if you were to turn them down and apply again in the future. You can also be honest with them about your reasons. If the timing isn't right, I'm sure they'll understand.

Ahhhh, congrats @jinny-r and @gradschoolpspspsps (I adore your username by the way, I keep meaning to say that). I'm so thrilled for you both!! Definitely keep us in the loop if you get any updates

No special insight here, just hopping in to say: you are not alone in this boat. Anxiety at code red. People really do get pulled off the waitlist on or after the 15th, though. Don't do anything crazy just yet!

UVA is more like a 2-year program with the option of becoming a 3-year. You can decide which option you want at the beginning of your second year. The third year is there for students who feel like they need extra time to work on a thesis or those who want more teaching experience. At UVA, you teach a lot more your third year than you do the first two years. It's also rare for third-year students to take other classes and workshops in their final year. It's pretty much just: teach, write thesis full-time. I think a lot of the cohort opts for the 2-year version, even when given the choice of a third year. It's interesting! Edit to add: the folks I spoke with said they were definitely ready for the thesis by the time their second year rolled around and they didn't regret turning down a third year.

Yes, you'll need to choose one when you start the online application. This is true for all schools. I suppose you could submit two fees / two separate applications for one program, but the writing sample and SoP will need to be very very different for each. That said, you're likely not doing yourself any favors by spreading yourself thin. Focus all your creative energy on one medium. You'll have a better shot. Good luck!

They used to be different until last year (CSG-D was more substantial), but they essentially combined it into a single funding scheme from this year. They both offer the exact same amount of funding.

Last I heard they were on K. But it's been awhile and last year they stopped at K on April 30 and did L to Z the next day...

Anyone still waiting for the results?

Thank you for letting me know! I guess you and the last other person accepted yesterday/today. Not the news I wanted but it's okay I feel good about having to reapply. And at least I did get waitlisted so not a total bust. And I'm happy now that I can just put this cycle to rest finally and plan my next year out.

thank you bagel, you bring me hope (of peace of mind, at least)! vanderbilt is a long shot - literally who are those three people who would turn it down? - and I couldn't attend nyu anyway without funding. so yeah, really upset about how it went down this year. but congrats to all of you that made it! super enthusiastic for you!