funfettuccine

I did this before in a different field and am pretty sure I just sent an email saying “I’d love to attend your program, but I can’t afford it without more aid.” And I got more aid (but didn’t attend anyway—long story). Dunno if that’s especially good advice, LOL, but it’s my experience.

I got a waitlist email from Alabama (fiction) a few weeks ago. I think I saw an acceptance call on the results page around the same time. My portal was never updated, though, so I’m not sure when official rejections/acceptances will come out. I’m also waiting on UVA but don’t think they’ve contacted anyone yet.

Congrats! That’s amazing!

Catch me crying at this BU data! ?

LOL. I applied because Ottessa Moshfegh went there and I love her. Basically the only reason.

OK this one made me LOL

This is a great Q. Would love advice from any vets. I followed up right after getting my waitlist email to thank them/express interest/ask when they typically reach out to waitlisted folks who get spots, but I haven’t received a response. And I also don’t want to be annoying, LOL.

I’m in the same boat at Alabama. The not-knowing is killer.

Not bad as tl;drs go!

Eh, I don't know that it's fair to imply that a program won't invest in you just because it's a money-making enterprise. My hunch is that something like that would depend more on the outlook of the faculty than anything—but that is, as I said, a hunch; I don't know much about how low-res programs operate. That said, if what you really want out of an MFA is to find a writing community, there are certainly cheaper ways to do that: taking one-off workshop classes, meeting other writers that way, joining a critique group... none of those things will net you a degree, of course, but they will help you learn, meet people who are actively writing, teaching, and publishing, and maybe even find a mentor of sorts—somebody who believes in your work. They will also help keep you (sort of) accountable, if that is a thing you want or feel you need. Of course, if you want to teach, you'll need a grad degree, and being in a critique group won't help you any then. But an MFA, low-res or not, is not the only way to find community, or to find success as a writer. Merely my two cents. I'm sure low-res programs make sense for lots of people, and provide a more rigorous structure in which to write than just meeting with a few people every once in a while to go over recent work, but it depends on what your goals are and how much money you're willing (or able) to throw around.

I do think the one-year thing could go either way. On the one hand, I like the idea of something so intense, but I could also see it just not being enough time. I was really attracted to BU for the focus on travel/translation in addition to straight writing instruction... I did a French major in undergrad and have always been interested in translation, but never really pursued it. And I did my undergrad in MA (albeit not in Boston), so I have fond memories of the state. Anyway, we'll see!

I’m waiting on five! I’m pretty sure one of them is out, and I know a couple others have started contacting people, but I don’t know if they’ve finished. Radio silence from the others though... and BU is one of my schools so I feel like I’m going to be waiting until, like, April to actually know what’s going on in my life. ?

I think what’s really killing me is the crumb of possibility that came with being waitlisted. Like OK, cool, somebody likes my work and that rules, but am I gonna get to move and do school stuff? I just wanna KNOW.

Hard same.

I mean, I don’t think anyone disagrees with the more factual pieces of this (i.e. the odds are bad), but the points re: debt are not universal. I happen to agree with you personally that going into debt for an MFA is a bad idea, and if someone asked me whether they should do that I would tell them no, but otherwise what they want to do with their money (theoretical or real) is Not My Business. And as far as the odds go, like, duh, they’re obviously bad. Everybody knows that; you’re not saying anything groundbreaking. But the fact remains that people are allowed to have hope about their futures, even if that pisses you off, and that those accepted into MFA programs are not mystical creatures who exist on a higher plane, but real people, some of whom even check this forum! I’m not sure whether I admire your dedication here—ultimately the act of creating multiple accounts solely to try to make MFA applicants feel bad (or SeE tHe TrUtH I guess) is, I have to admit, pretty funny—or feel bad for you, but I suppose that is also Not My Business. So... deuces?