FalloutCoversEverything

I took a break from the forums. But, if you want to find out where to publish things, sign up for Duotrope. If you feel your work is relatively polished, send it out to a large number of place (unless they say "no simultaneous submissions").

The faculty there is great. That said, they have very little funding and a high acceptance rate. There's a decent chance you'll get accepted, but it is very unlikely you'll get any funding.

Yeah, I want to second this--you don't have to read _everything_ by faculty, but do read some work by faculty in MFA programs. Read some things in different styles, etc. You don't even have to have read the stuff of people from all of the programs you're applying to, but it is good idea to get at least a cursory sense of what the MFA aesthetic landscape is like.

I do think it is important to read contemporary literature if you're planning on writing it. Reading classical literature is obviously important too--but, like, reading contemporary stuff gives one a sense of the space one is writing for (the publishing industry, the type of contemporary work people are reading, etc.) The programs don't focus singularly on translation, rather they offer translation classes. The goal of those classes is to translate other people's work into English usually. You'd still primarily be writing in English, but there'd be an opportunity to turn a skill you have (translation) into a different form of publication. And it could (very likely will) be a good experience in terms of developing your own writing. I know some people who do this work, and they find it very beneficial to their own (untranslated, written for English) work.

Sorry you're feeling down. Don't get too down. This stuff is hard/subjective. Just trying again next go around. All of the funded programs exclusively accept people for the fall. I'd wait until next fall and apply again, rather than attempting to apply to one of the handful of poorly funded programs that accept people in the spring. These programs aren't well rated and very few of them have funding. Apply widely, and work on your application. There are some programs that focus on translation--Brown and Arkansas come to mind immediately. ALSO, if you focus on poetry, apply in poetry. Try to attend a program that will let you take courses in multiple genres, but yeah, apply in the area that you excel in the most. It's also much easier to gain admittance on the poetry side of things. There are 4-5 fiction applicants for every 1 poetry applicant, for an equal number of admissions slots at most programs. Also, poetry programs are even more into translation than fiction programs. I would seriously consider applying in poetry and then branch out into fiction. I suspect you'll be much more successful. Here's some good info on putting together an application from a professor at Brown: http://thejohnfox.com/2013/02/brian-evensons-tips-for-mfa-applications/ You also might want to read books of poetry (or fiction) by current faculty at MFA programs? It's a good way to get a sense of things. I'm a big fan of SPD's bestseller list for finding contemporary poetry books: http://www.spdbooks.org/pages/bestsellers/poetry/default.aspx Anyway, best of luck!

I'd like to second this: this is all great advice. I mean wouldn't say CV/School Prestige/Publication/Extracurricular stuff doesn't matter. There are faculty out there that do care about that stuff. It can add to an application at some programs. But it isn't going to stop you from getting in. Period. There are just as many faculty who are against caring about the aforementioned stuff. So don't worry about it. Apply widely. You might want to apply in creative nonfiction, or apply to 2 programs at some schools. Creative nonfiction is substantially less competitive/selective. If you're good at it, you have a great chance of getting a funded offer. And yes, I think it is worth noting that you see just as many successful writers out of places like Minnesota / UW Madison / Alabama as you do out of the few top schools. I'd even venture to say that Iowa has a worse record than some of those schools percentage wise. Yes, there are a lot of successful Iowa writers out there--but they also take 25 people per genre, per year. That's 5 times as many as other programs. I suspect the people going to places like Minnesota (a three year program) have more time to polish / think about writing a thesis. And it pays off on the publication side of things.

Glad your visit went well! Exciting times! I'm so looking forward to starting next year. Big things on the horizon! Columbia = meh.

There will always be bad characters. Just brush them off. Dirt on your shoulders. And yeah, this is a huge issue. Beyond microaggression stuff (which I think gets even more emotional when one's writing/aesthetic is on the line...) I do think it is much easier to find one's way around that in the current environment since there are actually a decent number of articles / interviews online by writers one can read putting the issue into words [Junot Diaz's POC vs MFA maybe still being one of the best]). That stuff is still going to happen, but at least it has more discourse surrounding it. More students know about it. There's more places to go to remember: these people are being bullshitty. One can commiserate by reading X writer's description of their experience. It's not perfect, but those things existing makes it much better than it was even 5 years ago, I suspect. In a related side note: one thing I was shocked to see while applying is the number of MFA programs with no POC on faculty. I outright didn't apply to several programs because of this.... Johns Hopkins was particularly unsettling, if I remember correctly (I didn't apply)--because they had a sizable faculty and no diversity. Was this in the email to open all of those letters? I mean, I don't care, but I couldn't even find the info they mentioned to me on the phone. I might have skimmed a bit tho. Lol. There was so much info and I was mostly disinterested. I'd give it another shot next year! Work on your application and focus your SOP. There's a growing number of fully funded nonfiction programs from what I hear: make sure you apply to all of those next go around.

Ah, don't worry so much about it. Based on my workshop experience there's a chance there will be some "poopy" personalities at your MFA, and most likely you won't even know during the visit if that is going to happen or not. Regardless, go with with a resilient attitude. You're there to write and to work on getting published.

Yeah, I haven't received an email or letter yet. Not planning on going because the crappy funding is ridiculous. Not even worried about the email or whatever.

Yes, just send a nice email to the office person asking your status. No big deal. =)

Congrats!! Which genre are you? I love ND's poetry faculty (one of them also teaches fiction).

Huge congrats!!!!!

I got 25%. I wasn't going to go unless they gave me a TA position / full funding. There's really no reason to take out a loan for an MFA. It's not worth it. Period. I still have two programs to hear from. I have an acceptance that I'm super happy with, but I'm just waiting to see if I have any other options. Hopefully one of those waitlist positions works out for you! People have heard from Hunter (tuition is now fully funded by the program, which is awesome... no stipend tho). Not really sure about Brooklyn or CCNY. I don't think it's worth taking out the loans for an MFA. Especially when there are so many fully funded programs out there (and even a handful that pay 20K + a year).

Don't go to an unfunded PhD. Work on your application and reapply next year to more schools. Period. If you're having a hard time getting into PhDs, maybe consider applying to some funded MA programs as well. You'd be much better off going to a funded MA program and then onto a PhD that you would be taking out all of that debt.