rooguild

I've been living in the Amherst/Northampton area for about 10 years (I'm about to leave to go to grad school!) and loved it. Housing is, unfortunately, very expensive, especially if you're looking for a one-bedroom. But if you have a car and don't mind a commute, you can always find cheaper places to live in the surrounding towns, like Pelham, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Hadley. If I were a grad student moving to the area, I would definitely try to find a place in Hadley, close to the B43 bus line. It's rural and quiet, there's a bike path that runs through it, there aren't many undergrads around, and it's right in between Amherst and Northampton. I lived mostly in Northampton, which is great, but housing can be tricky here-- lots of slumlords and houses in disrepair, especially if they're close to the center of town. Amherst can also be tricky. I tried to move to Amherst a few years ago, and every apartment I visited looked like it had been wrecked by undergrads. I also prefer the social scene in Northampton; it's a little more artsy and there's more to do. Most of my friends who live in Amherst end up driving or taking the bus to Northampton every weekend. Good luck!

Why do you want to go now? If you're a new writer, it makes sense to wait a year or 2 to work on your craft and improve what you can without guidance. An MFA is really geared toward someone who has done as much work on their own as possible, and has reached a plateau where they need that extra boost of time and mentorship. Wait until you reach your plateau. It's not easy to switch MFAs or get a second one, so it's worth waiting for one that's a good fit-- & especially one that gives you tuition remission PLUS a stipend. This is one of the rare and wonderful things about an MFA in creative writing: it's not a very "useful" degree, but there are lots of prestigious options that will pay for you to attend. So you're essentially getting 2 paid years to write your book. This is in stark contrast to, say, MFAs in visual arts or photography. So in my opinion, it's never worth it to pay for an MFA in creative writing. If you spend more time working on your writing, your chances of getting into a good program will only improve. And if you're worried that if you don't go now, you never will, then I have to be frank: maybe writing isn't your game. Wait to see if you're committed to your art-- this will narrow your intentions and reflect in your work.

I have to agree-- UVA sounds like a great program, but Wisconsin is certainly the best by reputation. (It was my top choice and I didn't get in this year, so I'm envious that you have the option! :)) I also saw some posts on Draft recently about John Casey. That seems like something worth looking into. Have you made your decision yet, OP?

Madison is amazing, as is Charlottesville! Editing to say: Amherst/Northampton is amazing also-- a great, inspiring, artistic place to live. But just to warn you, it's also surprisingly expensive to live in Massachusetts. The MFA program is very well-regarded, I think its reputation is gaining traction with every year. But I also think it has a slightly better reputation for its poetry program (Ocean Vuong teaches there now, Wendy Xu went there) than fiction. Just my two cents!

Hi, I have basic questions about how to become a teacher in Wisconsin. I'll be moving there soon and I think I'll have to get my Master's in Education once I get there to get a teaching job, but have no idea where to start looking for information/where to apply/how much it will cost/what's involved in applying. These are many questions, but I'm wondering if anyone's gotten their Master's in WI and can offer any beginner's guidance.

NYU and Columbia are both making calls, but I definitely wouldn't give up on Columbia yet, since they admit so many people-- it probably takes a while to contact everyone.

last year, there were fiction applicants who received acceptances via letter only. I was waitlisted at iowa last year and also only ever received notifications (my waitlist letter and the letter confirming that I had not gotten in off the waitlist) via post-- no one ever communicated with me through phone or email. I don't think this reflects well on the program, to be honest. if they don't have time to call all their accepted students, how could they possibly be able to attend to all 100 people in the program?

MFA Draft is a Facebook group with over 1,000 members where people post about MFA notifications, and where lots of current MFA candidates give advice. If you search MFA Draft '18 you should be able to find it.

nothing yet!

hi y'all, sorry to potentially increase your anxiety, but some programs definitely notify on weekends! 2/3 of the acceptances I got this year came on weekends, and one came on a holiday (President's Day). especially if the acceptances come via phone calls, I think they just happen whenever a given faculty member has time.

First of all, it's not over til it's over-- this season may still surprise you. That said, it's normal to apply multiple times. MFA applications are like anything-- they get easier, less emotionally taxing, and more polished with time and practice. As you said, applying to fully-funded MFAs is like playing a lottery of good timing, luck, and subjectivity. In all likelihood, there's no discernible thing "wrong" with you or your work, and there's no way you can calibrate your application one way or another to make it a "sure thing." Case in point: this is my second year applying after getting 4 waitlists and 3 rejections last year. I composed what I thought was a much stronger application and applied to all those schools that waitlisted me, as well as some new ones. This season, I was accepted at schools that I thought were complete reaches, but haven't gotten into a single school that waitlisted me. If this were purely about skill, that wouldn't make any sense! But I feel you. Applying to MFAs and getting no acceptances is brutal, no way around it. But I try to keep in mind some advice that an old writing teacher told me, which is that being an artist is more about endurance than skill. Lots of talented, skilled people get discouraged early on and pursue other careers; and likewise, lots of super-successful people never had some secret reserve of great talent, they just never relented. Think of this as a kind of kiln or trial to get through-- one that will sharpen your intentions, build your work ethic, and earn you respect later on. Maybe another comfort is that there is literally no downside to waiting longer before you get your MFA. You'll only become a stronger writer and become better-situated to take advantages of an MFA's opportunities. If writing is magic for you, then you already have what you need. If writing is magic, then it's worth enduring for. I'm not worried for you-- the people I'd be concerned about are those who never felt any magic in the first place!

no problem! it's kind of a blessing and a nightmare

It's not over til it's over! Hang in there.

Yeah, it seems like all the biggest schools are lagging this year, like Iowa and Michener.

I got my first acceptance phone call while sitting down to breakfast at a restaurant with my partner. I took the call outside, came back, hugged him, and had to pack up my food right away because I was too excited to eat. Got my second acceptance on Valentine's Day, at work, via email, from a school that I did not expect to get into *at all*. It's a huge deal for me because I didn't get in anywhere last year, and this year, I applied to programs that were just as competitive. I was absolutely CRUSHED last year but used it as an opportunity to hone my intentions and increase my dedication. The lack of hubris honestly made me produce much stronger work.