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As I start reading replies from current MFAs at the program I'm likely accepting an offer from, I'm immediately glad I thought to ask them these questions. Sharing for anyone who might find them useful. • How real is the possibility of my half-tuition scholarship increasing before enrollment? (Have heard this is A Thing) • What has been your experience of mentorship by the faculty? • If applicable, do you feel like your thesis is becoming the debut manuscript of your dreams? • What's the campus vibe like these days, especially considering the Current Political Climate? • Do you side hustle? If so, how, and how's it working out for you? • Where we living? Is the Off-Campus Housing page legit? So far, the answers are largely encouraging—exciting, even!—minus the housing stuff 😂 😭💀⛺

Pumping out good vibes for all still in the game ✨🤞🙏 Also here to report how awkward it can feel to email with current MFAs questions about their program experiences, money stuff, etc. Did not anticipate this part!

My first cycle was straight rejections, and now I'm likely accepting a spot at NYU (not full funded atm, but that may change by mid-April 🤞). In fairness, I was not ready that first time. This time I knew what I wanted and went for the jugular.

Wanna say I feel this. The engine of my imposter syndrome is my own perceived mismatch for the vast majority of how MFA programs are focused. With fiction largely geared (as I understand it) to short stories, your interests/talents are elsewhere. As a poet, I'll cop to poetry comprising like 5% of my reading diet, the rest being a mix of spec-fic, Buddhist shit, and high litch-ritch-uh—and this low-key has me wondering if I'll be run out of my program, regardless how else I may fit. Especially when my... knowledge, yeah... of the English poetic canon comes to light 😅😬

Congratulations!!! Here's hoping it becomes an acceptance 🤞🤞

To summarize what I've learned (from program professors, department FAQs, and here), 80% of admission to an MFA is work sample quality, 10% is SOP to provide context on your potential fit for the specific cohort/program, and 10% everything else—a small percentage of which MAY include alma mater. Anecdote: this cycle, with basically 3 identical applications, I got into NYU and Columbia, but was rejected outright from UMass—my own alma mater.

Welcome! Happy deciding ✨

The course credit requirements at Columbia are like double NYU's, iirc. Plus their history of hiring alumni for their small army of adjunct and full professor jobs, as well as developing tenure track candidates in the MFA program. I think they also beat out NYU in total Stegners? My understanding is that Columbia also has the best job placement prospects of all the programs, or something like that? My draws to NYU are the faculty (poetry), the lower course credit requirements (more time for poet vibes/a job), and the fact that I can actually afford it 🤷‍♂️

Congrats, that's a huge W for sure!!

Been emailing with NYU about the possibility of my funding (standard package, half-tuition scholarship) increasing before enrollment. They confirmed that there's a real chance additional funding will be reallocated [to moi] by the April 15 deadline. This is in line with what I've heard from years past, with some accepted folks suddenly getting upgraded to full-tuition scholarships in April. Bday is mid-April sooo... 👀

Haha, I bet. My Columbia professor kept thinking I was on the West Coast for some reason, despite all my addresses being NJ 🤷‍♂️

Is no hour safe in this crazy game????

Assuming same money, it would depend on goals and vibes, esp after visits. I'm 40 and have a strong work history, an MS, and a desire to focus on craft (rather than pedagogy, say). So for me and what I'm looking for, I'd probably choose NYU. If I were younger and looking to build a strong CV ASAP in a program, I'd probably choose Columbia.

Congrats @baguettemagique and @nikolairostov!! Yes, I also got into Columbia (poetry), with generous offer to pay them $200k 😂 Emailing with my other school about the possibility of upping funding... 🤞

I'm there all week (draining CC rewards balance), am totally down for a grad forum meetup 🌴

Bought my ticket yesterday 🎟️

Ooooof 😂

I think I said the same thing 7 years ago, and now for the life of me cannot remember where it went 😆

BOOM, BABY 🎉🎉🎉🎉

Woohoo!! Congrats!

Heyoooo! Congratulations!! 🎉

Absolutely incredible, huge congrats 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 Wherever you end up with is gonna be luuuuckyyyy. If you end up declining NYU, can you somehow forward your funding package to me?? 😂

Fingers crossed for you, it ain't over til it's over 🤞 Fwiw, my first cycle was straight rejections. I decided to focus on my writing independently, get a job, get booed up again, etc. That became 7 years somehow, and in the midst of it all I got some wonderful experiences at workshops, conferences, and even in the slog of submitting and publishing. The next time I felt "ready" to apply again was this cycle, and I (still pinching myself) got into a program I'm excited about, and plan to attend. So even if this cycle is a bust (🕯️🕯️), time is a lie, life is real, and there truly is nothing more important than the very next breath you take in.

Outta reactions, but thank you! Will! With gusto 💪

If I were in your shoes, I'd be cautiously optimistic, yes 🙏🕯️