brownjournal

@caffeinated applicant @merry night wanderer Thank you so much for your responses. You’ve both given me a lot to think about and more factors to consider. As of right now, I’m still not sure what I’m going to do because this: and this: feel equally compelling to me, but I have to remind myself I still have over a month to decide. Thank you both for weighing in!

I’m thinking of accepting UW-Madison’s offer (MFA) and asking UC Santa Barbara (PhD) if I can defer enrollment for two years. Here’s my rationale: UW-Madison’s offer is too incredible to pass up. This program is *exactly* the way I want to spend the next two years of my life. Amazing faculty, full tuition remission, exceedingly generous fellowship, health insurance, etc. A real dream come true. UCSB’s Literature and Mind program is one of the best in the country and aligns pretty perfectly with the research I want to do. If I defer enrollment, I wouldn’t lose my spot and wouldn’t need to worry about re-applying to PhD programs. BUT I have two concerns: Based on conversations with people who live in Santa Barbara, the $22,000/year stipend will hardly be enough for rent alone, and given UCR’s response to similar concerns raised by students, I’m worried about financial insecurity during the program. I’m wary of having the next eight years of my life planned out. I’m currently still an undergrad. What if, after completing my MFA, I realize I definitely do not want a PhD? Or what if I want to apply to creative writing fellowships? So, basically my options at this point are to either accept UW-Madison and decline UCSB, or to accept UW-Madison and defer UCSB. Any advice?

I interviewed with them and got a kind rejection email this past Monday. They said they already made all of the offers they could, so at this point I’d assume it’s not going to be good news unfortunately. I wonder why they’re taking so long to send out the rest of the letters though

Yeah I have no idea what I’m going to do. Ideally one of the PhD programs would let me defer for two years to complete an MFA but maybe that’s asking too much

Also in at UC Santa Barbara! And with that, my PhD app season is over. Phew. Now just waiting on the rest of my MFA decisions to trickle in ?

Ugh that's annoying, that's not what you were asking them

Got a rejection too. Ugh oh well

@tinymica I just caved and called Brown. They said not all acceptances have gone out and that some applications are still under review. They also said they have no idea when they’ll be able to release those decisions etc

Lan Samantha Chang is doing a reading at my school tonight. If I was bolder I’d ask about my application status in person ??

Does anyone know what's going on with Brown?

Just got my MTL rejection too. When your own school rejects you ?? (although I’ve since learned it’s not a great idea to get your PhD from the same place you got your bachelor’s, so I guess it’s okay)

I’m currently on an airplane and purchased in-flight WiFi just so I can keep checking the Brown application portal and this forum, just putting that out there

@tinymica welp okay at least we’re confused together

@tinymica is your name toward the end of the alphabet? Mine is and my portal hasn’t been updated / haven’t gotten an email

Happy almost-birthday!