Mel Rose

Just got the kindest, most supportive email from Lisa at Iowa releasing me from the waitlist, as the offers made were accepted. Oh well...looks likely I'll be here next year as well (barring any plot twists from NYU), so, gearing up soon for 2022!
She did let me know (just wanted to share the info/details): Iowa accepts 3 students each year, fully funded/stipended, and you get full productions of your work throughout your time there.
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Thank you everyone for all the information/advice throughout my first application cycle! I learned a lot through this process, and will be much better equipped and focused next Fall, with a revised list of schools. I've decided I'm moving back to NY anyway in about two months, and would love to connect with other NYC based playwrights.
Every program I have corresponded with has indicated that they had a record number of competitive applications this year, so we should all feel proud to have gotten this far. Plus, it's an extraordinary feat to have workshopped, written, or revised plays during a year when theatre is closed and we are basically doing our work in a vacuum (or on a ZOOM screen). Congrats all!
 

I'm just going to send them a polite, brief, and casual email letting them know my circumstances and asking if there's any way to increase the scholarship amount. Maybe a paragraph long  
 
Thank you, friend! I think you still have a good shot with NYU or any of the other waitlists you're on this year. Don't count yourself out, yet! 

see some of you all in 2022! looking forward to a spring/summer of rest and back into this applications in the Fall. Crossing my fingers for Yale this time. Hope they will take students in 2022. See y'all on the flip side.  ❤️ 

And...just finally heard from Lisa S at Iowa, after reaching out to admissions about my status. I’m a finalist/alternate candidate, which I assume is like a short waitlist. I thought for sure that I had been rejected, so I’m very pleasantly surprised. Now Ohio is my last to hear from. Waitlist count is now just about half of my total applications (the rest were rejections) so I feel mildly encouraged, generally speaking, but still antsy and wondering what I could have done differently to have gotten acceptances. 

Ugh right??!! I don’t like thinking about going through it all over again ? Fingers crossed for both of us ?. This year the timing was finally right for grad school for me. Alas. Not giving up yet, but I’m just finding that throwing myself into a new project and getting excited about it is helping with the waiting.
I’m also doing the DG #endofplay thing happening this month...Anyone else? Just trying to hold myself accountable to stick to deadlines and challenge myself to connect more with other playwrights. It’s helping to distract from the pain of the waiting list ? (and to reconnect to the love of writing again). 

If tradition holds up, think we’ll all start hearing during the two weeks that follow April 15. I’m mentally moving on after the first week of May, but sometimes people get offers from the waitlist as late as the summer. Sounds stressful to me!

And...just finally heard from Lisa S at Iowa, after reaching out to admissions about my status. I’m a finalist/alternate candidate, which I assume is like a short waitlist. I thought for sure that I had been rejected, so I’m very pleasantly surprised. Now Ohio is my last to hear from. Waitlist count is now just about half of my total applications (the rest were rejections) so I feel mildly encouraged, generally speaking, but still antsy and wondering what I could have done differently to have gotten acceptances. 

Congrats @Mel Rose! do you know the typical timeline for when they let waitlisted candidates know? 

And...just finally heard from Lisa S at Iowa, after reaching out to admissions about my status. I’m a finalist/alternate candidate, which I assume is like a short waitlist. I thought for sure that I had been rejected, so I’m very pleasantly surprised. Now Ohio is my last to hear from. Waitlist count is now just about half of my total applications (the rest were rejections) so I feel mildly encouraged, generally speaking, but still antsy and wondering what I could have done differently to have gotten acceptances. 

I corresponded with Ohio and was told that interview requests were going out the first week of April. I haven’t gotten one, so I’m assuming I’m not a finalist there. That said, in previous years it looks like people have interviewed as late as mid April...their timeline seems later than most.
Ohio and Iowa are the ones I am still waiting on (other than the places I’ve been waitlisted). I’ve still heard nothing from Iowa, though I assume a rejection at this point, given that acceptances went out last month. No rejection email or changes on my portal. Sigh. Closure would be nice.

I corresponded with Ohio and was told that interview requests were going out the first week of April. I haven’t gotten one, so I’m assuming I’m not a finalist there. That said, in previous years it looks like people have interviewed as late as mid April...their timeline seems later than most.
Ohio and Iowa are the ones I am still waiting on (other than the places I’ve been waitlisted). I’ve still heard nothing from Iowa, though I assume a rejection at this point, given that acceptances went out last month. No rejection email or changes on my portal. Sigh. Closure would be nice.

Final R just rolled in for me (UCLA at 2:08 AM for some goddamn reason; interviewed about a month ago). Was removed from the CMU waitlist a couple weeks ago, and everything else was Rs across the board, so that ends my season: no acceptances this time.
Disappointed of course, but grateful to have gotten this far since I'm only one year post-undergrad. Honestly, this may have worked out for the best (which is NOT something I could have seen myself saying back in December lol). About to officially commit to living in a house with some queer friends (and an adorable polydactyl cat), and, assuming COVID keeps declining, I'm excited to do local theatre again next year. 
See you all when I inevitably apply for 2022, and keep writing! Have really appreciated the camaraderie and community this board brings.

In the dark about Northwestern, but I corresponded a little with NYU...they said the earliest we would hear anything would be after April 15 because that’s when they evaluate the cohort based on who has committed and begin to re-evaluate waitlist candidates to fill the class with the right fit(s). The list is unranked, so it’s kind of a luck-of-the-draw situation, based on who decides to attend (screenwriters, playwrights, tv writers, etc) and who they think will fit the cohort. From previous conversations, it sounds like they go to the waiting list every year because some film/tv students prefer to attend school in LA, and some playwrights prefer fully funded/stipended programs. 
I’m super antsy too and I hate it. I’ve made plans to move/relocate this summer regardless of the outcome of grad school, as my current city unfortunately does not have much of an audience or community for new work...it’s time to ramble on.
Trying to just move on and plan on applying again next year with some new work to a revised & more focused list of programs...but it’s hard when there’s still a glimmer of hope I’m holding on to! 

Ugh right??!! I don’t like thinking about going through it all over again ? Fingers crossed for both of us ?. This year the timing was finally right for grad school for me. Alas. Not giving up yet, but I’m just finding that throwing myself into a new project and getting excited about it is helping with the waiting.
I’m also doing the DG #endofplay thing happening this month...Anyone else? Just trying to hold myself accountable to stick to deadlines and challenge myself to connect more with other playwrights. It’s helping to distract from the pain of the waiting list ? (and to reconnect to the love of writing again). 

I'm doing the same thing, @Mel Rose -- just trying to throw all this energy into a new project ? 
Anyone know anything about Brooklyn's waitlist process/timeline? I reached out and only found out they don't rank their waitlist. Which is good to know. But omg I am vibrating with anticipation.
 
 

In the dark about Northwestern, but I corresponded a little with NYU...they said the earliest we would hear anything would be after April 15 because that’s when they evaluate the cohort based on who has committed and begin to re-evaluate waitlist candidates to fill the class with the right fit(s). The list is unranked, so it’s kind of a luck-of-the-draw situation, based on who decides to attend (screenwriters, playwrights, tv writers, etc) and who they think will fit the cohort. From previous conversations, it sounds like they go to the waiting list every year because some film/tv students prefer to attend school in LA, and some playwrights prefer fully funded/stipended programs. 
I’m super antsy too and I hate it. I’ve made plans to move/relocate this summer regardless of the outcome of grad school, as my current city unfortunately does not have much of an audience or community for new work...it’s time to ramble on.
Trying to just move on and plan on applying again next year with some new work to a revised & more focused list of programs...but it’s hard when there’s still a glimmer of hope I’m holding on to! 

@Mel Rose thank you sooo much for this info!! It’s so helpful knowing this.
and I totally feel you about how it’s hard to move on just yet...applying to grad school was HARD and it would be so so ideal if we didn’t have to do it again OH BOY. I guess since mid-April is the most common shuffling time, I’ll wait until then to start thinking about my 2022 application....fingers crossed we won’t have to ?

In the dark about Northwestern, but I corresponded a little with NYU...they said the earliest we would hear anything would be after April 15 because that’s when they evaluate the cohort based on who has committed and begin to re-evaluate waitlist candidates to fill the class with the right fit(s). The list is unranked, so it’s kind of a luck-of-the-draw situation, based on who decides to attend (screenwriters, playwrights, tv writers, etc) and who they think will fit the cohort. From previous conversations, it sounds like they go to the waiting list every year because some film/tv students prefer to attend school in LA, and some playwrights prefer fully funded/stipended programs. 
I’m super antsy too and I hate it. I’ve made plans to move/relocate this summer regardless of the outcome of grad school, as my current city unfortunately does not have much of an audience or community for new work...it’s time to ramble on.
Trying to just move on and plan on applying again next year with some new work to a revised & more focused list of programs...but it’s hard when there’s still a glimmer of hope I’m holding on to! 

annnnd thats a wrap for me as well! i've officially declined my offer at NYU, so hopefully that offers another one of y'all a spot. 
my 20-21 recap:
UT Austin: interviewed and accepted 
NYU: interviewed and accepted
Juilliard: ? (will likely withdraw)
thankful for this group and am a good ol mixture of scared/happy to be leaving NY for TX! i'm so grateful to all of you, please don't be a stranger and hmu in my inbox if you ever want to link / chat beyond this crazy forum. all the best to you!! 

Waitlisted at Rutgers today! For me, that makes two waitlists and three rejections. Just waiting to hear from Ohio now! 

Thanks @miltoniagable16 for the heads-up! That’s it for me this round. My summary:
UCSD: rejected
UT Austin: rejected
Hunter: interviewed and accepted
Columbia: interviewed and waitlisted
NYU Musical Theatre: interviewed and accepted
Brooklyn: rejected
Juilliard: ???
I’m really excited to be heading to Hunter College! Have loved everyone I talked to there and the program’s a great fit for what I need right now.
 
Thanks all for being on this journey together, really such a comfort through these stressful few months. Looking forward to meeting more of you NYC playwrights in person. Sending good wishes to everyone on waitlists/waiting for news!!!

Thank you so much @cheesy for keeping us wait-listers in the loop! 
Juilliard: Didn't apply, but from what I recall hearing from other playwrights I know, rejections are kinda rolling through April-May. I remember hearing that rejections often happen after April 15, but if you're still being considered they email you before then. I guess because they are more like a fellowship, their timeline is different. 

Thank you so much @cheesy for keeping us wait-listers in the loop! 
Juilliard: Didn't apply, but from what I recall hearing from other playwrights I know, rejections are kinda rolling through April-May. I remember hearing that rejections often happen after April 15, but if you're still being considered they email you before then. I guess because they are more like a fellowship, their timeline is different. 

best of luck to you @bold ! anything is possible, trust that instinct!! 
and random, but for friends who may be looking at NYU, i know most accepted will be getting financial assistance responses at the earliest mid next week. i’ve also heard it could be end of next week. i hope for a response soon so i can figure out where ill be committing to, but just for those who are WL and may want some timeline context. 
and anooootha question, juilliard seems like more unknown territory on here as well. anybody have any more info / updates about them and their response schedule? would it be strange to email them and inquire about timeline... i kind of want to get responses out as soon as i can blarrrrgh 

I'm piping in because i've been lurking. It was - and sort of still is? - my plan to apply for 2022. But I am meeting with the University of Manchester tomorrow to find out their timeline and more details (UK schools accept applications into the summer, so... maybe this year after all?) I am an older student returning after a 20 year gap and I sort of feel, of a sudden, like anything might be possible. 
Or, after reading 119 pages of this forum, like it might take me multiple years to get this right. One or the other. Who can say? 
Fingers firmly crossed.