M-Lin
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Posts posted by M-Lin
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Wanted to thank everyone for going through this together for the past months, it felt like forever! I'll be attending Brooklyn College in the fall. To those who are going to apply again next year, hats off to you -- you are some strong minds! To share another anecdote - I learned today that a writer was rejected by every school she applied but Iowa (not this year, a while ago). Just want to remind everyone again how subjective this application process can be. After all, what is good writing anyway? I will be on my way to figure that out, hope everyone here will, too, inside or outside the university system. Good luck to all of us!!!
- woweezowee, Boomer not Ok, cecsav and 9 others
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2 hours ago, peachy4345 said:
So many things here....first, Columbia profits from its PhD program. The vast majority of undergrad courses are taught by grad students and adjuncts--so Columbia collects undergrad tuition dollars with the promise of students in intimate classes with renowned professors, but in reality they are being taught by contingent labor. It's not that we are not great teachers, but we should be clear that Columbia profits A LOT from grad labor. (This touches MFA students if they work in the writing center or teach Core writing to help fund their program.)
And yes, of course I have a position. That position is to make people considering entering grad school at Columbia aware that there are massive and important labor disputes going on. Grad workers at private unis are only allowed to organize because of a National Labor Relations Board case in 2016--which Columbia fought against tooth and nail. I actually was accepted to an MFA program long ago, and have many friends who have done MFAs--what you probs all know if that it's a tough field to work in, which is why it's really exciting to see publications like the New Yorker vote to unionize this week! For those of us in such difficult fields, it's critical to be aware of unions.
As for your 'fact check,' yes employers have a right to withhold wages during a strike. However, if they debit student accounts, and grad workers can't pay that amount, a hold is placed on the account that prevents course registration, degree progress, and can interrupt visas and health insurance. THAT is illegal retaliation, because universities are not allowed to impose academic consequences for strike participation.
Finally, thanks for assuming I'm a man. You are incorrect.
Hey just wanted to let you know that this thread has a tireless troll that's been around the whole season. Don't mind them!
Best of luck with your negotiations!
- Graceful Entropy, peachy4345, teasel and 1 other
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I just have to rant again about Columbia.
I emailed them asking if there are any opportunities for people on the waitlist to get to know the program a little more so if and when admitted, I can make an informed decision. I know every school has events for admitted students but if I miss all those events as someone on the wait list, how am I going to know if I want to attend the program or not? Especially for Columbia, it’s hard to get a real sense of what the program, classes and students are like.
What I got was a form “waitlist” answer that explains how the waitlist works and a disclaimer that the adcom is not able to review additional materials, and did not address my question at all. Also no acknowledge of my name (no “Hi xxx,” or “Dear xxx”), which I find rude. I wonder if the person even read my email? ?
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13 hours ago, Writelife23 said:
Is anyone still waiting to hear from Hunter? Haven't received any updates about my application. Have they sent out rejections?
Not a word! But definitely can assume a rejection at this point, not even sure if they send out official rejections? Lol
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40 minutes ago, Ydrl said:
There are waitlist pools where everybody exists until the adcom happens to go through the pool and pick who they like. It's shitty, just like a ranked waitlist, but in a different way.
I see... same difference ?
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The Columbia letter said that the waitlist "has no rank"... but it must do??? how else are they going to decide who to let in when the first spot becomes available? ?
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Just now, iai said:
??♀️
I was really hoping for a waitlist /: but I guess I’ll be heading for the UK after all!
it said the waitlist could drag into the summer so do you really, really want that? I'm so happy that this is all over, haha.
I hope you have the best time in the UK!
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6 minutes ago, CrankyGinger said:
Dude same. I don't think I really need my answer from CU, I've made my decision. When a program feels like it crafted for you and how you write and work and you connect to faculty and the curriculum, then the decision becomes much easier.
Yeah the only one I would be a little torn about would be BU. Columbia was more just for my vanity... no way to afford and honestly not interested in the size of the program, and already not getting a good feeling from the institution anyway, lol. Not sure if this is just our coping mechanism working at its best but I think I'm making the right decision. It just feels right!!
When I started looking at Amtrak and Chinatown buses to Boston... I was already like, please no. hahaha
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BU rejection came in! Honestly super relieved because I am just falling in love with another program and didn’t want to have to make a difficult decision.
Anybody got good news?
- Cristie, iai and CrankyGinger
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36 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:
Yeah, that's the guy. Just didn't know you could do multiple MFAs. I guess you get a pass if you're a celebrity.
His MFA at NYU was in Film, if that matters. But yeah, I guess being a celebrity gets a lot of passes in life, haha.
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4 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:
Totally off topic but I wonder if anyone knows what happened to that actor (forgot his name) who was pursuing at the same time an MFA at NYU, CU, Brooklyn College and a Phd in English Lit at Yale? Just wondering how TF's that possible and why would these programs allow this? I thought MFA programs had rules against this kind of doubling up. Did he ever graduate?
James Franco, who's disappeared for other reasons, lol.
I don't know if he was doing everything at the same time though. I can say that he was definitely attending some classes at NYU, but not sure about his attendance at other programs. Brooklyn College's MFA program does consider him an alumnus and lists his publications on their website, so I assume he did graduate.
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34 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:
Thanks for the recs. Good to know. I only looked up current admits and could not find any of them publishing fiction in lit mags. It struck me as odd for a school this competitive
i talked to a current student in an MFA program today and asked about what people do with publishing - if they submit short stories to lit mags in the course of the program or that's not really a thing. She just said it depended on the person. She did a little bit but now mainly focus on shaping a collection to send around. So maybe the people currently in the program are not doing the lit mag submission grind?
31 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:Forgot: the prof said he didn't think they had had any one over 40 and basically they look for younger people to "mold," if my memory serves. It seems like having a writing track record or voice already would not help you get into this program.
oooh i remember that moment. I was on the Zoom live. it was kind of awkward... and they definitely think very highly of their own program (I'm sure a lot of faculty do of the programs they preside over) but somehow that pride came off a little bit off-putting to me. I did like the community spirit they showed in the open house though. and they're very proud that they're fully-funded.
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8 minutes ago, koechophe said:
Washington State University (MA in English--they've told me I wasn't in their initial round of acceptances, so I'm somewhere on an informal waitlist, but not high, I don't think) and University of Las Vegas (they told me they still haven't even done 1st round yet for the focus I picked. They have multiple focuses
thumbs down to them for dragging it out ? i hope they tell you what's what soon!!
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8 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:
I saw the Hunter prof say what he said AFTER I had applied. IMO their Youtubed Open House gave off a weird vibe. Since they publicly list their admits, as they pair them with established writers to do "research" for them, I tried to find some published work from their admits but couldn't find any. So I've no idea what they look for and I regretted applying there. As for the age thing, I'm not sure, but if you are past 40 I don't think it works for you, at least with funded programs. My only proof of this, though, is getting a waitlist at a mostly funded program (McNeese), but bear in mind this program only requests an SOP and writing submission. So, they had no idea about my age, recs, "quality of undergrad , and since they don't charge to apply. I assume they get a fair amount of apps. But I could be wrong about the age thing, although I think most programs indicate the average age is mid to late 20s.
What did the professor say?
I applied to Hunter too and find their whole process extra-opaque, and the fact that they only give people a week to accept their offers (way before April 15) very weird. I don't know if that's still true, but that's what it says on the website. Don't know any other school that does this. I read two novels by Hunter recent grads last year and they both had merits. A Burning & Little Gods, if you want to check them out!
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Just now, Blackhole said:
after five rejections, you have already been to hell and sort of crawled out of the pity party. but Columbia is way too expensive and the money they are offering is not enough. I told them I can't attend if they don't give me more money so they have asked me to call again. Let's see.
that seems to be the problem for most of their accepted students. I do hope they work out something better for you. such a shame with all the amazing writers on the faculty and no funding for their students ?
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4 minutes ago, Blackhole said:
I guess. But I read it on draft and here that CU and NYU take almost everyone. So I don't even know if should be happy or sad.
That is simply not true. I'm rejected by NYU for one, and possibly Columbia as well? Don't let that mess with your head!!! Congratulations on your acceptance!
- Boomer not Ok and iai
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3 minutes ago, Blackhole said:
I got a call yesterday. I thought it was the Amazon delivery person and I had just woken up so I didn't even understand much. But the professor was kind and gave me his email id so I wrote to him and apologised. I am supposed to call him this weekend. I can ask him if you'd like me to.
would be amazing if you could ask. thank you!!
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44 minutes ago, CrankyGinger said:
Thank you! And you're also in NYC! We clearly should've already been friends.
This application cycle on all writing things has definitely been insane. Who knows, your passion might come back. Either way, you're still writing and that's wonderful.
I submitted to Sundance this year, only made through the second round and not the final round. Their competition has always been insane but perhaps this year was even worse than usual, just like the MFA apps. Welp.
And yes I’m in New York too. Nice to meet you here!!! Good luck with your show bible (I have not done one of those but they sure look like a LOT of work).
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Just now, CrankyGinger said:
Thank you! All the fluids and soup. I miss my appetite and healthy lungs!! I'm a finalist for a screenwriting fellowship and need to finish a show bible for the script by the 2nd and I'm being less than productive. I'm gonna blame the 2 Cs: Covid and Columbia.
The far spread of notifications does seem pretty haphazard and sadistic lol. Good luck and I hope you hear good news this week! Today preferably.
That's so exciting. I am also a screenwriter though I've recently lost my passion for it (for many reasons). But I know how crazy the competition is, if not even worse than this application cycle. So congratulations on your almost fellowship! Go get it!!!
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2 minutes ago, iai said:
I’ve been constantly checking ? Seems like my luck with US schools are at 0% this year.
I also obsessively check the schools that I'm waiting on and know there will be nothing in them. I try to only check them once a day...but sometimes I do it almost out of habit when I sit in front of my computer so I lost count ?
I'm likely to decline my The New School offer so if they do have a waitlist, I hope you're on it and can benefit from it! I truly love the spirit of TNS (I often listen to lectures offered by their Center of Public Scholarship) and my friend who attended the program (fiction) also speaks highly of her experience there. I love the neighborhood. I am turning it down mainly for financial reasons as well as the larger size of the cohort. Wishing you the best!
2021 Applicants Forum
in Literary
Posted
I was also accepted off the waitlist! I did hesitate for a few days though I already committed to another much smaller program in the city.
What I heard is that Columbia does still hold sway in the publishing industry - this is from two separate people, one published author and one who worked in publishing for two years and went on to do her own MFA.
From a current student - it is what you make of it! You do get access to your professors if you're willing to hustle. There are a lot of opportunities but limited spots so, again, you have to hustle. I don't think you would be able to keep a full time job because classes are mostly during weekdays. A lot of students there complain that they have less time to write during the program than before they started because there were so many classes to take. About a quarter of the cohort are people coming right out of college, which is not the ideal cohort for me. Because the large cohort size, it's definitely somewhat competitive, but she said she felt it was also supportive in a lot of ways.
Another published author (who graduated from the program 10 years ago and I cold emailed her) told me that she thought the large network does help in terms of securing an agent.
For me, I felt like I never got any personal attention throughout the whole process and the atmosphere did not feel warm and collegial. For my MFA, I wanted time to write, personal feedback on my writing, and a community of like-minded writers. I don't think I'll get that at Columbia, unless I try really really hard, but at this point in my life I don't really want to chase after professors and feel like I'm an inconvenience if I wanted more of their time. It just sounds exhausting.
Ultimately I turned down Columbia's offer, but it could be right depends on what you want! Giving up the access to the resources Columbia (the University) offers was particularly hard for me, because I'm interested in taking classes outside of the writing program.