eternalwhitenights

Just fyi, someone reported a wait-list for fiction in Draft for Notre Dame! (I believe they were one of the people who had an interview last week based off their username, so that tracks.) Just wanted to let all fellow waiters for ND know. @KennyK, thinking of you specifically!

Ahhhh, that's so exciting! Congratulations!! You just gave me hope ND might still have a chance for me yet, because I was convinced that they'd sent out all their interview requests on the same day (I.e. yesterday, Monday). Maybe there's hope, ha! I haven't interviewed with them yet (just hoping to make it that far in the process, frankly), but I live here in South Bend, and actually work on campus already, so I can (try?) and help if you have any questions about campus life or anything like that in general about the area. Feel free to DM me if you'd like, and best of luck with your interview!

Congrats, did you get one? Do you know if the email mentioned that was all of them that are going out or if they were doing it in stages or anything? Hoping the best for you [and all of us] regardless. ❤️

From past years, I'm pretty sure they send out the emails for interviews all at once. That being said, I've never made it that far (this is my 5th year in a row applying), so I don't know totally. I see there are two notifications so far for interviews on the Draft spreadsheet, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. ❤️ Solidarity to y'all who haven't received one yet--I'm in the same boat as well. I guess we'll just have to keep pushing through. Hope some of us at least get good news soon! Also, I don't have time to do all of the reacts of congratulations, but to all the Iowa and Columbia and every other acceptances/waitlists--go, go, go!!! Massive, massive congratulations, and I hope all of your writing dreams come true. ❤️ God bless you guys!

@pananoprodigy and @everything bagel lover WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy for y'all!!!!! Congratulations, and I hope everyone else receives good news soon (including me, haha!)!!! I just freaking *love* seeing y'all succeed and grow--it's still, hands down, the best part of application season, seeing everyone's excitement and growth and all that that entails! ❤️❤️❤️

Yes, this is very much one of the paths I'm considering for class taking if I don't get in this year. Aside from getting to know some of the professors, I would so very much love to be back in a collegiate workshop setting; creative writing classes were some of my favorites in undergrad, and they were so generative and useful for me as an artist, both then and now. How's your season going? Are you in a program currently, applying this cycle, etc.? Best of luck in all of it regardless!

I haven't, no! My novel I want to make my thesis in there is a historical fiction love story that takes place in Ireland during the Great Potato Famine and the years immediately preceding, and possibly after, as well, so the two classes I've taken (am currently taking them, actually) are relevant to the research I need to do for my novel anyway. I'm taking the Irish language because my main character would have spoken Irish historically, and I'm also taking a broad survey of Irish history to give me a sense of grounding in terms of where to focus my research and help me with the context of some of the larger thematic concepts I'm working on weaving into my novel.

@KennyK I'm not positive, tbh. I think it's varied in past years. They only recently started doing interviews a couple of cycles ago, so there's relatively low data on same day vs separate day notification for poetry and prose interviews thus far. The moment I hear anything, I'll keep you posted on here, promise! ❤️

Yeah, from what I've heard, the MFA program tends to be a great place for genre experimentation and interdisciplinary work. (The cross-departmental collaborations are a huge part of the reason I want to attend as well, and they're investing in so many cool initiatives on campus during the next decade of their strategic plan...it's an exciting time to be here! :)) The creative writing program partners with a lot of relevant initiatives on campus--one of my favorites is the Initiative on Race and Resilience, and if I get in, I'm really, really hoping to encourage, partner with, and develop more programming between these two academic powerhouses here on campus!

Also, re: all my encouraging words above: my heart just officially died inside, so take that as you will. 🤣 We can do it, guys!!!! Regardless, we're all in this together! ❤️ Edit: two poetry interview notifications for ND in draft!! @KennyK, I'll keep you posted if I see anything for fiction or hear anything in Draft regarding other things for ND! ❤️

I think they tend to have between 200-300 applicants each year, and accept only 4 or 5 in each genre (poetry or prose). It's a tough gig, but there's always hope. Good luck to you! (PS I moved out here to Notre Dame/South Bend from my hometown on a leap of faith back after my first application season in 2021, and I can say that the classroom experience (what I've been able to glean thus far (I work at ND full time right now, and am utilizing the employee educational benefit I get as a full-time staff member to take up to 9 credit hours per year for free--I'm taking a language class and a history class relevant to the research for my novel, and LOVING them so, so much) has been stellar, and there's just generally a lot of nice people around here, so you'll be in good hands if you get in. I also know a few people from the current cohort, and they're lovely as can be, so we'd both be in good company if we gained admittance! Keep the faith, and don't give up--when it's your time, it'll come! ❤️ God bless you!

Same! What did you apply for? This is my fifth year in a row applying for the prose track; just letting you know you're not alone, and we've got this, together! Praying for success for the both of us! ❤️

Oh, of course! I appreciate the info--that's actually the most I've ever learned about their interview process! Thanks so much for letting me know, and congratulations again on getting it! I really hope it goes well for you--it's a great program overall.

Hi, that's so exciting! I'm a fourth time fiction applicant (Notre Dame is the only school I applied to this year), and I was just wondering if you knew whether the director had said all the emails had gone out for interviews? I haven't received anything yet, and I don't want to give up hope (but also want to be realistic--this is my fourth year in a row applying, ha!). Congrats, and I'm very excited for you. Keep us posted on when/how the interview goes!

Thanks dear! ❤️ And yes, it's my top (and only!) one. Congrats on CU Boulder!! I hope you have an amazing time there--it's so beautiful in Colorado!

I was one of those people, and realized after agreeing to the "there weren't any waitlists!" for prose statement that someone had made on Draft, that, actually, some people most definitely *had* posted that they'd gotten onto the waitlist for prose in that Draft waitlist notification thread thing. 🤣 Thanks for confirming here regardless, and also, congratulations on actually getting on this mysterious, real-life waitlist at ND! 🤑 Where do you think you're attending this year instead, if you don't mind me asking? Congrats on getting in somewhere else, too!

I so needed to hear this! This is my third year in a row applying to Notre Dame, and I'm pretty sure I got rejected again--however, it has done nothing but spur me on to keep streamlining, keep distilling, keep growing, keep writing, and keep dreaming. l told them in my SOP that I'm going to keep applying until they let me in or I finish my novel (ideally both, haha!), but I also know I need to do a lot of work in terms of just immersing myself in books, fiction, workshopping, etc.--I'm already planning ahead/getting started on that for this year and upcoming application cycle. Now, not to make this all about me, because CONGRATULATIONS!!! Woohoo!!! I just had to comment because I too am about to turn 32, and I'm so grateful I haven't gotten in yet because the last two years (at least), I wasn't ready. It's slowly coming together--slowly, but steadily--and I just wanted to thank you, so, so much, for writing what you did. I'm so happy for you that you got into your top choice, and can't wait to see/hear/read all the success you're going to have!! Congrats on your perseverance and your promise!

Rock on! Did you get admitted/waitlisted? Regardless, congrats on making it to the interview stage! That's such an amazing accomplishment!

Not at all! Also, as someone who didn't get an interview, I can't tell if that is now a prerequisite for possible admittance, or if it's just to narrow down candidates they're unsure of (i.e. not just straight acceptance, but likely to be accepted)...this process, yo! I hope you get in (hugs--the wait is real), and, if you're comfortable doing so, and you do end up asking about the interview followup over email, do you think you could ask if that's now their process, i.e. an interview is now a prerequisite to assume possible waitlist or acceptance status? Hopefully that can be helpful for others (including myself, NGL 😅🤣) going forward. Prayers/hugs/solidarity on the wait--I hope you get in, and it works out how it's supposed to for you. ❤️

It sounds like it is most definitely more than luck--i.e. you're incredibly talented!!--like, holy cannoli, that's *amazing* and congrats 8 bjillion times over to you on all of your success during this application season!! ❤️ Do you have any idea which school you're leaning towards? Talk about being spoiled for choice!

That's okay!! Thanks for letting me know. ❤️ In other words: they either loved me so much they didn't feel the need to interview me and a call will miraculously come with an acceptance (unlikely), interviews now=indication of finalist status, or of course waitlist/rejection. (Just thinking out loud here...) And absolutely on the kind words!! Where else have you been accepted? That's super exciting that you got in--it really is a great program, and I'm super happy for you and hope you go to the place that makes your heart come alive the most. Awesome! Thank you so much for the info!

Congrats y'all! Was it for poetry or prose, do you know? Also, I think this is the first year ND has done interviews, at least from my knowledge. I didn't get invited for an interview, so I'm not sure whether to take that as a rejection, waitlist, what...can either of you give insight into whether they mentioned that interviewees were the only candidates in consideration? ND is the only school I applied to (3rd year in a row), and my heart is still hoping against hope I at least got past the rejection stage this year. Most of all, once again, congratulations!!! That's such a huge accomplishment, and I'm really happy for you. ❤️❤️❤️

Just got my rejection from Notre Dame--congrats to all who got in, and on to next year's application and daily practicing my craft to improve my work even more!

Congratulations, friend! I just have to say, too--your posts just make me so happy every time I see them, and I think you're a really delightful, lovely, old-souled type of person overall. I somehow imagine you as a literary chap, clad in plaid, with a paddy hat, smoking a pipe, conversing in an English pub with the likes of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and other Inklings, scribbling away late into the night on your stories, and the wholesomeness of that just makes my heart feel all warm and lovely inside. ? All that to say: I am so, so happy for you that this season is really turning out great for you, and I hope you get funding so you can attend your program of choice. You've got it, and can't wait to see how amazing your writing turns out, especially after being nurtured in one of these programs!

Update for ND folks: at least one prose acceptance has gone out, re: my friend who is currently in ND's creative writing program. Not sure if the lovely woman who posted on the results page here at GradCafe is the same notification my friend in the program was referring to, but it looks like they're starting to trickle out at least. I haven't had any movement on my end (portal, email, or phone), but I hope this gives some answers to all of us who are waiting on dear old ND.