Embrittled-by-Wait

Thank you! Appreciate you for reaching out and relaying to us the latest. OK, firstly, no one was accusing anyone of being a fraud, and opting to send rejections by mail could never be construed as fraudulency. Also, why quote rcsteel? They were only transcribing the email they got from Iowa for my benefit. What's more, Iowa definitely has sent out acceptances by mail; in the past, e.g., under the directorship of Frank Conroy, they were exclusively sent that way. This year's extenuating circumstances might very well call for mail-delivered acceptances. The point is, until the official word's gone out, no one knows.

Did they say -- or even wink, nod at the possibility-- of any more acceptances, or is it just the usual raft of rejections sent out in letter form? Not tryna read too much into it, but if it were just blanket Noes, they'd probably say so, right? I mean, why string you along with deliberate vagueness? But then, why call some people and ink letters to others? And why such a large gulf of time in-between? Agh. I need some kind of closure.

Has anyone emailed Iowa inquiring? I think they're not averse to it, anyway. They make a little note on the application saying, If you have any questions regarding the status of your App, send us an email -- or something to that effect. Might be worth doing. I personally lack the bravery to do it, let alone the steeliness to endure, by way of response, a rejection. But someone else? the more emboldened among us perhaps? (I'm half-joking, of course. If there are no others willing, I'll be the canary. Begrudgingly, but I'll do it.)

Congratulations, twice! Did you just hear today?

I'm definitely not an expert -- I've never attended their program -- but from what I've read, there are several different options for funding: the main route is to teach, where they assign you one of two courses: either Rhetoric or what amounts to a Literature survey course (a tour d'horizon for undergrad frosh); the other option is a fellowship, which's reserved for la crème de la crème (de la crème, being that they're Iowa students). Figures-wise, I too am kinda ignorant, but suffice it to say, you'll be mostly taken care of. Please, if I'm wrong on any of the particulars, I invite corrections -- for this person's edification as well as my own. Otherwise, hope this helps.

Thank you all for your individual anecdotes regarding the Writing Process. It's done a lot to shore up my confidence in my own submission, my writing more generally. And, Thanks to those of you who had insight re Iowa and JHU. Being in the dark like this, for this long, is so agonizing. At least I can kinda assume that, if I don't hear from Iowa this week, I'm better off channeling my anxious energy toward another school's decisions. Haha.

First off, Thank you for such a hearty response. And there was not a whiff of pedantry, so you know; only thoughtfulness. I'm pretty young -- from what I've read, younger than the average MFA applicant -- so it's good to know there are plenty other avenues I can to take to become a better writer, even ones outside the Groves of Academe. Having never been published myself, I've always wondered exactly how much editing goes into a piece before it appears in a literary journal, review, the like. I know, notwithstanding counting the commas added/subtracted, it's a difficult thing to quantify, but I imagine there's some kind of threshold (a rule-of-thumb, maybe) before an editor decides, This isn't worth the trouble. I'd also guess that threshold is re-calibrated based on the "raw potential" of the work, as you put it. Maybe this is a bit of an extraneous thought, but I figured, with your background as an editor, you could shed some light. (And, I've heard, MFA adcoms read work with publishability in mind, so possibly some sidelong relevance?) Thanks again for the help!

I totally empathize. Weird how when you're first writing something you have a distorted view of its quality -- usually an inflated one -- and then, somewhere down the line, you gain some objectivity, look back on the work, and it fails to impress. Thanks! This was super reassuring to hear!

Also, to any applicants, especially to those accepted somewhere, how polished were your writing samples? Were there things you'd look back on and cut? And, how long was the gestation period for your stories? I know, for me, I decided to apply pretty late, and I didn't have any writing I was proud of on-hand, so my drafting time was slightly truncated. There are moments in my manuscript that I kinda cringe at in hindsight... Sorry if these questions are old hat. Like I sad, Grad-Cafe greenhorn here. (Apologies, too, if it's a faux pas to post twice in a row. I haven't seen many people do it. Last thing I wanna do is waltz into your house wearing my muddy boots, perch them atop your ottoman, and eat all your hors d'oeuvres.)

Hey, fellow-MFA applicants! Long-time lurker, first-time poster. (Sorry in advance for the maudlin username -- it's less a summation of my current mindset, and more I couldn't think of anything.) I'm kinda dogged by twin insecurities ATM, which have at last caused me to buckle and write this post: 1) Was wondering if anyone heard from JHU. There's been little on this thread (or, well, in the ether) about their Writing Seminars, about when they normally post decisions, &c., so I was curious what you all knew. 2) And then, is it foolish at this point to think Iowa isn't done making phone calls? Are they staggered, or should I assume, having heard tell of one-two acceptances, that they've all gone out? I'm on tenterhooks like the rest of you. Just wanted to inquire, as well as join you in wallowing in the wait, commiserate a little (with those commiserating -- for those who got in somewhere, congrats!), maybe hear from a couple vet appliers. It's my first go; be gentle!