koechophe

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate you taking the time to read my work. The issue of scene in this particular story is one I've gotten a lot, so you're not alone in making that feedback ? A note for you in literary critique: "You seem to be a gamer. It will be hard for you to imagine life before gaming, which is the state of the reader." It's a bad idea to make assumptions about an author based on their writing. Much like we wouldn't assume people who write horror stories are murderers, you shouldn't assume the author's perspective based on the perspective they are portraying. I, for instance, am not a gamer; it took a lot of talking with friends who are to figure out how to write this.

I guess I'll probably see you next year for the next cycle. Here's hoping it goes a bit better for both of us ? I'm still IN my undergrad, and this is my first time applying. A lot of people here have been going at the loop for years and have a lot more life experience. I assume a lot of the people chosen over me are in that boat, and I don't feel bad about that. I've worked hard, and I will continue to work hard, and I'll make it there eventually.

I so feel this. Like, because I'm also in the same boat ?

I just heard back from UNLV. They said they are still processing applications and should have notifications out no later than April 1st. I honestly can't believe they still haven't processed all their apps this late in the game, but good to know we should be hearing soon. The end is near, everyone!

Shoot, you didn't apply to OSU, not sure why I thought you had. I know someone on here did... ANYway, thanks for the condolences =).

@Ydrl I got my OSU rejection today, the assistant graduate director emailed me and told me it was a "no", I'm pretty sure because I asked about a week ago, but their departmental ones should be going out in the next few days, would be my guess. Someone posted a poetry acceptance today, so maybe they're still waiting on confirmation for poetry, but at least fiction is most likely wrapped up.

Go for it. I'm always happy for critique.

Hey, late-night question for anyone who sees this. I've found that, for whatever reason, this entire process of waiting for replies from Grad schools has put some weird kind of mental block on my writing. Every time I sit down to write, it feels like that very process just reminds me of the fact that I am still waiting for answers for this year. I'm confident that when I actually have closure on this (which I also think is going to be rejection), writing will be my safe place again. I know myself very well, and I know that the rejections will just spur me to write more, but this waiting period has made it really hard to focus on new writing instead of fixating on the ever-present, "Did I actually get in?" Like I said, I know myself well enough to know that it'll go away when I have closure, and that rejection OR acceptance will motivate me to write more. I'm sure at least someone is doubting that, but that's honestly how my mind works. What I really want to know is, has anyone else experienced something similar?

I honestly admire your willingness to "turn the other cheek", as it were. But Imho, you weren't doing any harm, and I'm sure there were a lot of silent people who appreciated your uplifting tones. I'm not saying this because I think you should go back, I'm just saying that you shouldn't consider your time there to be net-negative when you have no way of knowing how often and how powerfully the things you said uplifted others.

Honestly, there are days where I would just prefer the "no" lol.

It's funny, I keep telling myself I've basically given up all hope, and then I still keep anxiously checking my email and looking up results to see if there's been any movement from the three schools I've not heard anything about. Maybe it'll just be easier to really give up hope when I've actually got the rejections in hand. I think, in some weird way, I'm looking forward to that. It's not the actual rejection that's hard for me to deal with--I'm a pro at getting rejected by this point in life lol. It's just the not knowing.

I know this isn't helpful, but it really, really depends. So first off, it depends on how big the waitlist is. Then it also depends on how many people they actually accept. Then it depends on how "elite" the school is (if they have an attractive offer, people are less likely to pick a different offer). So there's a lot of variables. But usually you'll know sometime before april 14th if you're in or not.

You're not wrong. My request to join has been pending for, oh, three weeks now? So I wouldn't put much hope into actually getting in this late in the game.

I just got a semi-official rejection from my one Rhet/Comp application for WSU. I emailed the director, and he let me know that initial offers have already gone out, then asked if I'd accepted a different offer so he could remove me from consideration. From the tone of the email, I gathered that I wasn't high enough on their "wait list" for me to have any real possibility of getting in. So my only 3 schools with nothing are University of Utah, University of Las Vegas Nevada, and Oklahoma State. I've heard from other posters that Utah is probably out, and the other two sent out their initial offers ages ago, so I'm guessing it's probably a no from them too. It does sting. I feel like in other years, I might've had a pretty decent shot at making it into some of these schools. This is the lovely year I had to graduate into, and if it weren't for the pandemic, I might've been able to keep to my plan and keep studying. But maybe not--as far as I'm aware, I never even made it to a wait list. I know the users on here have said it's not necessarily being "good" at writing that gets you in, it's just being what they want, but since my goal is to eventually teach, I need an MFA (or an MA) as a stepping stone to a PHD. So the best I can do is keep working on my writing and try to make it better, then reapply? I can't control what the admissions people want, and to a pretty large degree, I can't ever really know that. What I can control is my own output, and so even though people are saying it's not about being "good," what else can I do with my own output but attempt to make it better? I have to believe that, at the end of the day, my path to graduate school lies in improving my abilities as a writer. Anyway, sorry for the wall of text, and thanks for the support from everyone. Unless a miracle happens, I'll stick around and go through this whole schtick again in one year.

It's been great reading about your story, because this is literally what I want to do with my life too. I want to teach creative writing and literature and publish both academically and creatively. Congrats on making it this far! Also, thanks for your advice. Everything I read online said to submit my most polished piece, so that's what I did. I submitted one I considered strong and that has gotten good reviews/gotten published. Looking back, I'm wishing I would've picked a more controversial piece (I do have those). One that pushes boundaries more, and one that some people have read and absolutely hated, others have loved. I have to say, I do find issues the idea that they wouldn't pick people because those people seemed very polished already. It puts a bad taste in my mouth, since it sort of feels like punishing people for their abilities. I don't put myself in this camp of people who are polished enough for this to be an issue, honestly, but something about the idea just feels... off to me.

I broke down and sent out some follow-up emails a few days ago, and it was actually a good experience (Whoever recommended against doing so seems pretty wrong imho). University of Southern California confirmed I wasn't getting in, they said my decision letter never went out due to a clerical error. The director also said, "If you don't accept another offer, we would welcome your application again next year," which I'm taking as a good thing, even though she definitely could've been just saying that. Oklahoma State University got back to me and said they should be sending out decision letters "in the next few days." That gives me some level of hope that I'll hear from them soon (also that it's not necessarily a "no") Tl:DR: it's totally appropriate to follow-up mid march.

Huge congratulations! You applied for like 15 schools, so I'm glad the extreme mental fortitude (And financial!) that took was rewarded in some way. You're a rockstar, great work!

Or it could be that the school cut funding to the arts, or that they're moving towards being a more STEM oriented program than previously, or any number of things, honestly. I wouldn't worry about it: applications are in, what's done is done.

I mean, I'd be happy for any people talking to me on any day--but yeah, not the best day to get a rejection My condolences for not getting in.

I submitted to The New Yorker, so... no. Never. I clearly don't set my sights high enough.

That actually does make me feel better about my application cycle, thanks. It's never been my goal to get into a "top" school, just a funded one. I mean, if I can get it in to a good one, yay! But anywhere that funds me is enough for my purposes, my goal from an MFA is to eventually go on to get a PHD and teach. Still surprised that USC hasn't rejected me yet lol. I might email them and ask for an update, just because I feel pretty confident that it's a no at this point.

Just going to throw out this plug, anyone else in here still waiting on USC (University of Southern California)? Like, I saw a ton of rejections go out a week ago, and still haven't heard anything. I'm honestly a bit confused, I was expecting they'd reject me pretty promptly... Anyone else in this boat with them?

I mean, I've had my work published in 5 and it hasn't seemed to do much for me during this cycle, so, you know. But mine are all sort of middling ones, I think some of the serious ones might've done more good for me. It certainly doesn't hurt, at any rate.

I would honestly love more of your insights on this. First off, which schools would you consider to be lesser-known fully funded programs? Second, my list of schools I applied to is: University of Utah, University of Houston, Florida State, Oklahoma State, University of Lincoln-Nebraska, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Southern Californa, Washington State University (Rhet/comp, not MFA). Where do these schools fall on the list, if you know? Sorry for all the questions, but my school taught me literally nothing about applying for graduate programs. We don't have GRE prep and it's strictly undergraduate, so I felt very blind going into this.

Heya, I really do feel this. I only applied to places that will fund me this year (or at least that have a high percentage of funding). You don't sound ungrateful; we all know it's an honor to be accepted, but we also all know that even for the best of us, writing isn't about the money, and doesn't offer a ton of money for us to throw at things like student debt. This is the advice of a complete stranger, so take it with a grain of salt, but I'd try not to stress out about taking an unfunded offer until the doors have ABSOLUTELY closed on any funded ones. And if that point comes, I'd recommend against getting an MFA unless you're funded. Either way, I hope whatever decision you make/outcome you experience suits you well. If things go poorly for us both, we might both be back here trying again next year ? This just round 1 for me, though, and I am only graduating in July of this year, so I know I'm probably not the best person to advocate patience. But at least for me, a lot of it is, I really thought my application was strong, and now I'm feeling like it wasn't enough, and that's a tough pill to swallow. If I were in your shoes, that could lead me to want to accept the offer I did get so that my application and my efforts would have been "enough." Don't wear that shoe if it doesn't fit, but that's how I'd be feeling, and that wouldn't be a good reason to actually say yes to an unfunded offer. Anyway, congrats on the offer you did get, and I hope you get one that fulfills your needs better.