lenagator1997

Hey all! I'm an MFA student who haunts these forums because I remember what it was like to be waiting to hear back from programs. I have a few things to say to applicants if you're willing to listen. 
1) Only apply to funded programs. I know it's old advice, but  it's still good advice. Even funded programs that are "lower" tier are still better than the best unfunded program. Consider that Columbia costs around 150k, comparable to medical school, and that even doctors have a hard time paying off their loans. So please don't think you'll be paying it off with writing. Only go to a non-funded school if you have 150k to spend, in which case, do it if you really want to. It will still be the same thing--some workshops, some other classes, some award-winning writers. Every MFA has that stuff.
2) Actually do your homework. Read some work by the authors at these programs. If you like the work, mention that author by name in your statement of purpose. Everyone loves to be complimented, and they will feel good knowing that you have actually done the work of seriously looking into the school. And speaking of SoPs, actually take the time to truly tailor each one to the school.
3) Submit your best (and favorite) work. Take your best and favorite story or two (or poem or essay) and revise and revise and revise until every single word can stand trial and still remain in the story. As Raymond Carver said (quoting another author), you are finished revising when, on one pass, you take a single comma out of the story, and on the next pass, you put it back in.
4) Submit and forget. Once you've submitted, go back to doing things you love. Go to the gym. Hang out with friends. Anything that will be good for your soul and push the dreaded decision letter out of your mind.
 
Good luck everyone! It took me a couple application rounds to get into a program. If you don't get in, just keep living and writing and try again next time.

Hey, I wanted to mention something about U New Hampshire funding. According to a student graduating in the spring, my full tuition remission is a rare event and they typically give out two thirds or half. I didn't realize that when researching so it's not on my spreadsheet. Thought I'd inform you in advance.

Oh shoot! I just received an offer of admission from the University of Maryland! I’m going to Maryland!

Hello, I just wanted to send a message to anyone who has an offer to a program they're not excited about. My message is: you don't have to go. Last year I got some fully-funded offers but not from the programs at the top of my list. I was on some waitlists, but they didn't work out. I felt like I had to say yes to the best offer I had, even though I was pretty sure that it wasn't a good fit. I didn't click with anyone on the faculty and I felt pretty out of place with most of my cohort when I met them. I committed, but I ended up being right: my program is not the best place for me. I am not sure what I'm going to do, if I will drop out or finish or transfer, but I wish that I was not in this position. I wanted to be in a program so bad, and I thought I would be a failure if I applied a second time, so I said yes, but it is really hard to live in a place I resent. My advice is that if you're disappointed with your offer (even if it is fully funded, even if other people would love to be in your shoes!) it's okay to say no thanks. Trying again next year doesn't make you a failure. Good luck with your decisions this week!

Okay I'm going to pitch in my two cents here on this topic. (Not hating or directly responding to anyone, this is my perspective.)
The way I see it, if you're going through any type of grad program, you're going to be in debt for something. People say an MFA degree is fiscally irresponsible because the jobs you get out of it will not equalize out your loans or the debt you rack up while in the program. Well, I knew I wasn't going to be a millionaire when I declared my English and History double major in college and I knew to get anywhere in either field I would have to get a Masters, thus spending more money.
I also heard the same speech about going into debt with law school too because I wanted to be a Public Interest Lawyer. Everyone said "dear god please tell me you're going into literally anything else." People in Public Interest Law make one of the lowest amounts of money per year in the field...so everyone said I was royally screwed. I was damned if I wanted to go to law school and damned if I wanted to get an MFA. If I was in it for the money, I would have gone into Corporate Law instead.
With the MFA degree, fully funded programs are one of the only ways some students can afford to go, I understand that. Money isn't funny. But in the broader scheme of things, if you can. weigh your options and make the choice that's right for you, especially this year since most colleges and universities are struggling financially. It might be a higher price tag but maybe the program is worth it.

Okay I'm going to pitch in my two cents here on this topic. (Not hating or directly responding to anyone, this is my perspective.)
The way I see it, if you're going through any type of grad program, you're going to be in debt for something. People say an MFA degree is fiscally irresponsible because the jobs you get out of it will not equalize out your loans or the debt you rack up while in the program. Well, I knew I wasn't going to be a millionaire when I declared my English and History double major in college and I knew to get anywhere in either field I would have to get a Masters, thus spending more money.
I also heard the same speech about going into debt with law school too because I wanted to be a Public Interest Lawyer. Everyone said "dear god please tell me you're going into literally anything else." People in Public Interest Law make one of the lowest amounts of money per year in the field...so everyone said I was royally screwed. I was damned if I wanted to go to law school and damned if I wanted to get an MFA. If I was in it for the money, I would have gone into Corporate Law instead.
With the MFA degree, fully funded programs are one of the only ways some students can afford to go, I understand that. Money isn't funny. But in the broader scheme of things, if you can. weigh your options and make the choice that's right for you, especially this year since most colleges and universities are struggling financially. It might be a higher price tag but maybe the program is worth it.

Okay I'm going to pitch in my two cents here on this topic. (Not hating or directly responding to anyone, this is my perspective.)
The way I see it, if you're going through any type of grad program, you're going to be in debt for something. People say an MFA degree is fiscally irresponsible because the jobs you get out of it will not equalize out your loans or the debt you rack up while in the program. Well, I knew I wasn't going to be a millionaire when I declared my English and History double major in college and I knew to get anywhere in either field I would have to get a Masters, thus spending more money.
I also heard the same speech about going into debt with law school too because I wanted to be a Public Interest Lawyer. Everyone said "dear god please tell me you're going into literally anything else." People in Public Interest Law make one of the lowest amounts of money per year in the field...so everyone said I was royally screwed. I was damned if I wanted to go to law school and damned if I wanted to get an MFA. If I was in it for the money, I would have gone into Corporate Law instead.
With the MFA degree, fully funded programs are one of the only ways some students can afford to go, I understand that. Money isn't funny. But in the broader scheme of things, if you can. weigh your options and make the choice that's right for you, especially this year since most colleges and universities are struggling financially. It might be a higher price tag but maybe the program is worth it.

Big mood. Maybe that troll should spend more time writing instead of being vindictive and wasting everyone's time. If we ignore it...maybe it'll go away...?

This isn't good news for anyone, but it's comforting to know the troll is going to be stuck on Gradcafe forever, like purgatory. They will never leave because the forum seems to be their main writing outlet instead of, y'know, writing stories.

Big mood. Maybe that troll should spend more time writing instead of being vindictive and wasting everyone's time. If we ignore it...maybe it'll go away...?

in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king

That is not exactly true. For starters, the School of General Studies is more or less open admission. The General Studies School has its own classes, but you can sign up, with limitations, for Columbia College classes. If you apply to Columbia College, you are barred for three years from applying to the School of General Studies. Sounds crazy but google it. 
People in New York know all about the General Studies School, but I agree that overseas people might be fooled, as with the Columbia MFA. 
I only googled her because she posted the strange claim that she has a GED but is ivy league. She was implying that is normal. I knew that was just about impossible. She was being deceptive in order to inspire with her achievements. I found it distasteful. A quick google search showed she meant Columbia School of General Studies.
Every MFA rejected me. You don't get me at all. My type brags about failure. It gives us reason to strive. My type never makes the irrational claim that they were rejected everywhere but did not fail. I failed alright, failed everywhere and grandly. Don't feel sorry for me. I'm not noble and secretly suspect I'm usually the smartest in the room. 

Since you don't get the bias, I'll tell it. It isn't bias, and it isn't "everything," just the lies, particularly the lies with long term debt at stake. This is the standard debate between coddling and truth. If you can’t process it any other way, see it as a troll opportunity without need to lie, and with doing public good. Any way you take it, if you pay for Columbia, assuming your name isn’t Rockefeller, you are a fool.
This is why Cady and to a lesser extent the less courageous Jess tell everyone not to pay. On this issue, we intersect.
You aren't ready to write if you believe "We all know deep down in our hearts we aren't special." That is probably the biggest lie I've heard this year, and I don't believe you believe it. 
"I don't know why the professor made the sales call and why Columbia wanted to charge me.": More reality. They want to charge you because they didn't think your last minute submission was top 1%. Now you know. 

You've read this on Draft already. If they gave a "pittance," you weren't one of their chosen ones. They thought you better than the ones rejected and worse than the chosen ones.
They read your sample. They read a lot of samples. They just won't remember it. The signal for how good they thought the sample is the funding. They know most people turn them down if they ask for tuition. They know most anyone would rather go to one of the 60 funded programs than pay for them.  You said your sample had typos. It was up against samples that were not done at the last minute.

I'm pretty sure I'll be accepting my offer from UVA!!! I've been hesitate to talk about it because things feel up in the air still in some ways. The faculty are so insanely talented and the faculty member I spoke to was very kind and happy to answer my questions. Honestly feel like this is the best fit for me. At this point I'm taking myself off a few waitlists, but I'm still waiting to hear back about my waitlist to University of Michigan, mostly because the funding is so great but also because I miss living near my family in the midwest. If I was fortunate enough to get accepted off the waitlist, I would at least consider it. I think what makes me anxious about UVA is the fact that I've never lived in the south east part of the US! But I think it would be pretty exciting, too. 

Hey have you guys committed to going to anywhere yet for your MFA programs? I'd like to know where you all are headed!

I'll be at ASU

Hey have you guys committed to going to anywhere yet for your MFA programs? I'd like to know where you all are headed!

Hey have you guys committed to going to anywhere yet for your MFA programs? I'd like to know where you all are headed!

YASSS I'll see you there! ? Anyone else on here committed to UNH?
 

YASSS I'll see you there! ? Anyone else on here committed to UNH?
 

Committed to New Hampshire.

Also got rejected from WashU, but they only had like 10 spots this year! Onward and Upward!
Whats Next?

Hey,
Totally not just you. When I was in the process of applying to my MFA programs I was busy outlining, drafting and editing like crazy. But now while I'm busy hearing back from places I haven't written anything of consequence. The inspiration and motivation isn't there right now. I also know I wrote better huddled in the library at my liberal arts school than I do at home, so sometimes I go for a walk and climb a tree instead! It will all come back eventually!

Hey Everyone!
I just wanted to say I will be attending University of New Hampshire's MFA Creative Writing program in the fall! If any of you are as well I would love to say hi!