mr. specific

Following up with gratitude and final stats. 6 accepts, 3 waitlists, 8 rejects. It's been an thrilling, humiliating, and encouraging process. Would love to help others w their sample or statement stuff in the future. Lotsa love.

Do you know if that mean stipends or tuition assistance? 20-40k toward Columbia tuition still leaves a lot of tuition.

I heard from NYU a month ago and they already had their accepted students visit. Columbia announced acceptances pretty recently and also have invited all their students to an event. So I'd say they're done with acceptances, but I don't know about waitlists. Some people have reported waitlists I think. Strange they have not told everyone yet.

Has anyone seen any actual money from Columbia? or have info on how many people they fully fund?

Congrats! I got into Miami too! They told me they were only taking 3 poets and 3 fiction writers. Maybe they meant there were 6 over the two years, or maybe I misunderstood. Regarding Syracuse, I don't have any special insight on the waitlist, but I am accepted there and most likely will not go, so hopefully that's good news for someone. I visited and it's a great program.

Iowa poetry is definitely not done yet. Acceptances still to come.

I am also interested in this question and have been looking for resources. This seems like a pretty legit approach: https://www.profellow.com/tips/how-to-negotiate-your-funding-offer-for-graduate-school-an-email-template/ I haven't tried it yet, and am a little anxious, but might give it a shot.

Not an MFA, but apparently University of Buffalo has rescinded several offers made this year for the English PhD after "budget cuts."

I've done this already with a couple faculty members. You may already have the logistical answers you're looking for, but you don't know their particular attitude towards the program and toward their students. I did run through a lot of those basic logistical type questions, but just as a jumping off point for finding common things to talk about. It's a good gauge of the culture of the program. I think about it as just having a conversation and hopefully building a relationship. You already got in, so you don't have to ask the standard interview-y questions. If they emailed you, they're happy to talk. They're probably as interested in you as you are them. I'd definitely speak with current students too, which will probably be incredibly helpful.

I'm in at Miami! And Columbia! Good afternoon, evening and good night. 5a/2w/6r/4p ❤️

I would love to know about Columbia too. I think NYU is done with acceptances (who knows there might still be a waitlist and I don't count anything out until I get the letter—looking at you, UMass) since they are having accepted students visit next week. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

I applied for poetry.

Wow thanks! I hope I hear back from them in a week or so. I'll definitely hit you up for Miami advice.

I got interviewed by Miami today and came away with a really excellent impression of the program there. They said they only take 3 in each genre, so my odds are still long, since I assume, based just on time slots they offered that the'yre interviewing at least ~10 per. But if they take me I would definitely consider moving to S. Florida. Also got a really nice waitlist notice from UVA several days ago, and they said not to post anything until the 5th. This is the only school I've seen do that, but I guess they want to wait till they can notify everyone (instead of waiting weeks like some schools). They won't say how many people are on the waitlist, though.

You clearly want to do it again. You'll feel disappointed for a couple months and then you'll get excited and get your hopes up to try again. As long as you're committed to keeping on writing it'll work out I believe. As someone who got more or less rejected across the board twice and is now sitting on 3 acceptances from the top programs (and a couple more WLs) it does get better with time and perseverance. I had other cheerleaders in my life though, who kept me going. Seek that out, workshop with other people you trust (and maybe limit your exposure to forums like this!) Don't necessarily try to publish unless you really want, though, bc that can be a lot of rejection.

Michener gets significantly more $$ and doesn't have to teach, because they "want to focus on your writing." On the other hand, NWP gets teaching experience, which may be better if you're trying to get a job directly after. People consider Michener much more prestigious, but I don't think you get any better of an education, basically are in almost all the same workshops as far as I can tell. There are one or two classes that only Michener can do. But I got rejected from both, so what do I know.

Yeah, definitely. They all make it very easy to visit, bc they really want you to come. Michigan even flies everyone out and puts them up for 3 days.

Got an interview request from University of Miami along with my anticipated rejections from both UT-Austin programs. In other news, it appears I never sent in the Vanderbilt application fee, so that would explain the lack of response there. Going to be dropping out of Indiana's waitlist today (which I hear is long, but hopefully that helps someone. Currently at: 3a/ 1w / 1 interviews/ 5 r/ 6p Trying to decide between Michigan, NYU, and Syracuse. Maybe Miami (if they let me in. For the weather, mostly).

Nice! ND is a cool program.

Not my first time around—my third. got rejected and waitlisted at a bunch of places and turned down my one partially-funded acceptance. Was not going to try again and then with the incredible support of my mentors and friends decided to throw everything at one last go around. My writing is way better than it was last time around and I also took the other parts of the application more seriously, like actually did more than one draft of SOP and had people read my sample. I'm also very, very lucky with my references. Not sure how much that other stuff matters in relation to the sample. A lot is luck and who's reading from year to year from what I can tell. When they take 3 or 4 or 5, they probably have 20 that are more or less equally good. So yeah, keep at it.

I genuinely don't know. It's NYC. And the faculty is incredible. I might do more work elsewhere though. I'm sure you would be an amazing classmate. Where else are you accepted/considering? (now at 3A/1/W/3/R/10P)

OMG GUYS. I just saw a missed call from 212. NYU called w full funding!! This may be the most exciting week of my life.

I don't want to speak too soon, but I will probably have to reject my poetry fellowship offer from Syracuse 😭 based solely on financial considerations. It's one of the schools I most want to attend, culturally feels like a great fit, love the faculty, but they also only offer 20k rn. That could change with a new union contract coming down the pike, but probably not soon enough for me. A younger, healthier person, though, can live on that in Upstate NY.

Same. So people got Michener rejections already? I still haven't received rejections from Michener, Vanderbilt, or UMass Amherst. If it's not happening I want to cross them off the list.

Yeah, I got an email today that lists all admits in fiction and poetry, so Syracuse is done.