xenawins

Columbia [thinks they have] rejected me.
I add the brackets because I committed to Naropa last night.

I just accepted my spot at Hollins  Much love to everyone on this thread!!!

Okay uhhhhhh…I just got accepted off the waitlist at Hollins, full funding, whole shebang????? I’m in shock to be honest. Seriously haven’t even processed this at ALL. I got the email as I was on the phone with my big sister — I was telling her that I was pretty much at peace about not going to an MFA this fall / that I wasn’t expecting to switch jobs or really do anything big any time soon. The MOMENT those words left my mouth, I got the acceptance email.
As we say in AA, don’t quit until the miracle happens  WOW

Congratulations on your acceptances! WHOO!! Yeah, I was FLOORED when I saw how much Columbia was and the funding options... yeesh. Sending you all the vibes for whatever decision you make!

A friend got a call from Mona Awad today (Friday 03-25) saying they'd been accepted off the waitlist for fiction at Syracuse.

Busy day today - Got the rejection email from University of Florida fiction, definitely the nicest of the form letters. I would have been disappointed if not for all the updates on UF from you guys on this forum. Thanks.
Got a first, strangely unspecific email from the Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions at Florida International University, where I applied in fiction: "We were able to refer your file to the program for consideration today. Once we receive their recommendation, we will issue a final decision letter via email." Any experience with such a communication or thoughts?
Got financial aid notifications from Sarah Lawrence and George Mason.
Still awaiting CCNY, Queens, and FSU waitlist. Anyone hear from them?
Thanks all!

I'm so sorry, but unfortunately I don't have any advice for external funding. The external funding opportunity that I'm working with doesn't cover full tuition, and it's also extremely, extremely niche (as in, literally part of my eligibility for it boils down to the county where I was raised). It's also not specific to creative writing in general. It is my understanding that external scholarships are not common at all for MFAs. I wish I could offer you better advice.

If anyone hears about movement in the Syracuse (fiction) waitlist let me know! The anxiety is killing me

Congrats! I feel you on victorious first round. I still haven’t heard from Columbia but hearing about how they give little to no funding atop being expensive and in an expensive city, looking to go to Naropa come fall.

Huge congrats! I'm really glad you got some good news after a long, stressful season. 

Hello all,
Been gone for a hot second...going through a divorce so shit has been incredibly difficult. In some ways, it's been a distraction from the agony of waiting for my final response. But now I'm happy to report that I received an acceptance offer from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with full funding! That brings my results to 1a/2w/5r. It feels so good to know the results and as this is my first time applying, I'm really pleased with the outcome! Still waitlisted at ASU and UTK. I'm so grateful to this group for all the valuable info, encouragement, and insights offered here.
I'm curious if anyone here has any info about SIU's program? It sounds amazing and right up my alley. Plus I read a piece by one of their faculty today and got choked up by the intense resonance I felt. I'm waiting to hear back from a current student about her experience, but while I wait, figured I'd bring it back to the group if anyone has thoughts
Hope everyone is getting the offers, info, and encouragement they need through this. Sending epic word-smithing thoughts!
 

Hello all,
Been gone for a hot second...going through a divorce so shit has been incredibly difficult. In some ways, it's been a distraction from the agony of waiting for my final response. But now I'm happy to report that I received an acceptance offer from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with full funding! That brings my results to 1a/2w/5r. It feels so good to know the results and as this is my first time applying, I'm really pleased with the outcome! Still waitlisted at ASU and UTK. I'm so grateful to this group for all the valuable info, encouragement, and insights offered here.
I'm curious if anyone here has any info about SIU's program? It sounds amazing and right up my alley. Plus I read a piece by one of their faculty today and got choked up by the intense resonance I felt. I'm waiting to hear back from a current student about her experience, but while I wait, figured I'd bring it back to the group if anyone has thoughts
Hope everyone is getting the offers, info, and encouragement they need through this. Sending epic word-smithing thoughts!
 

He's referring to a specific user on a specific Facebook page called MFA Draft. 
She's a frequent on that site and she holds the claim that the prestige of your MFA does affect your chances of getting published and into fellowships, all other things being equal. 
My research into the people who get into fellowships and who get published suggests otherwise. On a per-capita basis for things after graduation, a lot of these schools are very, very level, even schools that aren't "big names" like University of Houston or Boise State University. My conclusion from that is that it has less to do with "which" fully-funded one you go to.
Also, the take that some small programs are as hard to get into as Iowa is, on a numerical basis, pretty easily provable. Iowa usually offers around 25 slots for poetry and 25 for fiction. University of Florida, this year, offered 2 for each. Does Iowa get 12X the number of applicants as Florida? Not even remotely. Florida got hundreds this year, whereas Iowa statistics suggest around 1k each year.
Sure, you can make the argument that Iowa got higher-quality applicants, but considering it's more well-known, that is actually doubtful. Well-known things tend to get more applicants, period. 
That was my main point. If a program only accepts an extremely small cohort, it can be just as hard to get into as a well-known one that accepts a comparatively larger cohort. 
Not to say that getting into Iowa isn't a HUGE accomplishment, it really is. 
I recommend that anyone applying for an MFA apply to both types of cohorts. Getting in is extremely random. Some forum/draft users get accepted into the "top tier" schools while also being rejected from the other ones. It really does depend on what the program wants. 

Got a call this morning from Columbia - in for fiction with a scholarship far greater than I'd imagined. I'm so grateful and thrilled. Thanks to a fantastic potential external scholarship opportunity, I might be able to afford it if I choose to go, especially combined with the scholarship they gave me. My mentor, an NYT bestselling author, went to Columbia, so this one actually meant a lot to me. This closes out my season at 7a/0w/5r. 
This group - all of you guys - helped me get through this. This season had so many ups and downs, and it's been a true honor to see so many of you succeed. To those still waiting, or those who didn't get the results you wanted, you're all still amazing, and nothing will ever make you not be a writer. 
Sorry for the gushy post. Lots of love going around!

Hi guys, long time lurker, first time poster.
I just got a phone call from the adcom saying that I am admitted to SAIC. And as I am an international student who is still in college and will graduate in May, I think @maryak99does have a chance!

@BCBCBC they 100% will e-mail you if they can't reach you by phone. Don't sweat it. 

hey, if it helps at all, i just graduated college last semester and applied. i got accepted to ohio state and waitlisted at alabama. you definitely have a chance!

Yeah, way to get into a program on your first attempt. Best of luck with the rest of your apps. : ) Don’t know anything about UW-Madison, because I didn’t apply there. 

hi everyone. long time lurker, first time poster. this is my first time applying to mfa’s. i just graduated college in the fall, so i’m a little new to all this stuff haha. but i got accepted into ohio state and waitlisted at alabama for fiction. i saw someone on draft post about a waitlist for wisconsin-madison and was wondering if anyone here has been accepted to their program. 
hope everyone is doing well  

Heavy is the head that wears the first Iowa acceptance

I definitely get why people don't like it, but idk, I enjoy the vibe. There's a lot of congratulations for people, and also a lot of people who go there to gripe and lay off steam, and it seems fairly supportive from what I've seen. 
Mostly just saying this for anyone who's thinking about joining it, not the best for everyone, but I've had a positive experience with it *Shrug. 

Totally get this. I actually deleted my Facebook altogether recently (wanting to reduce my internet footprint for some reason lately...digital decluttering.) I was in Draft during my first round of apps, and I very quickly grew to hate it. Too competitive, too much dick-measuring. Plus, I didn't like being able to see all the other applicants faces and names. You're extremely good looking AND you're racking up acceptances?! (looking skyward) God, I see what you've done for others... /s

I joined the Facebook draft group in November 2021. Initially it was interesting and helpful, but it also made me way more obsessive than I wanted to be. Eventually, I left, and while I was itching to rejoin and to obsessively check people's posts all day, I was truly relieved to be unable to do so. But then one wretched, dumb dumb day in early February, I caved and tried to rejoin, thinking it'd  take a while to be approved anyway, and maybe I'd change my mind in the interim. I was wrong. Unfortunately, I was immediately allowed back in -- apparently once you're accepted to a Facebook group you always have access to it even after you leave? I don't know how it works. Either way, I really freaking hate obsessively checking the group but now that I have access I cannot stop. My point is, you who are having trouble getting in, you are blessed and I envy you. 

Xena does win! Woot woot! So happy for your second waitlist! Validation indeed! Keep writing, keep working!

Started the morning out with the rejection from Mich. I feel better knowing at least!
...AND THEN I GOT NOTIFIED I'M ON THE WAITLIST AT ASU!!  I'm so pleased, this makes waitlist #2 and just feels like a huge boost and validation, no matter what ends up happening. I'm going to keep on writing whether I end up in a program this year or not, but gosh, it always feels nice to be noticed!