[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

14 hours ago, abcdpppp said:

Thank you so much everyone for your comments on this, I realize it was a pretty self-indulgent irrelevant post haha so I so appreciate you taking the time to humor me. 

I just found out I was accepted at COLUMBIA. What the fuck. So now it's even more complicated, not because I want to accept there (that's simply too much debt......), but bc now I am really thinking if I spent more time I'd have a real chance next year to get into the fully funded places.

I know New York is expensive, but Brooklyn offers a lot of work on campus, adjuncting your second semester for good money and editing the Brooklyn Review, which I thought would be especially interesting as it would serve as double-way into the literary world of nyc, as a student/writer and as an employee. In a way that you may not get at like IWW, I want to learn how to work in literature, too. 

In other words I'd making more money and be more connected than if I just showed up in new york, which I was sort of planning on doing anyway, and that would be worth the bit of debt to me. Also honestly I'm ready to hustle a little, I've been cruising for the last years...

But now I have no fucking idea what to do, and so little time to decide. Going to call my undergrad advisors and see what they have to say. Thanks again everyone ❤️ 

Best of luck in all your writing and studying and decision-making endeavors!

Congrats on getting into Columbia either way--but still, what were we all smoking when we applied there? Lol it seems like everyone on here (including me) applied to Columbia even though its reputation is common knowledge. Hope you get this all figured out.

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

4 minutes ago, Starbuck420 said:

 

got it, best of luck. IMO, you will be 100% prepared to adjunct comp after an MFA and a few semesters of GA experience

totally agree that good writers do not equal good teachers, of course. I do strongly feel that these are not teacher training programs, however, and frankly I respect depts that carve out maximum time for students to write/read, even when this comes at the expense of instructional training (just saying -- more of a general comment, rather than one that's directed at yours specifically)

Agree. I think MFAs should cater to people who want to write/edit/publish for a living. After all it is a masters in Fine Arts. Maybe some lesser known programs could edge out a niche in the market by specializing in teaching writing teachers, but perhaps that's too much of a loss-of-face.

I'm a bit worried because the school I'm likely going to offers one student a job at The Florida Review and everyone else TA jobs. I don't want to be a teacher but I TA'd 4 writing classes during undergrad and currently have a permanent job as a tutor with the Princeton Review, so they're probably going to place me in one of the teaching positions based on my CV. Curse my qualifications! 

36 minutes ago, cherrypi said:

I am indeed referring to adjuncting. I have a background and circumstances that are compatible with this plan, and have worked as a TA more than one semester in college. I’m in my 40s with a supportive partner +20 years while he climbed the ladder. My turn. 
 

Im surprised there’s not more focus on teaching writers to teach, personally. A good writer does not necessarily make a good writing instructor. 

Very true. I heard from someone who went to IWW while Vonnegut taught there that he was a terrible teacher. Frankly if I was a published and renowned writer and had to teach to survive, I'd probably just walk into class and say, "Read and write a lot. And read good stuff, or else you'll write bad stuff" and call it a day

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

3 hours ago, Elwolf said:

Congrats to everyone getting news from SL today!!

 

so confused with Boston's approach this year... anyone else still waiting?

I'm still waiting too. I'm officially sick of checking my email and not seeing anything lol

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

35 minutes ago, empathy1 said:

Cady posted today to tell admits to ask MFA schools what percent of graduates are still writing 10 years after the MFA. She asked because for most schools it is 1%. Oh, @RosA-R, you’re youthful enthusiasm will fade. I mean it is statistical certainty. You probably won’t win the lottery. Instead, you’ll get older and wiser and stop seeing the world through rose tinted glasses.

Take it from  Shakespeare (or if not from him, from how his Middle English is interpreted by No Fear Shakespeare):

She should have died hereafter.(She would have died sooner or later anyway) There would have been a time for such a word. Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time, (Days go slowly) And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. (Past days have merely taken fools to death.) Out, out, brief candle! (Let’s die already) Life’s but a walking shadow,(Life is an illusion)  a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. (a crappy actor strutting and panicing his hour and then never heard from) It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. (Life is meaningless.)

Hilarious parody of the pretentious literary reply guy. The grammatical mistakes, the long and pointless quoting of No Fear Shakespeare, the aesthetically unappealing and condescending "Oh, rosa, you're youthful enthusiasm will fade." Truly stellar work! 

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

Got my rejection from Iowa fiction via snail mail! Congrats to yrdl and everyone else who got in or waitlisted. There was a handwritten note on it that said they liked the narrator of my first story so that's a bittersweet win in my book lol. Definitely going to accept UCF's offer if I get nothing else major in the next few days

35 minutes ago, miyano2699 said:

Hello everyone! I'm applying for poetry programs and would really appreciate any info - has anyone heard from Vanderbilt yet? And is it possible that Johns Hopkins is still sending out waitlists/acceptances?

Would also love it if anyone knows anything about UVA poetry waitlist - size, movement, past history of getting off the waitlist, etc..

Thank you very much!

Vanderbilt rejected me (for fiction) last week. I'm close to a lot of people who go to Vandy or work there, and they said it's a pretty typical Vandy move to make an MFA with a huge stipend that accepts 3 people to get high up on a selectivity rankings chart. Hope you get in though!

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

2 hours ago, evergreen13 said:

Congrats! Columbia started their first round of calls yesterday (no official letters). And NYU sent out letters to its first set of acceptances on the 2nd. I imagine Columbia acceptances will continue over the next week or longer, and that NYU will start announcing a waitlist soon. 

What genre are you applying in? Iowa's Nonfiction program seems to have sent out acceptances and rejections, but waitlisted people might be getting notified later.

I'm applying in fiction. And thanks! I guess there's still hope for Iowa if they've only sent out for nonfiction. It sounds ridiculous but Iowa was the most realistic in my eyes since my sample could be a bit longer than the NYC schools and Boston. Either way, I'm happy to go to Orlando. My family and friends are already talking about Disney World

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

2 hours ago, nicolette7766 said:

Hi! Big congrats on your schools so far!! I’ve heard great things about UCF. What genre are you? 

Also, I’ve seen acceptances and rejections go out for Iowa on draft. With NYU, I think all the fully funded offers went out and they’re been sending partially funded offers as of now. I think I might’ve seen someone get accepted to BU a few days ago but I’m not 100% sure. Hope this helps. 

Thanks a ton! I write literary fiction. And cool! I doubt I could afford NYU without full funding so this is helpful to know--sorry to disappoint you Jeffery Eugenides. Good luck with your applications too

[2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum]

Hey everyone! I got a sinking feeling from the email I got to confirm my email for this site so you know I'm whipped by this wait. So far:

-accepted to UCF w/ full funding + a good stipend offer! I'm really excited about the offer.

-accepted to AU as well with partial funding + meh stipend (7.6k I think?)

To help others: Vanderbilt already sent their rejection. TBH I shouldn't have even applied but I live in Nashville and they hypnotized me with the 30k stipend lol. It kinda seems like a scam really. They accept 3 people.

Still waiting on Columbia (which I can't afford), NYU, Iowa, and BU. Anyone have any word on those?