Hjanep

Got my Iowa rejection (fiction). Including that my manuscript was well-received by readers and encouragement to apply again. Real talk: is this in every rejection letter?

Ho boy this is fully me in the peanut gallery but while you’re soliciting opinions I’m happy to share mine. For context: I live in NYC and the only school I applied to in the city is NYU and I’m currently on the waitlist. At this point, idk if I would even go if I got in because it would mean half funding, etc but let’s see if I get in and then I’ll make the call. If I were you, I would 100% take the fully funded Columbia offer. They have some amazing alumni (Nunez, Cline, etc), and faculty. I only didn’t apply because I figured the odds of getting the full funding were SO low and I live in Park Slope and couldn’t move closer within the city because childcare limitations. Huge congrats on your acceptances and keep us posted!

Theeeeere’s the Brown R

I’m still hoping that summoning circle works for all of us and we all get into Brown haha

It ain’t over til it’s over but it looks like Brown made at least 1 fiction call. 5 spots for 800 applicants 🫠

What genre were you for Iowa / did you get a letter or an email?

Seconding this. I know someone who went to Michener and didn’t get in to Columbia. I think the bad rap on Columbia is more centered on their contribution to the student debt pool for an MFA. I didn’t apply because I didn’t want to be tempted to go if I got in without full funding / my recommenders are all very anti-Columbia and I felt semi shamed from asking them to write recommendations for that program

Me too!! 😭

Me too haha

Say more

I think just for poetry. Based on last year, fiction probably coming next week

And if I’ve learned anything, life is long and it’s easy to burn out on things or to start losing the passion for what you’re doing. So just keep showing up and writing and nurturing the wonder and some of these people won’t last anyway.

I feel you. The last Iowa fiction admit I know of has an agent, is ~24 and wrapping up an MA in the UK. I’m… 36 and struggling to find time to write with my general life/work obligations (my kids are 1 and 3) and I’m having such a hard time giving myself grace and not losing hope entirely

Another R down with UVA. So discouraged I’m not even getting close with any of these.

I hope not. I’m oscillating between not wanting to be rejected across the board and knowing I have another year before a chance of an A vs. wanting to just know the outcome for this year. And I’m traveling this week so if Iowa snail mails us rejections soon, I won’t get mine until after I’m back 😵‍💫

Fun fact: this is about the time Tom Petty was NOT performing/on stage

This is just the state I have been in post Iowa fiction calls starting to roll out. I feel like my heart just lives in my throat now

I didn’t apply to NWP or Irvine but I think Irvine is more prestigey fwiw. I would visit both (if you get into NWP) and make the call off gut.

This is me talking out of my ass in the peanut gallery, never having attended an MFA program and sitting here with Rs across the board so - big grain of salt here. I *think* if someone got into Michener and NWP they are more likely to gravitate toward Michener so the “caliber” of someone getting into Michener would be higher? I know this shit is all highly subjective and someone should pick whichever program they think will serve their writing best. Also the Michener grads spent all that time writing and none of that time teaching? Maybe someone who has actually attended/visited/etc. either of these programs could weigh in with some actual insights.

My understanding is Michener is an older program and has no teaching requirement whereas NWP has a teaching requirement. I think Michener is slightly higher on the “prestige” hierarchy (e.g. some agents who DGAF if a query is from someone with an MFA might GAF if the author is from Iowa/Michigan/Michener).

We have a way more robust spreadsheet this year. My swaggy analysis said 50-70% of admits are reflected on the draft spreadsheet. If you look at last year, there were only a small handful of Iowa admits on there (for example)

Also, not like this knowledge helps me in any way, but would love an accurate gauge of how many of these are reflected by Draft.

Looks like UVA fiction is trickling out….

Paid my non refundable childcare deposit for 2024-2025. Bring on those acceptance calls

Omg this is me. I was staying in NJ on vacation and there was an Iowa street around the corner from our Airbnb. Plus all these other similar Iowa signs. 🙌🏼