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I don't think it was corrupted, but was open for editing and someone must've messed up the entire sheet lol. They had to restore it to a previous version, but I don't think it had that many more results lost in the process. I was watching it pretty much in real-time last year and this year's sheet has WAY more results posted.

I'm sure whichever program wonderchild @DanielNiver declines, you'll take the spot!

No, someone got their acceptance email about 3 hours before me and I wrote them off; was subsequently shocked later. Give it a day at least.

This is my second cycle and I just wrote more things and better (in poetry tho). Haha, hard to say what I changed. I just did More and exactly what I wanted to write. The one thing I improved a lot was my statement; you'll want to focus all parts of it toward the work you do and not make it about you personally. The IU Writers' Conference offers scholarships to attend, which waives the tuition. Otherwise, the tuition is still more affordable than lots of other summer workshops, and they can even get you a place in a dorm for the stay if a hotel is too expensive. They definitely have a nonfiction workshop and classes. It was a short 4-day conference, but I enjoyed it. (Though, I live here so it was basically nothing after getting a scholarship.)

Someone in Draft who is an Arizona undergrad said to expect UA's decisions by no later than Tuesday. (I guess they've been on spring break this week.) Here's hoping that turns true!

Thanks! I'm fine since I'm in a good spot this cycle, it's just a little perplexing regardless!

Rejected from South Carolina.... where I was waitlisted last year... Very weird!

Oh I was fully neurotic last year, I just tried to not post about it as much lmao. This cycle is overall much more positive and light-hearted!

I recall that last year, someone had received an acceptance from somewhere (I think it was the University of Kentucky?) but either she made a typo on her email address or the university did on their end, so she didn't even know for like many weeks that she had an offer! (I keep telling myself this about Oregon State, because it seems like all their decisions already went out, and I am still in limbo, even though it doesn't matter in my case.)

While I'm on the topic of music—if anyone has a long road trip as they move this summer, (36hr drive for me most likely), do yourself a favor and listen to Hejira by Joni Mitchell. Or just listen to it now. One of the all-timers for sure.

I have been listening to Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens to prepare for my Oregon trip... not sure it's the right move, because it's so depressing lmao

I think we were all kinda talking about the number of applications at the start of the cycle, and this definitely seems true for some programs, but I think I read Idaho got a record number of applications not only for their program, but their entire graduate school. Michigan said over 800, which would be slightly more than last year. And someone else said Iowa got 900 fiction apps alone? So, it's sort of interesting to wonder which programs saw more apps and which saw less. IIRC @DanielNiver mentioned a school that got far fewer apps than expected... (I guess you don't have to fess up!) I wish we had stats for the last 3-5 years, because it certainly didn't feel like, at the end of this, that there were fewer apps than last year. WAY more stats given in Draft, but also way fewer given on the GradCafe results page. (This also might be endemic to younger people tending toward social media rather than a standalone forum? Who knows?)

Last year, they didn't send out rejections until 3/20. So, they take their sweet time.

Meta is down. I repeat, Meta is down.

If anyone here was accepted/waitlisted at Oregon, I am visiting Eugene on Thursday next week. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to know the vibe of the city/program/workshop/etc! And if you plan on going there regardless, also hmu!

I feel like I applied to Iowa more out of obligation and prestige more than an actual desire to go there. One of my letter writers used to teach there, (not in IWW but very adjacent, let's say), and they said that students can get overlooked while in the program. I think I also read an anecdote about Iowa "taking a risk" with someone they thought could be promising and then that writer didn't live up to their expectations. Just giving some perspective that Iowa might not be right for everybody! Obviously I can't say that from a place of certainty myself, but it's not the be-all and end-all for all writers.

I don't know about the relative prestige / program design of OSU vs Pitt for nonfic, but Pittsburgh is infinitely cooler than Columbus 😉 haha

Iowa has definitely started making calls for poetry! One report on the Draft spreadsheet.

I noticed that people at Oregon State sent out admits/waitlists/rejections... I am however still in limbo...? 🤔

Virginia and Brown are the only schools I care to hear from at this point... and one of them just released acceptances.... oh well!!!

The amount of bliss I just experienced deleting my "2025 MFA Application" spreadsheet because I will no longer need it...

I was waitlisted at South Carolina last year (and seemingly not this year...) and didn't make it off. Hope it works out for you! I'm a fan of their faculty and it seems like a great, underrated program.

Heya, just had my call with Oregon. I think I saw waitlists went out yesterday, so I'm not sure how much they'll have to draw from it / if they're done with all their decisions. FWIW I am waitlisted at Illinois, which was my top choice, but now I might go to Oregon regardless... D'oh I forgot to ask how many applicants they had.

To quote the meme: "Damn Daniel". Congrats!

Thanks for doing that! It seems like they also probably have no idea when they can make offers... Welp, I'm very happy with my 1a and would probably take it over Arizona anyways