infiniteplane

i spoke to a cnf prof at columbia earlier this week and she told me the program is about 70-80 fiction students, 10-15 poetry, and 30-40 in nonfiction. she also told me that workshops are capped at 12 ppl but are typically around 7-8. not sure how they keep them so small but it sounds like they manage

this is something i also struggled with a lot initially when i got my acceptance. what helped me was really reflecting on my own attachment to notions of "prestige." did i want an acceptance because it meant my work had been recognized by these institutions? or was i serious about honing my craft in a new and challenging environment? and if it was the latter, then the reputation of the program matters a lot less. ironically it also helps to step away from online spaces like the draft facebook page. i think someone on here mentioned that the programs that are most talked about/recognized in the literary world are often not the same as those hailed as prestigious in draft circles. in the end a program is just a program, it's not necessarily an arbiter of good writing or even talent. i think we place a lot of emphasis on being a "good fit" for a program, but this implies that theres some intrinsic trait some ppl already possess that allows them to thrive in a certain environment where others wouldnt. this might be true to an extent but i suspect it also comes down to your individual efforts and what you put into it. so i've started to think of mfa programs more as a tool you can use to develop your writing/career, not as this perfect world waiting for you to step into, cause ultimately it's up to you to make it into whats right for you

hi everyone, is it generally really frowned upon to renege on an acceptance? i'm sort of in a terrible position because i didn't fill out a financial aid application in time, and now the school may not get back to me before the reply date about whether or not i'll be given funding, so i'll have to make a decision without knowing 🥲 i know it certainly looks bad to go back on an offer, but like, bad enough that i wouldn't get in if i applied next cycle? would appreciate any insight on this!

hi just wanted to say that i'm in a similar boat and ik exactly how you feel. i don't want to seem ungrateful or that i'm undermining my accomplishments but i am feeling a bit disappointed because the programs are unfunded and not that competitive. ppl have been so excited for me when i tell them i got into columbia but in my head i'm like..its not as hard as you probably think 😭

i'm under the assumption that acceptances get sent out all at once, but is that not always the case? to me it doesn't make sense to stagger them like you would with acceptances, rejections, waitlists, etc. 🤔 and yeah that was probably a smart decision on your part. i was definitely rushing to throw together a critical writing sample because i wanted to apply there so badly...wouldn't be surprised if that brought down the overall quality of my app

I applied to Northwestern for CNF and haven't heard anything, pretty sure that means a rejection. ngl feels pretty terrible because that was my top choice, I figured it was a long shot but damn the rejection still stings 🥲