yeah, that was me who got waitlisted. and i'm happy about it, but then that voice in my head says, "you know the admissions committee is made up of writers, right? you know how much writers drink; they were probably hammered when they read your stuff."
i did actually say to my wife, "if nothing else, someone out there who makes a living at this stuff, thinks i'm capable." i believe that too. but sometimes there's the other voice. i think we all have it. i just need to say it a little.
as far as IQ being a terrible measure of intelligence, it isn't. it's an excellent measure of one type of intelligence. unfortunately no one can nail down exactly what that is. it hangs out as a benchmark because other measures are even harder to quantify. we'll get there.
10 programs? that's cute.
seriously, though, thanks for this. i really hate the insecure side of myself so all you guys are supercool for not judging.
still, i think in the modern world an mfa is almost a necessity. there are agents who won't look at you without one and probably a few who look closer because of them. an mfa does a lot of legwork for screeners.