Scribe

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Yay. Super congratulations.

there is a fiction acceptance on draft dated 3/13. oh, and an interview for poetry way back on feb 1.

I’m guessing yes. I was accepted off a waitlist yesterday, a Sunday the director called from out of town (although in mine!) and asked if I declined, to please let them know so they could move on to the next person on the list. I don’t think it would be as likely but spring break falls close to the April 15 deadline so no one can afford a week long delay. I’m betting weekends, vacations, holidays are all compromised right now.

Jesus. What is so hard about a little courtesy. #justhitsend

U Miami says thanks but no thanks

official rejection from UNM. 'Bout time.

It's official: 1. waitlists are moving 2. there is rampant substance abuse among MFA program selection committees. I'm accepted at NWP.

I don't know where you live currently but... quoting this from Draft: I’m going to say it. It’s almost $90,000 a year. Then you have to live in NYC. If you don’t have a solid plan to pay for it, think long and hard. And remember there’s more than one chance in life. If your writing is such that you were waitlisted out of as many as 1200 people, you can be confident that the next round will be no more a long shot than this one. Your writing will only get better. AND you ALREADY know more about the process than you did a few months back. I want you to be where you want to be. I do NOT want to shit on your tomatoes. But I want you happy in both the long and short term. And the medium term. All the terms. But this is a huge move. Be good to yourself. I have a home, family, available work,a small passive income stream, a gainfully employed spouse, and huge support system right here in NYC. I turned down Columbia. I believe in the program or I wouldn’t have applied. But there’s more to life and education than the brass ring. Or what you think is the brass ring. YOU are the brass ring.

just to be a dick... When is it okay to ask a university to refund your application fee? I mean you paid to have your application reviewed. If you don't receive a rejection by April 15, how do we know they even looked at it? (BTW, anyone heard from UF yet?)

I know at least six final decisions aren’t out. It’s super frustrating. They are likely all rejections as their acceptances went out quite some time ago. #justhitsend.

Either program should be willing to put you in touch with current students. They can tell you real specifics and they will. you’re totally right about maximum clarity. Fellowship duties could be more hours than teaching and they certainly may not allow for as much flexibility. But then u may be assisting someone who asks for very little.

I can tell you very little but I’ll do what I can. I recently found out I’ll be expected to put 20 hours a week into teaching a single class. I was also told to absolutely set that as an upper limit. So if you’re doing 15 I would say that’s pretty good but also set that as your upper. Limit. in my program it seems other students do find ways to make money on the side without compromising their writing time. BUT we also only take one class, not two. The remaining credits are comprised of the workshop element which is demanding but seems to have at least some of the writing time built in to the credit load. I’ve heard this about other programs as well. finally, my director has told me that it’s “bad” to spend too much time writing. I think what’s going to happen is my writing time will be more scheduled, directed, and disciplined. As such it will be more efficient. I hope this for both of us.

This. Look into Jess Silfa. They are an admin on Draft and offer workshops JUST for the admissions process. They've been on Jared McCormack's 'MFA Writer's Podcast' twice, once for just being an MFA expert.

Honestly, I’m not really in limbo. I know where I’m going and it’s a good package. I’ll be going BACK to living paycheck to paycheck. No matter what I’m almost certainly going to have to pick up the occasional side gig, unless we hit the lottery or my wife suddenly gets a huge pay bump. But I figure it’s that way for everyone. Well, almost everyone. Very few schools offer livable money. I’ll be okay and so will you. Consider how much time the teaching load takes and gives. Don’t forget about summers. This is doable.

I'm not sure about the heaviest movement. I mean, I'm projecting here but i want to pull the trigger as soon as possible. (I'm actually having trouble declining an offer) What affects the speed of waitlist movement the most is the drag of acceptance and rejection. It's a month out from D-day and I'm still waiting on 7 official notifications. Of course there's plenty of overlap too. I'm on 5 waitlists, but I'm only waiting on one really. By the end of next week I alone wil be responsible for a one point movement at two schools at least. That doesn't count my waitlists because if i'm last, i may not move them at all. But yes, this will easily continue into May which will make housing an issue for many. then there's the separate waitlists for funding - which is just fucking cruel. that fucks shit up for a lot of people.

This. and there's more coming.

So, I won't say it's definitely a rejection, but I know two people are accepted from out of state and half the cohort must be from in state and the fiction cohort was five this year. I do not know if there are more in state acceptees on the poetry side or not. hope this helps.

I hear you. the PNW is one of the more beautiful places on earth. enjoy it!

Congratulations! It seems a great program. that's great intel, thanks. any mention of a housing guarantee?

that's the data i have too. thanks.

As I said, waitlisted. Any idea what their stipend is?

I was waitlisted for fiction today, if that helps. no mention of a stipend offer for the anointed.

I haven't been as active these last few days and I'm sorry since I told everyone I was hanging in here til the end. I still am and I know I haven't been up on my congrats, welcomes, and encouragements. But I am still here and I am still behind you all. For those in softrvlille and waitlistburg I hear you. I'm kinda there too and looking at the next stage of my life with sober anxiety. There's a lot happening with respect to budgets. Both cohorts and stipends are being cut while some schools are expanding their programs in the hopes of gaining funding themselves. some are also increasing stipends in response to dramatic cost of living changes. It seems to me this year is one where you can really give yourself a break if you didn't get an A. I know there are some who are apprehensive (bullshit, it's just your pride) about approaching your recommenders again next year. Don't be. If you need an excuse, tell them about the budget cuts. Hell, lie and say you got in to a few places but it didn't work out. But do not give up. I am as dumb as dirt. I was rejected from TEN programs SO FAR. That does not include six (maybe seven - UW Seattle?) soft rejections. And there are more after that. In fact, it is quite possible the only reason i got in anywhere is because I cast such a wide net. Two programs rejected me TWICE! WTF is that about? I can be lighthearted about it all now, but you will be too. Keep writing. keep reading. Keep learning. I am so grateful to you all.

Yeah. She was great. Said that there really wasn't anything they could teach me and that it just wouldn't be fair to the rest of the cohort or the first person on the waitlist. She then asked if she could send me something she's been working on and would i look it over and give her some notes.