Scribe

So, I don't exactly know what your fears are but my experience with black women tells me it's safety. There are a few things you should know. one is that these are college towns and that makes a huge difference. If it's emotional safety, you may be unpleasantly surprised anywhere, but you may not. In a small town upstate a few years ago a friend of mine would not walk into a diner before i did. I hadn't noticed her fear, possibly because my hackles were up already. every other vehicle was a pickup, there was feed store nearby, architecture that had once been stark in line and pretty in color, and a fellow at the counter in a John Deere hat. Driving through the town on the way home we say a banner three quarters of a block long, "Black Lives Matter". I was a little ashamed of myself. Don't let fear hold you back. I first read this as though you were surprised at the sudden realization you were a black woman. I'm on the East Coast. There are dickheads everywhere. And there's a lot of love too.

Now that it looks like I'm going at this without an MFA, tell me more. and thank you.

I almost certainly will not be applying again. BUT if I do, just in case, I'm working on a list of rules. 1. 2 year programs only. I was willing to do three, so if i go again I'm going to only do two and not lose time. 2. I will do more research and look at more than just fully funded programs. I now realize there are many programs that are very likely fully funded. 3. I will consider access to home more. I did this year but still went for schools that reduced my ability to be home every weekend. 4. I'll sell myself a little less and my writing goals a little more. I'm totally open to - nay, I'm shamelessly soliciting - any advice or criticism from the peanut gallery.

Yeah maybe. I don’t know how enforceable it is but let us know what you find out.

You listen and listen good! You Are Killing It. Now, I get it. It's more than uncertainty. There's a feeling that even if you didn't put your eggs in one basket, all those baskets are on one wagon - 2024. Is this really it? I'm not talking about the disappointment, i'm talking about the idea that this year is it? Is it? No. So at least as far as that goes, you're in the same boat you were before you heard from anyone. You're second guessing. your seattle story was written and sent out before now. you've known for months. What changed? nothing. you're still killing it. (Is UDub a nickname for Seattle? I wish i knew that before i applied there!) You have me a little worried because I tried to mention at least one faculty member wherever I could. One of us is right, one of us not so much. Nothing to do now. If you count up the letters in the first sentence of my Columbia SOP and divide by two, that is exactly where you'll find my typo. It's right there in the mathematical middle. I knew Columbia was out that night. Ugh. Yes, the soft "r" is a special hell. I'm with you, even the unimaginable maybe yes/maybe no. I didn't think it could be worse than an unranked waitlist. Wrong again. I suck. You don't. If next year comes and I find myself doing this again, and it would take a LOT for that to happen, there won't be second guessing. There won't be fear. There won't. I know this doesn't really help much, not when you're living it, but you are not your MFA.

Did they sign the GCS april 15 resolution?

ugh. staring down the barrel of six soft rejections. Iowa, NWP, Vandy, UCR, New Mexico, and NCSU. Just pull the fucking trigger already people! Look, i know there are a few moonshots in there and that I've known for a while but COME ON! rip the band aid off. I'm shivering at the thought of what the next two weeks look like. i feel like i can only steel myself so much and then one day I'm Going to have a dozen or more rejections in my box at the same time. I need a win.

Going to the circus.

man, i should have tried but so many made it seem like it was over before i could try. Vandy waived me automatically though.

Aaaaand there's a fiction acceptance for New Mexico posted on draft. another r for me.

I am the storm

A couple of things. first, as some of us have said, once you’re a selective fully funded program, there’s top tier (Iowa, Michener, JHU, etc.) and then there’s really good programs. None of these are far and away above any of the others. So if our writing is good enough for their program, you’re damn right we should be encouraged. second, while I don’t have a lot of experience here (only waitlisted two other places), their email was super encouraging and detailed. Now I feel like my others blew if UTK is standard. Again, I’m not discouraged but I really thought the detail alone as well as the line about letting them know before I accepted another offer was heartening. I felt the program valued the art when I applied and now I feel like they value us. 80ish people long is a little discouraging. I mean I know you’re right that rankings matter in a perception as reality sorta way so yeah maybe a lot of people drop out of the running. But it can’t make us feel scrubby. 83. Wow. whatever. I’ll take it. now I wonder how many applied last year for a waitlist like that. I mean if 104 applied this year it makes no sense. policies change though. But then, the waitlist number has creeped up on draft. Still not as high as Bloomington. stress ramble over

I’ll just leave this here.

I don't know, but I know how I feel about them now.

Michener. DE-nied! "This is your official notification. You will not be receiving a letter." Fuck 'em.

hunter is pretty much funded. free ride and almost certain ta.

Me too. And thanks. I’m probably confusing a bunch of shit I read in different places and about different things. the waitlist was remarkably specific and included details about funding, classes, and teaching. And yet, they never mentioned the school. I actually wound up calling because I thought I was being scammed.

Hold it guys, am I missing something? The UTK waitlist on draft doesn’t seem long at all. Half the size of Bloomington. so, questions: the 80 people long history; how do we know this? the spreadsheet; we’re there early logs way up at the top? the numbers (I mix things up in my head so forgive me); did someone say 100 applications, another 800? Where are we getting these numbers? again, forgive me for all the questions and the confusion. Two hard r’s and a waitlist in my spam folder. I’m infoverloaded.

This

Groom all your email folders people. I’m waitlisted at UTK!

Congratulations!

All this. except for the Michener, Vandy, and Michigan hard r’s. They don’t think I’m worth the update.

I ran out of reactions a while ago, but before i go to bed, i just wanted to tell everyone here I'm truly happy for all the good news today. being a writer often is about being able to both separate and connect things. i can keep separate my jealousy and my happiness. i can connect my cold comfort to you guys. i'm in awe of you. my first words to my kid, the first words she ever heard, were "never give up". I don't know what i'm going to do if i don't get in anywhere, but i've never considered giving up. I'd tell you the same but somehow don't think i need to. keep on going. keep on making art. the world is full of a lot of things happening at the same time. write it all down.

i hope you receive a straight acceptance. Munoz is a god.

Ohhhhhh… I thought you, a fiction applicant, had received that email. honestly, I can see them not interviewing the artists. [*giggles. Bites heel of hand*]