cowboifairy

Waitlist movement is real! Just received an updated offer from Boulder with funding, so will likely be rejecting UNM Fiction once I do the math if anyone is on that waitlist and needing some good news!

Anyone have advice for how to reach out to schools to request a timeline for acceptance/confirmation of rejection? I still have a few schools lingering that I'm growing increasingly worried I won't hear from by April 15th, and I would love to reach out for a timeline if that's not looked down upon. Any tips appreciated ❤️ (And if any fiction people have heard from UNLV, Houston, or Oregon for rejections would love to know!)

Hey all! Hope everyone is wrapping up the season okay. I just wanted to ask if anyone had heard from fiction for University of Houston or University of Nevada, Las Vegas? Trying to figure out how close to over my season is...

Ahhhh! so exciting! Congrats on the good news

Hey all! Question for those who have negotiated funding. I got accepted to Boulder(!!), but need more of a stipend for it to be viable. Any advice for how to use another offer I have received as leverage in that conversation? Additionally, should I even try to negotiate if still waiting for other schools I'm more interested in? Thanks sm in advance for your help! Endless appreciation for you all.

🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 ❤️uarizona 🕯 🕯 fiction 🕯 🕯. acceptance 🕯 🕯 summoning 🕯 🕯 circle 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 ....just one more for good measure

Congrats!!!! copying your circle so we can be classmates lol 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 ❤️ brown 🕯 🕯 fiction 🕯 🕯 summoning 🕯 🕯 circle 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯

yet another omen?

Yeah happily! I did my undergraduate degree at Brown, so this information might not be fully accurate but is what I noticed from being in some of the same classes/spaces and working with the faculty. I really love this program, and I would love as many people to get the chance to hear more about it as possible! I think the reason they get that reputation is because their program focuses a lot less on professional skills and more on inviting experimentation that refines craft. For example, one workshop is called "Foreign Home" and forces you to choose two things you have never done before, learn everything you can about them, and then bring them back into your 'home' craft/genre. For someone who has a clear vision of what they want to use an MFA to accomplish, the program might not fit as it tries to keep agents out and doesn't offer the pre-professional courses that can assist those clear goals. Workshops might also get a bit 'lofty' for those who want to stick a bit closer to the text itself. However, if you're looking to experiment and write without the focus being on the outcome, I think Brown is a great option. And, in cases like Moshfegh or Lerner, I don't think the program looks for people who are 'experimental' as much as it looks for people who are deeply dedicated to their style, no matter what that style is (so even a more literary fiction person can benefit from Brown!). All that said, I think they have some of the most supportive faculty and knowledgeable workshop communities around. I hope this rant is helpful, and feel free to ask anything else I can help with!

I don't know how long the waitlist is, but I think it's worth asking them if you want a sense! That said, I think there might be a solid amount of movement (at least from the fiction side). I'm fairly sure the other fiction acceptance has better offers, and I'm still waiting for the majority of my schools myself. Also, they mentioned that, while they have to have a 2/2/2 break, it sometimes doesn't work out that perfectly. All that said, I think you are definitely still in the races here! I'll share a bit more/ask about the student's experiences with waitlist tomorrow!

I would recommend not contacting personally. I know the professors fairly well, and I get the vibe that they prefer to be 'left alone' somewhat for the decisions process. That said, they're all incredibly kind, so I don't think it would be a point against you by any means. However, I think waiting until mid-March since they stress mid-March might be wiser. Also, I am happy to answer Brown question people have since I know it's a bit mysterious over there!

Hey! I was accepted for fiction and just had a call with Andrew Bourelle to learn a bit more. I can share a bit about what I learned but feel free to ask any specific qs! I'm meeting the current students on Thursday so can also forward any questions along. Basically, the TLDR is that the program is small but seems to focus on giving students as wide a range of experiences as possible. They encourage students to take cross-genre workshops and classes in the largest English department, have a lot of professional course options, and make working with Blue Mesa/their reading series super accessible. The total cohort is six per year for the MFA, but there is a larger 15-20 per year in the entire English department. Again, happy to share more and maybe meet you in the fall!

The amount of typos in my thank yous to my recommenders was genuinely mortifying to look back on lmao

Thanks so much! Getting too nervous to write even simple emails myself nowadays...

received my first acceptance to the University of New Mexico!! feeling so beyond excited and hoping all the best to you all <3. I have a bit of a silly question for those of you balancing waitlists/acceptances/pending applications. How do you all respond to acceptances/thank them for their consideration without immediately accepting the offer? There are some more schools I want to hear from before locking in anywhere, so advice would be super appreciated! Wishing you all some calmness and good news in the coming days in the meantime!