Tuxedocat

Wait I’m so confused 😳 I thought people were getting an automated email via some portal update saying their apps were still under consideration. If the email came from Elizabeth Willis herself, why wouldn’t it be personalized and/or explicitly say one was waitlisted?

You’re the real MVP for always keeping us updated 😭 thank you so much! Wishing you luck with your decision—what a tough but awesome position to be in 🥳

It's also my first year applying! However, I have some stats from last year since that might be helpful. This year, more people have been reporting their stats in Draft. It's almost at 1.5k vs the 2023 one, which had just under 500 responses. That being said, 2023 lists 3 poetry acceptances and 1 waitlist for Iowa. In 2024, we have only 2 poetry acceptances in the sheet, but I think 2 additional accepted people in Draft did not post their results in the spreadsheet. So that is 4 acceptances and 0 waitlists for a spreadsheet recording about 3x as many results as last year. That is suspiciously low, but fiction is surely done with acceptances and they only have 5 acceptances in the spreadsheet.

Honestly, I have no idea. I mentioned on Friday I think that it seems like it’s over as someone in draft said they called and Iowa said they mailed all the decisions out. But it just doesn’t add up. They admitted someone that morning for poetry and hours later mailed out all the hundreds of application decisions? Or maybe they started mailing earlier in the week. But nobody received anything yet. All I know is that fiction this year has been ahead of poetry by around 2 weeks from what I remember, yet nobody has gotten their fiction rejection letters or seen a portal update declining then. Only a select few fiction applicants reported getting an email about a portal status update saying their application was still in review by the department. People are speculating those who got the email are waitlisted. No such reports of an email for poetry applicants. While seeing records of 5 or so Iowa acceptances for poetry online is a small percentage of the class, it is totally possible that the other accepted people are not online or have not shared it publicly. To me, what’s more telling is the lack of any waitlists. I know Iowa does waitlists a bit differently, so if they’re waiting to hear if their offers of admission are accepted, then technically they might not be done with acceptances yet. All that to say that getting an offer from Iowa at this point seems exceptionally rare, but until we start seeing those waitlist emails and rejection letters pour in, not impossible I suppose.

Do we think Iowa is done with poetry?? Someone in draft said they called and Iowa said they mailed out all the letters (including poetry) this week. It’s just super weird because this morning they did another poetry acceptance via phone. But maybe they mailed out the last of the letters immediately after. But I’ve seen no waitlists or anything from them; however, I heard they do waitlists differently or something so maybe that is normal.

It’s ok I’ve been there 🥲 I find it’s easier to assume a soft rejection and then when you finally get the answer you have already come to terms, but if by some miracle it’s actually not then hopefully it’ll be a pleasant surprise

I would say if you see an acceptance and a waitlist in your genre and 1-2 weeks+ have passed, it is probably a soft rejection. But make sure the acceptance and waitlist are your genre!! Otherwise, you can’t really be that sure.

Same 😭😭Iowa is my last hope of an acceptance other than my waitlist and it’s been my dream school for years. Every single day I just keep waiting for a call that seems less likely by the minute.

Omg congrats!!! Another rejection for me but so happy for you! 🥳 is this your first year applying?

Congrats!! So great to see all your acceptances!🥳 Did you get any sense in the call if they’re just starting to notify poets or where they are in letting the 6 know?

I hope you hear back with good news! Wishing you the best right now. And worst case, you can always try again next year or look into low res programs

At this point for fiction I’d email them! It’s been a month pretty much since poetry decisions came out so they should be more than understanding.

Are you poetry or fiction? Draft has in the 2024 spreadsheet that people in poetry got interviews for Boise State University in Jan and got accepted/waitlisted first week of Feb. But no word on fiction if that’s what you are looking for. I’d imagine they would have released around the same time. If you are talking about Boise State, maybe reach out to them since so much time has passed.

@jadedoptimist someone posted in Draft about getting a poetry acceptance from Iowa 😳 my stomach is in knots right now 😰 I was hoping I could at least have this weekend free from the anxiety. But Iowa has been my dream for years and all I have right now is one waitlist from Texas so the panic is exponentially increasing 😰😰😰

Congrats!!! 🥳 makes me happy seeing all this good news from you guys!