minivercheevy_

I understand how you're feeling. This was my first year applying, and the whole time I couldn't help but feel like I was behind in this game from the get-go. Comparison is poison in these sorts of processes. I felt my heart sink when I realized just how many people who post acceptances went to extremely prestigious colleges for their undergrad---almost every single known acceptance for Iowa, at least for poetry, went to someone from an Ivy. But it really only takes one school to believe in your work in order for you to be successful. There's no such thing as a "bad" program. If you like what a program has to offer you then it's right for you. Plus, tons of writers never even went to get an MFA. Getting into a program just gives that precious time to write. Be yourself and write for yourself. Rooting for you.

Welp. Looks like that just about ends my cycle. Is anyone thinking about attending UMass? For poetry specifically? I think that'll be where I decide on going regardless of my waitlists. Gizzi is a god.

Congrats! Why do you say "pretty sure?" Was it a vaguely-worded email?

Here are my last two bargaining chips worth of cope: 1) If we assume last year's spreadsheet should reflect this year's timeline, then theoretically we can hold out until the end of tomorrow and look forward to hearing about at least someone's waitlist later in the week. 2) I thought I heard that last year's spreadsheet was corrupted? I think they lost a lot of data somewhere down the line, so maybe there were more reports on the sheet as well as on the Draft page separately.

Good observation about the waitlist. I do think this year seems abnormal as far as poetry decisions goes. Also, there was a poet who posted here a while ago about how Elizabeth Willis said they were "very, very early" in sending out poetry acceptances, and that was only last weekend. This is my first year applying, so I don't know how many reports there were last year about acceptances. Still, I feel like there'd be more buzz going around elsewhere online. I'm still holding out for some noble stalker to venture out into the digital woods and bring us some hope. But I guess we'll be hearing soon enough. Good luck.

So... How far along do we think Iowa is with sending out their poetry decisions? I've counted five so far including the poet whose precociousness stirred the forums here a few pages back but who doesn't seem to be on either the forums or on Draft. Has anyone done any internet sleuthing to look for more acceptances? I don't have any other forms of social media to go stalking on. Which is probably a good thing at this point. edit: clarity

I was also wondering this. It seems unlikely that they'd have already contacted all twenty poets in less than a week, especially considering that in the past few years people have reported acceptances over the course of two weeks. Last year the first known acceptance was reported on Saturday, February 25 and the last known one on Monday, March 6, according to last year's Draft sheet. Then someone reported a waitlist on Thursday, March 9. So I think there's still some hope.

Wishing all of you a beautiful weekend and for good news to come with it---it's almost sixty degrees and sunny where I'm writing from. I'm going to take a hike. This week has been incredibly stressful.

Another poetry acceptance up on draft... I put an unhealthy amount of hope into getting into Iowa at the cost of not an insignificant amount of my sanity. This trickle-system of notifications is just plain torture.

If I get into Iowa for poetry I'm inviting you all to a party.