OctopusCactus

Tuition. A few people reported getting higher scholarships but from what my friend in that program says full tuition scholarships there are rare. No one in Draft has reported getting full tuition plus a stipend, this year at least.

Yes. A number of people in Draft have reported scholarships, most in the $20-$40k range. Others say they got no funding.

Very much had that "behind from the get-go" feeling myself. But hey, we made it this far and we'll go farther still. Rooting for you too.

Proud of you! Not just the privilege to apply and dream: you were also brave enough to dream something that might have felt pretty unattainable and you're doing the work to get there.

On the topic of feeling ambivalent about "not that competitive" program acceptances: I feel this. These prospective grad student forums have been a really mixed bag for me in that regard. I've certainly learned a lot I didn't know about how this process works and I value that, but as a first-gen student (for college and now for grad school) it kind of blows my mind to read some of the bashing of programs as "not that competitive" if they take more than a teeny handful of students a year. I know it's all relative, but just the amount of credentials and recommendations and work required to even APPLY to pretty much any MFA program weeds out tons of people. This was my first time applying to any grad program and I went into it feeling like "if I get in anywhere it will be an achievement". I'm coming out of it with multiple acceptances, all with at least partial funding, with all this self-doubt because I've learned here that the programs I've gotten into aren't the MOST competitive ones. Trying to re-ground myself in what my offline world tells me: that I put a ton of work into my writing, that I have potential, and that it's been recognized.

Same. But congratulations on all your acceptances! I feel a little silly asking this, but did everyone's Iowa rejection email end with "I and the faculty sincerely wish you all the best with your writing. We will all be looking out for your work!" I've read sometimes the fiction program director personalizes some rejection letters but not sure about nonfiction.