spewilicious

Thank you! I'm definitely gonna email. Will you be attending without funding? I'm out of reacts for the day, but thanks for the congrats ❤️

Just got my acceptance to Chapman for their dual MA/MFA program!!!! Waiting to hear about funding tho. I can't believe this is happening. I was rejected from USC two years ago, and rejected from Northwestern this year, so I really didn't think I'd get Chapman either. I could cry. Congratulations!!!! @KennyK I'm also waiting on Riverside, but haven't heard a peep. My portal still says "Awaiting Decision." I'm rooting for you!

Thanks! I've been hearing good things about the area and community, and it's a part of the country I haven't been to yet, so I'm very excited! I'm bringing my mom, two cats, and about 25 houseplants. To be honest, that hasn't impacted my choices at all. First, because it's my mom's choice to come with or not, and two, because I'll find a way to keep my cats with me no matter what. Now, the political environment in some places has certainly influenced my choices, and there are definitely several programs I did not apply to because of the state they are located in. I'm out of reactions, but congrats to everyone on their good news! And best of luck at getting off wait lists! Last note: I finally got my JHU rejection email this morning. They were not sent alphabetically.

Some young readers do seem underdeveloped in their taste, but I think one of the benefits of being an older person in higher ed is sharing your experiences and maturity. I returned to undergrad in my mid 30s, and I think my perspective helped balance class discussions and critique. You can teach younger readers and writers something just by being there and fearlessly pursuing those things you find valuable in writing and storytelling. I also attended undergrad with a woman in her 70s, and her insight and perspective was invaluable in class. So I'd say, yes, expect young readers to be immature, but also expect that you can lead by example. Maybe your inclusion in a cohort will help someone else come to terms with themes they aren't yet comfortable enough to write.

Congratulations to you too!! I never received a call, so it really caught me off guard tbh. Really hoping funding comes through so I can accept!

Received an email from New Hampshire about 2 hours ago, and I was so sure it was a rejection, because it was an email, but I just checked aND IT WAS AN ACCEPTANCE!!!!! So, uh, New Hampshire fiction acceptances are going out. I am losing my mind. I really thought it was gonna be a wash this year, and I was trying to gear up to do better next year. I keep oscillating between laughing and crying and my hands are shaking. Admittedly, I don't know about funding yet, but fingers crossed 🤞

It was for fiction! Sorry for not saying in the post

Just received my Northwestern rejection email 🥹👍 Edit: It was for fiction

Hey congratulations! I live in the Reno area and my niece is currently enrolled in undergrad at UNR. The campus is really beautiful, and Reno is a cool place, and it's close to lots of other stuff, so it's a really great place to be. I hope you like it if you accept the offer!

Well friends, I finally submitted my last application. 14 out of 14 schools, in before deadlines! It was really rough if I'm being honest. My dad passed away at the end of November, so I ended up having a lot to do in addition to the holidays. But I did it! So here's hoping I get an offer somewhere, along with all you lovely creatives! Good luck!

This is a pretty small question, but I'm finalizing my Northwestern application and they are asking for the title of my writing sample and the title of my supplemental document (the critical writing sample). Do they want each title of the short stories in my sample? or the file name? The titles of both critical essays or the file name? It just says "the title" and I'm like..... there are multiple titles?

Zaira, prufrock_, thanks. Just writing out my worries made me feel better, and reading your responses and thinking about them has really helped me refocus and strategize. I feel a lot better now. Thank you. I've eliminated some programs based on location after the results of the election, and I've also decided to cut out all the programs with a deadline in the first week of December except Cornell. I think I can easily get together one application by the first, and then have time to refine it for all subsequent application deadlines. My number one top picks all have later deadlines, so there was no point putting that pressure on myself trying to apply to programs I wasn't 100% all-in, dead set on. My revised list is now Cornell, Brown, Northwestern, Iowa, OS Corvallis, Maryland, John Hopkins, UC Riverside, Boston, Hollins, UC Davis, Sarah Lawrence, New Hampshire, and Chapman. Thanks again for your thoughts and advice!

Hi all. I just found this forum today after reading MFA threads from past years (why does google like 2019 so much?) looking for literally any MFA advice. I graduated with my BA in English May 2022 when I was 36 years old. I applied to three terminal PhDs in 2022, two PhDs and two MAs in 2023, and now I'm applying to who knows how many MFAs this year. I had surgery in July and meant to start shopping programs in August to be prepared for the September application openings, but I've had a really bad year that's included putting my dad in assisted living and losing my job when the school board approved a budget that eliminated my position. So I'm really, really behind on where I thought I'd be in the process and some deadlines are December 1. While I have plenty of time now to work on my applications, I feel like I'm getting in my own way because I don't know what I'm doing and I'm really stressed. I spent all last week looking at programs and I feel like I have too many that I want to apply to. There are 27 on my list, and if I prioritize the 2 year programs, that leaves me with 20. If I drop Michener and Ole Miss, I'm at 18. Is that too many? I worry about asking my recommenders to submit that many letters of recommendation, especially with the special instructions some of them require. In previous years, I only applied to a handful of programs because I couldn't afford the application fees, but this year (sans job), I'm going to apply for fee waivers wherever I can and attempt to cast a broader net. I have a friend who got into UA Fairbanks last year (for this year), and he applied to 15 programs and was accepted at two. I just... miss academia. I miss the community. I want to read and write and teach so desperately. And I feel like I don't have enough time to get a handle on what I need to do and do it. The list of schools I'm considering, in no particular order: UC Riverside, Boston, Brown, Maryland, UC Irvine, Cornell, Michener, Ole Miss, Sarah Lawrence, Northwestern, Washington, Kentucky, Chapman, OS Corvallis, Iowa, John Hopkins, Hollins (does anyone know anything about Hollins?), Virginia, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt, VCU, Syracuse, Arizona, Boise, George Mason, Ohio, UMinn. Funding is obviously very important to me, as are program, faculty, and faculty diversity. Location much less so. And thanks for taking the time to read this.