HalBear

So I have lost most of my positivity haha. Honestly just feels better to assume all bad news and then I might be pleasantly surprised

My MFA portal says this "Your application has been reviewed by your academic department and a recommendation has been made to the Graduate Admissions Office. The Graduate Admissions Office will complete the final review of your application and will post a final decision letter on this Status Page. Please continue monitoring your Application Status Page for updates. You will be notified by email when an update has been made to your application." Very frustrating haha. I am like just tell me....PLEASE.

Do we think Alabama has notified only Creative Nonfiction? I was surprised to see only one acceptance from them when they usually accept a large cohort.

This is lowkey torturous. the WAITING.....

This is assuming all acceptances, I'd guess an interview request notificiation first from Rutgers Newark. For UT Austin, I wasn't sure if you meant their Michener program or New Writer's Project, but Michener would be next up on your list for an acceptance. Iowa and Michigan and Rutgers Newark acceptances would be later in February. Looks like Brown and UTK are the last notifs with possibly hearing back in early March.

Hello Theo, So I have a few thoughts here. First I want to tell you that I was waitlisted at two schools my first year applying to programs and my recommendation letters were from an English professsor, a History professor, and my college soccer coach (I played DIII soccer for four years in undergrad). I've heard throughout this process that recommendations don't carry a ton of weight. As I understand, they are really are just a requirement for the general grad school to admit you rather than a requirement by the creative writing program. I have the exact same recommenders this year and hope for some success because my writing sample and statement of purpose are MUCH better, which I've been led to believe is what really matters to the schools. I want to address your questions of the "actual chance" of getting into a school. While I did not apply in either season to Iowa, Brown, Amherst, and Ohio (so others can speak to those programs), I believe that for most fully-funded schools, the "chance" of getting in for anyone is incredibly low. Someone shared some statistics on the Facebook MFA Draft that the odds of being accepted into these programs are lower than being admitted to med school. I really don't say this to be negative because everyone here is facing this reality... I think that what makes us unique is that we apply despite this low chance. And even if it is a "low chance," it is an actual chance. I really hate numbers so I have ignored the stats and put my whole heart into these applications just to pursue that small %. It sounds like you have some really successful work with collections published and some award success, which I believe makes you more than qualified. (I have no awards or publications). There are many people here with backgrounds (ex. different specialties, poor grades in undergrad, gap year after gap year, health journeys) that have found success in these applications. I really would encourage you and everyone on this platform to keep pushing through despite the odds. Please run down this path and see where it leads you. Hope this helps, I believe in you!

Hello all, There are two lovely applicants I've been communicating with on facebook who cannot figure out how to access replying and posting on this forum. I've tried to help them but I don't know much about Gradcafe's system. They have accounts but just don't seem to be able to contribute to this forum? They don't even have access to the "Quote" button or the "reply to this topic" button. They've logged in and out again, finished setting up their accounts, and still don't have access.. Anyone here figure out how to get over this hump

I really just have something so funny to say and I think you all can relate. I've reread my application writing sample multiple times and there are days where I just want to crawl into a hole and never come out because I just think it is so horrible and childish and immature. Then there are days (like today) where I think to myself that there's no way that I get rejected because I have talent and my work is intelligent and nuanced. I don't know which feeling will appear until I get to the document. Am I insane.

Use the search feature in the facebook group and look up "Notification" and the post with the title "2026 MFA DRAFT NOTIFICATIONS" should pop up. The sheet is in the first comment of the posting.

On Facebook, search the Group name "MFA Draft '26" and request to join!

From my understanding, it is not historically prestigious, but it is on the way to that designation. I think tje accessibility of the first round encourages more writers to apply, but their cohort is one of the smallest in the country. They only take 5 writers an application season. I think this year they are accepting 3 fiction writers and 2 poets. It has a miniscule acceptance rate which in a way can give rise to "prestige." Their recent alums have been wildly successful and their faculty is quite talented. Whoever ends up in this program will be very lucky

I believe last year the Spreadsheet was posted around January 5th! I expect it any day now.

It was good news, I hope it was for you too!!

I heard back last night! I was wondering when it was coming, haha!!

Has anyone heard results from Round 1 for Tennessee's MFA?