penitentwanderer

does anyone have any info on cornell (fiction)? I'm assuming they reached out to someone on the waitlist but feel free to shoot me a message if you don't want to share publicly. at this point, just want to mentally rest!

hey @Hjanep, do you have any updates on your friend? (if you're comfortable sharing) Any info you can share (whether it's just if they've narrowed things down or declined any offers or made a decision) would be helpful, as I think at least 4 schools' worth of waitlists are still pending! And sorry @squid05 - it's also been radio silence for me as well. Hoping they'll at least answer whether or not they'll inform us once the slots are filled, but losing faith on that. We've just got to tough it out 5 more days and then there should be (?) more clarity.

At least they respond to you. They wouldn't tell us how many people are on the waitlist or if it's ranked, etc. Program coordinator doesn't respond to emails 🫠If anyone has insight into Cornell (fiction), please feel free to share. Trying to stay in NY close to family and good healthcare, but not feeling great about my chances at this point. Hoping people start to make decisions soon!

Yeah, I think it depends on what your needs are. The campus of my undergrad was very walkable, but outside of that, it would have been impossible to navigate without a car (for groceries, trips to doctor or dentist, etc.). If you're mostly staying close to campus, you'll be fine at Syracuse (my roommate went there), but if you wanted to go outside of the university shuttle system, things will be harder unlike bigger cities like NYC, boston, chicago, etc.

Do you happen to know if they plan to cut any schools loose or are they waiting until they visit their last school (UC Davis?)? Just curious as they're already leaning towards 2 schools, do they intend to decline offers from schools they've already visited? Asking as an anxiety-ridden waitlister to one of their non-preferred schools (hopefully) 🙃 I realize that you're not them and can't answer for them, but appreciate you giving us the inside scoop! Not sure it's helping the nerves, but I guess it's good to know. Hopefully, they make their last visit and are able to make timely choices! Also extending this general inquiry more broadly - people with multiple acceptances who AREN'T waiting on waitlists - what Qs are you still mulling over before you accept? I know someone else who has at least 2 acceptances and has declined at least 1 other offer, but is still thinking things through with those 2 schools - in their case they only just recently came off a waitlist.

Well, there are consequences to other applicants. It's a highly personal decision and everyone has to weigh what's best for them. But it's important to let people make their decisions without adding pressure. Helpful to have as much info as you can, but then the applicants must make their own choice, hopefully one that makes them feel good and not one made out of blind fear. Someone mentioned that an even smaller cohort isn't a reason to give up on your dreams of being a writer - but who said anything about giving up? No one's giving up, and an MFA doesn't make you a writer. But it is something you can only do once and do you want to do it without community? (though I understand that this can feel like a do-or-die scenario).

Yeah it's so tough when you add programs that don't follow the 4/15 resolution. That's an instance in which I really don't think it's bad to accept - because they don't follow the resolution and force you to decide despite not hearing back from everyone else. Good luck to you and hang in there! It's a really hard time right now. Agree with others that everyone shouldn't feel pressured. I'm sitting on an offer, but have no intention to accept until 4/15 as I'm waiting to hear back from my 1st choice. If offers were rescinded it'd be terrible, but I wouldn't want to be part of an even tinier program (as it's tiny already). If no one's in your cohort, what's the point?

I think there's an ethical difference between spots opening up because applicants accepted offers they didn't want/hoped to still turn down prior to 4/15 just because they want to have a spot, and spots opening up because of applicants making decisions late in the game. It is an odd look to accept an offer weeks before the deadline and then jettison that acceptance prior to 4/15 (if you got off a waitlist somewhere better, for example). The system exists to prevent accepting offers that you don't intend to keep. Obviously, this year has an added element of uncertainty which means people act out of fear. But to each their own.

Everyone has to do what's best for them, but if you do take a spot (that you're hoping not to take, i.e. waiting on movement elsewhere), you are kinda fucking over the people on the waitlist, as they're informed the spots are all taken. So they take other offers, or take job offers, or renew their lease, etc. It has a huge ripple effect.

For anyone who is on the fence, or knows someone on the fence, deciding between Cornell and other schools (only for those who want to be nudged or who can't make up their mind, obviously you do you and do what's best for you!) - If you need or want a reason to pick another option, trans fiction candidate here on the waitlist desperately hoping to stay in the safety of NY. Have acceptances to certain Midwest schools, but frightened of possible soon to come adult restrictions on healthcare access/other rescissions of rights. So if all else is equal, feel good about picking the other school! (But again, this is just for people torn between their options. If Cornell's your school, congrats, go to Cornell!) (Also just sayin - Ithaca was rated in the top 6 US cities with the lowest sunlight hours 🙃)

Reputation is a component, but it's one of those components that starts to break down (a little) once you speak to accepted students/get insider intel. There are things we can't know/that have a high amount of flux--for example faculty/mentor availability, program culture, etc-that are only apparent later on. For example, I got to speak with alums from 2 "Top 10" programs. One said, there was absolutely no mentorship available. At another, one alum said there was a generous amount of faculty involvement, but a slightly more recent grad said that was the disappointing factor. Some alums revealed they had no access to agents. Others said the atmosphere within the program was toxic. These are things that can't be known until you get accepted and speak to current students. So prestige is easy to identify, but perhaps not something to rely on. Location, teaching duties, and stipend were most important to me. But mostly it matters what's important to you!

can you confirm if you got the call (sorry to put you on the spot)? we've been hearing lots of contradictory things!