2020 Applicants Forum

[anarchisttiger]

1 minute ago, Karakoram said:

I was going to ask the same. Start loosing hope already and cannot stop looking at my inbox all the time. Never been ever so unproductive. :-ss

Same. I'm at work and it's hard to focus. Was talking to my boss about something and almost started crying -- how embarrassing! Luckily he understood.

[brownjournal]

18 minutes ago, Karakoram said:

Huge congrats. We have good news around recently eh. ❤️ Hope that we are all in. Anyway, which programme at Oxford did you apply to?

Thank you! And I applied to English from 1900-present! 

[Karakoram]

1 minute ago, anarchisttiger said:

Same. I'm at work and it's hard to focus. Was talking to my boss about something and almost started crying -- how embarrassing! Luckily he understood.

I feel it. Had a call with my supervisor today and just couldn't focus though it was just morning in the States. Just want to know yes or no. This is literally killing.

[Karakoram]

2 minutes ago, brownjournal said:

Thank you! And I applied to English from 1900-present! 

Ah ok. Good luck with that too. I also applied to Oxford and am waiting for the outcome. Didn't tell people that I'm applying to Oxford though haha.

[imnotaboutthat]

does anyone know when iowa poetry is out? also are acceptances usually staggered for most schools - notifying fiction first, then poetry? stressed af lol thx!!

[Ydrl]

16 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

I was about to ask the same. I think historically they notify over the course of a week. My understanding is that they are behind schedule this year and just began yesterday, so we may have a few more days of hope left.

But I want to sob into a chocolate cake due to my pessimism.

I also want to sob into a chocolate cake due to pessimism, but I’m not going to lie, I may have laughed at the image of someone face down in a frosted layer cake. I don’t know why that image makes me laugh, maybe I’m going insane due to my last hope (Iowa acceptance) being highly unrealistic to be a reality.

[feralgrad]

Just now, imnotaboutthat said:

does anyone know when iowa poetry is out? also are acceptances usually staggered for most schools - notifying fiction first, then poetry? stressed af lol thx!!

Based on the results page, it looks like last year IWW's fiction acceptances came out in one batch, then poetry acceptances.

[Ydrl]

4 minutes ago, imnotaboutthat said:

does anyone know when iowa poetry is out? also are acceptances usually staggered for most schools - notifying fiction first, then poetry? stressed af lol thx!!

Poetry is usually some days after fiction is done with acceptances, which makes waiting far worse.

[feralgrad]

3 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

Same. I'm at work and it's hard to focus. Was talking to my boss about something and almost started crying -- how embarrassing! Luckily he understood.

Honestly my productivity at work has been garbage for weeks. Can't wait til this is over and I'm functional again.

[Ydrl]

Just now, feralgrad said:

Honestly my productivity at work has been garbage for weeks. Can't wait til this is over and I'm functional again.

My productivity has gone up because if I just throw myself into everything else, I can’t worry about my hopes and dreams being crushed as much. I realize this doesn’t apply to many people, but it’s honestly the same method as cleaning my room when I have something important to do.

[feralgrad]

Just now, Ydrl said:

My productivity has gone up because if I just throw myself into everything else, I can’t worry about my hopes and dreams being crushed as much. I realize this doesn’t apply to many people, but it’s honestly the same method as cleaning my room when I have something important to do.

Once I get home, my productivity is alright. It's just hard to muster much interest/focus on my mind-numbing admin job.

Edited February 18, 2020 by feralgrad

[anarchisttiger]

4 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

My productivity has gone up because if I just throw myself into everything else, I can’t worry about my hopes and dreams being crushed as much. I realize this doesn’t apply to many people, but it’s honestly the same method as cleaning my room when I have something important to do.

I'm jealous of you for this! I am an obsesser through and through. 

[Ydrl]

20 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

I'm jealous of you for this! I am an obsesser through and through. 

I burnt myself out in the early stages tbh, I was way more active here and I checked my email ten times a day. After those three rejections I had to reassess my situation. I can’t under perform at my job or I’ll be fired, so I guess I don’t really have a choice but to perform.

[Brother Panda]

39 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

Honestly my productivity at work has been garbage for weeks. Can't wait til this is over and I'm functional again.

My productivity has been a little low as well. I just started doing workshops with my high school creative writing class though, which has been really fun! We also read some cool stuff last week—“Library of Babel” by Borges and “Game” by Barthelme. Fun stuff to keep me motivated!

[MFALongshot]

1 hour ago, anarchisttiger said:

I was about to ask the same. I think historically they notify over the course of a week. My understanding is that they are behind schedule this year and just began yesterday, so we may have a few more days of hope left.

But I want to sob into a chocolate cake due to my pessimism.

I saw at least 7 people get accepted on Draft already. Gl everyone.

Edit: Yesterday was only round 1 of notifications though. So there is still hope.

Second Edit: I believe they were all for fiction.

Edited February 18, 2020 by MFALongshot

[MFALongshot]

36 minutes ago, Brother Panda said:

My productivity has been a little low as well. I just started doing workshops with my high school creative writing class though, which has been really fun! We also read some cool stuff last week—“Library of Babel” by Borges and “Game” by Barthelme. Fun stuff to keep me motivated!

I've only read one story by Barthelme but really considering buying a collection. Are there any stories of his you would recommend before buying to get a better feel for his work?

[SarahBuya]

3 hours ago, brownjournal said:

In at Wisconsin. Can't believe it

Congratulations!!!

[litty]

20 hours ago, rbr542 said:

My phone rang with Iowa City code. It was Samantha Chang. I'm in for fiction with GTA funding. I don't remember what I said, something like thank you...??? ? Third try. I'm not sure if this is a dream btw. 

Late to party, but this is so dope. Congrats!!!!  

[Brother Panda]

3 hours ago, MFALongshot said:

I've only read one story by Barthelme but really considering buying a collection. Are there any stories of his you would recommend before buying to get a better feel for his work?

Definitely “Game” (a more serious one), “The School”, and “The Balloon”!!

[MFALongshot]

2 hours ago, Brother Panda said:

Definitely “Game” (a more serious one), “The School”, and “The Balloon”!!

Thanks I'll probably read them tonight. The one I read was "Me and Miss Mandible." Pretty odd but interesting nonetheless.

[Ydrl]

Those of you on draft, if there are any of you, did any other acceptances for Iowa go out? Yesterday there was nothing here for any genre, not that I’m expecting anything fo poetry this early.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Ydrl

[MFAthrowaway420]

@Ydrl Not yet! Based on Draft and the results page, it looks like only 9 (or so) acceptances have gone out so far. Also, someone on Draft called Michener and there are still fiction acceptances and waitlists waiting to go out over the next couple days or so. 

[feralgrad]

21 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Those of you on draft, if there are any of you, did any other acceptances for Iowa go out? Yesterday there was nothing here for any genre, not that I’m expecting anything fo poetry this early.

I'm not seeing anything on the acceptance or rejection lists.

[jen20]

@feralgradI am new to the mfa cycle but can anyone explain what is this draft thing? 

[feralgrad]

Just now, jen20 said:

@feralgradI am new to the mfa cycle but can anyone explain what is this draft thing? 

It's a Facebook group (MFA Draft '20 is the full name, I believe). Basically the same function as Gradcafe, but the results are catalogued differently. It's also way less chill than GC.