2020 Applicants Forum

[anarchisttiger]

20 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

Which is to say, I think anyone can live safely in the South, but only if you have a bit of money.

I would argue that money/class = safety is true of any region, though, and that urbanity is more essential to queer safety than geographic region. 

 

Edit: Safety via legislation could be different, but I'm not familiar enough with queer legislation in other areas to comment on it.

Edited January 15, 2020 by anarchisttiger

[feralgrad]

13 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

I would argue that money/class = safety is true of any region, though, and that urbanity is more essential to queer safety than geographic region. 

Yes, that was my point (although I didn't make it very clear).

I can't speak to your second point, since the smallest city I've lived in is Richmond, VA, which is also like 40% queer. But that alone just goes to show you that region isn't as tied to safety as most people say.

Edited January 15, 2020 by feralgrad

[anarchisttiger]

4 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

since the smallest city I've lived in is Richmond, VA

I’m from southern Virginia and did my undergrad at VCU! I lived there for 7 years. 

[Ydrl]

4 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

Yes, that was my point (although I didn't make it very clear).

I can't speak to your second point, since the smallest city I've lived in is Richmond, VA, which is also like 40% queer. But that alone just goes to show you that region isn't as tied to safety as most people say.

Yeah, I definitely made a mistake applying to WashU instead of UT Austin

[Ydrl]

1 minute ago, anarchisttiger said:

I’m from southern Virginia and did my undergrad at VCU! I lived there for 7 years. 

Nice! How was it? I’m applying to VCU.

[anarchisttiger]

3 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Nice! How was it? I’m applying to VCU.

I went to the theatre school so I can't comment on the literary department. It has also changed a LOT since I've been there but I'm happy to answer any specific questions you have! I do know a current student in the poetry program and they really like it. 

[feralgrad]

2 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

I’m from southern Virginia and did my undergrad at VCU! I lived there for 7 years. 

I lived there for about 2 years, and I liked it. I still have close friends there, so I might even move back.

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

Nice! How was it? I’m applying to VCU.

I think Richmond is a hidden gem when it comes to queer life (at least in terms of its national reputation). Although it's small, it's funky and has loads of character. It's got a great art museum and a decent nightlife scene (again, for its size).

The general quality of life suffers for VA's $7.25 minimum wage, though.

[Ydrl]

1 minute ago, anarchisttiger said:

I went to the theatre school so I can't comment on the literary department. It has also changed a LOT since I've been there but I'm happy to answer any specific questions you have! I do know a current student in the poetry program and they really like it. 

I don’t know I have any important questions tbh. I suppose I should ask this though: What’s really exciting about VCU? I’m not too excited about it, and I want a reason to be excited about potentially getting accepted.

[Ydrl]

1 minute ago, feralgrad said:

I lived there for about 2 years, and I liked it. I still have close friends there, so I might even move back.

I think Richmond is a hidden gem when it comes to queer life (at least in terms of its national reputation). Although it's small, it's funky and has loads of character. It's got a great art museum and a decent nightlife scene (again, for its size).

The general quality of life suffers for VA's $7.25 minimum wage, though.

Art museum you say? I’m intrigued. And while its kind of hard for me to break out of my shell, I would like the option of good nightlife. That’s also why I’m excited about Ithaca, I hear it’s awesome from people who went there.

[anarchisttiger]

4 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

I lived there for about 2 years, and I liked it. I still have close friends there, so I might even move back.

I wonder if we have any mutuals! 

2 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Art museum you say? I’m intrigued. And while its kind of hard for me to break out of my shell, I would like the option of good nightlife. That’s also why I’m excited about Ithaca, I hear it’s awesome from people who went there.

Omg the VMFA is such an amazing museum and it's FREE. There is a lot of stuff to do too -- I'd say Richmond itself the most exciting thing about VCU. The general college is pretty mediocre but the art and medical schools are very good. 

[feralgrad]

5 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

I wonder if we have any mutuals! 

Based on your username, it's very possible haha!

12 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

What’s really exciting about VCU? I’m not too excited about it, and I want a reason to be excited about potentially getting accepted.

I agree that the city is the main draw -- that's why I considered applying. I ended up deciding not to because I reached out to a current student, and she didn't seem that excited about it. She said it was more competitive than collaborative, which is a big turn-off for me. That said, it's a well-respected, well-funded program; I probably would have applied anyway if it weren't for the fact that it's pretty literary, so I have a 0% chance of acceptance. Can I ask: why did you apply if you're not excited about it?

[Ydrl]

7 minutes ago, anarchisttiger said:

Omg the VMFA is such an amazing museum and it's FREE. There is a lot of stuff to do too -- I'd say Richmond itself the most exciting thing about VCU. The general college is pretty mediocre but the art and medical schools are very good. 

Ah gotcha, I’ll probably be spending more time in the city anyhow ‘cause I’ll definitely be living off campus.

[Ydrl]

7 minutes ago, feralgrad said:

Based on your username, it's very possible haha!

I agree that the city is the main draw -- that's why I considered applying. I ended up deciding not to because I reached out to a current student, and she didn't seem that excited about it. She said it was more competitive than collaborative, which is a big turn-off for me. That said, it's a well-respected, well-funded program; I probably would have applied anyway if it weren't for the fact that it's pretty literary, so I have a 0% chance of acceptance. Can I ask: why did you apply if you're not excited about it?

At one point I was excited about it, but I forgot why. The more I learn about it the more I realize that it fit my very specific criteria and that may have been the main draw. I was so excited that it worked and also that Kathleen Graber seems pretty cool. VCU isn’t at the bottom of my list, that’d be WashU, but it’s the second from the bottom.

The same thing also happened to UNLV, I like the idea of going abroad for a semester, but the only country that I want to go to is Wales. Welsh language books are freaking hard to find. I’ve looked everywhere around my town. I might have to order from an online bookstore. But basically the more I look at the program websites the more I either like or feel worried about the programs.

Edited January 15, 2020 by Ydrl

[bruin228]

Hey everyone, thought I'd chime in (whatever that's worth). I was last on this site in 2015/16, when I was applying for MA/PhD programs in English Lit. I had a niggling thought in my head during that process that what I really wanted to do was creative writing (which was my focus for my English major in undergrad), but I ignored. Well, turns out I don't really like studying lit and theory and all that nearly as much as writing and after suffering through two years of an MA and accruing copious amounts of debt to make up for what I missed out on in undergrad, I decided to jump headfirst into another excruciatingly anxious application process. Took a graduate fiction workshop at UC Davis last year and really enjoyed it, so I'm really, really hoping I get into a program. I loved the workshop environment and I miss teaching at a college level, so I would be extremely grateful to get something like and get paid for it! (this last bit felt halfway like I was writing my SOP again or something). 

I applied to: Notre Dame, Brown, WashU in St. Louis, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, UVA, Vandy, Syracuse, and Northwestern (which is an MA/MFA program, but I think I can stomach the MA aspect if I get time with creative writing and I have faculty that actually work in my fields of interest).  

Best of luck to all of you and glad we can support each other/commiserate. 

[Dochinka96]

Just got waitlisted at Ohio State! 

Feeling joy, gratitude, and hope (for other applications). 

[bruin228]

4 hours ago, Ydrl said:

I feel like the reason I didn’t apply to Michener was partially because of Texas. As nice as it sounds I’m not enthused about the location. I didn’t bother looking anywhere in the south for reasons.

 

2 hours ago, Ydrl said:

I know that now, but I was worried as a queer POC that I would have a hard time.

FWIW, Austin is a very progressive city and as little as I can say as a straight white male and all that, I think you'd be pretty set there. Obviously irrelevant now since you didn't apply, but my two cents. As someone else mentioned, the South gets a bad rap overall (and deservedly so for its rural regions), but I've lived in places like Nashville and Atlanta and there are definitely spaces for POC and LGBT people. Though of course I would trust your feelings over mine. 

However, you are correct in avoiding Texas with regards to its location. I have a friend that lives in Austin and it is absolutely miserable there heat/humidity wise. As I said, I've lived in the South and even that was too much for me.

[Ydrl]

12 minutes ago, Dochinka96 said:

Just got waitlisted at Ohio State! 

Feeling joy, gratitude, and hope (for other applications). 

OMG CONGRATULATIONS @Dochinka96 ??? I’m so so so happy for you!!!!!! I hope you get a spot off the waitlist, is it ranked?

Edited January 15, 2020 by Ydrl

[Ydrl]

On 1/15/2020 at 2:22 PM, bruin228 said:

Hey everyone, thought I'd chime in (whatever that's worth). I was last on this site in 2015/16, when I was applying for MA/PhD programs in English Lit. I had a niggling thought in my head during that process that what I really wanted to do was creative writing (which was my focus for my English major in undergrad), but I ignored. Well, turns out I don't really like studying lit and theory and all that nearly as much as writing and after suffering through two years of an MA and accruing copious amounts of debt to make up for what I missed out on in undergrad, I decided to jump headfirst into another excruciatingly anxious application process. Took a graduate fiction workshop at UC Davis last year and really enjoyed it, so I'm really, really hoping I get into a program. I loved the workshop environment and I miss teaching at a college level, so I would be extremely grateful to get something like and get paid for it! (this last bit felt halfway like I was writing my SOP again or something). 

I applied to: Notre Dame, Brown, Wash U in St. Louis, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, UVA, Vandy, Syracuse, and Northwestern (which is an MA/MFA program, but I think I can stomach the MA aspect if I get time with creative writing and I have faculty that actually work in my fields of interest).  

Best of luck to all of you and glad we can support each other/commiserate. 

Nice, another WashU, Cornell, and Syracuse applicant! Also, welcome @bruin228! And thanks for wishing us luck!

Just for reference I lived 10 miles off the equator for a month. The heat of America doesn’t bother me anymore, it’s just the humidity. Texas heat would be welcome right about now (I live in a northern state). Roast me Texas, I dare you.

[litty]

1 hour ago, Dochinka96 said:

Just got waitlisted at Ohio State! 

Feeling joy, gratitude, and hope (for other applications). 

Congrats!!!  

[noneckmonsters]

Is anyone applying to the English program at Northwestern? The deadline was December 1st and it sounds like the kind of school that would send early notices.... Has anyone heard back from them? 

 

Thank you!!! 

[Ydrl]

31 minutes ago, noneckmonsters said:

Is anyone applying to the English program at Northwestern? The deadline was December 1st and it sounds like the kind of school that would send early notices.... Has anyone heard back from them? 

 

Thank you!!! 

I’m not, but I looked at the results section and acceptances tend to go out between the last week of January and two weeks into February. I hope you hear back soon, I hope we all hear back soon.

[Dochinka96]

5 hours ago, Ydrl said:

OMG CONGRATULATIONS @Dochinka96 ??? I’m so so so happy for you!!!!!! I hope you get a spot off the waitlist, is it ranked?

Thanks so much @Ydrl and @litty. I hope so too, but its hard to imagine anyone earning a place at OSU and turning it down...has anyone even heard of that happening? 

The note was so kind and gratifying, but no, it did not say whether it was 'ranked.'  The words used to describe the waitlist were 'very short and very selective.' Im sure it is ranked, but I didn't receive information about where I stand.

I did send a note reiterating that should a spot open up, I would attend without hesitation. 

Thanks for the support. Ill be there for all your wins and losses, virtually at least....

 

 

[bruin228]

3 hours ago, noneckmonsters said:

Is anyone applying to the English program at Northwestern? The deadline was December 1st and it sounds like the kind of school that would send early notices.... Has anyone heard back from them? 

 

Thank you!!! 

This is for the MA/MFA program, yeah? Unless I had a complete break with reality for a couple months (possible), the deadline was 12/15 (the actual application said 12/16? But either way, mid-December).

[rbr542]

6 hours ago, Dochinka96 said:

Just got waitlisted at Ohio State! 

Feeling joy, gratitude, and hope (for other applications). 

Congratulations ? I wish you good luck! 

[MFALongshot]

14 hours ago, litty said:

To all the folks that applied to Syracuse, why 'Cuse? 

I know George Saunders is a draw, but it sounds like he's leaving. What else is attractive? Inquiring minds would like to know! 

I had no idea Saunders was leaving! That's literally the only reason I applied. Where/how did you find out he was leaving?