2021 Applicants Forum

[arden]

3 hours ago, kraftyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy said:

5 hours ago, Downtozero said:

Look, I've worked in higher ed admin before, my advice to everyone: Stop. Overanalyzing. Your portals.

And also: if someone got a random marketing email from a school that you didn't get, it does not mean that they made it past some inscrutable micro-round in the application cycle and you didn't. I've seen this worry expressed a couple times on Draft. 

Chilllll.

Take a deep breath! I say this with nothing but compassion, because I am an anxious overthinker, and I get it, but I've also worked in higher ed admin and none of these things - the marketing email, the particular wording of the portal status - mean anything. I too am desperate for any info right now. But the only things that actually mean something are personal responses from the school.

We're in the midst of historic snow here in the south. Thankfully the historic cold is abating some. Hope you all are staying warm and finding healthy ways to stay busy through the waiting!

Thank you, everybody! These are really helpful reminders. I think I started to spiral because my first rejection in this whole process was only through the portal, so I'm definitely giving them way too much power now. I really appreciate everyone's perspective.

I hope everyone is safe, warm, and giving themselves (more than) a little grace through the waiting. Take care of your hearts — and overthinking minds! 

To switch gears: what's everybody been reading lately? I'm wrapping up Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day and—speaking of Khadijah Queen, who is just wonderful—finished Anodyne yesterday, which I highly recommend! 

[Ydrl]

13 minutes ago, sylviaplate said:

Someone did mention she was leaving. And to think I was *this* close to applying to VT! Always go with your gut, I suppose. Premature congrats to any future VT poets who get to work with her!

Editing to say I'm glad the announcement came after I submitted my app - at the very least, I don't look like I didn't do my research.

I applied to VT for poetry, hopefully I get in.

[mrvisser]

3 minutes ago, arden said:

Thank you, everybody! These are really helpful reminders. I think I started to spiral because my first rejection in this whole process was only through the portal, so I'm definitely giving them way too much power now. I really appreciate everyone's perspective.

I hope everyone is safe, warm, and giving themselves (more than) a little grace through the waiting. Take care of your hearts — and overthinking minds! 

To switch gears: what's everybody been reading lately? I'm wrapping up Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day and—speaking of Khadijah Queen, who is just wonderful—finished Anodyne yesterday, which I highly recommend! 

Currently on Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Almost done with it, and then I'll probably move on to Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence.

[aheather]

36 minutes ago, arden said:

To switch gears: what's everybody been reading lately? I'm wrapping up Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day and—speaking of Khadijah Queen, who is just wonderful—finished Anodyne yesterday, which I highly recommend! 

I've been reading Don't Read Poetry because I find that craft books and litcrit help me recenter myself as a reader of poetry

I'm also on the millionth reread of Maggie Nelson's something bright, then holes (if there is such thing as a happy place, maybe there's a grief place too, a place you can go to express all of that sadness and angst-- something bright, then holes is that place for me). I have a few more poetry books on the shelf (Julie Carr's Real Life: An Installation beckons), but I'm trying to stop picking up more and more and more books

For non-fiction, I have Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Rules! opened, her storytelling and kindness make it feel like a warm mug of cocoa, or a hug. I started reading it about ten min after getting my UMass rejection and it's stayed close to me since

And for fiction, Dantiel Moniz (Draft alum!) just released Milk Blood Heat and I'm excited to devour it soon

books books books books booooooooooks

[Ydrl]

Guys, my soul left my body for a second. I got a big letter from SJCNY and thought: this is it. It came with a pamphlet, and I could see through the envelope that the writing program header was there.

...

It’s a letter thanking me for my interest in their program. The pamphlet told me more about their program, but I honestly thought it was an acceptance and got way too excited. T_T

[succulent.aloe]

Just received rejection from Northwestern for Nonfiction via email from the Assistant to the Graduate Program! Alas, that would have been a great program, but I'm glad my waiting game is over now.

I only applied to the one this year, kind of on a lark, but I'll work on my app more and apply to around 10 schools next year! Best of luck to everyone here. 

[arden]

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

Guys, my soul left my body for a second. I got a big letter from SJCNY and thought: this is it. It came with a pamphlet, and I could see through the envelope that the writing program header was there.

...

It’s a letter thanking me for my interest in their program. The pamphlet told me more about their program, but I honestly thought it was an acceptance and got way too excited. T_T

oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!! Getting a physical mail—a big envelope/package, at that!— just feels cruel ?  I hope you get the real deal soon ?

 

55 minutes ago, aheather said:

I've been reading Don't Read Poetry because I find that craft books and litcrit help me recenter myself as a reader of poetry

I'm also on the millionth reread of Maggie Nelson's something bright, then holes (if there is such thing as a happy place, maybe there's a grief place too, a place you can go to express all of that sadness and angst-- something bright, then holes is that place for me). I have a few more poetry books on the shelf (Julie Carr's Real Life: An Installation beckons), but I'm trying to stop picking up more and more and more books

For non-fiction, I have Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Rules! opened, her storytelling and kindness make it feel like a warm mug of cocoa, or a hug. I started reading it about ten min after getting my UMass rejection and it's stayed close to me since

And for fiction, Dantiel Moniz (Draft alum!) just released Milk Blood Heat and I'm excited to devour it soon

books books books books booooooooooks

what a great selection!! Do you have any recommendations for other craft/litcrit books? I feel similarly that it'd be helpful to recenter myself, and it's something I'm realizing I'm missing in the absence of craft classes recently. (I just graduated in December and it's been a real adjustment to try and settle into writing/reading routines outside of coursework!!) 

 

[mrvisser]

10 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Guys, my soul left my body for a second. I got a big letter from SJCNY and thought: this is it. It came with a pamphlet, and I could see through the envelope that the writing program header was there.

...

It’s a letter thanking me for my interest in their program. The pamphlet told me more about their program, but I honestly thought it was an acceptance and got way too excited. T_T

Cruel. A big envelope is always (for undergrad, at least) a sure acceptance. My acceptance to UW literally said "The BIG Envelope" on it.

[Ydrl]

Just now, mrvisser said:

Cruel. A big envelope is always (for undergrad, at least) a sure acceptance. My acceptance to UW literally said "The BIG Envelope" on it.

IT SAID ON THE FRONT “Ready. Set. Joe’s”. WHYYYYYYYYY

[poefire]

12 minutes ago, arden said:

what a great selection!! Do you have any recommendations for other craft/litcrit books? I feel similarly that it'd be helpful to recenter myself, and it's something I'm realizing I'm missing in the absence of craft classes recently. (I just graduated in December and it's been a real adjustment to try and settle into writing/reading routines outside of coursework!!) 

 

Not addressed to me but i will always recommend Madness, Rack, and Honey by Mary Ruefle.

Also The Writing Life by Annie Dillard is very good.

[KZK]

Just got my rejection from Northwestern. I knew it was a longshot but it still stings to watch that door close. That brings me to 1a/2r/0w/6p. My remaining schools all tend to notify in March (Iowa, Hollins, Montana, New Mexico, and Rutgers-Camden, which has notified others but nothing for me yet). Also still waiting to hear on funding from George Mason (my one acceptance - it seems like many in draft have been offered funding already so I'm nervous). Blergh! This is the worst! 

[babypoet2k]

just got my first rejection from northwestern! had messed up my sop a bit and lowkey despised one of my critical writing essays so i knew it wasn't going to be a positive response. appreciate the kind email, though! 

also, bad juju that i was listening to one of my "college rejection" playlists a few hours ago and received the rejection just now? i will be deleting that playlist now haha (edit: in my defense, it is a bangin playlist and i was feeling cinematic on a road trip dont @ me) 

time to play the waiting game again for a bajillion years (1r/5p)

Edited February 17, 2021 by babypoet2k

[mrvisser]

21 minutes ago, poefire said:

Not addressed to me but i will always recommend Madness, Rack, and Honey by Mary Ruefle.

Also The Writing Life by Annie Dillard is very good.

Yep, The Writing Life is excellent.

[Ash...]

Your fav up and coming authors

Going into my first year of MFA school in the fall I want to be up to date with some up and coming  writers. Any recommendations? (This is coming from a lit major who spent too many years reading classics and needs to be refreshed) 

Preferred genres: horror, thriller, psychological, lgbt, fantasy (open to all)

[eternalwhitenights]

I'm reading "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth. It was the biggest novel I could find in the bookstore a few years back, and through all the stuff I've been through the past few years, I promised myself I would read that to honor my recommitment to my writing and my novel and my love for literature and books. I'm only on the first couple of pages, but it's great so far.

[Bug128]

Hello! I am nervously awaiting the results like everyone! I made it to phase II for Ole Miss, and I am wondering if anyone has any idea/apprehension how many people are in phase II there? Sorry if this question has been asked elsewhere!

[feralgrad]

29 minutes ago, Ash... said:

Your fav up and coming authors

Going into my first year of MFA school in the fall I want to be up to date with some up and coming  writers. Any recommendations? (This is coming from a lit major who spent too many years reading classics and needs to be refreshed) 

Preferred genres: horror, thriller, psychological, lgbt, fantasy (open to all)

Not sure if she counts as "up and coming," but I just read Sleep Donation by Karen Russell and loved it! Some of my classmates were disappointed by the ending, but I loved the language and worldbuilding.

[bvonarch]

Wow, I'm at the edge of my seat reading through this forum. I've been lurking on here for the past couple of weeks. I may apply to the MFA in fiction next application cycle. Not sure yet. It's been eleven years since I've been to grad school (withdrew from a phd program, but walked out with an MA). Been taking some online creative writing classes because, you know, I need recommendation letters. Next application cycle may be just as crazy as this one, so I may not apply and just write my novel instead and avoid all the stress of academia. Looking forward to seeing where you all end up! ?

[catastroph]

I worked my way through all James Baldwin's fiction and now I guess I'm on to Baldwin's recommendations-- I'm reading City of Night by John Rechy and really enjoying it. I'm thinking I'll only read non-MFA writers for the next while to keep my writing dreams alive, lol ? (Rechy applied to a writing program at Columbia and was not admitted! Baldwin did not attend college!)

[aa2427]

1 hour ago, babypoet2k said:

ust got my first rejection from northwestern! had messed up my sop a bit and lowkey despised one of my critical writing essays so i knew it wasn't going to be a positive response. appreciate the kind email, though! 

I got my rejection from Northwestern this morning as well, and I feel you. I left the diversity question blank (it felt wrong and unfair to people with actual diverse backgrounds to try to dig anything up as a white girl in my 20s) and my SOP just felt...wrong for some reason. Hurts, but I can see why it happened. First rejection does make me very nervous though, eep. Did anyone else get thrown off by the form email that felt personal but then realized it was sent to a lot of us?

[aheather]

27 minutes ago, Ash... said:

Your fav up and coming authors

Going into my first year of MFA school in the fall I want to be up to date with some up and coming  writers. Any recommendations? (This is coming from a lit major who spent too many years reading classics and needs to be refreshed) 

Preferred genres: horror, thriller, psychological, lgbt, fantasy (open to all)

Wahoooo! As a former bookseller, this is my JAM!

If you're cool with YA, Crier's War (Nina Varela) was a really fun lesbian fantasy. You're a former lit major, so you may have already read Song of Achilles (Madeline Miller), but if you haven't, that's a phenomenal place to see old stories merge with new voices (also GAY). I just read Chasm (Dorthea Tanning, yes, the surrealist painter), which was horror and off the wall and just amazing-- also relatively recently published (2003? 2004?) despite Tanning's age. I liked The Water Cure (Sophie Mackintosh) for its deeply unsettling, psychological elements. And now is not the moment I'd necessarily re-read Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel), but if you want some fictionalized plague in your life, that book was one of my favorites the year I read it.

Oh! And the biggest rec (in size and quality): The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton. I deeply believe that Catton will wind up being one of the largest literary voices of our generation, her talent is just unbelievable and her output is already tremendously impressive. The Luminaries is a why-done-it, an unraveling of a murder mystery. It's MASSIVE, so buckle up, but it's so artfully crafted that every little bit of length is done for a reason.

1 hour ago, arden said:

oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!! Getting a physical mail—a big envelope/package, at that!— just feels cruel ?  I hope you get the real deal soon ?

 

what a great selection!! Do you have any recommendations for other craft/litcrit books? I feel similarly that it'd be helpful to recenter myself, and it's something I'm realizing I'm missing in the absence of craft classes recently. (I just graduated in December and it's been a real adjustment to try and settle into writing/reading routines outside of coursework!!) 

 

I love the books mentioned (Dillard! ah!) and want to tack on The Poet's Companion (Kim Addonizio) to the list of good craft books. Usually I find my next one by seeing who is being cited and talked about, and then reading their stuff, so I've found that it pays to start with something general and entry-level and hone in on forms/eras/critics that are interesting. The book I'm reading now referenced George Steiner's On Difficulty, and it sounded fascinating, so I plan to read that next  

[aheather]

1 hour ago, Bug128 said:

Hello! I am nervously awaiting the results like everyone! I made it to phase II for Ole Miss, and I am wondering if anyone has any idea/apprehension how many people are in phase II there? Sorry if this question has been asked elsewhere!

Hello! Congrats on Phase II! 

I also made it to that. I've noticed a lot of people didn't, which indicates that it is good news and not just a thing that happens to most applicants. I've tried to figure out how many people make it to Phase II before being ultimately rejected, and I haven't seen much (it seeeems like most people are WLed or accepted from Phase II), but I don't actually trust the data bc it's sparse and people underreport their rejections.

If you hear anything, please report back! I am at the edge of my seat about Ole Miss.

[Bug128]

6 minutes ago, aheather said:

Hello! Congrats on Phase II! 

I also made it to that. I've noticed a lot of people didn't, which indicates that it is good news and not just a thing that happens to most applicants. I've tried to figure out how many people make it to Phase II before being ultimately rejected, and I haven't seen much (it seeeems like most people are WLed or accepted from Phase II), but I don't actually trust the data bc it's sparse and people underreport their rejections.

If you hear anything, please report back! I am at the edge of my seat about Ole Miss.

Thanks, Aheather. Congrats to you too! I'm hoping for the best for everyone!

[Ash...]

14 minutes ago, aheather said:

Wahoooo! As a former bookseller, this is my JAM!

If you're cool with YA, Crier's War (Nina Varela) was a really fun lesbian fantasy. You're a former lit major, so you may have already read Song of Achilles (Madeline Miller), but if you haven't, that's a phenomenal place to see old stories merge with new voices (also GAY). I just read Chasm (Dorthea Tanning, yes, the surrealist painter), which was horror and off the wall and just amazing-- also relatively recently published (2003? 2004?) despite Tanning's age. I liked The Water Cure (Sophie Mackintosh) for its deeply unsettling, psychological elements. And now is not the moment I'd necessarily re-read Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel), but if you want some fictionalized plague in your life, that book was one of my favorites the year I read it.

Oh! And the biggest rec (in size and quality): The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton. I deeply believe that Catton will wind up being one of the largest literary voices of our generation, her talent is just unbelievable and her output is already tremendously impressive. The Luminaries is a why-done-it, an unraveling of a murder mystery. It's MASSIVE, so buckle up, but it's so artfully crafted that every little bit of length is done for a reason.

I love the books mentioned (Dillard! ah!) and want to tack on The Poet's Companion (Kim Addonizio) to the list of good craft books. Usually I find my next one by seeing who is being cited and talked about, and then reading their stuff, so I've found that it pays to start with something general and entry-level and hone in on forms/eras/critics that are interesting. The book I'm reading now referenced George Steiner's On Difficulty, and it sounded fascinating, so I plan to read that next  

Ahhh thank you so much this is so helpful!

[aheather]

Just now, Ash... said:

Ahhh thank you so much this is so helpful!

pls let me know if you want more!

forcing people to read my favorite books recommending books is my top hobby!