2021 Applicants Forum

[SofiTheCatGuardian]

Hey, all! I've read quite a lot of your posts. Keep hanging in there! I'm curious if anyone has heard from the following:

- University of Virginia (Charlottesville)*

- Boston University*

-John Hopkins*

-University of Maryland

-Iowa Writer's Workshop 

Rejected: Michener; Cornell; Vanderbilt; Michigan Helen Zell; Brown; GA State

[iai]

Long term lurker here ?

@SofiTheCatGuardian I believe Boston usually comes out late March/April. 
 

For Hopkins, I think notifications have gone out. At least I’ve seen them on Draft. For Maryland, I’ve seen some waitlists on draft as well. And for Iowa, I think you should be receiving a letter for waitlist or rejection any day now since a few have gotten it on Draft! 
 

Has anyone heard anything from NYU, Columbia, or The New School yet about waitlists or rejections? 

[Boomer not Ok]

6 hours ago, iai said:

 

Has anyone heard anything from NYU, Columbia, or The New School yet about waitlists or rejections? 

I have no access to Draft but I haven't seen anything for NYU on waitlists or rejects on Gradcafe. For CU, I've seen 1 CNF result but nothing for fiction or poetry. I don't think they've released fiction/poetry results yet bc given the large size of the cohort, there would be multiple postings. Not sure about New School waitlists but I think all acceptances have gone out.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Boomer not Ok

[feralgrad]

18 hours ago, koechophe said:

I would honestly love more of your insights on this. First off, which schools would you consider to be lesser-known fully funded programs?

Second, my list of schools I applied to is:

University of Utah, University of Houston, Florida State, Oklahoma State, University of Lincoln-Nebraska, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Southern Californa, Washington State University (Rhet/comp, not MFA). 

I'll admit that "lesser-known" is super subjective. But anything outside of Iowa, Michener, Brown, and the NYC mileiu is a good start. A decent measure is how often you're seeing fellow applicants here and on Draft (by this metric, I'd also consider UVA, for example, in the "super competitive" tier).

The list you have here seems strong to me. I've heard good things about many of those programs, and they're not what I would call "household names."

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with applying to the big names. I'm just encouraging people to be strategic. Plus it breaks my heart to see people getting discouraged about their writing because they didn't get into these programs with a .5% acceptance rate.

[scully7584]

Has anyone heard anything from LSU, Florida, Alabama, or UVA? 

Thanks for the replies in advance

[goodcynara]

9 hours ago, SofiTheCatGuardian said:

Hey, all! I've read quite a lot of your posts. Keep hanging in there! I'm curious if anyone has heard from the following:

- University of Virginia (Charlottesville)*

- Boston University* - nothing yet

-John Hopkins* - I received an email to check portal 3/6 (rejection)

-University of Maryland

-Iowa Writer's Workshop - Acceptance calls have gone out; waitlists and rejections via snail mail

Rejected: Michener; Cornell; Vanderbilt; Michigan Helen Zell; Brown; GA State

Hi! Here's all I know:

- Boston University* - nothing yet

-John Hopkins* - I received an email to check portal 3/6 (rejection)

-Iowa Writer's Workshop - Acceptance calls have gone out; waitlists and rejections via snail mail

Hope this helps!

[cecsav]

43 minutes ago, scully7584 said:

Has anyone heard anything from LSU, Florida, Alabama, or UVA? 

Thanks for the replies in advance

I was notified by AL about two weeks ago. Haven't heard from LSU of UF. Didn't apply to UVA. 

[funfettuccine]

42 minutes ago, scully7584 said:

Has anyone heard anything from LSU, Florida, Alabama, or UVA? 

Thanks for the replies in advance

I got a waitlist email from Alabama (fiction) a few weeks ago. I think I saw an acceptance call on the results page around the same time. My portal was never updated, though, so I’m not sure when official rejections/acceptances will come out. I’m also waiting on UVA but don’t think they’ve contacted anyone yet. 

[NLake]

43 minutes ago, scully7584 said:

Has anyone heard anything from LSU, Florida, Alabama, or UVA? 

Thanks for the replies in advance

I didn't apply to these schools but I came real close to sending in an app to LSU. Really regretting not doing so now. Anyway, I've been keeping an eye out for their results in an effort to further torture myself. Noticed a fiction acceptance (via phone) posted yesterday. Best wishes to you - I hope you hear word soon!

[cecsav]

2 minutes ago, funfettuccine said:

I got a waitlist email from Alabama (fiction) a few weeks ago. 

This reminds me, if you're waitlisted for Poetry at U of AL, I've decided to decline their offer. ?

[NLake]

2 minutes ago, cecsav said:

This reminds me, if you're waitlisted for Poetry at U of AL, I've decided to decline their offer. ?

I see... I'm here to shamelessly ask how you're feeling about that ASU offer? ? Congratulations, by the way!

[cecsav]

2 minutes ago, NLake said:

I see... I'm here to shamelessly ask how you're feeling about that ASU offer? ? Congratulations, by the way!

Thanks! Right now, ASU is my top choice. But if FL comes through for me... lol

[Ydrl]

@NLake @cecsav @teasel

May I interest you in my poetry coven meeting zoom meeting?

[NLake]

Just now, cecsav said:

Thanks! Right now, ASU is my top choice. But if FL comes through for me... lol

That waiting game is fun, isn't it? ? I've got my fingers crossed for you (and me!) Though, I'm not in the top 3 on ASU's waitlist so I don't think it's likely the offer would come my way if you ended up declining. Best wishes to you wherever you go!

[NLake]

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

@NLake @cecsav @teasel

May I interest you in my poetry coven meeting zoom meeting?

When might this coven poetry meeting take place? What might it entail? 

[Ydrl]

Just now, NLake said:

When might this coven poetry meeting take place? What might it entail? 

I'm adding people to the group message on here, then we'll see if there's a time we can agree on. I was planning on maybe doing a little workshop/chatting. Whichever the group is comfortable with.

[cecsav]

4 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

@NLake @cecsav @teasel

May I interest you in my poetry coven meeting zoom meeting?

Perhaps. I work two jobs, go to school full time, and have two teenagers, so scheduling anything synchronous is often difficult. But I'm definitely interested in the potential of a poetry Zoom meeting. 

[Ydrl]

Just now, cecsav said:

Perhaps. I work two jobs, go to school full time, and have two teenagers, so scheduling anything synchronous is often difficult. But I'm definitely interested in the potential of a poetry Zoom meeting. 

Once I add everyone to the group, I'll see if there's a good time. We can have more than one meeting if it goes well, and it doesn't have to be soon. I imagine some of the people in the group have school/work/kid responsibilities. 

[NLake]

5 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

I'm adding people to the group message on here, then we'll see if there's a time we can agree on. I was planning on maybe doing a little workshop/chatting. Whichever the group is comfortable with.

I'm in a similar boat to @cecsav but I wouldn't mind joining the group message and trying to configure something with the gang. 

Edited March 13, 2021 by NLake
Important to clarify that I am not nearly as busy as @cecsav, as I have no kids and only one job and finished my program last semester. But one job is enough to make me a lump the rest of the week :D

[koechophe]

 

2 hours ago, feralgrad said:

I'll admit that "lesser-known" is super subjective. But anything outside of Iowa, Michener, Brown, and the NYC mileiu is a good start. A decent measure is how often you're seeing fellow applicants here and on Draft (by this metric, I'd also consider UVA, for example, in the "super competitive" tier).

The list you have here seems strong to me. I've heard good things about many of those programs, and they're not what I would call "household names."

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with applying to the big names. I'm just encouraging people to be strategic. Plus it breaks my heart to see people getting discouraged about their writing because they didn't get into these programs with a .5% acceptance rate.

That actually does make me feel better about my application cycle, thanks. It's never been my goal to get into a "top" school, just a funded one. I mean, if I can get it in to a good one, yay! But anywhere that funds me is enough for my purposes, my goal from an MFA is to eventually go on to get a PHD and teach. 

Still surprised that USC hasn't rejected me yet lol. I might email them and ask for an update, just because I feel pretty confident that it's a no at this point. 

[teasel]

11 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

@NLake @cecsav @teasel

May I interest you in my poetry coven meeting zoom meeting?

Heck yeah, that sounds fun! I'm actually trying to visit a friend who lives way off in the middle of nowhere this week, haha. A mini writing retreat : )  So I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it or not, but please add me to the group and I'll see what I can do! 

[Ydrl]

Just now, teasel said:

Heck yeah, that sounds fun! I'm actually trying to visit a friend who lives way off in the middle of nowhere this week, haha. A mini writing retreat : )  So I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it or not, but please add me to the group and I'll see what I can do! 

So I ran into a problem. Gradcafe only allows five people in one conversation. So I'm gonna have to make another conversation to not leave anyone out. Don't worry, I'll relay information between the two.

[Ydrl]

I have a new poem, and one of my professors approves of it more than he's ever done before. "So I think this one's a keeper." I'm gonna submit it somewhere.

[Ydrl]

Do y'all ever submit to places you really, really have no business submitting to? Because I'm laughing at myself due to the magazine I just submitted to.

[Gloomy Dragonfly]

Just got accepted at the University of Idaho for poetry ahhhh!!!! I was notified back in February that I was waitlisted, but a spot opened for me yesterday! If you're on a waitlist somewhere, I'm sending you all the best thoughts! ❤️ 

I was rejected from WashU and UNC Greensboro, but still waiting on UVA, Northern Michigan, and Eastern Washington. I'm thinking UVA is a no and just waiting on a rejection notification, but unsure about the rest.