2021 Applicants Forum

[Boomer not Ok]

OK, so today's the Ides of March, so I'm feeling extra jumpy and hyper-aware, b/c I'm still waiting on 8 schools. Kinda like Odysseus, drifting aimlessly, clapped in irons, howling into the void, "Aeolus, give me some fucking wind..." This is a bad kind of weird. 

[DeepSyntax]

29 minutes ago, Thermos said:

I got a rejection from the University of Miami last week for fiction. 

Interesting! Thanks for sharing and kind of a relief to know there is movement. Was this via snail mail or online?

[Yellow62]

1 hour ago, SofiTheCatGuardian said:

I also just got another email from University of Virginia stating I will hear back from them "this week." 

Pending: John Hopkins, Iowa, BU, UVA

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[FairleyAlfy]

7 minutes ago, Yellow62 said:

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

SAME

[Ydrl]

8 minutes ago, Yellow62 said:

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

Just now, FairleyAlfy said:

SAME

Honestly, that's me internally. I didn't even apply to UVA, but just thinking about the uncertain future makes me want to scream.

Before anyone says that I will never be certain of the future, I know. I have really bad anxiety. Chihuahua in a human skin, remember?

[Cristie]

1 hour ago, oubukibun said:

Speaking of BU,

I am freaking the fuck out because I went to my admissions portal just to feed my anxiety for the day and then be done with it and realized there's no visible upload of my college transcript.

I emailed admissions, as I'm pretty confident I wouldn't have just not uploaded it.  Besides, the portal is set up so every section is "checked" by a green check-mark once it's been completed, and I never received any notification about missing transcripts (just the standard email giving the applicant a heads-up on what else needs to be uploaded, like rec. letters, transcripts, etc., and a congrats) soooo...

Oh boy.  I'd hate to really put the Sisyphean cherry on top by not being accepted into BU because I missed a transcript in some fugue-like state of applying.

Surely a school wouldn't just let this happen without a heads-up...  Right?

I think age has made me cynical, but the Lost Boy in me always dares to hope anyway, haha.

 

Terrified.

This same thing happened with me with UNO, that red X... I emailed and asked if I should send it again. They said, nope, we have it and you are under review. The red X remains to this day. I think at some point in the process they just quit updating the portals. Good luck, 

Cristie 

[Thermos]

32 minutes ago, DeepSyntax said:

Interesting! Thanks for sharing and kind of a relief to know there is movement. Was this via snail mail or online?

You bet. It was via email. Notified to check the portal. 

[FairleyAlfy]

39 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

 

Honestly, that's me internally. I didn't even apply to UVA, but just thinking about the uncertain future makes me want to scream.

Before anyone says that I will never be certain of the future, I know. I have really bad anxiety. Chihuahua in a human skin, remember?

I’ve had so much anxiety....getting high often is the only way I’ve been surviving the onslaught of insecurity and anxiety. Being on two waitlists makes it even worse. Being so close to going to grad school and yet so far away ?

[Ydrl]

17 minutes ago, FairleyAlfy said:

waitlists makes it even worse. Being so close to going to grad school and yet so far away ?

I've been thinking about how under normal circumstances Maryland had four spots for poets. If I wasn't on the waitlist would I have made it in, or still been on it? The email I got initially made it seem like I was at the top of the waitlist, but I have reason to believe that it was the same form letter @turtlesfordaysgot (unless we're both at the top of fiction and poetry). The Maryland contact, Lindsay, is out until the 22nd because of Maryland's spring break. I've asked if the waitlist is ranked and where am I on that list. God bless spring break, but this is the worst.

[FairleyAlfy]

4 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

I've been thinking about how under normal circumstances Maryland had four spots for poets. If I wasn't on the waitlist would I have made it in, or still been on it? The email I got initially made it seem like I was at the top of the waitlist, but I have reason to believe that it was the same form letter @turtlesfordaysgot (unless we're both at the top of fiction and poetry). The Maryland contact, Lindsay, is out until the 22nd because of Maryland's spring break. I've asked if the waitlist is ranked and where am I on that list. God bless spring break, but this is the worst.

I hope you’re at the top! Did they give you a date on when they would start to see movement or is it all up in the air? 

Edited March 15, 2021 by FairleyAlfy

[FairleyAlfy]

Ahhh, people are starting to get rejected from U Florida....waiting for my email. 

[Ydrl]

5 minutes ago, FairleyAlfy said:

I hope you’re at the top! Did they give you a date on when they would start to see movement or is it all up in the air? 

I hope I am too. The email didn't give me a date, just that there's a good chance a spot will open up for me. So in theory, I could be waiting until April 14th for an acceptance or 15th to be rejected ?.

And where did you see rejections from Florida?

Edited March 15, 2021 by Ydrl

[FairleyAlfy]

Just now, Ydrl said:

I hope I am too. The email didn't give me a date, just that there's a good chance a spot will open up for me. So in theory, I could be waiting until April 14th to be rejected ?.

And where did you see rejections from Florida?

Yikes...rooting for you though! 
 

A poet on draft just got a rejection notice....made my heart stop. U Florida and BU are my top choices. 

[Ydrl]

Just now, FairleyAlfy said:

Yikes...rooting for you though! 
 

A poet on draft just got a rejection notice....made my heart stop. U Florida and BU are my top choices. 

Thank you, as much as I want to collapse in on myself from nervousness, I'll refrain until I hear a no from Maryland (if I do).

And I'm still salty about Florida never updating my portal. It still says it was received by the department. It never said it was under review or anything. What does your portal say?

[Nervis]

3 hours ago, Cristie said:

Do you ever just wonder if your name is on a white board in a room somewhere and someone is holding the dry erase marker as the roundtable discusses your fate? Like the cap is off while the debate is going on and someone stands there waiting to draw that red line. Or is it yes and no stacks in massive piles on that table? HOW does it happen--this process about my future?

If they had a live stream...I'd be Netflixing that shit 24/7. 

Do you guys have these kinds of thoughts too or am I just losing it staring at my email/phone and waiting?

I have a feeling that basically what happens is they begin by reading the first 1-2 pages of your sample and if it doesn't grab them, they scrap it and move on. If it does, they probably read the whole thing and then the rest of your materials based on that, then gather their faves and have real discussions about them. 90% of applicants probably get discarded faster than they think. I saw some adcoms on twitter really stress to put your best stuff FIRST, and when I inquired if that means they might only read the first couple pages there was no response. I don't think any adcoms want to admit that wading through a massive slush pile requires some really cutthroat, less-than-thorough decision making, but I have a feeling that's what's going on. Of course this is just my best speculation. 

[Cristie]

While we wait and REFRESH repeatedly, any advice on Zoom Meet and Greet meetings? I have one Friday afternoon. A get to know you with faculty and students already in the program, Q&A. (This is also a school I've heard no word on funding from-and don't think (?) anyone else has either). 

In my current nervous state...Is this a test? Advice please...

Many thanks and big luck to everyone waiting.

[FairleyAlfy]

14 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Thank you, as much as I want to collapse in on myself from nervousness, I'll refrain until I hear a no from Maryland (if I do).

And I'm still salty about Florida never updating my portal. It still says it was received by the department. It never said it was under review or anything. What does your portal say?

Don’t collapse! A waitlist is good news no matter what. It means they really wanted to accept you, but just didn’t have enough spots. You should feel very proud ? I hope a space opens up soon so you don’t have to spend weeks in anxiety. 
 

It just says received as well...don’t know if that means anything. Have you heard of their status changing from other applicants? 

[Ydrl]

Just now, FairleyAlfy said:

Don’t collapse! A waitlist is good news no matter what. It means they really wanted to accept you, but just didn’t have enough spots. You should feel very proud ? I hope a space opens up soon so you don’t have to spend weeks in anxiety. 
 

It just says received as well...don’t know if that means anything. Have you heard of their status changing from other applicants? 

Another applicant said their portal said under review next to transcripts, but I think that just means their transcripts are under review. Yours said that before too yeah? Mine doesn't say that anymore.

[Cristie]

5 minutes ago, Nervis said:

I have a feeling that basically what happens is they begin by reading the first 1-2 pages of your sample and if it doesn't grab them, they scrap it and move on. If it does, they probably read the whole thing and then the rest of your materials based on that, then gather their faves and have real discussions about them. 90% of applicants probably get discarded faster than they think. I saw some adcoms on twitter really stress to put your best stuff FIRST, and when I inquired if that means they might only read the first couple pages there was no response. I don't think any adcoms want to admit that wading through a massive slush pile requires some really cutthroat, less-than-thorough decision making, but I have a feeling that's what's going on. Of course this is just my best speculation. 

No, that makes sense. I put my short one first and long one second. I probably should have flipped them. I don't know how much you all spent on application fees, but at 60, 70 bucks each...I'd hope they would read more than the first two pages. UGH.

[FairleyAlfy]

2 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Another applicant said their portal said under review next to transcripts, but I think that just means their transcripts are under review. Yours said that before too yeah? Mine doesn't say that anymore.

Mine still says that ? yikes...did they not bother to finish viewing my app. lol 

another update, they told someone on draft that they are sending out poetry rejections today so I’m not sure about fiction. 

[Nervis]

1 minute ago, Cristie said:

No, that makes sense. I put my short one first and long one second. I probably should have flipped them. I don't know how much you all spent on application fees, but at 60, 70 bucks each...I'd hope they would read more than the first two pages. UGH.

Totally! I've had the exact same thought, like NYU made somewhere around $110,000 from its application fees in JUST the CW department alone and they haven't even bothered to send out waitlists or rejections! But I think it's also good to remember that institutions are kind of....messed up. Not saying that adcoms have to be directly motivated by money alone in order to consider/care for your work thoroughly, but they're honestly probably somewhat underpaid, not seeing that money, overworked, etc. It's tough. I think calling it an imperfect system would be an understatement. But that's all the more reason to pat yourself on the back if you get accepted (not diminish that accomplishment) but realize that it miiiiiiighhht not be as simple as "wow they've sifted through all my materials with a fine-toothed comb and I've been found lacking!" 

[CrankyGinger]

2 minutes ago, Nervis said:

Totally! I've had the exact same thought, like NYU made somewhere around $110,000 from its application fees in JUST the CW department alone and they haven't even bothered to send out waitlists or rejections! 

Have there been any NYU fiction acceptances seen? I haven't heard a peep about anyone getting in, yet. 

[Ydrl]

6 minutes ago, FairleyAlfy said:

Mine still says that ? yikes...did they not bother to finish viewing my app. lol 

another update, they told someone on draft that they are sending out poetry rejections today so I’m not sure about fiction. 

I applied pretty early, like mid December because I had a bit of money left. It took them until last month to process my transcripts and now my transcript isn't under review.

And well, I suppose I should keep my eye out for an email today haha.

[Cristie]

3 hours ago, Boomer not Ok said:

I'm not sure it's as dramatic as that. I wonder sometimes for the places that get north of 600 apps whether undergrad CW teachers' pets are wading through the slush pile determining our fates. 

Nice..I hate those teacher's pets types..(groan)

I'm more thorn in your side, grumbling and plotting deaths from the back of the workshop room. 

I'm doomed.

[Ydrl]

2 minutes ago, Cristie said:

I hate those teacher's pets types.

?️??️?❓

Edited March 15, 2021 by Ydrl