2021 Applicants Forum

[dumblond]

I just turned down a fully-funded offer from Idaho and a partially-funded one from Sarah Lawrence, both in CNF. I hope this helps someone! Cross-posted to Draft. 

[buildscharacters]

Hi all,

Longtime lurker here! I applied to four MFA programs for fiction: University of Washington - Seattle (rejected), Portland State University (accepted), Saint Mary's College of California (accepted with a paid assistantship), and University of San Francisco.

I am having the hardest time choosing between Saint Mary's and Portland State. They have both given me a deadline of April 15th. Does anybody know anything/have an opinion about these two schools that might sway me? Also, I have heard diddly squat from University of San Francisco; I emailed the program director, and they said they typically make decisions six weeks after the deadline––which would have been early March. However, their program director added, "We are unable to predict exactly when the program's faculty will finish their application reviews." I saw one person was accepted on here a while ago for fiction. I'm confused why I haven't been rejected yet––as I have with UW. Is it possible they wait until after the April 10/15 deadline to see which first picks are going to attend before getting back to other applicants? Is this normal?

Thanks!

Edited April 9, 2021 by buildscharacters

[lenagator1997]

17 minutes ago, buildscharacters said:

Hi all,

Longtime lurker here! I applied to four MFA programs for fiction: University of Washington - Seattle (rejected), Portland State University (accepted), Saint Mary's College of California (accepted with a paid assistantship), and University of San Francisco.

I am having the hardest time choosing between Saint Mary's and Portland State. They have both given me a deadline of April 15th. Does anybody know anything/have an opinion about these two schools that might sway me? Also, I have heard diddly squat from University of San Francisco; I emailed the program director, and they said they typically make decisions six weeks after the deadline––which would have been early March. However, their program director added, "We are unable to predict exactly when the program's faculty will finish their application reviews." I saw one person was accepted on here a while ago for fiction. I'm confused why I haven't been rejected yet––as I have with UW. Is it possible they wait until after the April 10/15 deadline to see which first picks are going to attend before getting back to other applicants? Is this normal?

Thanks!

Hi There,

I have also yet to hear from USF, although I decided to accept University of New Hampshire. Hopefully we will hear something soon just to have the information ya know?

[buildscharacters]

I hope so! It seems so odd not to be at least rejected by now. Would you have chosen USF over UNH?

[lenagator1997]

14 minutes ago, buildscharacters said:

I hope so! It seems so odd not to be at least rejected by now. Would you have chosen USF over UNH?

I would still have chosen UNH mostly because I liked the program alot more, and well, I got a half scholarship so it all worked out! Ryan Van Meter is my hero though, so when I saw he was on the faculty at USF I think I cried lol. If you haven't read his memoir "If You Knew Then What I Know Now." I totally recommend it. I've read it over three times and used it in my English undergrad senior thesis.

Edited April 9, 2021 by lenagator1997

[Cristie]

12 hours ago, truffleshuffle said:

So all of this aid is packaged to you, and after it's applied to tuition and fees, the remaining amount is refunded to your account in one big check (each semester). That money you can spend however you wish, but obviously you'll want to actually spend it how it was intended--to live. Lol
 

This was a great answer--Thank you for taking the time to spell it out for me. I'm not anti-loan at all. We have to have them really, I don't see these as any different than house, car, etc. Ultimately, I am investing in ME. I intentionally paid off my car early (yeah) so that I wouldn't have that expense to move with me. I just read about the income-based repayment option and that sounds like a big improvement since the days of horror stories about student loan debt. I have zero credit card debt because I don't like credit cards and I don't live beyond my means.

New question, about the money is applied to tuition/fees and the rest is refunded to you to live on in a big check each semester. If that is the case, I will need to have some upfront money of my own for a deposit/first month's rent most likely because I want to move to my new state early to be sure I get a place and get settled (learn my way around) before school starts right? This part sounds like it comes down to a tricky timing issue that could put me in a pinch if I'm not smart about it. The whole waiting for a refund check. I know I'll eat the moving costs if I actually pack up and move-move but I'm thinking now to pack what I need in my car and drive there then just find thrifty items to fill in the gaps once I'm there. Then it sounds like a bank account and an auto pay for the rent with the refund. Am I on the right track with this? 

[rbb_ergo]

Saw someone posted on Results that they got accepted to UNM yest for fiction. I guess that means there's hope for the CNF side.... TT__TT Pls stop playing w/ my heart UNM, it's bad for my health ??

Guess I'll sit here w/ my cat & plants & wait for that magical email to hit my inbox.........

Wishing everyone a sunny weekend!

[Cristie]

For the second year folks on here or anyone who knows. There is all this focus on April 15th. What happens after that...so all the schools decide. All of us decide...there have to be loose ends. Like if you are waitlisted but accept somewhere else, then your waitlist school comes through on April 16th because someone decided at the last minute and freed up a spot? Then what happens? Can that even happen? Are offers made after April 15th? I'm kind of in freak out mode because I know I need to make a decision but I'm holding out hope on this waitlist spot. 

[purgatoryparadise]

11 hours ago, Cristie said:

New question, about the money is applied to tuition/fees and the rest is refunded to you to live on in a big check each semester. If that is the case, I will need to have some upfront money of my own for a deposit/first month's rent most likely because I want to move to my new state early to be sure I get a place and get settled (learn my way around) before school starts right? This part sounds like it comes down to a tricky timing issue that could put me in a pinch if I'm not smart about it. The whole waiting for a refund check. I know I'll eat the moving costs if I actually pack up and move-move but I'm thinking now to pack what I need in my car and drive there then just find thrifty items to fill in the gaps once I'm there. Then it sounds like a bank account and an auto pay for the rent with the refund. Am I on the right track with this?

Bingo. It’ll unfortunately take some upfront costs to make that initial move. I’m not sure what resources are out there to help with that cost since I had to dip into my savings to do that. Asking the department directly for advice or pointing to resources might be worthwhile, as I’m sure many of their incoming students have to deal with that. I read somewhere that someone even got their program to help with moving costs? That’s probably extremely rare though.
 

George Saunders had a funny story about how he was utterly clueless when he moved to Syracuse for his MFA. If I recall correctly, it involved having to sleep in his truck for awhile because he had no idea he couldn’t just show up and get an apartment without any money to his name.

[Ydrl]

9 hours ago, Cristie said:

For the second year folks on here or anyone who knows. There is all this focus on April 15th. What happens after that...so all the schools decide. All of us decide...there have to be loose ends. Like if you are waitlisted but accept somewhere else, then your waitlist school comes through on April 16th because someone decided at the last minute and freed up a spot? Then what happens? Can that even happen? Are offers made after April 15th? I'm kind of in freak out mode because I know I need to make a decision but I'm holding out hope on this waitlist spot. 

This is on Wisconsin's webiste: "We at Wisconsin advise any applicant who is feeling pressured to accept another MFA program's offer before the April 15th deadline to simply send the program a friendly email that states, "I see that your institution is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools. As such, I believe that I have the right to consider your offer up until the April 15th deadline as established by the council. Thanks so much!" Most universities are big places where one hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing. "

Some schools don't accept anyone after the April 15th deadline, even if someone declines their offer at the last minute. It would be cruel to put someone in the position of having accepted an offer, only to get another offer form a waitlisted college that's better. Some of the bigger schools in New York tend to do stuff like that though. One time in the results page on GradCafe, I saw someone get rejected from NYU in July.

I'm not sure what school you're waiting for, but if it's a big New York school, I honestly wouldn't wait. If you have an offer that you aren't sure you want to take, I would try again next year. These are just my thoughts though.

[chrisclements]

hey people! i've officially committed to the university of alabama, so if anyone else that's going there wants to connect, hit me up! 

[quesofresco]

23 hours ago, Cristie said:

For the second year folks on here or anyone who knows. There is all this focus on April 15th. What happens after that...so all the schools decide. All of us decide...there have to be loose ends. Like if you are waitlisted but accept somewhere else, then your waitlist school comes through on April 16th because someone decided at the last minute and freed up a spot? Then what happens? Can that even happen? Are offers made after April 15th? I'm kind of in freak out mode because I know I need to make a decision but I'm holding out hope on this waitlist spot. 

Yes, offers are made on the 15th. I was offered a spot into an MFA from the waitlist on the afternoon of April 15 a few years back. Other friends have been admitted to programs later than that date. Being waitlisted at a dream program while accepted to a maybe program is kind of a crap situation to be in-- but at the same time, schools are aware of this and the domino effect that can happen, and will hopefully try to keep you informed. If you haven't reached out to your waitlisted school, maybe do that to get an idea of where you are on the list, how many people haven't said yes yet, and to tell them that if they offer you a spot you will definitely accept. Hope it works out for you!

[Cristie]

14 hours ago, quesofresco said:

If you haven't reached out to your waitlisted school, maybe do that to get an idea of where you are on the list, how many people haven't said yes yet, and to tell them that if they offer you a spot you will definitely accept. Hope it works out for you!

Thank you and I have reached out. They know I will accept, they are just waiting to hear back on a few people and they will let me know either way. Domino effect is so accurate. I wasn't given a number, but powerful words. Since we are in the word business, I have to believe if a spot comes open it will be mine. I think I'm just having an internal battle over the indecision of others determines my fate and clearly, I'm not alone in experiencing this uncomfortable feeling. When my daughter was little (back when she said words all wrong) she used to say, "No, no. I can't like this," and wave her little hand back and forth.  Lol, that's where I'm at.    

[cecsav]

Anyone else headed to ASU?

[SpaceJunk]

Hello, I just wanted to send a message to anyone who has an offer to a program they're not excited about. My message is: you don't have to go. Last year I got some fully-funded offers but not from the programs at the top of my list. I was on some waitlists, but they didn't work out. I felt like I had to say yes to the best offer I had, even though I was pretty sure that it wasn't a good fit. I didn't click with anyone on the faculty and I felt pretty out of place with most of my cohort when I met them. I committed, but I ended up being right: my program is not the best place for me. I am not sure what I'm going to do, if I will drop out or finish or transfer, but I wish that I was not in this position. I wanted to be in a program so bad, and I thought I would be a failure if I applied a second time, so I said yes, but it is really hard to live in a place I resent. My advice is that if you're disappointed with your offer (even if it is fully funded, even if other people would love to be in your shoes!) it's okay to say no thanks. Trying again next year doesn't make you a failure. Good luck with your decisions this week!

[turtlesfordays]

38 minutes ago, SpaceJunk said:

Hello, I just wanted to send a message to anyone who has an offer to a program they're not excited about. My message is: you don't have to go.

I’m curious about this (please don’t read my questions as passive aggressive, I think it’s totally valid to reject an offer): if you weren’t interested enough to go if accepted, why did you apply? Did you not get the aid offer you had hoped for? Did you meet the faculty or students after the fact and realize the program wouldn’t be a good fit? Did your circumstances change? Or was it simply a change of heart?

I applied to a number of programs, but would’ve been happy to accept an offer of admission from any of them. So for my own sake, are there things to watch out for if you are accepted that you wouldn’t have thought to watch out for when you applied?

[SpaceJunk]

Just now, turtlesfordays said:

I’m curious about this (please don’t read my questions as passive aggressive, I think it’s totally valid to reject an offer): if you weren’t interested enough to go if accepted, why did you apply? Did you not get the aid offer you had hoped for? Did you meet the faculty or students after the fact and realize the program wouldn’t be a good fit? Did your circumstances change? Or was it simply a change of heart?

I applied to a number of programs, but would’ve been happy to accept an offer of admission from any of them. So for my own sake, are there things to watch out for if you are accepted that you wouldn’t have thought to watch out for when you applied?

I don't mind answering your questions! I applied because I wanted to cast a big net. I thought it was most important to be in any fully-funded program because my goal was to leave my job. I knew it wasn't right for me after I went to a campus visit right before COVID. Faculty and location were big red flags for me, and I ignored them.

[turtlesfordays]

Oh shoot! I just received an offer of admission from the University of Maryland! I’m going to Maryland!

[woweezowee]

3 minutes ago, turtlesfordays said:

Oh shoot! I just received an offer of admission from the University of Maryland! I’m going to Maryland!

Congrats!

[BloodstainedRoses]

If a school doesn't get back to you (waitlist, acceptance, or rejection) by April 15th, does that basically mean it's a rejection? UMass Boston hasn't gotten back to me. I've emailed several times and haven't heard back. 

[Ydrl]

22 hours ago, turtlesfordays said:

Oh shoot! I just received an offer of admission from the University of Maryland! I’m going to Maryland!

YAAAAAAAASSSSSS! Have an awesome time for both of us!!!

[rbb_ergo]

On 4/11/2021 at 5:47 PM, SpaceJunk said:

Hello, I just wanted to send a message to anyone who has an offer to a program they're not excited about. My message is: you don't have to go. Last year I got some fully-funded offers but not from the programs at the top of my list. I was on some waitlists, but they didn't work out. I felt like I had to say yes to the best offer I had, even though I was pretty sure that it wasn't a good fit. I didn't click with anyone on the faculty and I felt pretty out of place with most of my cohort when I met them. I committed, but I ended up being right: my program is not the best place for me. I am not sure what I'm going to do, if I will drop out or finish or transfer, but I wish that I was not in this position. I wanted to be in a program so bad, and I thought I would be a failure if I applied a second time, so I said yes, but it is really hard to live in a place I resent. My advice is that if you're disappointed with your offer (even if it is fully funded, even if other people would love to be in your shoes!) it's okay to say no thanks. Trying again next year doesn't make you a failure. Good luck with your decisions this week!

I'm sorry to hear that you're in this position. I also want to thank you for sharing this with us. It's a good reminder that we don't have to take what is offered to us if it's not what we're hungry for.

I guess I'm in a similar boat.... Hesitant to turn down my one acceptance b/c I feel like I'm running out of time (I blame our culture's fetishization of youth/ageism). For whatever reason, I feel like most writers who get published book deals are in their late 20s/early 30s & I don't want to miss that timeframe :/ Not that I need an MFA to get published ofc, but it's helpful to have 2-3 years dedicated to writing vs. grinding it out w/ a FT job (tried that, it sucked). SIGH

UNM, if you hear me sighing all the way here on the East Coast, PLS get back to me! T__T

[SpaceJunk]

10 minutes ago, rbb_ergo said:

I'm sorry to hear that you're in this position. I also want to thank you for sharing this with us. It's a good reminder that we don't have to take what is offered to us if it's not what we're hungry for.

I guess I'm in a similar boat.... Hesitant to turn down my one acceptance b/c I feel like I'm running out of time (I blame our culture's fetishization of youth/ageism). For whatever reason, I feel like most writers who get published book deals are in their late 20s/early 30s & I don't want to miss that timeframe ? Not that I need an MFA to get published ofc, but it's helpful to have 2-3 years dedicated to writing vs. grinding it out w/ a FT job (tried that, it sucked). SIGH

UNM, if you hear me sighing all the way here on the East Coast, PLS get back to me! T__T

If you're not excited about signing the offer, don't do it!! Waiting a year will not make you too late. Whatever you write will happen on your own time, and your path won't look like anyone else's.

[Cristie]

Ok friends, left-field acceptance to Butler University today...I only applied there because my mentor is a huge fan. What do we know about Butler? Here is where I am at (and remember I hate the cold with a passion):

University of New Orleans

The coveted waitlisted spot at McNeese I'm praying to come through in the last minute of the game (nail biter).

Butler...which I somewhat investigated but did not spend the effort contacting students and people associated with that program for input like I did the others. 

[koechophe]

I'm still hoping those last two schools will finally talk to me tomorrow or the next day... I never expected it to drag out this long for them. Waiting on UNLV and WSU (English, not MFA). I know it's probably no's, but I think I'd feel better if I knew it was definitely no's. It's hard to close the door when there's still that sliver of light leaking through.