2021 Applicants Forum

[Ydrl]

I honestly hope Maryland keeps their promise to get notifications started this week. I'm dying over here.

And speaking of dying, RIP my iPad Pro 2, you've had a short run, but it was fine.

Welcome to the family Chromebook, please live longer than the iPad.

[Ydrl]

53 minutes ago, cecsav said:

Not necessarily. If the program wants to accept you, they have to have the approval of the grad school, re: admission requirements. If anything, I'd think it's a step in the right direction. 

In years past, Under Grad School Review hasn't been a good sign (they do the same thing at UNLV). For everyone's sake, I hope Maryland (and UNLV) stopped that shit because it's rude and upsetting.

[panglosian]

Just now, Ydrl said:

In years past, Under Grad School Review hasn't been a good sign (they do the same thing at UNLV). For everyone's sake, I hope Maryland (and UNLV) stopped that shit because it's rude and upsetting.

Amen to that. I will say though in my email from Lindsay Bernal, she DID say they were experiencing delays because of a newly implemented portal (or portal changes). So @FairleyAlfy it might also be an error, but I wouldn't worry one way or another. Clearly we're getting notified soon, for better or worse!

[gmcc93]

3 hours ago, panglosian said:

(Cross-posted to Draft)

Might be jinxing it, because both of the other times I posted about an email from a department about notification timelines it always ended up being wrong (looking at you, Cornell and UMD!) but I just emailed Brown about fiction and this is what they said:

“Many thanks for your message. We hope to share admission information by the middle of March. The exact date will be determined by the Graduate School, where a review of department recommendations is underway.”

So, take this how you will!

Additionally: another person on Draft heard that notifications may be finished by the end of this week for fiction, so it would make sense given what they just told me. 

I emailed them re: poetry and got the same response. So, still hope? 

[Ash...]

HELP ME CHOOSE. So far I’ve only gotten accepted into CCNY and Temple. Neither funded but CCNY has no funding until 2022 so the director said it may change after the first semester. I’m just thankful to have gotten in somewhere! Im interested in horror/gothic writing and lgbt writing. Neither has an lgbt staff writer but both have either thriller/horror and mystery. CCNY is cheaper but it’s NYC so overall it balances it out. Please tell me anything you know about either program and what you think! 

[koechophe]

1 hour ago, Ydrl said:

Welcome to the family Chromebook, please live longer than the iPad.

My Chromebook changed its major and decided it wanted to be a Linux major instead. We were a little disappointed with its life decisions, but it really seems to be blossoming on Arch now. 

[CrankyGinger]

2 hours ago, panglosian said:

 

Honestly as someone who is in the same boat as you, I'm not speculating a THING until I have a yes or no XD hop on the ignorance train with me, we've got complementary snacks

Worth it for the snacks alone

[shakyboots]

I requested to join the MFA Draft '21 and it has been two days with no approval. Anybody have this experience? I just want to know the real time info before I go crazy! I'm so anxious and afraid—and I'm not usually like this. I thought getting waitlisted at my dream program would make me happy, but honestly, getting waitlisted and not making it in will break my little heart. Since I'm waiting to hear back from ten other schools, I was hoping to see some info from MFA Draft.

[Ydrl]

Just now, shakyboots said:

I requested to join the MFA Draft '21 and it has been two days with no approval. Anybody have this experience? I just want to know the real time info before I go crazy! I'm so anxious and afraid—and I'm not usually like this. I thought getting waitlisted at my dream program would make me happy, but honestly, getting waitlisted and not making it in will break my little heart. Since I'm waiting to hear back from ten other schools, I was hoping to see some info from MFA Draft.

Draft usually takes a week or two to get approved. And my goodness, you're waiting on a lot of schools. I hope they come out soon!

[shakyboots]

2 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Draft usually takes a week or two to get approved. And my goodness, you're waiting on a lot of schools. I hope they come out soon!

Thank you! I may be misguided, but the later into March we are, the more I fear my lack of answers means a heaping pile of rejections. Wonder why I haven't heard from Michener, for instance, when we already have documented instances of rejections, waitlists, and acceptances. Truth be told, all I want is to get a full offer from my dream school I've been waitlisted at, but I have no idea of the odds ?

[Downtozero]

27 minutes ago, shakyboots said:

Thank you! I may be misguided, but the later into March we are, the more I fear my lack of answers means a heaping pile of rejections. Wonder why I haven't heard from Michener, for instance, when we already have documented instances of rejections, waitlists, and acceptances. Truth be told, all I want is to get a full offer from my dream school I've been waitlisted at, but I have no idea of the odds ?

Where are you waitlisted? People def get accepted off waitlists every year. 

Sorry to say, though, that your lack of a Michener rejection is probably just an admin issue.

[nottheamazonalexa]

41 minutes ago, shakyboots said:

Since I'm waiting to hear back from ten other schools, I was hoping to see some info from MFA Draft.

I'm waiting on 6 if that helps!! A lot of people are in limbo so don't feel alone. What schools are you wondering about in particular? I'm happy to help give a summary of what I've encountered on draft. It does take a while to get into the group, I gotchu though feel free to ask specifics. 

In regards to Michener I have seen a few people on draft in the same boat in terms of not hearing anything. There was a round of rejections yesterday so maybe no news there is good news?  (read: an optimistic take)

Edited March 9, 2021 by nottheamazonalexa

[shakyboots]

8 minutes ago, nottheamazonalexa said:

What schools are you wondering about in particular?

UW Seattle, Iowa, Michener for starters, since I've seen talk of answers from them, but have received nothing. Perhaps it's simply an issue of automated latency?

[Boomer not Ok]

34 minutes ago, shakyboots said:

Thank you! I may be misguided, but the later into March we are, the more I fear my lack of answers means a heaping pile of rejections. Wonder why I haven't heard from Michener, for instance, when we already have documented instances of rejections, waitlists, and acceptances. Truth be told, all I want is to get a full offer from my dream school I've been waitlisted at, but I have no idea of the odds ?

I hear you. It’s frustrating. I’m waiting on 9 schools. 2 of them are highly unlikely, so I’m just waiting for the confirm. On another 4, there’s been movement, just none my way, so that leaves me waitlist at best on these. Realistically then, I’m down to waiting on 3, which I’m not sure about. That said, I really thought by now I would know where things stood. 

[nottheamazonalexa]

Just now, shakyboots said:

UW Seattle, Iowa, Michener for starters, since I've seen talk of answers from them, but have received nothing. Perhaps it's simply an issue of automated latency?

UW Seattle: Someone received this email from them yesterday: 

"The initial offers have gone out from both the poetry and prose committees. Because our offers involve funding, accepted applicants have until April 15th to let us know their decision although we hope they will tell us sooner. Given our funding, we cannot make new offers until we've heard the decisions of these initial applicants.

Waitlisted applicants will be notified by email from the Director of Creative Writing. These have not gone out yet. But if you do not receive a waitlist email you will probably not receive an offer this year although we will not deny anyone until we are close to getting our class.

Thank you for your patience during this process."

Iowa: There have been a few people waitlisted so not sure if that means all acceptances are done, but that's likely the case. Iowa responds via post for both rejections and waitlists. (Poetry and fiction writers both have been waitlisted). 

Michener: Actually, you should check your portal. A lot of people (me included lol) were rejected there before they received an email to check so just make sure you don't have anything there. I also did see someone say something about all decisions being communicated by "early this week" so if you don't see anything from Michener by tomorrow its likely a rejection and likely an administrative oversight like @Downtozero suggested. 

Hope this helps!

[shakyboots]

9 minutes ago, Boomer not Ok said:

I hear you. It’s frustrating. I’m waiting on 9 schools. 2 of them are highly unlikely, so I’m just waiting for the confirm. On another 4, there’s been movement, just none my way, so that leaves me waitlist at best on these. Realistically then, I’m down to waiting on 3, which I’m not sure about. That said, I really thought by now I would know where things stood. 

I'm pulling for you and sending out some good vibes in your favor!!

[FairleyAlfy]

Got my official waitlist email from Hollins University!! First good news I’ve had in awhile. That leaves me on two waitlists and waiting to hear from 7 more schools! The anxiety is real!! 

[rcsteel]

Emailed Rutgers-Camden and they said decisions should be out by the end of the week. I don’t know if this means all decisions or just acceptances.

[anna23]

3 minutes ago, rcsteel said:

Emailed Rutgers-Camden and they said decisions should be out by the end of the week. I don’t know if this means all decisions or just acceptances.

hi!! sorry if this is a weird question but do you mind sharing what your email template was? I want to email a school as well but don't want to sound rude or impatient and am wondering what to say in the inquiry email. 

[rcsteel]

Just now, anna23 said:

hi!! sorry if this is a weird question but do you mind sharing what your email template was? I want to email a school as well but don't want to sound rude or impatient and am wondering what to say in the inquiry email. 

“My name is ___ and I am an applicant for ___. I was wondering if you could give me any information on when MFA decisions will be going out.”

And if I’m not sure if I’m emailing the right person, I add:

”If you are not the right person to ask about this, can you please point me in the right direction?”

[Boomer not Ok]

mailed Rutgers-Camden and they said decisions should be out by the end of the week. I don’t know if this means all decisions or just acceptances.

 

Thanks. This is one school I'm waiting on. Not too hopeful because I think they interview prior to accepting. Was not called. I'm not sure if they did that this year, though. Also, I think someone posted a while ago, they were accepted but only with partial funding. So, not sure about the funding either. 

[rcsteel]

I saw a Johns Hopkins Fiction rejection on Draft. Has anyone else heard from them?

[anna23]

2 minutes ago, rcsteel said:

“My name is ___ and I am an applicant for ___. I was wondering if you could give me any information on when MFA decisions will be going out.”

And if I’m not sure if I’m emailing the right person, I add:

”If you are not the right person to ask about this, can you please point me in the right direction?”

Ah, simple enough! I think I was just overthinking the phrasing a lot. Thank you!!

[panglosian]

16 minutes ago, anna23 said:

Ah, simple enough! I think I was just overthinking the phrasing a lot. Thank you!!

^^^^^^^ this is what I did for all my remaining programs!

[corgeel14]

Schools who haven't sent out responses by know should all be indicted for slow torture. This is HORRIBLE.