2021 Applicants Forum

[wallie]

Hello! Posted this accidentally into the main Literary channel, reposting here--

Late to the game here, but I'm a fiction applicant applying to both Michener and New Writers Project at UT Austin. I was about to submit my applications tonight, then realized that on the portal (the one you sign in with your UT EID), the programs are simply listed as "Creative Writing" and "Writing." Have folks who've applied to Michener noticed what it's listed under? Just want to make sure I'm not mixing up my applications... 

Thanks for creating this space, and good luck to everyone! 

[Graceful Entropy]

Howdy, all yall Michener applying people. Hope that getting that first deadline in helps. I know for me that once I get over that initial send--and just start doing--that everything becomes a bit easier. Even if after hitting submit I realize/learn I could've done something better... (like double-spacing SOPs, or making writing samples more blind (I always figured that I should want my name to be popping into their head w/ the material as much as possible))

Oh well.

This is the part I've been looking forward to: s/outs of generosity, everyone saying where they applied, and the inevitable successes yall will have. 
Cheers all 

[pattycat]

Just wanted to introduce myself! It’ll be nice to have a place to commiserate over the next few months. I’m applying to Michener, UT-A NWP, UVA, Iowa WW, Purdue, Indiana, Hollins, Vanderbilt, Michigan, and U of Florida. 
But prob ditching Purdue for another school that doesn’t require a critical writing sample. I’m 14 yrs out of undergrad, so I would have to produce something in the next 3 weeks. 

[CanadianKate]

21 hours ago, Graceful Entropy said:

Howdy, all yall Michener applying people. Hope that getting that first deadline in helps. I know for me that once I get over that initial send--and just start doing--that everything becomes a bit easier. Even if after hitting submit I realize/learn I could've done something better... (like double-spacing SOPs, or making writing samples more blind (I always figured that I should want my name to be popping into their head w/ the material as much as possible))

Oh well.

This is the part I've been looking forward to: s/outs of generosity, everyone saying where they applied, and the inevitable successes yall will have. 
Cheers all 

 

Definitely feels good to have the first in!

Also applying to:

• Iowa
• Brown
• UMich
• Johns  Hopkins
• UVA
• Columbia
• Florida State

[Ydrl]

On 11/29/2020 at 9:12 PM, wallie said:

Hello! Posted this accidentally into the main Literary channel, reposting here--

Late to the game here, but I'm a fiction applicant applying to both Michener and New Writers Project at UT Austin. I was about to submit my applications tonight, then realized that on the portal (the one you sign in with your UT EID), the programs are simply listed as "Creative Writing" and "Writing." Have folks who've applied to Michener noticed what it's listed under? Just want to make sure I'm not mixing up my applications... 

Thanks for creating this space, and good luck to everyone! 

For Michener it says writing. I didn't apply to NWP.

[Ydrl]

On 12/3/2020 at 3:42 PM, pattycat said:

Just wanted to introduce myself! It’ll be nice to have a place to commiserate over the next few months. I’m applying to Michener, UT-A NWP, UVA, Iowa WW, Purdue, Indiana, Hollins, Vanderbilt, Michigan, and U of Florida. 
But prob ditching Purdue for another school that doesn’t require a critical writing sample. I’m 14 yrs out of undergrad, so I would have to produce something in the next 3 weeks. 

Welcome to the thread! Nice to meet you. Honestly I skipped every program that requires a critical writing sample over 8 pages (the best essay I’ve got). And trying to come up with an essay from scratch in three weeks is brutal.

Also, is there a program you’re choosing over Purdue? I’m curious.

[pattycat]

7 hours ago, Ydrl said:

Also, is there a program you’re choosing over Purdue? I’m curious.

I'm thinking about: Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Cornell, or Pittsburgh

All long shots, I know. I'm trying to just pick one. Opinions?

[Ydrl]

35 minutes ago, pattycat said:

I'm thinking about: Johns Hopkins, Syracuse, Cornell, or Pittsburgh

All long shots, I know. I'm trying to just pick one. Opinions?

Pittsburgh isn’t taking anyone this year. “In response to the disruptions caused by the global pandemic, graduate programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh are pausing admissions for fall 2021. This includes the MFA and PhD programs in English.”

I applied to Cornell and Syracuse last year. Syracuse’s rejection letter didn’t have my name, but instead had a generic “To MFA applicants”. I really liked Syracuse, but two of my recommenders insisted I not apply this year to the only school that was so impersonal.

Cornell and Johns Hopkins take about the same amount of people, yeah? I love Cornell, the only qualms I have is that I paid $105 for Cornell to reject me on Valentine’s Day.

I don’t know much about Johns Hopkins. No matter what you end up doing, I hope everything works out.

[pattycat]

4 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

Pittsburgh isn’t taking anyone this year. “In response to the disruptions caused by the global pandemic, graduate programs in the Humanities and Social Sciences in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh are pausing admissions for fall 2021. This includes the MFA and PhD programs in English.”

Dang. How did I not hear that about Pitt?

I have qualms about all of them, really. Cornell: high app fee. Syracuse: higher teaching load. Johns Hopkins: Baltimore.

[Ydrl]

38 minutes ago, pattycat said:

Dang. How did I not hear that about Pitt?

I have qualms about all of them, really. Cornell: high app fee. Syracuse: higher teaching load. Johns Hopkins: Baltimore.

I knew someone told me earlier about Pitt, but I checked the website today and found this. I hope everyone knows at some point that they’re closed for admission.

I’m curious, what’s wrong with Baltimore?

[pattycat]

1 minute ago, Ydrl said:

I’m curious, what’s wrong with Baltimore?

I’ve heard Baltimore is a really cool city but also that the schools are not great (I have a kiddo).

[Ydrl]

Just now, pattycat said:

I’ve heard Baltimore is a really cool city but also that the schools are not great (I have a kiddo).

Yeah, education for your kid is important. And if Baltimore isn’t a good choice, I wouldn’t apply. Have you thought about U Maryland? It’s in College Park, MD. I’m not sure how close that is to Baltimore, but at least it’s not in Baltimore.

[pattycat]

Just now, Ydrl said:

Have you thought about U Maryland? It’s in College Park, MD. I’m not sure how close that is to Baltimore, but at least it’s not in Baltimore.

Yeah, I should prob consider Maryland. The teaching load is okay. I think it's 1/1-1/2-2/2

Just not sure how I'd do teaching 2 classes in a semester.

[pattycat]

 Seems kind of silly, though, for me to be quibbling over these details when the chances of even getting in are so small.

[Ydrl]

45 minutes ago, pattycat said:

Yeah, I should prob consider Maryland. The teaching load is okay. I think it's 1/1-1/2-2/2

Just not sure how I'd do teaching 2 classes in a semester.

I’m not sure how teaching two classes a semester will exacerbate my health conditions. But I’m determined not to let it hold me back. 

Just now, pattycat said:

 Seems kind of silly, though, for me to be quibbling over these details when the chances of even getting in are so small.

It’s madness disguised as hope, isn’t it? I don’t expect to get in most of these schools, but my dreams about grad school won’t die regardless. What a strange thing.

[baklava ethos]

On 11/29/2020 at 3:20 PM, hollowfirefly said:

Nevermind. Answered my own question.

So what'd you decide? I hadn't even considered this tbh -- I've just been putting my name in the header instinctively. 

[feralgrad]

39 minutes ago, baklava ethos said:

So what'd you decide? I hadn't even considered this tbh -- I've just been putting my name in the header instinctively. 

Chiming in to say that I put my surname + a page number in the header. I did this because I suspected some members of the adcom would print out writing samples (now that I'm in classes, I can confirm that this is true of some of my professors). I also figured it would look more professional to use manuscript format, which includes a header and word count at the top.

[pattycat]

3 hours ago, feralgrad said:

Chiming in to say that I put my surname + a page number in the header. I did this because I suspected some members of the adcom would print out writing samples (now that I'm in classes, I can confirm that this is true of some of my professors). I also figured it would look more professional to use manuscript format, which includes a header and word count at the top.

I do the same thing. I wish I could also include the current story name in the header, but Scrivener can't seem to do that.

[SocialKonstruct]

On 10/29/2020 at 12:20 PM, FairleyAlfy said:

Does anyone worry about the content of their writing? I worry that my poetry is too depressing. Should I add humor? I am not sure I can even write humor in this current climate, and being in quarantine has only brought depressing ideas to surface. 

Some days I look at my poetry and think, "yea, I can write." Other days, I hate the sight of what I write and think of giving up. I think this comes with rereading a poem over a hundred times, or I just really can't write and fall into delusional grandiose state of mind. 

I prefer depressing poetry to be honest.

[Ydrl]

On 10/29/2020 at 2:20 PM, FairleyAlfy said:

Does anyone worry about the content of their writing? I worry that my poetry is too depressing. Should I add humor? I am not sure I can even write humor in this current climate, and being in quarantine has only brought depressing ideas to surface. 

Some days I look at my poetry and think, "yea, I can write." Other days, I hate the sight of what I write and think of giving up. I think this comes with rereading a poem over a hundred times, or I just really can't write and fall into delusional grandiose state of mind. 

I don’t remember reacting to this, if I have, then sorry haha.

I feel you on this though, sometimes I think that I made something awesome, only for a poem to be dissected by one of my recommenders who I keep in close contact with.

Sometimes, I struggle with the question: Is this thing that I’ve made even a poem? And when I write some really out there stuff, my recommenders welcome the stranger parts of my writing as authentic.

I wouldn’t try adding humor (especially this late in the game), your manuscript might become less cohesive because these new ideas don’t fit with the rest of them.

Edited December 7, 2020 by Ydrl

[Ydrl]

@FairleyAlfy

I should clarify about the last sentence I wrote. I would turn to your recommenders for this kind of dilemma. Typically the first draft of a poem is pretty rocky, and time isn’t slowing down. I’ve been working on one poem for months now, but based on my professor’s reactions and notes, it’s still not ready yet. I hope you can contact at least one of your recommenders and ask them ask for advice.

In the meantime, I’d like to recommend a poetry book that was powerfully sad without being interrupted by fluctuating happiness to give the readers a break. Ghost in a Red Hat by Rosanna Warren (Robert Penn Warren’s daughter) has an eerie tranquility to it and no one would say that her poetry needs more humor or that she needs to lighten up. The book has a theme of death and dying. However, when a few teachers and I went to dinner with her, she was really excited about the town my college was in.

Just because someone’s writing might be depressing, it doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way, or that it defines them as a person. Don’t sugar coat yourself to make your work more palatable to the masses. Do whatever comes naturally to you.

 

[Ydrl]

I’m not a man. If you don’t respect my pronouns of she/they, please never talk to me or tag me in anything ever again. It’s been on my profile since last year’s application season without anyone misgendering me. Almost all of you have been super welcoming despite me being genderfluid, thank you for being so kind to me.

[pattycat]

47 minutes ago, marshall goodman said:

Do you think I knew that profiles here give a preferred pronoun? I've only been here a few weeks. I had never seen a website with profiles giving a preferred pronoun.

Regardless of what you did or didn’t realize, an apology is in order.

[largeheartedboy]

New Yorker here, just finished my undergrad degree in creative writing after a long time away from school.

Applied to NYU, Columbia, The New School, Hunter, and CCNY for their nonfiction tracks. Just finished the applications, waiting on recommendation letters. Fingers crossed.

[Ydrl]

51 minutes ago, marshall goodman said:

My humblest apologies. 

That apology wasn’t even directed at the right person... I wonder if he knows why he’s supposed to apologize. The fact that he tried to blame a lack of experience on GradCafe instead of saying that he made a mistake is appalling. @pattycat thank you for sticking up for me. If you hadn’t called him out, he would just continue treating me like I don’t have feelings. Apparently, I’m spouting nonsense about Rosanna Warren’s poetry while he simultaneously claims that poets have it easy. I really enjoy the overwhelming majority of y’all, because you’re so supportive, which is what this thread is about and exactly why, for now, I’ll stay to support everyone who needs it.