2021 Applicants Forum

[mrvisser]

8 minutes ago, Ydrl said:

I’m sorry dude.

And WashU rejections should come out sometime tomorrow (unless the virus messes things up once again), so be prepared.

Ready for it! I was in a bad mood yesterday, but today's better. Ready to hear from the rest.

[catastroph]

I also figured I might as well say hi to you all, since I'm refreshing this page every 20 minutes or so during work anyway! This is my first time applying and my confidence is pretty low after reading through this forum (I found it last week) and seeing how competitive things are. But I also decided to apply last-minute, so I'll be ok either way. If I don't get into any, it was definitely a learning experience for future attempts.

The only school I applied to that has sent out results so far is University of Oregon. I didn't hear anything, so I'm scratching it off my list. Nine left to go! Glad this forum is here, bc I'm trying not to rant to my friends too much-- I'm sure they're all sick of hearing me talk about it. But this process is so all-consuming. Anyway, thanks for all your posts. It's nice to help pass the time when there's nothing to do now but wait. 

[slothman]

In a similar vein as @catastroph, I'm a first-time applicant, and I only decided to apply last spring after learning about fully-funded programs. So far, I've received two rejections (applying CNF) from Minnesota and Idaho while I wait on what I assume will be rejections from Oregon State, New Mexico-Albuquerque, Nevada-Las Vegas, Washington-Seattle, and Columbia. Either way, I was wondering what second-, third-, and beyond-time applicants do to prepare for the next application cycle. Obviously, continue reading and writing and editing, but do you guys have any particular strategies for targeting the weaknesses in your rejected application? I also come from a family of non-scholars, and was wondering if anyone had any helpful resources regarding grad school. I found a really cool group of MFA candidates who will look over your writing sample + statement of purpose if you are an underrepresented writer. Any other resources like this? 

Thanks! And crossing my fingers for us all! 

[Boomer not Ok]

1 hour ago, feralgrad said:

There are no hard and fast rules for portfolios. If you flash pieces are strong, it's better to include those than a short story you feel less confident about. Not to mention that flash fiction is read and taught in MFA programs.

As for the publishing credits, I've never heard that it's "bad etiquette" to include them. Honestly, that sounds silly to me. I've also read at least a couple program websites that state you should include credits on your CV.

Thanks. Appreciate this. This is my first time round and after I submitted, I read some articles saying stuff like "don't bother listing publication credits unless they're in top twenty lit mags or The New Yorker, Three Penny...I dunno???? For my pubs, they were in decent venues, but not exactly the cachet of Ploughshares or Tin House, so I was taken aback. Good to know I'm OK on flash and pub credits.

Edited February 12, 2021 by Boomer not Ok
typo

[cosmictones]

1 hour ago, Boomer not Ok said:

Thanks. Appreciate this. This is my first time round and after I submitted, I read some articles saying stuff like "don't bother listing publication credits unless they're in top twenty lit mags or The New Yorker, Three Penny...I dunno???? For my pubs, they were in decent venues, but not exactly the cachet of Ploughshares or Tin House, so I was taken aback. Good to know I'm OK on flash and pub credits.

Yeah I read similar stuff, but all my profs/mentors were like "include your publications," so I did. I got one piece in a top 30 mag, but the rest were published in very low tier places. Of course, I haven't gotten any acceptances yet so maybe it did screw me.

Edited February 12, 2021 by cosmictones

[Boomer not Ok]

13 minutes ago, cosmictones said:

Yeah I read similar stuff, but all my profs/mentors were like "include your publications," so I did. I got one piece in a top 30 mag, but the rest were published in very low tier places. Of course, I haven't gotten any acceptances yet so maybe it did screw me.

Yeah, this all goes to another thing I wonder about: who actually reads the initial applications? Do the faculty actually read them all and decide, or do the initial cuts get made by the MFA grads or even undergrad CW majors? I find it hard to believe the faculty actually read each submission, when a program is getting north of 700 apps, but maybe they do. If not, it just seems to make the whole process even more subjective. I can guess all you can hope for is that your work connects with the reader, whether undergrad/grad student or faculty or both. Supposedly, the submissions are read based on a 'rubric', but I don't see how that can take the subjective element out of the equation. 

[JPReinhold]

3 hours ago, Boomer not Ok said:

Wondering whether any fellow fiction applicants here submitted any flash pieces? I submitted a couple flash stories in my portfolio and now I think it may have been a mistake. Do programs "frown" on this compressed form of fiction? The only program I've seen that explicitly references flash fiction as acceptable is Brooklyn College, although none say you cannot either. I've been writing flash for a few years and the pieces I submitted had all appeared in decent online and print pubs. But after I submitted all my apps, I read it's bad MFA etiquette to indicate publication credits (is this true?), so now that may be 2 strikes...

Any clarification on this appreciated

I have a fully-funded fiction offer and included a flash piece between two short stories. I felt very strongly about that piece of flash, though I’d heard flash is not generally looked upon in a kind light. I wanted to show I could sustain a longer story, but I also felt that bit of flash was particularly moving. It was my only fiction app and it was accepted, so I can’t speak to a pattern. 

If you have impressive flash publications, I’ve heard that mentioning them in your CV is a good way to extend your portfolio without directly including flash. Something to consider if you apply next cycle. 

[feralgrad]

1 hour ago, slothman said:

do you guys have any particular strategies for targeting the weaknesses in your rejected application?

I'd recommend doing a workshop -- online, at your local community college, or a local organization. Anything you have to pay for, even if it's a small sum, will guarantee the other writers will be serious. Really, you only need 2-3 people who "get" your work to push it to the next level.

For example, as a genre fic writer, I used this site while I was working on my portfolio for my second round of apps. I used a free 30 day trial, but yearly memberships are only 50 bucks, I think. I got a few helpful reviews, and my portfolio was much better for it.

(I also made any friends who would bother give me feedback, of course.) 

[teasel]

53 minutes ago, cosmictones said:

Yeah I read similar stuff, but all my profs/mentors were like "include your publications," so I did. I got one piece in a top 30 mag, but the rest were published in very low tier places. Of course, I haven't gotten any acceptances yet so maybe it did screw me.

 

I would think that including publications on your CV demonstrates that you're active in the literary community, which doesn't seem like a bad thing at all. I mean, it's about the writing sample first and foremost anyway. I wouldn't stress the little stuff! A top 30 publication is something to be proud of either way. 

[Boomer not Ok]

2 minutes ago, JPReinhold said:

I have a fully-funded fiction offer and included a flash piece between two short stories. I felt very strongly about that piece of flash, though I’d heard flash is not generally looked upon in a kind light. I wanted to show I could sustain a longer story, but I also felt that bit of flash was particularly moving. It was my only fiction app and it was accepted, so I can’t speak to a pattern. 

If you have impressive flash publications, I’ve heard that mentioning them in your CV is a good way to extend your portfolio without directly including flash. Something to consider if you apply next cycle. 

Thanks for your informative response and congrats on your offer. I think I may have gone too top heavy on the flash, but I considered them illustrative of both my best writing and its range, so I felt I had to present them. And they're stories; they're not vignettes. The problem is, after I included them, I was at 10 pages and could only include another short story to make the 20 -25 page submission limit for most of the apps. For some apps, where you could submit more than 30 pages, I could get the flashes in, the short story, and some novel excerpts, so, for these apps, it was less of an issue. I guess, I will know soon enough whether the gambit paid off.

[avorazan]

Yo yo..

I'm happy to have found this thread, and figured I'd keep y'all updated as well. 

[eternalwhitenights]

5 hours ago, catastroph said:

I also figured I might as well say hi to you all, since I'm refreshing this page every 20 minutes or so during work anyway! This is my first time applying and my confidence is pretty low after reading through this forum (I found it last week) and seeing how competitive things are. But I also decided to apply last-minute, so I'll be ok either way. If I don't get into any, it was definitely a learning experience for future attempts.

The only school I applied to that has sent out results so far is University of Oregon. I didn't hear anything, so I'm scratching it off my list. Nine left to go! Glad this forum is here, bc I'm trying not to rant to my friends too much-- I'm sure they're all sick of hearing me talk about it. But this process is so all-consuming. Anyway, thanks for all your posts. It's nice to help pass the time when there's nothing to do now but wait. 

I only applied to one school, Notre Dame, super, super last minute (like, I submitted on the last day you could), so you're not alone. Congrats on getting your applications in--that's often the biggest step, and that's a huge accomplishment all on its own.

You know, I think at the end of the day, if you write from your heart, if you're authentic in your work, if you are emotionally honest in your prose and your words and your experience, and you couple that with truly focusing on programs that have both faculty and the resources relevant and helpful to your proposed MFA, and if you are truly open to learning and growing and being pushed in your work, then you're 90% of the way there. Weird shit happens (i.e. a global pandemic) that can throw things into a wild-card status, but what matters, what truly matters, is that you are authentic, that you are you, and that you write from your deepest depths. Authenticity, emotion, existential resonance--that is what matters, if your work and your words speak to the complexities and richness and paradoxes and freewheeling joys of the human experience, and you do it in a way, where you are just yourself--your work will make an impact, some way, somehow, and the key is to keep going, and keep writing. You can do it, whatever that journey ends up looking like ultimately, no matter how many zigs and zags it contains, I promise. ❤️ You've got this. ❤️

Edited February 12, 2021 by eternalwhitenights

[Blackhole]

7 minutes ago, eternalwhitenights said:

I only applied to one school, Notre Dame, super, super last minute (like, I submitted on the last day you could), so you're not alone. Congrats on getting your applications in--that's often the biggest step, and that's a huge accomplishment all on its own.

You know, I think at the end of the day, if you write from your heart, if you're authentic in your work, if you are emotionally honest in your prose and your words and your experience, and you couple that with truly focusing on programs that have both faculty and the resources relevant and helpful to your proposed MFA, and if you are truly open to learning and growing and being pushed in your work, then you're 90% of the way there. Weird shit happens (i.e. a global pandemic) that can throw things into a wild-card status, but what matters, what truly matters, is that you are authentic, that you are you, and that you write from your deepest depths. Authenticity, emotion, existential resonance--that is what matters, if your work and your words speak to the complexities and richness and paradoxes and freewheeling joys of the human experience, and you do it in a way, where you are just yourself--your work will make an impact, some way, somehow, and the key is to keep going, and keep writing. You can do it, whatever that journey ends up looking like ultimately, no matter how many zigs and zags it contains, I promise. ❤️ You've got this. ❤️

thanks for writing this. I submitted my applications at the last moment and my recommendation letters reached late. I hope everyone makes it. I was a bit worried but now I feel maybe next time I will be more prepared. 

[mrvisser]

Illinois and IU sent out responses. Those two were maybe a week or so ago, so unfortunately they might be done with acceptances. You still have some solid possibilities ahead of you, though. I hope these dominoes just keep falling through this next week.

[babypoet2k]

a huge welcome to everyone who just recently posted! i took an involuntary break for a couple days and just caught up on like 4 pages on here. i'm sorry for everyone who did not hear good news. it reflects NOTHING on you as a writer, and there are SOOO many more decisions to come. 

i'm a first time applicant as well, and a young one at that (also an international student). so my chances are as bleak as they get, but we're here so might as well throw some long-term anxiety in the bowl until i hear back from all 6 places. 

in any case, just wanted to ask if there are any other international applicants on here (i'm south-asian) and how they are responding to conversations about all these places to live and climate and culture, never actually having experienced these things or knowing all that much about it. i'm afraid that my 23degreecelcius-is-cold ass will not deal well with the fact that all 6 places i've applied to go down to -3degrees on the regular. just some thoughts haha.

all my love and the best of luck to everyone ❤️

[Blackhole]

10 minutes ago, babypoet2k said:

a huge welcome to everyone who just recently posted! i took an involuntary break for a couple days and just caught up on like 4 pages on here. i'm sorry for everyone who did not hear good news. it reflects NOTHING on you as a writer, and there are SOOO many more decisions to come. 

i'm a first time applicant as well, and a young one at that (also an international student). so my chances are as bleak as they get, but we're here so might as well throw some long-term anxiety in the bowl until i hear back from all 6 places. 

in any case, just wanted to ask if there are any other international applicants on here (i'm south-asian) and how they are responding to conversations about all these places to live and climate and culture, never actually having experienced these things or knowing all that much about it. i'm afraid that my 23degreecelcius-is-cold ass will not deal well with the fact that all 6 places i've applied to go down to -3degrees on the regular. just some thoughts haha.

all my love and the best of luck to everyone ❤️

I am an international applicant. And I am applying for the first time. Just a last moment decision. 

[babypoet2k]

8 minutes ago, Blackhole said:

I am an international applicant. And I am applying for the first time. Just a last moment decision. 

oh wow! i'm from india too!!! if you don't mind sharing, where all did you apply? i saw your post about syracuse, and i applied there as well

[Blackhole]

10 minutes ago, babypoet2k said:

oh wow! i'm from india too!!! if you don't mind sharing, where all did you apply? i saw your post about syracuse, and i applied there as well

to Syracuse. I did my master's there. I applied to nyu, boston university and of course Iowa. 

 

[sassydragon]

I've been lurking here for a while and I thought I'd say hi! I've applied to fiction and so far had two rejections (Ohio State and Ole Miss--but neither of these were my first choices). I'm not particularly optimistic at this point to be honest. But I've tried to tell myself that what will happen will happen, and we should be fine no matter what.

I'm also an international applicant from India!

[mrvisser]

2 minutes ago, sassydragon said:

I've been lurking here for a while and I thought I'd say hi! I've applied to fiction and so far had two rejections (Ohio State and Ole Miss--but neither of these were my first choices). I'm not particularly optimistic at this point to be honest. But I've tried to tell myself that what will happen will happen, and we should be fine no matter what.

I'm also an international applicant from India!

Welcome! I also just got a rejection from Ole Miss!

It's great to see so many applicants from India. I had the fortune of visiting Bangalore once, and I'd love to go back and explore more of your country.

[CayceCamus]

57 minutes ago, babypoet2k said:

i'm afraid that my 23degreecelcius-is-cold ass will not deal well with the fact that all 6 places i've applied to go down to -3degrees on the regular. just some thoughts haha.

Eeek I am only just feeling comfortable at 23C and below, haha. I grew up in Virginia though and can say it gets pretty humid, swampy, and sweltering there. Charlottesville may get somewhat cool in the winter, but the state overall is pretty temperate. Definitely not like the frigidity of New York!

[babypoet2k]

8 minutes ago, CayceCamus said:

Eeek I am only just feeling comfortable at 23C and below, haha. I grew up in Virginia though and can say it gets pretty humid, swampy, and sweltering there. Charlottesville may get somewhat cool in the winter, but the state overall is pretty temperate. Definitely not like the frigidity of New York!

oh wow that's honestly a relief to hear! humid is where i'm most comfortable (an anomaly, i'm aware). i added places that i applied to on my weather app to keep a track of the time zone and general climate, and it has been nothing short of terrifying! why humans settled in these insane climates is beyond me. i'm a tropical child and your response has made me hopeful that the US has warm (ish?) climate that might suit me. thank you ❤️

[Blackhole]

how is Emerson College for mfa?

[CanadianKate]

First rejection! UC San Diego for Fiction.

[Blackhole]

3 minutes ago, CanadianKate said:

First rejection! UC San Diego for Fiction.

oh god.