orangeslice Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 22 minutes ago, Blackhole said: Did they email? Yep I got an email at 12:23 am to check the portal lol Blackhole 1
dillydally17 Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) Re: Flash fiction - I honestly don't think there's a hard and fast rule for anything. I was waitlisted for fiction at a fully-funded program this week having submitted one 21 page short story and a 9 page excerpt of another 22-page story. After seeing on Draft that excerpts were bad form, I didn't include excerpts for any other schools (rejected so far at 2 of those)... but turns out it probably didn't really matter. If I reapply next year, I'm just going to focus on submitting my strongest work in any form! Edited February 12, 2021 by dillydally17 largeheartedboy 1
bettedavisthighs Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 2 hours ago, Nervis said: I began my portfolio with a flash piece (then two longer pieces) and included my publishing credits so I will be a good case study! One of my publishing credits is actually forthcoming in the lit mag that is based out of a grad program that I applied to, so that will be interestiiiiiinnnngggg. I hate this. interesting that you bring this up as it's something i've been thinking about, too - one of the schools at the top of my list published an essay of mine last spring. that has to work in my favor, right? or do you think they even remember? i didn't explicitly mention that they'd chosen my work before, and now I'm thinking that was a missed opportunity. really i just need to hear *anything* - i'm losing it. making really elaborate snacks and watching way too much bad tv while in purgatory.
mrvisser Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 Fuck. Someone at Vanderbilt just got an acceptance call for fiction. I really want to go there. CayceCamus, pattycat, DeepSyntax and 3 others 6
qrrcl Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, DeepSyntax said: Here's a question: when you receive an email that says something like "An update has been posted to your application, please check the portal" does that pretty much always mean a rejection, or do they actually notify people that they've been accepted that way too? Has anyone received an email like that and logged on to find that they'd been accepted? Just want to set my expectations accordingly if it always means rejection/waitlist. Edited February 12, 2021 by qrrcl Did not realize this was a literary only forum... new to GradCafe!
Nervis Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 8 minutes ago, bettedavisthighs said: interesting that you bring this up as it's something i've been thinking about, too - one of the schools at the top of my list published an essay of mine last spring. that has to work in my favor, right? or do you think they even remember? i didn't explicitly mention that they'd chosen my work before, and now I'm thinking that was a missed opportunity. really i just need to hear *anything* - i'm losing it. making really elaborate snacks and watching way too much bad tv while in purgatory. I think it would have been fine to mention it, just so they know that their program has "endorsed" your work before. I had to fill out resumes with publishing creds for all my schools. Did you have to do that? I def mentioned it in mine and in my SOP, but at the same time, since it's a grad journal, even though it's nationally recognized the students are the ones who are ostensibly choosing most of the work and the faculty editors and advisors are probably more peripheral than anything. Since it's the faculty who are reviewing the applications, I think that it's kind of a toss-up whether or not they would even know or care that much? I wouldn't sweat it, really. If you have quality work in your sample, that's going to speak for itself, and something like this probably wouldn't nudge you too far one way or the other. At least that's what I'm telling myself.
Ydrl Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 5 minutes ago, mrvisser said: Fuck. Someone at Vanderbilt just got an acceptance call for fiction. I really want to go there. Uh, either this person is not very vigilant or this is a lie. “ Call from Lorraine Lopez. 3 total fiction and poetry acceptances each this year. Holy CRAP 1a/0w/1r/12p” DeepSyntax 1
mrvisser Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 5 minutes ago, Ydrl said: Uh, either this person is not very vigilant or this is a lie. “ Call from Lorraine Lopez. 3 total fiction and poetry acceptances each this year. Holy CRAP 1a/0w/1r/12p” That post matches the one on Draft.
orangeslice Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 11 minutes ago, mrvisser said: Fuck. Someone at Vanderbilt just got an acceptance call for fiction. I really want to go there. oh my god I might not make it through this day ?
mrvisser Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 Just now, orangeslice said: oh my god I might not make it through this day ? I've been rejected from almost half of my schools in five days! What a week haha. orangeslice, DeepSyntax, panglosian and 4 others 7
orangeslice Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 minute ago, mrvisser said: I've been rejected from almost half of my schools in five days! What a week haha. It's not over till it's over! mrvisser, NLake, cosmictones and 4 others 5 2
eternalwhitenights Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, cecsav said: I received an acceptance for poetry (my first!). She said they are accepting 5 applicants in each genre, and all applicants would be called today. She also told me to expect follow up calls from Natalie Diaz and Solmaz Sharif! I am dying! Oh, I'm so happy for you love. ❤️ Congrats!!!! cecsav and jp212 2
eternalwhitenights Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, inotherwordz said: I just wanted to chime in and say that I absolutely don't think that is the case! I was accepted to UMass for fiction earlier this week (still reeling) and had included a flash piece. When I was admitted the person I spoke to quoted a sentence from my flash piece as something that they liked--so, if anything, the flash I included was super important in my portfolio. I'm sure the same is true for you! Man, this group is popping today. Congratulations!!!!!
DeepSyntax Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Ydrl said: Uh, either this person is not very vigilant or this is a lie. “ Call from Lorraine Lopez. 3 total fiction and poetry acceptances each this year. Holy CRAP 1a/0w/1r/12p” They meant the program, not the applicant, has three total acceptances. Edited February 12, 2021 by DeepSyntax
Ydrl Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 minute ago, DeepSyntax said: They meant the program, not the applicant, has three total acceptances. Oh, now I feel stupid haha DeepSyntax 1
shanbanan Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 39 minutes ago, mrvisser said: Fuck. Someone at Vanderbilt just got an acceptance call for fiction. I really want to go there. I saw someone else say this may or may not be true. Is it confirmed? I'm only asking because I'm trying to decide the degree to which I should start panicking/pacing the room/distracting myself with bad TV. Blackhole 1
aa2427 Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 Hi everyone! Just started freaking out about not hearing from schools and found this forum so thought I would introduce myself. I applied right out of undergrad - mostly on a whim - to 5 poetry MFA programs for this coming fall. I am taking a gap year and would only be 23 starting these programs if accepted, which I've come to understand might not be in my favor... I applied to the Northwestern MFA+MA, Michener, U Washington, UVA, and Brown. So far it seems like none (?) of these schools have provided any results and I've been trying to distract myself pretty much any way I can. I know Northwestern originally said early February, but they emailed in late January that it would be closer to mid-February. If anyone is in the same boat, I feel for you, waiting is incredibly rough. mrvisser, catastroph, anna23 and 1 other 4
jp212 Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 2 hours ago, mrvisser said: Heads up: Someone in Draft just got an acceptance call from Arizona State. Director Sally Ball called and said she would be calling the other accepted students today. on a separate note, how often do the admins for the draft group review requests to join....just curious, lol....searching there could be another hobby i don't need : )
Starbuck420 Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 19 minutes ago, jp212 said: on a separate note, how often do the admins for the draft group review requests to join....just curious I am no longer in but I believe they screen the requests pretty closely in order to weed out faculty (?) so, I think it takes a while. I also think it's just one person
mrvisser Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 22 minutes ago, jp212 said: on a separate note, how often do the admins for the draft group review requests to join....just curious, lol....searching there could be another hobby i don't need : ) It takes several weeks to get in.
feralgrad Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, bettedavisthighs said: one of the schools at the top of my list published an essay of mine last spring. that has to work in my favor, right? or do you think they even remember? Do you mean the lit mag at that school published your essay? Because most lit mags are staffed by students, not faculty. (I've heard people suggest that grad students at some programs read apps, but I don't think this is true. My program certainly doesn't work this way.) Generally speaking, lit mags housed in universities are pretty separate from the MFA programs from an administrative standpoint. By all means mention it in your CV, but unfortunately it's no indication of whether your work is well-aligned with the program's faculty. bettedavisthighs 1
orangeslice Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 42 minutes ago, shanbanan said: I saw someone else say this may or may not be true. Is it confirmed? I'm only asking because I'm trying to decide the degree to which I should start panicking/pacing the room/distracting myself with bad TV. It was also on Draft which I think decreases the chance it's a fake, but it's also really early for Vanderbilt to be notifying. Like, based on the data I collected they usually don't start until the beginning of March... shanbanan 1
orangeslice Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 1 minute ago, orangeslice said: It was also on Draft which I think decreases the chance it's a fake, but it's also really early for Vanderbilt to be notifying. Like, based on the data I collected they usually don't start until the beginning of March... Although now that I'm double checking that's not necessarily accurate so maybe don't listen to me LOL shanbanan 1
shanbanan Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) 19 minutes ago, orangeslice said: It was also on Draft which I think decreases the chance it's a fake, but it's also really early for Vanderbilt to be notifying. Like, based on the data I collected they usually don't start until the beginning of March... 17 minutes ago, orangeslice said: Although now that I'm double checking that's not necessarily accurate so maybe don't listen to me LOL Thank you! I'm going to *try* to step away for a bit to clear my mind and get into a good place. Sending happy vibes across the internet to all on this thread who are starting the weekend off feeling down, anxious, confused, disappointed, or just tired after a good, old-fashioned adrenaline dump. The single silver lining I have found, in joining this thread, is that I am reminded how kind and uplifting the writerly community can be. Wishing you all a happy weekend and good luck. Edited February 12, 2021 by shanbanan CayceCamus, arden, pattycat and 5 others 8
Blackhole Posted February 12, 2021 Posted February 12, 2021 18 minutes ago, shanbanan said: Thank you! I'm going to *try* to step away for a bit to clear my mind and get into a good place. Sending happy vibes across the internet to all on this thread who are starting the weekend off feeling down, anxious, confused, disappointed, or just tired after a good, old-fashioned adrenaline dump. The single silver lining I have found, in joining this thread, is that I am reminded how kind and uplifting the writerly community can be. Wishing you all a happy weekend and good luck. Thank you so much for your kind words. have a good weekend.
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