2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[gagne]

MissMosquito, I feel similarly. I didn't goof on names but realize some of my SOPs were not great for certain programs so if doing another round would customize/start from ground up on each SOP.

[finch66]

3 minutes ago, MissMosquito said:

So I did that thing where I start obsessing over my grad applications when there are no more new posts on here to read, no new stats on the results page, no more obsessive cleaning to do in the house. Naturally, I start scanning my remaining grad school apps to programs that have yet to submit decisions...bad idea. I noticed a fatal flaw in one of my SOPs--it mentions the wrong program! There's nothing like writing a love letter to Johnny, only to address it to your other lover Gerald! Or worse, moaning your exes name during sex. (That's never happened to me!) I planned avoiding this mistake by tailoring each program app SOP from a template where no school was specifically named, but I guess I got sloppy toward the end. I'm mortified. First time applicant nightmare has come to fruition! Welp, my bet is I don't get into Vanderbilt! Has anyone else ever done this?

I was considering doing this as I'm in a similar "no news anywhere" echo chamber at the moment, but you have successfully convinced me not to! Ignorance is bliss, I'm waiting for the exact minute I can delete my facebook and forget this website exists and never look at my portals again. How do people do this app cycle more than once???? 

[MissMosquito]

1 hour ago, sb2798 said:

this gave me a mini heart attack ngl

Sorry! I'll try my best to avoid submitting anymore heart-attack-inducing comments in the future. 

[MissMosquito]

40 minutes ago, MDP said:

Oh shit lol. I've changed my mind now I don't wanna know ?

Fingers crossed for you MDP! I'm rooting for you!

[Yellow62]

Michener center acceptance for poetry is up on draft. Sound the alarms. 

[MDP]

Cornell casualty! shockingly not bummed about this one. I thought I would be gutted! Sorry to all the other rejects. Onward  

[gagne]

There's a Pitt CNF acceptance posted to Results said by phone. I am NERVOUS especially as I had my phone on DND all day as I have had a lot of anxiety around notifications and was attending a virtual event.

 

Edit: Anyone in Draft, are there Poetry acceptances for Pitt also posted? I'm not interested in joining another FB group or page

Edited February 25, 2022 by gagne

[poem for her]

12 minutes ago, gagne said:

There's a Pitt CNF acceptance posted to Results said by phone. I am NERVOUS especially as I had my phone on DND all day as I have had a lot of anxiety around notifications and was attending a virtual event.

 

Edit: Anyone in Draft, are there Poetry acceptances for Pitt also posted? I'm not interested in joining another FB group or page

one poetry acceptance from pitt posted in draft 5 hours ago and one posted 6 hours ago. two for CNF as well, i believe!

[gagne]

1 minute ago, poem for her said:

one poetry acceptance from pitt posted in draft 5 hours ago and one posted 6 hours ago. two for CNF as well, i believe!

well, at best I am hoping for a waitlist then (there are only 3 spots per genre)

[MissMosquito]

4 minutes ago, gagne said:

MissMosquito, I feel similarly. I didn't goof on names but realize some of my SOPs were not great for certain programs so if doing another round would customize/start from ground up on each SOP.

Thankfully, after furiously checking all my other SOPs, I only made the mistake with my Vanderbilt app. If it turns out, I'm submitting Round 2 apps another year, there are a number of things I would do differently:

1) I'd pay someone to review and proof read my application materials to avoid humiliating errors like naming the wrong school in an SOP! As a Dyslexic writer, I've never been great at catching typos. : /

2) I'd do more research on the prospective schools I choose so that my SOPs are more personalized.

3) I wouldn't limit my program list exclusively to fully-funded schools. Another forum member was nice enough to suggest another school in the Austin area--Texas State. I didn't consider this school because it's not listed as fully-funded, but a lot of schools that aren't fully-funded still offer generous financial packages based on need or merit. Even without funding or an offer of fellowship/TA positions, Texas State's tuition is pretty affordable. I think I've spent more per year on individual creative writing courses online!

4) I'd include schools that have an acceptance rate higher than 3%!

 

Anyone have any suggestions for good MFA programs with higher acceptance rates?

[MissMosquito]

25 minutes ago, Yellow62 said:

Michener center acceptance for poetry is up on draft. Sound the alarms. 

Did they call or email the acceptance?

[poem for her]

Just now, MissMosquito said:

Did they call or email the acceptance?

according to the mother (posting on behalf of her daughter), she received a call from michener this afternoon.

[adwalker4394]

1 minute ago, poem for her said:

according to the mother (posting on behalf of her daughter), she received a call from michener this afternoon.

My poor little heart cannot handle this lmao. NWP and Michener should notify a few weeks apart so those who applied to both aren't hit with double-despair.

[MissMosquito]

11 minutes ago, adwalker4394 said:

My poor little heart cannot handle this lmao. NWP and Michener should notify a few weeks apart so those who applied to both aren't hit with double-despair.

I keep saying that all MFA creative writing programs should choose one day to announce all acceptances, waitlists, and rejections, much like NFL draft day. Applicants can make sure to take the day off to receive acceptance calls if they're lucky enough, or if one of the unlucky majority, have the day off to freely wallow over the rejection emails in bed, box of tissues in one hand, and a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the other. This way, applicants don't suffer the slow suffocation that is waiting in limbo from the end of January to mid-March!

Edited February 25, 2022 by MissMosquito

[Casalmon]

First time poster long time stalker. 
 

Trying not to get my hopes up, but has anyone seen any Cornell waitlists? 
 

I haven’t gotten a rejection email yet, and haven’t seen waitlists go out, and now I’m obsessively refreshing my email. 

[MissMosquito]

25 minutes ago, poem for her said:

according to the mother (posting on behalf of her daughter), she received a call from michener this afternoon.

I've never answered unknown calls before now! I received a call from a 512- number today (nothing out of the blue as I live in Austin), but, womp womp, it was the Mazda dealership. Also, since my dad is a faculty member, I know for a fact that any call from UT will likely come from a 512-471-XXXX number, unless adcoms make acceptance calls from their personal cell phone.

Edited February 25, 2022 by MissMosquito
Typo

[nicolette7766]

5 hours ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

Did your friend ever hear anything back from UNCG? 

Or did you see anything on draft? 

Sorry to bother you again, but historically UNCG sends stuff out on the last friday in February. 

I look forward to your response. ?

hi sorry, i’ve been at work. but no my friend has not heard back yet. i’m sorry.

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

1 hour ago, nicolette7766 said:

hi sorry, i’ve been at work. but no my friend has not heard back yet. i’m sorry.

That’s no problem. Thanks for the response! 

[adwalker4394]

4 hours ago, MissMosquito said:

I've never answered unknown calls before now!

I wonder if phone scammers notice the uptick in accepted calls during late Feb/early March

[sb2798]

6 hours ago, MissMosquito said:

Sorry! I'll try my best to avoid submitting anymore heart-attack-inducing comments in the future. 

it's okay! i can commiserate. sending hugs and strength. we got this!

[Nightwitch]

Hey! It's a while since I've visited the forums. Congrats to everyone who got in! 

 

I woke up to the Michener notification on draft. There's no way I'm going to be able to concentrate on work today, though I know the US is probably asleep right now, and will wake up only in the evening (in my time zone). I hope they send out the fiction results sooon! I know it's a terribly long shot, but it would be nice to have an answer whether good or bad

[humbledarrogance]

is it true that Michener calls/emails the accepted students over the course of a few days? that mom from earlier talking about her daughter is the only Michener acceptance ive seen at all. and ill admit that, out of despair & envy of the moment (which im not proud of), i thought that one acceptance was bs. but i doubt anyone would lie about that. so im wondering if Michener has rolling acceptance calls?

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by humbledarrogance

[adwalker4394]

48 minutes ago, humbledarrogance said:

is it true that Michener calls/emails the accepted students over the course of a few days? that mom from earlier talking about her daughter is the only Michener acceptance ive seen at all. and ill admit that, out of despair & envy of the moment (which im not proud of), i thought that one acceptance was bs. but i doubt anyone would lie about that. so im wondering if Michener has rolling acceptance calls?

 

I think it's possible. The results page from last year shows the two Michener acceptances came a day apart. But also be aware that Michener isn't handing out many spots and it's very possible that the few who did get in didn't/don't seek out spaces like Grad Cafe and the MFA Draft. If it wasn't for this person's mom, we wouldn't have heard anything about Michener. (But I think it's safe to assume they're making decisions since NWP made calls this week).

[Yellow62]

56 minutes ago, humbledarrogance said:

is it true that Michener calls/emails the accepted students over the course of a few days? that mom from earlier talking about her daughter is the only Michener acceptance ive seen at all. and ill admit that, out of despair & envy of the moment (which im not proud of), i thought that one acceptance was bs. but i doubt anyone would lie about that. so im wondering if Michener has rolling acceptance calls?

 

Personally, I have a hard time believing they do rolling acceptance calls based on how few people they admit per genre cohort, but hey--it ain't over until it's over. Hang in there.

[questioningquestions]

Oop, someone in the Draft posted about New Writers Project having notified them for their poetry acceptance back in the first week of February... Looks like I ain't goin to grad school this year!