2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[stella16]

10 hours ago, rejj said:

In one post, Cady ranked Cornell,

Agains, sorry I'm new to the MFA format — but what/who is Cady?

[koechophe]

16 minutes ago, stella16 said:

Agains, sorry I'm new to the MFA format — but what/who is Cady?

He's referring to a specific user on a specific Facebook page called MFA Draft. 

She's a frequent on that site and she holds the claim that the prestige of your MFA does affect your chances of getting published and into fellowships, all other things being equal. 

My research into the people who get into fellowships and who get published suggests otherwise. On a per-capita basis for things after graduation, a lot of these schools are very, very level, even schools that aren't "big names" like University of Houston or Boise State University. My conclusion from that is that it has less to do with "which" fully-funded one you go to.

Also, the take that some small programs are as hard to get into as Iowa is, on a numerical basis, pretty easily provable. Iowa usually offers around 25 slots for poetry and 25 for fiction. University of Florida, this year, offered 2 for each. Does Iowa get 12X the number of applicants as Florida? Not even remotely. Florida got hundreds this year, whereas Iowa statistics suggest around 1k each year.

Sure, you can make the argument that Iowa got higher-quality applicants, but considering it's more well-known, that is actually doubtful. Well-known things tend to get more applicants, period. 

That was my main point. If a program only accepts an extremely small cohort, it can be just as hard to get into as a well-known one that accepts a comparatively larger cohort. 

Not to say that getting into Iowa isn't a HUGE accomplishment, it really is. 

I recommend that anyone applying for an MFA apply to both types of cohorts. Getting in is extremely random. Some forum/draft users get accepted into the "top tier" schools while also being rejected from the other ones. It really does depend on what the program wants. 

[Rm714]

Got a call this morning from Columbia - in for fiction with a scholarship far greater than I'd imagined. I'm so grateful and thrilled. Thanks to a fantastic potential external scholarship opportunity, I might be able to afford it if I choose to go, especially combined with the scholarship they gave me. My mentor, an NYT bestselling author, went to Columbia, so this one actually meant a lot to me. This closes out my season at 7a/0w/5r. 

This group - all of you guys - helped me get through this. This season had so many ups and downs, and it's been a true honor to see so many of you succeed. To those still waiting, or those who didn't get the results you wanted, you're all still amazing, and nothing will ever make you not be a writer. 
Sorry for the gushy post. Lots of love going around!

Edited March 24, 2022 by Rm714
clarity

[Nicolas M.]

1 hour ago, Rm714 said:

Got a call this morning from Columbia - in for fiction with a scholarship far greater than I'd imagined. I'm so grateful and thrilled. Thanks to a fantastic potential external scholarship opportunity, I might be able to afford it if I choose to go, especially combined with the scholarship they gave me. My mentor, an NYT bestselling author, went to Columbia, so this one actually meant a lot to me. This closes out my season at 7a/0w/5r. 

This group - all of you guys - helped me get through this. This season had so many ups and downs, and it's been a true honor to see so many of you succeed. To those still waiting, or those who didn't get the results you wanted, you're all still amazing, and nothing will ever make you not be a writer. 
Sorry for the gushy post. Lots of love going around!

I'm really happy for you and hope you're able to attend! It really has a wonderful faculty, and not many people get funding.

[Rm714]

47 minutes ago, Nicolas M. said:

I'm really happy for you and hope you're able to attend! It really has a wonderful faculty, and not many people get funding.

Thank you so so much! I'm already building a TBR for my local used bookstore to read everything from their faculty. xP  also, for anyone still waiting, they did tell me on the phone this morning that they're aiming to get all their decisions out by tomorrow!

[Nicolas M.]

1 minute ago, Rm714 said:

Thank you so so much! I'm already building a TBR for my local used bookstore to read everything from their faculty. xP  also, for anyone still waiting, they did tell me on the phone this morning that they're aiming to get all their decisions out by tomorrow!

Haha as you should! And brilliant thanks for the info, I'm still awaiting (im)patiently

[koechophe]

Someone posted on Draft that they're turning down their spot at Hollins (Poetry), so hopefully someone movement on the waitlist today.

[retrotyping]

1 hour ago, koechophe said:

Someone posted on Draft that they're turning down their spot at Hollins (Poetry), so hopefully someone movement on the waitlist today.

I think they applied dual genre! It also looks like there will be waitlist movement at UVA (fiction)

[Nicolas M.]

If anyone hears about movement in the Syracuse (fiction) waitlist let me know! The anxiety is killing me

[littleredlight]

Gosh, I wish I'd known about this forum when I first started applying, lol.

I'm wondering if anyone else is still waiting to hear back from Iowa Nonfiction? I've heard back from everyone else and it's feeling a bit weird since I've seen a couple rejections and acceptances posted a couple weeks ago. I've made my mind up with what I've got on the table so far, but I don't want to accept anything officially with loose ends still out there.

[nicolette7766]

Officially declined my UNCG offer for fiction. Hope this helps someone!

[evergreen13]

1 hour ago, littleredlight said:

Gosh, I wish I'd known about this forum when I first started applying, lol.

I'm wondering if anyone else is still waiting to hear back from Iowa Nonfiction? I've heard back from everyone else and it's feeling a bit weird since I've seen a couple rejections and acceptances posted a couple weeks ago. I've made my mind up with what I've got on the table so far, but I don't want to accept anything officially with loose ends still out there.

You may be waitlisted if you haven't heard back yet. They did their acceptances a few weeks ago as well as rejections (which I got). 

[koechophe]

2 hours ago, littleredlight said:

I'm wondering if anyone else is still waiting to hear back from Iowa Nonfiction? I've heard back from everyone else and it's feeling a bit weird since I've seen a couple rejections and acceptances posted a couple weeks ago. I've made my mind up with what I've got on the table so far, but I don't want to accept anything officially with loose ends still out there.

Iowa sends their rejections in the mail, so if you haven't heard back, there's all sorts of things that could've gone wrong there.

I would really recommend just emailing the staff for your status. People on Draft have done that and gotten rejections that way. If you were waitlisted, you'd likely know by now via email, unfortunately. 

[littleredlight]

11 minutes ago, evergreen13 said:

You may be waitlisted if you haven't heard back yet. They did their acceptances a few weeks ago as well as rejections (which I got). 

I suppose that would make sense. I'm wondering what the hold-up is in that case. 

3 minutes ago, koechophe said:

Iowa sends their rejections in the mail, so if you haven't heard back, there's all sorts of things that could've gone wrong there.

I would really recommend just emailing the staff for your status. People on Draft have done that and gotten rejections that way. If you were waitlisted, you'd likely know by now via email, unfortunately. 

Based on what I'm seeing, it looks like the Writers' Workshop applicants were notified by mail, but the NWP rejections I saw were via email. Either way, I'm assuming it's either a rejection or a waitlist, so I'm not feeling anxious enough to email them just yet. Just a bit impatient.

[Nicolas M.]

23 hours ago, Rm714 said:

Thank you so so much! I'm already building a TBR for my local used bookstore to read everything from their faculty. xP  also, for anyone still waiting, they did tell me on the phone this morning that they're aiming to get all their decisions out by tomorrow!

Got into Columbia with a $10k scholarship! Do you have any advice for finding external funding? I'd love to attend but I would need full tuition coverage.

[Rm714]

2 hours ago, Nicolas M. said:

Got into Columbia with a $10k scholarship! Do you have any advice for finding external funding? I'd love to attend but I would need full tuition coverage.

I'm so sorry, but unfortunately I don't have any advice for external funding. The external funding opportunity that I'm working with doesn't cover full tuition, and it's also extremely, extremely niche (as in, literally part of my eligibility for it boils down to the county where I was raised). It's also not specific to creative writing in general. It is my understanding that external scholarships are not common at all for MFAs. I wish I could offer you better advice.

[1moreX]

9 hours ago, Nicolas M. said:

If anyone hears about movement in the Syracuse (fiction) waitlist let me know! The anxiety is killing me

A friend got a call from Mona Awad today (Friday 03-25) saying they'd been accepted off the waitlist for fiction at Syracuse.

Edited March 26, 2022 by 1moreX
clarification

[1moreX]

Busy day today - Got the rejection email from University of Florida fiction, definitely the nicest of the form letters. I would have been disappointed if not for all the updates on UF from you guys on this forum. Thanks.

Got a first, strangely unspecific email from the Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions at Florida International University, where I applied in fiction: "We were able to refer your file to the program for consideration today. Once we receive their recommendation, we will issue a final decision letter via email." Any experience with such a communication or thoughts?

Got financial aid notifications from Sarah Lawrence and George Mason.

Still awaiting CCNY, Queens, and FSU waitlist. Anyone hear from them?

Thanks all!

[Nicolas M.]

5 hours ago, 1moreX said:

A friend got a call from Mona Awad today (Friday 03-25) saying they'd been accepted off the waitlist for fiction at Syracuse.

Thanks for the info. Do you know if your friend is going to take the spot?

[1moreX]

7 hours ago, Nicolas M. said:

Thanks for the info. Do you know if your friend is going to take the spot?

Probably. I don't know for sure. It's my friend's best and one of their only offers.

Edited March 26, 2022 by 1moreX
needed detail

[Em0707]

Hi all! Apologies if this has already been addressed, but my search attempts are turning up nought—has anyone heard back with an acceptance to Michigan (Helen Zell) Fiction? Trying to balance cautious optimism and delusion over here.

[0-8_ThePerfectSeason]

13 hours ago, 1moreX said:

Got a first, strangely unspecific email from the Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions at Florida International University, where I applied in fiction: "We were able to refer your file to the program for consideration today. Once we receive their recommendation, we will issue a final decision letter via email." Any experience with such a communication or thoughts?

Would the Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions at FIU be Dr. Brian Raue?

February 16th, I received an email from him to apply for the CASE Distinguished Graduate Fellowship.  Did you receive this too?

Dear FIU Grad School Applicant,

Following the below link you will find an announcement of an exciting new graduate fellowship opportunity sponsored by the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Florida International University.  ALL applicants to the graduate program to which you have applied for admission are eligible to apply for this fellowship...

 

I returned the CASE scholarship application by the March 7th deadline.  Since then, it's been crickets.

 

(2a/0w/3r/3p).  Two of my pendings are Iowa State and UC Riverside which I expect to become rejections.  My sole remaining question is FIU, especially with this CASE scholarship on the table.

Edited March 26, 2022 by 0-8_ThePerfectSeason

[1moreX]

25 minutes ago, 0-8_ThePerfectSeason said:

Would the Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions at FIU be Dr. Brian Raue?

February 16th, I received an email from him to apply for the CASE Distinguished Graduate Fellowship.  Did you receive this too?

... I returned the CASE scholarship application by the March 7th deadline.

... My sole remaining question is FIU, especially with this CASE scholarship on the table.

Hi there - you are smarter than me about $. 

Yesterday's email was from Nanett A. Rojas not Dr. Brian Raue. I quoted it in my posting in its entirety because it is so cryptic.

I got the same email as you on Feb. 16th  from Dr. Brian Raue about the CASE Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. However, his email said the due date to apply for the scholarship was May 7 and I didn't follow the links till yesterday and saw the Mar. 7 due date on the application instructions. I am an idiot, especially if I am accepted.

This is not the first school this application year whose possible funding I have botched. It is not my perfect season by a long shot. But I'm too old not to accept one of my offers and try to get better funding for the second year.

[0-8_ThePerfectSeason]

17 minutes ago, 1moreX said:

Yesterday's email was from Nanett A. Rojas...

I'd say you're futher along the acceptance process. With 3 rejections in hand, it's clear institutions shun rejects like lepers.

Edited March 26, 2022 by 0-8_ThePerfectSeason

[1moreX]

2 minutes ago, 0-8_ThePerfectSeason said:

I'd say you're futher along the acceptance process. With 3 rejections in hand, it's clear institutions shun rejects like lepers.

Don't give up if you're know the MFA and the writing life is what you want. It's a calling.