2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[xenawins]

Hello all,

Been gone for a hot second...going through a divorce so shit has been incredibly difficult. In some ways, it's been a distraction from the agony of waiting for my final response. But now I'm happy to report that I received an acceptance offer from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with full funding! That brings my results to 1a/2w/5r. It feels so good to know the results and as this is my first time applying, I'm really pleased with the outcome! Still waitlisted at ASU and UTK. I'm so grateful to this group for all the valuable info, encouragement, and insights offered here.

I'm curious if anyone here has any info about SIU's program? It sounds amazing and right up my alley. Plus I read a piece by one of their faculty today and got choked up by the intense resonance I felt. I'm waiting to hear back from a current student about her experience, but while I wait, figured I'd bring it back to the group if anyone has thoughts

Hope everyone is getting the offers, info, and encouragement they need through this. Sending epic word-smithing thoughts!

 

[gagne]

9 hours ago, xenawins said:

 But now I'm happy to report that I received an acceptance offer from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with full funding! That brings my results to 1a/2w/5r. It feels so good to know the results and as this is my first time applying, I'm really pleased with the outcome! 

Congrats! I feel you on victorious first round. I still haven’t heard from Columbia but hearing about how they give little to no funding atop being expensive and in an expensive city, looking to go to Naropa come fall.

[koechophe]

16 hours ago, xenawins said:

But now I'm happy to report that I received an acceptance offer from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with full funding!

Huge congrats! I'm really glad you got some good news after a long, stressful season. 

[xenawins]

7 hours ago, gagne said:

Congrats! I feel you on victorious first round. I still haven’t heard from Columbia but hearing about how they give little to no funding atop being expensive and in an expensive city, looking to go to Naropa come fall.

Congratulations on your acceptances! WHOO!! Yeah, I was FLOORED when I saw how much Columbia was and the funding options... yeesh. Sending you all the vibes for whatever decision you make!

[JustPup]

So this is so interesting, but I I got in touch with the Director of CW at UAF.

I noticed I still hadn't gotten a formal acceptance letter. They said my paperwork was never sent to the English (?) dept for review. So no official letter was sent. It was a simple mimstake that was easily fixed from what I can tell, but I was concerned it had affected my ability to get funding.
I asked about that and all they said was that they are told everyone is waitlisted (unless specifically told otherwise) until later. One student accepted to UAF did say she got full funding. I am still on the waitlist. She did reject the UAF offer and go elsewhere.
When I asked how many students were accepted this year, the answer really surprised me! UAF accepted just over 20 students this year! They basically said they accept anyone who can really benefit from their MFA program these last few years. This year, there are 6 funded TA ships (I am assuming poetry and fiction combined).
I was very vocal to the CW dept that I basically WILL go to UAF once off the waitlist for funding. I'm super excited and it was really where my heart is. Is it strange that sometimes I dream and I'm in FB, AK? LOL!! 

[chupacabra11]

Hi everyone,

 

Is anyone admitted to Rutgers-Camden for Fic/or Poetry or actually just admitted? I'm on the Waitlist rn and it is my preferred place of study. I got into Temple for Fiction with no funding. Applied to Rutgers-Camden as hybrid for fiction and Poetry and got nicely waitlisted. 

 

If anyone negotiated their funding I could use advice on how to do that too! Super shy and anxious and don't even know where to begin so anything would be helpful. 

TYSM ❤️

Goodluck to anyone else on a waitlist or still waiting for their ideal space.

[oubukibun]

14 hours ago, JustPup said:

So this is so interesting, but I I got in touch with the Director of CW at UAF.

I noticed I still hadn't gotten a formal acceptance letter. They said my paperwork was never sent to the English (?) dept for review. So no official letter was sent. It was a simple mimstake that was easily fixed from what I can tell, but I was concerned it had affected my ability to get funding.
I asked about that and all they said was that they are told everyone is waitlisted (unless specifically told otherwise) until later. One student accepted to UAF did say she got full funding. I am still on the waitlist. She did reject the UAF offer and go elsewhere.
When I asked how many students were accepted this year, the answer really surprised me! UAF accepted just over 20 students this year! They basically said they accept anyone who can really benefit from their MFA program these last few years. This year, there are 6 funded TA ships (I am assuming poetry and fiction combined).
I was very vocal to the CW dept that I basically WILL go to UAF once off the waitlist for funding. I'm super excited and it was really where my heart is. Is it strange that sometimes I dream and I'm in FB, AK? LOL!! 

Haha,

I wrote the director as well a couple weeks ago, basically saying the same thing.  It's hard playing the waiting game, but when you really want it, it's nigh unbearable.  She mentioned there was a good chance I could still move up from the waitlist from my position, but I'm surprised that so many were accepted this year!

Probability and statistics be damned, but I hope we both land on that extra luck slot this week or the next and manage to get to UAF!!!

NANOOK PRIDE!

 

Also, to the person posting on Rutgers-Camden, I'm still waiting for my portal to update.  I emailed them and nothing.  It's been an actual zero from them.  But congrats, and hope you manage more information elsewhere. 

 

Toodles all!  Trying not to vomit from the internal struggle of accepting or not accepting, to be or not to be...  Alas, poor Yorick, he need not worry about the abyssal depths of student loans.

Edited March 28, 2022 by oubukibun

[nicolette7766]

Officially removed myself the Miami waitlist! 

[retrotyping]

Waitlist news from draft… spots are opening at the following

UVA, poetry

IUB, poetry

Ole Miss, poetry

Texas state, poetry 

U of SC, fiction

FAU, fiction 

GMU, fiction 

UNCG, fiction 

UNLV, CNF

WKU, CNF (unfunded) 

Edited March 28, 2022 by retrotyping

[maz]

11 minutes ago, retrotyping said:

Waitlist news from draft…

So nice of you to collate this and share here!

[Newb5000]

29 minutes ago, retrotyping said:

Waitlist news from draft… spots are opening at the following

UVA, poetry

IUB, poetry

Ole Miss, poetry

Texas state, poetry 

U of SC, fiction

FAU, fiction 

GMU, fiction 

UNCG, fiction 

UNLV, CNF

WKU, CNF (unfunded) 

Thanks for this! Any news about UNLV or Iowa State fiction? Thanks in advance!

[fier]

32 minutes ago, retrotyping said:

Waitlist news from draft… spots are opening at the following

UVA, poetry

IUB, poetry

Ole Miss, poetry

Texas state, poetry 

U of SC, fiction

FAU, fiction 

GMU, fiction 

UNCG, fiction 

UNLV, CNF

WKU, CNF (unfunded) 

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm also in a waitlist purgatory, and my heart goes out to anyone else who is suffering a similar agony. Does anyone happen to know whether there's been any movement thus far for fiction spots at Michigan or Indiana?

[retrotyping]

6 minutes ago, Newb5000 said:

Thanks for this! Any news about UNLV or Iowa State fiction? Thanks in advance!

Not that I saw.. I did see that UNLV hadn’t made all fiction notifications as of 3/24, but nothing recent on waitlists and movement for them

[fier]

On 3/26/2022 at 10:58 AM, Em0707 said:

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.

Sorry you haven't heard back! My understanding is that they notified everyone back in February via email. Perhaps check your spam folder or reach out to them if you can't find anything? Sorry I likely don't have better news, I know it's a rough thing.

[retrotyping]

4 minutes ago, fier said:

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm also in a waitlist purgatory, and my heart goes out to anyone else who is suffering a similar agony. Does anyone happen to know whether there's been any movement thus far for fiction spots at Michigan or Indiana?

I don’t think so, one person turned down their spot at Michigan a week or so ago but thats likely been offered now. There’s someone who’s in at Michigan who’s also in at Vandy and waitlisted at Michener. They haven’t posted a final decision but seems like they’re aiming for Austin, so maybe some hope there! Didn’t see much for Indiana.

[fier]

Just now, retrotyping said:

I don’t think so, one person turned down their spot at Michigan a week or so ago but thats likely been offered now. There’s someone who’s in at Michigan who’s also in at Vandy and waitlisted at Michener. They haven’t posted a final decision but seems like they’re aiming for Austin, so maybe some hope there! Didn’t see much for Indiana.

Thanks!! Really appreciate it.

[1moreX]

On 3/26/2022 at 12:37 PM, 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.

Hi again - Reason to hold out hope. I emailed Lynne Barrett, one of the MFA faculty at FIU, about that email from Grad Admissions and here's what she wrote back. (Bottom line, no decisions made yet.)

====

[The message] "means nothing at all. We received your application with all materials and our faculty have been reading all of them and will be meeting very soon.

We tell U. Grad Admissions our decisions later.

Our secretary downloaded everything that grad. admissions had, and we also received things through the mail. And if something major were missing our secretary would have been in touch to ask.

So your application is in our hands, and no decisions have been made but they will be soon."

[1moreX]

54 minutes ago, retrotyping said:

Waitlist news from draft… spots are opening at the following

UVA, poetry

IUB, poetry

Ole Miss, poetry

Texas state, poetry 

U of SC, fiction

FAU, fiction 

GMU, fiction 

UNCG, fiction 

UNLV, CNF

WKU, CNF (unfunded) 

Thank you, thank you! I'm waiting for FSU (Florida State) waitlist news if you or anyone gets word.

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

1 hour ago, retrotyping said:

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI
wanted to delete

[retrotyping]

27 minutes ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

 

South Carolina. I heard back from them that I was waitlisted exactly 1 week ago.. I think all acceptances and waitlists are out for them in every genre from what I can gather. I’m not sure about Southern California though, I know they’ve sent acceptances in their PhD program. 

[0-8_ThePerfectSeason]

1 hour ago, 1moreX said:

 "emailed Lynne Barrett..." AND "... no decisions have been made but they will be soon."

Thank you 1moreX (and Professor Lynne Barrett) for this update on Florida International University (2a/0w/3r/3p).

Edited March 28, 2022 by 0-8_ThePerfectSeason

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

4 hours ago, retrotyping said:

South Carolina. I heard back from them that I was waitlisted exactly 1 week ago.. I think all acceptances and waitlists are out for them in every genre from what I can gather. I’m not sure about Southern California though, I know they’ve sent acceptances in their PhD program. 

Goodluck at UofSC!

Are you a fiction applicant? Do you know how many people are on the waitlist? 

[retrotyping]

28 minutes ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

Goodluck at UofSC!

Are you a fiction applicant? Do you know how many people are on the waitlist? 

Thanks! I did apply in fiction. I’m not sure how many people are on the waitlist, but I did see a handful of people in draft who’d been waitlisted as well, so I don’t think my chances are all that good! But that’s okay, I have other acceptances and waitlists I’m really excited about  but it would be nice to just know one way or the other so I can finally make a decision!

Edited March 29, 2022 by retrotyping

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

13 hours ago, retrotyping said:

Thanks! I did apply in fiction. I’m not sure how many people are on the waitlist, but I did see a handful of people in draft who’d been waitlisted as well, so I don’t think my chances are all that good! But that’s okay, I have other acceptances and waitlists I’m really excited about  but it would be nice to just know one way or the other so I can finally make a decision!

Could you keep me updated regarding University of South Carolina in terms of what you see on draft? 

[retrotyping]

17 minutes ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

Could you keep me updated regarding University of South Carolina in terms of what you see on draft? 

I can try! You mean waitlist movement for them? Or just generally any updates?