2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[gagne]

Columbia [thinks they have] rejected me.

I add the brackets because I committed to Naropa last night.

[1moreX]

Hello all - I'm still waiting to hear from Florida State (FSU), where i'm waitlisted in fiction, and would appreciate knowing any movement off the waitlist. I'm not on Facebook.

Meanwhile, I have a question. I'm itching to email FSU and ask to speak to current or former students about the program, as I've done with schools I've been accepted to, or participate in other opportunities they offer accepted students to understand the program better. Though FSU is my first choice, I would not accept their incredible offer without finding out more about about it from the inside. I've done my due diligence with every other school l and it has totally changed my personal ranking of them. Do you know how a waitlisted student requesting this kind of access is perceived? Has anyone done this?

Also, I want to share something I've discovered in talking to people about their schools: As far as I can tell, there is no either/or of funded and non-funded schools. ALL the schools I've researched, including Sarah Lawrence, offer teaching and other opportunities, such as Writing Lab work or journal editing, to offset tuition. These are not called teaching or professional assistantships, but they function that way. In some cases the teaching offered in a supposedly non-funded college covers more than the cost of tuition. All the students I've talked to, including at SL, say "almost everyone gets something."  Of course there is no stipend at these school, covering living expenses, too. But at no school I've researched is there no funding. Maybe i'm misunderstanding "fully funded," but these are the gray areas i see.

Ok everyone -- thanks for listening and good luck to all still waiting to hear.

My results:

Accepted in fiction: Brooklyn, George Mason, Florida International, Sarah Lawrence

Waitlisted: Florida State

Rejected: University of Florida, Pitt, Indiana, Notre Dame

Still waiting to hear: CCNY, Queens

Edited April 1, 2022 by 1moreX

[koechophe]

30 minutes ago, 1moreX said:

Do you know how a waitlisted student requesting this kind of access is perceived? Has anyone done this?

This is viewed as totally normal and please feel free to do this. The thing is, schools know that people on waitlists can sometimes have to make some REALLY quick decisions (since a lot of movement happens like the week before the deadline). So they are aware that people want to be ready. You are totally welcome to do this, it is not a breach of etiquette whatsoever.

30 minutes ago, 1moreX said:

As far as I can tell, there is no either/or of funded and non-funded schools. ALL the schools I've researched, including Sarah Lawrence, offer teaching and other opportunities, such as Writing Lab work or journal editing, to offset tuition.

So the term "Fully funded" is a specific category: It means that 100% of students accepted receive a tuition remission (for all the tuition) and a stipend of some sort. That is a particular category of schools.

That being said, there are a lot of schools who are "partially funded," meaning they fund some or all of their students with offers that remit some or all of their tuition and possibly include stipends too.

Sometimes people end up with better funding at "partially funded" universities than fully funded ones. The categorization is a little bit asinine because "fully funded" schools can charge huge amounts in fees and have super expensive costs of living, making them less economic than partially funded ones.

I would still be careful with schools that say there are "opportunities" for work that will help you pay for it without being specific. A lot of schools require you to work for them for XXX amount of time (usually a year) before they start remitting tuition (if we're not talking specific, department promises). Also, a lot of times these spots are competative, so it'd suck to end up at a school, think you're going to get funding, and then not. 

Usually best to make sure you've got a solid, specific funding offer before acting. That's why people find fully funded ones appealing--it's already baked into their acceptance. But "partially funded" places can be a much better option than people give them credit for. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by koechophe

[1moreX]

1 minute ago, koechophe said:

I would still be careful with schools that say there are "opportunities" for work that will help you pay for it without being specific. A lot of schools require you to work for them for XXX amount of time (usually a year) before they start remitting tuition (if we're not talking specific, department promises). Also, a lot of times these spots are competative, so it'd suck to end up at a school, think you're going to get funding, and then not. 

Usually best to make sure you've got a solid, specific funding offer before acting. That's why people find fully funded ones appealing--it's already baked into their acceptance. 

Thanks, so practical and helpful!

[retrotyping]

52 minutes ago, 1moreX said:

Hello all - I'm still waiting to hear from Florida State (FSU), where i'm waitlisted in fiction, and would appreciate knowing any movement off the waitlist. I'm not on Facebook.

Meanwhile, I have a question. I'm itching to email FSU and ask to speak to current or former students about the program, as I've done with schools I've been accepted to, or participate in other opportunities they offer accepted students to understand the program better. Though FSU is my first choice, I would not accept their incredible offer without finding out more about about it from the inside. I've done my due diligence with every other school l and it has totally changed my personal ranking of them. Do you know how a waitlisted student requesting this kind of access is perceived? Has anyone done this?

Also, I want to share something I've discovered in talking to people about their schools: As far as I can tell, there is no either/or of funded and non-funded schools. ALL the schools I've researched, including Sarah Lawrence, offer teaching and other opportunities, such as Writing Lab work or journal editing, to offset tuition. These are not called teaching or professional assistantships, but they function that way. In some cases the teaching offered in a supposedly non-funded college covers more than the cost of tuition. All the students I've talked to, including at SL, say "almost everyone gets something."  Of course there is no stipend at these school, covering living expenses, too. But at no school I've researched is there no funding. Maybe i'm misunderstanding "fully funded," but these are the gray areas i see.

Ok everyone -- thanks for listening and good luck to all still waiting to hear.

My results:

Accepted in fiction: Brooklyn, George Mason, Florida International, Sarah Lawrence

Waitlisted: Florida State

Rejected: University of Florida, Pitt, Indiana, Notre Dame

Still waiting to hear: CCNY, Queens

Did FSU tell you where on the waitlist you are? There’s been movement in fiction, and they’re at least through the top 2 spots from what I can tell. if you’re at the top or middle you might be up next! The person on draft that just got off their waitlist is also strongly considering another school so keep your fingers crossed. Good luck!!!

[1moreX]

1 minute ago, retrotyping said:

Did FSU tell you where on the waitlist you are? There’s been movement in fiction, and they’re at least through the top 2 spots from what I can tell. if you’re at the top or middle you might be up next! The person on draft that just got off their waitlist is also strongly considering another school so keep your fingers crossed. Good luck!!!

Wow - thank you so much. So good to know. Yes, the director told me I'm high on the waitlist. I hope I still am. Thanks so much again.

[MDP]

1 hour ago, 1moreX said:

I'm itching to email FSU and ask to speak to current or former students about the program, as I've done with schools I've been accepted to, or participate in other opportunities they offer accepted students to understand the program better. Though FSU is my first choice, I would not accept their incredible offer without finding out more about about it from the inside. I've done my due diligence with every other school l and it has totally changed my personal ranking of them. Do you know how a waitlisted student requesting this kind of access is perceived? Has anyone done this?

I asked Hollins whether I could talk to students a couple weeks ago when I was still on the waitlist. They said the MFA students were too busy with their work/writing/lives to talk to waitlisted applicants and that they would only communicate with accepted applicants. (Kinda felt like shit to hear, but I begrudgingly understood, lol.) This might be different at other schools  

[1moreX]

9 minutes ago, MDP said:

I asked Hollins whether I could talk to students a couple weeks ago when I was still on the waitlist. They said the MFA students were too busy with their work/writing/lives to talk to waitlisted applicants and that they would only communicate with accepted applicants. (Kinda felt like shit to hear, but I begrudgingly understood, lol.) This might be different at other schools  

Thanks - I've just emailed the grad admissions liaison at FSU and I'll let the list know what happens. This is good info to share.

[koechophe]

28 minutes ago, MDP said:

They said the MFA students were too busy with their work/writing/lives to talk to waitlisted applicants and that they would only communicate with accepted applicants.

Wow, I've actually never heard of that before. A lot of users on draft talk to people while still on waitlists. I guess Hollins did (does?) have a big waitlist, but still seems a bit harsh lol

[MDP]

1 hour ago, koechophe said:

Wow, I've actually never heard of that before. A lot of users on draft talk to people while still on waitlists. I guess Hollins did (does?) have a big waitlist, but still seems a bit harsh lol

Ha, I know, right? I was burnt. The students I've talked to have said that the workload is manageable but heavy, so maybe they really are just slammed. One said she got workshopped 8-9 times last semester while her friends at other programs typically got workshopped 2-3 times. But the atmosphere is apparently much more collaborative than competitive, and the program has a huge range of ages, backgrounds, and personalities, which is super exciting to hear 

[beefboy]

6 hours ago, 1moreX said:

Meanwhile, I have a question. I'm itching to email FSU and ask to speak to current or former students about the program, as I've done with schools I've been accepted to, or participate in other opportunities they offer accepted students to understand the program better. Though FSU is my first choice, I would not accept their incredible offer without finding out more about about it from the inside. I've done my due diligence with every other school l and it has totally changed my personal ranking of them. Do you know how a waitlisted student requesting this kind of access is perceived? Has anyone done this?

hey!! this may be not the most helpful but i did my undergrad in creative writing at fsu and i absolutely loved it and attribute it 1000% to the writer i am. i still talk to my mentors (the professors in the crw program) even a year out of graduating, and they are some of the best profs i've ever had/ people in academia i've known. obviously the student body is different in grad than undergrad, but every crw TA i've ever had seemed super cool/talented/hardworking etc. so yeah, nothing but good things to say about fsu to the point where i even considered sticking around for my mfa there. fingers crossed for you!!

[Rm714]

Random question - anyone want to exchange stories? I've got a flash piece (~650 words) I want to submit to a litmag, but I'd love to have someone's eyes on it first. It's an edited version of one of my application portfolio pieces, so one person has looked at it, but I've since added a new scene and changed up some wording. 
I'll happily workshop a piece of yours in exchange!

[nicolette7766]

58 minutes ago, Rm714 said:

Random question - anyone want to exchange stories? I've got a flash piece (~650 words) I want to submit to a litmag, but I'd love to have someone's eyes on it first. It's an edited version of one of my application portfolio pieces, so one person has looked at it, but I've since added a new scene and changed up some wording. 
I'll happily workshop a piece of yours in exchange!

Hi! I’d love to take a look at your piece for you. 

[Rm714]

9 minutes ago, nicolette7766 said:

Hi! I’d love to take a look at your piece for you. 

Thank you so much!! I'll send you a DM!

[1moreX]

3 hours ago, beefboy said:

hey!! this may be not the most helpful but i did my undergrad in creative writing at fsu and i absolutely loved it and attribute it 1000% to the writer i am. i still talk to my mentors (the professors in the crw program) even a year out of graduating, and they are some of the best profs i've ever had/ people in academia i've known. obviously the student body is different in grad than undergrad, but every crw TA i've ever had seemed super cool/talented/hardworking etc. so yeah, nothing but good things to say about fsu to the point where i even considered sticking around for my mfa there. fingers crossed for you!!

Thanks - that's definitely helpful. Makes the school sound like a good community. 

Btw - the latest episode of the podcast MFA Writers is an interview with a Creative Writing PhD at FSU - https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawriters

Edited April 2, 2022 by 1moreX

[alligator mississippiensis]

Hello! A friend at BU just told me there was someone who was accepted to both Iowa and BU (for fiction) and decided to go to BU. I am on the Iowa fiction waitlist and would love to know if anyone on draft has mentioned getting a phone call from Iowa saying they are off the waitlist. Or if there has been any talk about Iowa on there in general??? Thank you so much! This limbo space is killing me! 

[eatpraylovelove]

10 hours ago, alligator mississippiensis said:

Hello! A friend at BU just told me there was someone who was accepted to both Iowa and BU (for fiction) and decided to go to BU. I am on the Iowa fiction waitlist and would love to know if anyone on draft has mentioned getting a phone call from Iowa saying they are off the waitlist. Or if there has been any talk about Iowa on there in general??? Thank you so much! This limbo space is killing me! 

Same here but in the limbo of Columbia and Sarah Lawrence? wonder if the waitlist moved at all hah.

[1moreX]

Hi all -- Getting a little compulsive these days. Does anyone put any stock in this list ranking MFA programs? It's based on number of graduates publishing in "Best of..." anthologies. https://creativewritingmfa.info/rankings/

[retrotyping]

11 hours ago, 1moreX said:

Hi all -- Getting a little compulsive these days. Does anyone put any stock in this list ranking MFA programs? It's based on number of graduates publishing in "Best of..." anthologies. https://creativewritingmfa.info/rankings/

My impression is that people tend to think this one holds more weight than the PWs rankings as far as online lists go. But the PWs deff have a legacy 

[Yellow62]

14 hours ago, 1moreX said:

Hi all -- Getting a little compulsive these days. Does anyone put any stock in this list ranking MFA programs? It's based on number of graduates publishing in "Best of..." anthologies. https://creativewritingmfa.info/rankings/

Honestly, due to how limited the methodology is on this one, I'm not sure it's taken very seriously. Not taking long-form work, residencies/fellowships earned, etc. into account probably alters what this list would look like with those factors taken into account to a significant degree. 

[Rm714]

26 minutes ago, Yellow62 said:

Honestly, due to how limited the methodology is on this one, I'm not sure it's taken very seriously. Not taking long-form work, residencies/fellowships earned, etc. into account probably alters what this list would look like with those factors taken into account to a significant degree. 

It also appears to have not been updated in some time.

[nicolette7766]

Hi, everyone. I kinda need some advice. My friend has the number one waitlist spot at this one program, and she knows for a fact that someone declined their spot there for the same genre. It’s been over two weeks since that person declined, and my friend emailed the director asking if there’s been any movement. They said no. She is very confused and concerned. Is this a normal thing with these programs? Are they going to wait until April 15th to accept her?

Thank you. Hope you all are doing well. 

[chuey]

9 hours ago, nicolette7766 said:

Hi, everyone. I kinda need some advice. My friend has the number one waitlist spot at this one program, and she knows for a fact that someone declined their spot there for the same genre. It’s been over two weeks since that person declined, and my friend emailed the director asking if there’s been any movement. They said no. She is very confused and concerned. Is this a normal thing with these programs? Are they going to wait until April 15th to accept her?

Thank you. Hope you all are doing well. 

They could just be waiting until 4/15 to start accepting people off the waitlist? Or could be some lag in processing? Or maybe they send more offers out than there are spots...

I guess there's also a chance they tell a few people they're number 1 when they're really just near the top and depending on the type of applicant that turned down their offer that's how they choose the alternate (i.e. demographic/overall-vibes wise)?  

Edited April 4, 2022 by chuey

[beefboy]

hey everyone, so i'm waitlisted at syracuse for poetry (2nd year in a row lmao) ... and last year i did end up waiting until the 15th for news, but i'm not on draft so i was just curious if anyone's heard anything on there. thanks!! 

[retrotyping]

1 hour ago, beefboy said:

hey everyone, so i'm waitlisted at syracuse for poetry (2nd year in a row lmao) ... and last year i did end up waiting until the 15th for news, but i'm not on draft so i was just curious if anyone's heard anything on there. thanks!! 

I’ve not seen anything recently but I do know they’ve moved to the waitlist (someone was offered off the waitlist on 3/16). I also saw that they do not use a ranked waitlist and who is offered depends on who drops to maintain a “balanced cohort.” That’s everything I saw!