2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[koechophe]

1 minute ago, mjr58 said:

OSU & Wyoming are definite rejections; seems all the Mississippi round two emails have been sent & the Illinois acceptances & waitlists announced.

Ah, right, some people do 2-round systems, I forget. None of the 18 programs I've applied for in the last two years did that.

2 minutes ago, mjr58 said:

I'm pretty sure I'm staring down the barrel of over a dozen straight-up rejections.

My nature is to be like, "No, hold out hope! It could work!" But maybe hope isn't what you need? So idk, but I will say that, for what it's worth, it's a bit early in the season to think that your fate is sealed. 

[koechophe]

1 hour ago, MDP said:

"Short and sweet via email. Did mention they had more applicants than in years past, perhaps that is setting the tone for this year's admissions." Hoping there wasn't a massive influx of applicants like last year, but realistically I'm sure there was! Gahhh

Eh, a lot of the emails say things like "we had more applicants than usual" literally every year. I wouldn't read too much into it tbh. I'd actually be surprised, from a social-economics view, if we had more applicants this year than normal, since these applications tend to be closely correlated with unemployment rates.

I mean, Covid is Covid, and stuff is weird right now, so who knows? But a lot of times emails say things like that. 

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I’ve followed this thread for quite some time now and am delighted to see so many writers aspiring for the next step in our professional careers. 

Although some results have already been posted, I wish everyone the best of luck. 

I applied to these programs for fiction:

NC State

UVA

West Virginia University

UNC Greensboro

University of South Carolina

VCU

and Hollins University.

And though these arent as prestigious as some of the programs I’ve seen, I would be more than happy to attend any one of them. 

Also, if any one applied to UNC Greensboro could they let me know. I recieved an invitation to attend one of their readings and another email about their community and I dont know if that is a good sign or just a mass email that every applicant gets. 

Again, I wish every one luck in the new season. 

I’m 23 and just graduated undergrad literature but was quite prepared to take the next step as I’ve been reading and writing for a decade or more now. 

Here’s to hoping, everyone! 

I look forward to some of your responses. And of course, I’ll keep everyone posted in terms of my programs. 

[panglosian]

Anyone know if not getting an immediate interview request for UMass means we're out of the running immediately and move on? Idk if they're doing like they did last year and some of them go out early while others go out with acceptances/waitlists, or if they're getting them all done ahead of time.

I've got a thick skin, so go with truth over kindness on this one lol. If I gotta move on I gotta move on ?

[koechophe]

29 minutes ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I’ve followed this thread for quite some time now and am delighted to see so many writers aspiring for the next step in our professional careers. 

Heya, welcome! Hope this cycle goes well for you! 

What kind of literature did you enjoy in your major? I was partial to more minimalist literature, and definitely more a fan of modern/postmodern. I can respect classical literature, but my heart seems to be in the more recent approaches =).

 

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

30 minutes ago, koechophe said:

Heya, welcome! Hope this cycle goes well for you! 

What kind of literature did you enjoy in your major? I was partial to more minimalist literature, and definitely more a fan of modern/postmodern. I can respect classical literature, but my heart seems to be in the more recent approaches =).

 

Hey! Thanks for the well wishes. 

I’m incredibly anxious about the results but we’ll see! 

To answer your question, in my undergrad years I spent a lot of time with and liked, as you alluded to, the postmodernists—Pynchon, Barthes, Coover, DeLillo, and more. I also read a lot of theory and philosophy. As I’m sure you’re well aware of interests wax and wane and change often. To be honest, I did most my reading outside the classroom and a few lifetime favorites include Cormac McCarthy, William Faulkner, Dostoevsky, and Toni Morrison. I also just finished Hell of a Book and On Earth we’re briefly Georgeous. 

I’ll say this last bit: my senior year of undergrad I read a lot of Jesmyn Ward and absolutely loved her work. 

When you say minimalist do you mean like Hemingway or..?

[JustPup]

Hi,

 

I’m a writer and mom out of Texas. Graduated UH creative major with a focus in fiction. 
finally ready to head towards an MFA. I write a lot of fiction with southern roots, lgbt+, and environmental literature.

I’m inspired by Conrad, Diane Ackerman, and London. 
 

I applied to Wyoming (rejection via email), Alaska Fairbanks, Brown, and JHU. Ended up feeling like Boston and NMS weren’t for me and we wouldn’t ultimately like each other.

I submitted different short stories for Wyoming versus AK and Brown. I liked my longer submission better so here’s to that. 
best of luck to everyone!

 

[MissMosquito]

Has anyone seen evidence of poetry acceptances from UO yet? I've still only seen fiction. Maybe this means they haven't announced poetry decisions yet?

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

2 hours ago, JustPup said:

Hi,

 

I’m a writer and mom out of Texas. Graduated UH creative major with a focus in fiction. 
finally ready to head towards an MFA. I write a lot of fiction with southern roots, lgbt+, and environmental literature.

I’m inspired by Conrad, Diane Ackerman, and London. 
 

I applied to Wyoming (rejection via email), Alaska Fairbanks, Brown, and JHU. Ended up feeling like Boston and NMS weren’t for me and we wouldn’t ultimately like each other.

I submitted different short stories for Wyoming versus AK and Brown. I liked my longer submission better so here’s to that. 
best of luck to everyone!

 

Good luck to you! 

I’d say that I write fiction heavily steeped in southern elements as well. I’m from a rural town in GA. 

[MDP]

15 hours ago, koechophe said:

Eh, a lot of the emails say things like "we had more applicants than usual" literally every year. I wouldn't read too much into it tbh. I'd actually be surprised, from a social-economics view, if we had more applicants this year than normal, since these applications tend to be closely correlated with unemployment rates.

So true! Thank you for this haha

[holloway]

13 hours ago, JustPup said:

Hi,

 

I’m a writer and mom out of Texas. Graduated UH creative major with a focus in fiction. 
finally ready to head towards an MFA. I write a lot of fiction with southern roots, lgbt+, and environmental literature.

I’m inspired by Conrad, Diane Ackerman, and London. 
 

I applied to Wyoming (rejection via email), Alaska Fairbanks, Brown, and JHU. Ended up feeling like Boston and NMS weren’t for me and we wouldn’t ultimately like each other.

I submitted different short stories for Wyoming versus AK and Brown. I liked my longer submission better so here’s to that. 
best of luck to everyone!

 

Nice to meet you! I applied to poetry programs but when I write fiction I do a lot of the same themes! A few years ago I was involved in a playwriting workshop and the basis was, I kid you not, all of these elements.

Good luck on the rest of your schools!  

[poopdoop123]

I think if you didn't get an email from UMass Amherst, you are likely out of the running. I didn't get an email either. It was rough since now I am certain I am out of the running for UMass and Oregon. It will be a rough draft season!

[koechophe]

15 hours ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

When you say minimalist do you mean like Hemingway or..?

Eh, I'm not that big of a fan of Hemmingway, even though people would call him a minimalist. More like Raymond Carver, Amy Hemple, Flannery O'Connor, Sherwood Anderson... Those sort of authors. 

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

9 minutes ago, koechophe said:

Eh, I'm not that big of a fan of Hemmingway, even though people would call him a minimalist. More like Raymond Carver, Amy Hemple, Flannery O'Connor, Sherwood Anderson... Those sort of authors. 

Ah, I see. Yeah, Hemingway’s caricature of women can be quite rough to read at times. I love Flannery O’Connor’s work, though the racist question forces me to question the person. Her story “The River” is among my favorites. I find it profoundly rereadable. I’ve been sort of reading through her collected works again to brush up my own short fiction. I must say, too, that I really love “Revelation.” 

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

18 hours ago, MDP said:

Rejection from results page: "Short and sweet via email. Did mention they had more applicants than in years past, perhaps that is setting the tone for this year's admissions." Hoping there wasn't a massive influx of applicants like last year, but realistically I'm sure there was! Gahhh

That would be great. And as you point out, there seems to be a massive, I mean massive, number of jobs available. Though the grad school thing still might be appealing to many, many more people still given the changes that were ushered in by the pandemic. 

[koechophe]

25 minutes ago, CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI said:

I must say, too, that I really love “Revelation.” 

I actually wrote one of the heftiest academic pieces I've ever done on "Revelation" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I do think the latter is a bit overread, but the former is one of my favorites. It's hard to find a writer that deals as bluntly with Christian tradition as her, especially the specifically southern conventions. 

 

[CHRISTOPHER QUANG BUI]

9 minutes ago, koechophe said:

I actually wrote one of the heftiest academic pieces I've ever done on "Revelation" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find." I do think the latter is a bit overread, but the former is one of my favorites. It's hard to find a writer that deals as bluntly with Christian tradition as her, especially the specifically southern conventions. 

 

I wholeheartedly agree about the Christian Traditions statement. Flannery O’Connor is unique in that way. You know she did an MFA as well. Just imagine being in a program with her! It’d be such a treat and a such a fright. 

Also, as I sort of mentioned earlier, Dostoevsky has become a great favorite of mine. And he, too, deals with Christian themes in the large sense. Though he is not a writer of literary style or flourish, I believe he’s a great genius and one great thinker. 

Also, awesome to hear about your academic piece on O’Connor; I’m sure it was interesting to say the least.

[humbledarrogance]

what made me think that i had any possible chance at getting into any the programs i applied? what a fool i've been to think someone of my pathetic writing caliber and ability ever had what it took to be within these programs. i looked over my samples and how humiliated i am. how embarrassed i am to have wasted anyone's time with that bullshit, that garbage. good luck to everyone else. i hope you all get good news. i truly do.

[humbledarrogance]

On 1/30/2022 at 5:32 AM, Artel said:

@mrvissershould take the New Yorker test. I hate to see him needlessly stress until schools answer.

i should have done this. would have saved myself the humiliation.

[mjr58]

22 minutes ago, humbledarrogance said:

what made me think that i had any possible chance at getting into any the programs i applied? what a fool i've been to think someone of my pathetic writing caliber and ability ever had what it took to be within these programs. i looked over my samples and how humiliated i am. how embarrassed i am to have wasted anyone's time with that bullshit, that garbage. good luck to everyone else. i hope you all get good news. i truly do.

Extremely same.

[Ydrl]

10 minutes ago, humbledarrogance said:

i should have done this. would have saved myself the humiliation.

I know it's hard right now to look back at your sample and cringe, but there's always next year if things don't work out. While I did get in to my current college on my second attempt, I'm embarrassed that I accepted without a second thought. While I'm nervous my sample isn't going to be good enough, I can at least say I was brave enough to put it out there. You were brave enough too.

[xenawins]

Ohhhhh! I was just informed I made the waitlist for UTennessee in fiction!  I'm trying to manage expectations, as they only take 5, but this is my first official correspondence from a program and a much needed mental boost! EEEEEEEE! Hang in there everybody!

[holloway]

5 minutes ago, xenawins said:

Ohhhhh! I was just informed I made the waitlist for UTennessee in fiction!  I'm trying to manage expectations, as they only take 5, but this is my first official correspondence from a program and a much needed mental boost! EEEEEEEE! Hang in there everybody!

Nonetheless, how exciting! I'm wishing you the best of luck for the rest of your apps! ?

[xenawins]

13 minutes ago, holloway said:

Nonetheless, how exciting! I'm wishing you the best of luck for the rest of your apps! ?

Thank you so much! After all the nail biting (my stubs hurt) it feels nice just to have reached a level of consideration. I am proud of the piece I submitted so it feels like a resonant validation of the kind we all need from time to time as writers. 

[hulahoop]

Just got the "no thanks" email from Northwestern. Not surprised – still stings a bit though. 

2 hours ago, humbledarrogance said:

i should have done this. would have saved myself the humiliation.

I know it's disappointing but ultra competitive MFA programs don't have the final say in your worth and validity as a writer. It's not humiliating to put yourself out there. You're pretty much going to have to for the rest of your life if this is something you want to pursue. It's helpful for me to remember the reason I applied in the first place: to learn and to improve. An MFA program is a really great opportunity to do that, but it's not the only way it can be done. I'm gonna write no matter what.