2022 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[mrvisser]

It's almost open season on applications. Where's everyone at? How we feeling? Come on, let's get some anxiety rolling in this thread! Marshall, where you at?

[Yellow62]

On 8/27/2021 at 6:58 PM, mrvisser said:

It's almost open season on applications. Where's everyone at? How we feeling? Come on, let's get some anxiety rolling in this thread! Marshall, where you at?

2022 lets gooooooo! I kind of hate myself for already starting to think about app season daily this early in the year, but I'm a glutton for punishment. This will be my third year of apps after several unfunded/partially funded offers and fully-funded waitlist appearances. My list of places to apply to has only grown more exclusive. Bring on the pain,  MFA Gods. 

[mrvisser]

3 hours ago, Yellow62 said:

2022 lets gooooooo! I kind of hate myself for already starting to think about app season daily this early in the year, but I'm a glutton for punishment. This will be my third year of apps after several unfunded/partially funded offers and fully-funded waitlist appearances. My list of places to apply to has only grown more exclusive. Bring on the pain,  MFA Gods. 

I think I'm just gonna get it done early this year. I'd like to be done by mid-October so I can just cruise from there.

[Yellow62]

1 hour ago, mrvisser said:

I think I'm just gonna get it done early this year. I'd like to be done by mid-October so I can just cruise from there.

I'm aiming for about the same. My only issue is wanting to work on my writing sample for as long as possible up until the deadline. Sure would love to be able to submit early then forget about this whole thing until March tho. 

[mrvisser]

16 hours ago, Yellow62 said:

I'm aiming for about the same. My only issue is wanting to work on my writing sample for as long as possible up until the deadline. Sure would love to be able to submit early then forget about this whole thing until March tho. 

For sure, that makes sense. I finished a short story a month or so ago, after several months of extensive editing, and I feel really good about it, so I don't know that I'll complete anything better between now and application time.

[lenagator1997]

Hey Guys,

Just started my MFA CW Nonfiction program at University of New Hampshire! If anyone wants to know more about the program or the application process let me know! ?

[oubukibun]

Phew.

Think it's about time to do this all over again.  Very unhappy with the educational environment here in South Florida, and I don't feel like spending my 30s working for a school board more invested in keeping kids and their parents happy than educated and prepared for the world outside their bubbles.

I digress.

So far, I'm planning on applying to Fairbanks, Hunter, McNeese, Michigan, Purdue, UCSD, and WashU.  I intend on getting my MFA in poetry, despite currently about to work on a screenplay (depending on how well I feel it's doing, I may switch over, but early times yet), so I'd love to hear what schools that offer fully/partially-funded programs are great for that specific concentration...  Or just great in general, haha ( I realize how banal that sounds, but hopefully someone here knows what mean).

Last year I had my "When Pigs Fly" season: Boston University, Brown, Iowa, and Syracuse.  I don't really feel the need to take my Sisyphean boulder that high across the board, but I will if someone can nudge me towards the risk.  Risk is always a worthwhile venture if the program demands that kind of sacrifice.   

Thanks for any and all advice, y'all!

Edited September 7, 2021 by oubukibun

[Leeannitha]

On 9/7/2021 at 12:47 PM, oubukibun said:So far, I'm planning on applying to Fairbanks, Hunter, McNeese, Michigan, Purdue, UCSD, and WashU.  I intend on getting my MFA in poetry, despite currently about to work on a screenplay

Hi there, Oubukibun! Glad to see you are also into poetry. Do those schools let you take a film class outside of the workshop? I think it’s good to have multiple projects going and I hope your screenplay is going well. 
What was your criteria when picking those programs for poetry, if I can ask? 

[Leeannitha]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:15 AM, lenagator1997 said:

Hey Guys,

Just started my MFA CW Nonfiction program at University of New Hampshire! If anyone wants to know more about the program or the application process let me know! ?

Hi! Congrats on starting ? 

Have the other students that were in the program before said anything about it being different because of COVID? I am just wondering about writing programs in general, tbh.  I have been watching lots of pre-COVID videos on programs and I’m not sure if they are reliable to how stuff is run now. If that makes sense ?? 
Is it in person? And if not, do you still find it engaging/get a lot of resources?

[panglosian]

On 9/2/2021 at 8:15 AM, lenagator1997 said:

Hey Guys,

Just started my MFA CW Nonfiction program at University of New Hampshire! If anyone wants to know more about the program or the application process let me know! ?

Hi! I'm applying to UNH this round in poetry, but I'd love your insight into the school and program as a whole. If you have any trade secrets on location, curriculum, teaching, and course load it would be much appreciated!

[lenagator1997]

7 hours ago, panglosian said:

Hi! I'm applying to UNH this round in poetry, but I'd love your insight into the school and program as a whole. If you have any trade secrets on location, curriculum, teaching, and course load it would be much appreciated!

Hey There!

I would say if you are coming from a small undergraduate institution like I was, it's a big campus with alot of people around. The program itself is pretty small, and all our classes are in one place: the English building! Everyone here is happy to help if you need anything. The location is rural with alot of resources in close-by downtown Durham.

I can't speak to the poetry program, but the nonfiction program is very rigorous and awesome! I'll admit I cannot take a day off. There are a very interesting diverse group of writers here with different insights and strengths into writing. The community is welcoming and encouraging! The courses are also diverse, with alot of options for professional development and internships. Teaching varies by professors, but they are both very different on the way they approach teaching and class structure. I am learning so much here and I am happy I chose UNH!

[lenagator1997]

On 9/12/2021 at 6:47 AM, Leeannitha said:

Hi! Congrats on starting ? 

Have the other students that were in the program before said anything about it being different because of COVID? I am just wondering about writing programs in general, tbh.  I have been watching lots of pre-COVID videos on programs and I’m not sure if they are reliable to how stuff is run now. If that makes sense ?? 
Is it in person? And if not, do you still find it engaging/get a lot of resources?

Hi Thanks!

Classes are all in-person like pre-COVID life, except of course the masks. Some professors want to hold office hours over the phone or Zoom but so far that's been the only difference.

[panglosian]

1 hour ago, lenagator1997 said:

Hey There!

I would say if you are coming from a small undergraduate institution like I was, it's a big campus with alot of people around. The program itself is pretty small, and all our classes are in one place: the English building! Everyone here is happy to help if you need anything. The location is rural with alot of resources in close-by downtown Durham.

I can't speak to the poetry program, but the nonfiction program is very rigorous and awesome! I'll admit I cannot take a day off. There are a very interesting diverse group of writers here with different insights and strengths into writing. The community is welcoming and encouraging! The courses are also diverse, with alot of options for professional development and internships. Teaching varies by professors, but they are both very different on the way they approach teaching and class structure. I am learning so much here and I am happy I chose UNH!

That helps a lot, thank you! Can you speak at all about the funding situation, or finances at large? I was skeptical about applying at first because a lot of people have been shafted in terms of funding in the past five years, and it seems fewer people have their tuition waived than they advertise. Is this true?

[jasey roberts]

Hi everyone! I'm a senior in college applying for a Fiction MFA! I've been stressing about this for the past couple years but I think I have my submission packet pretty close to where it needs to be. After a certain point I've accepted that my best is all that I can do, and there's no point worrying myself about it. So cool to hear from other folks who have already made it into MFAs; living the dream, lol!

I'm applying to 24 different programs. I know it's a lot (the submission fees alone are gonna be like $1500 probably) but I'm lucky enough to be in a position where I'm living with my parents so I don't have a lot of bills and I have quite a bit of money saved up from working part time. I figure now is the time to cast a super-wide net while I have the resources, the freshest connections to my recommenders, and the cash to do so. It's no big deal if I have to apply again next year, but my submission pool will probably have to be a lot smaller as I'd like to start living on my own by then. In any case, I wish y'all the best and I'm excited to have this space to freak out in as December gets closer.

[Leeannitha]

On 9/22/2021 at 8:34 PM, lenagator1997 said:

Hi Thanks!

Classes are all in-person like pre-COVID life, except of course the masks. Some professors want to hold office hours over the phone or Zoom but so far that's been the only difference.

Thanks I appreciate it. 

[oubukibun]

On 9/12/2021 at 9:40 AM, Leeannitha said:

Hi there, Oubukibun! Glad to see you are also into poetry. Do those schools let you take a film class outside of the workshop? I think it’s good to have multiple projects going and I hope your screenplay is going well. 
What was your criteria when picking those programs for poetry, if I can ask? 

So, I've done some studying, and thus far my ranking is as follows: UCSD, Fairbanks, WashU, Purdue, McNeese, Michigan, and Hunter.

UCSD is a likely choice for someone like me into film, but there's something about Fairbanks, something not quite tangible yet, that draws me to it.  I'm still in research mode, though I confess I've never been one to deep dive very well when it comes to colleges or universities.  At the end of the long day, it's my writing they need to connect with, and if they don't, it won't matter much how much I particularly cared for their latest novel or collection.  I think part of it is having to kiss someone's ass, even in a nice way, in order to even nudge my toe beyond the threshold.

I'm kind of excited for applications, though!  Anyone here have any recommendations for a writer keen on playing with language, writing about bodies and memory (nostalgia), and experimenting with genre-blending?  UCSD, Fairbanks, and WashU are my keepers, I reckon, because I haven't really found anything truly tantalizing about my other three (and Hunter's whole application page, though definitely idiosyncratic, kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth).

Cheers to anyone who can throw out any suggestions! 

[Leeannitha]

9 hours ago, oubukibun said:

So, I've done some studying, and thus far my ranking is as follows: UCSD, Fairbanks, WashU, Purdue, McNeese, Michigan, and Hunter.

UCSD is a likely choice for someone like me into film, but there's something about Fairbanks, something not quite tangible yet, that draws me to it.  I'm still in research mode, though I confess I've never been one to deep dive very well when it comes to colleges or universities.  At the end of the long day, it's my writing they need to connect with, and if they don't, it won't matter much how much I particularly cared for their latest novel or collection.  I think part of it is having to kiss someone's ass, even in a nice way, in order to even nudge my toe beyond the threshold.

I'm kind of excited for applications, though!  Anyone here have any recommendations for a writer keen on playing with language, writing about bodies and memory (nostalgia), and experimenting with genre-blending?  UCSD, Fairbanks, and WashU are my keepers, I reckon, because I haven't really found anything truly tantalizing about my other three (and Hunter's whole application page, though definitely idiosyncratic, kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth).

Cheers to anyone who can throw out any suggestions! 

Leila Chatti has an excellent poetry collection called “Deluge” all about her struggles with an extreme bleeding illness. It is very good so far ! I haven’t finished it yet, but it is definitely about the body so you might be interested. It is pretty recent, too, since it came out in 2020. You should give it a try!

 
 

[ThePrincessRoyal]

Hey everyone!

I'm currently attending my first semester as a fiction candidate at McNeese State! If anyone has any questions about applying or my program, I'm happy to answer (to the best of my abilities!). 

Edited September 30, 2021 by ThePrincessRoyal

[mrvisser]

Aight. I think I've actually narrowed down my list this time, to 10 schools. Already starting on applications. Feel like my writing sample is all done, but still finishing up SOP and getting my recommenders in line. Let's fucking go.

[lenagator1997]

I have no idea which topic I am replying to anymore, so hang in there with me!

I side note on the MFA. I am finding that you will not always know how well you or your writing will mesh with anyone else's before you really dig into workshop after committing. I know that sucks, but that's been the reality for me. People say check out the faculty and see if their writing style matches yours. Well, while this might be a vital tip, it isn't going to answer the major questions that you may have about them as a professor until after you arrive.

1. They may teach in a way you love, but they may not get your writing style.

2. The people in the creative writing cohort may have a style of writing that doesn't mesh with yours, which can become an issue when critiquing. (You may like a type of writing that they hate and vice versa and this will affect your workshop experience).

3. Ego is a thing in the arts, which changes the writing environment.

4. Workshop isn't everything. Really look into the school's professional development opportunities. I am currently interning in The Research and Large Development Office at UNH which is a Tier 1 research institution, and and I an editor for The Connors Writing Center. Those positions are much more valuable to me in the long run than anything anyone says in workshop.

Those are my updates! ? Good Luck Everyone!

Edited October 2, 2021 by lenagator1997

[lenagator1997]

Hey There!

I would say if you are coming from a small undergraduate institution like I was, it's a big campus with alot of people around. The program itself is pretty small, and all our classes are in one place: the English building! Everyone here is happy to help if you need anything. The location is rural with alot of resources in close-by downtown Durham.

I can't speak to the poetry program, but the nonfiction program is very rigorous and awesome! I'll admit I cannot take a day off. There are a very interesting diverse group of writers here with different insights and strengths into writing. The community is welcoming and encouraging! The courses are also diverse, with alot of options for professional development and internships. Teaching varies by professors, but they are both very different on the way they approach teaching and class structure. I am learning so much here and I am happy I chose UNH!

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

UPDATED RESPONSE

Heyy Everyone,

I won't mislead any of you down the yellow brick road, so I am updating this response I posted a bit ago. Many of the above points are still true, which I am happy about. The community however, I have some insights on. The community here is indeed, sociable. There is no hostility, at least in the CNF section among the students. There is a bit of ego, posturing, and clique-iness that has gone on in workshop which can be rather frustrating. In addition, not all of the professors, like any place I suppose, will be your best friend. These are the realities of being in the arts. No one is going to hand-hold you through this program. Again, the academics and professional development are awesome. Despite my comments, the UNH MFA is not a bad program, but you have to do alot of the heavy lifting to make it work for you, and everyone's experience is different of course. Don't freak out guys, this has just been my experience as of late.

[Leeannitha]

Thanks for all these updates @lenagator1997 Maybe once the beginning bit of classes are over ppl will calm down. They are probably feeling imposter syndrome or something and bragging to make up for it. 

[Ydrl]

Uh, hey everybody. I'm going to be applying again this year. I know I'm attending a program now, but UNH Poetry doesn't feel right for me at the moment. I didn't want to think about my reservations back in March after I heard the thesis reading zoom, but my worries about not getting what I need from the program are worse.

So yeah, I'll be stressed about this year's applications with the rest of you guys. Good luck to all of us.

[Leeannitha]

Hey @Ydrl! If you don’t mind, what kind of reservations are we talking about here that got you to the point of reapplying to another program??
 

Good luck to you as well. I hope you find someplace that feels more like home. 

[Joanna Dior]

interested