2023 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Grass_y]

3 minutes ago, DaisiesinVodka said:

Has anyone heard of any acceptances from alabama yet? my portal still says my application is in review and i havent received any emails. 

People on the draft have mentioned getting decisions but I have only seen rejections so far.

[treaux]

Seems like rejections have gone out for Alabama, and admits/waitlists have gone out for Cornell poetry. (Haven't seen anything for fiction.) The slow drip of information is torturous! 

ETA: Historically it looks like Cornell poetry and fiction decisions don't always go on the same day. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by treaux

[Grass_y]

21 minutes ago, treaux said:

Seems like rejections have gone out for Alabama, and admits/waitlists have gone out for Cornell poetry. (Haven't seen anything for fiction.) The slow drip of information is torturous! 

ETA: Historically it looks like Cornell poetry and fiction decisions don't always go on the same day. 

Hi, do you have any insight into how long of time (historically) the notifications between poetry/fiction are at Cornell? Just curious. 

[gagne]

8 hours ago, CLCH said:

Has anyone heard anything about Brown?

I applied to Brown last year and didn't hear from them until March!

[hershi]

I got an email rejection from Cornell this morning (poetry)… I know how competitive the program is so I’m trying not to be so bummed out but damn. it’s always crushing to receive that first rejection in the application season?

[Leeannitha]

2 minutes ago, hershi said:

I got an email rejection from Cornell this morning (poetry)… I know how competitive the program is so I’m trying not to be so bummed out but damn. it’s always crushing to receive that first rejection in the application season?

Sorry to hear that. How many more programs do you have to hear from?

[hershi]

3 minutes ago, Leeannitha said:

Sorry to hear that. How many more programs do you have to hear from?

Six more! Brown, UMass Amherst, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, NYU, University of Iowa. What about you? Have you heard back from any of your schools yet? 

[lanadelreystan]

2 hours ago, hershi said:

I got an email rejection from Cornell this morning (poetry)… I know how competitive the program is so I’m trying not to be so bummed out but damn. it’s always crushing to receive that first rejection in the application season?

It's so early in the year... I'm sorry; I got rejected by Cornell a few years ago on Valentine's Day lol. Kind of slay of them to do that. Was your rejection just an email, or was changed in the portal as well?

[jjooeeyy]

1 hour ago, milken said:

Cornell and "Six more! Brown, UMass Amherst, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, NYU, University of Iowa." - @hershi

Let's take an unbiased look at the data, as best as we can objectively estimate it. 

Perhaps you should stop there and ask if anyone is asking you to do this. I don't even entirely disagree with your assessment, but this person did not ask for your analysis. (Edit: actually I do disagree with it, but whatever.) It is simply not warranted in this situation. We can all tell that you aren't concerned with being kind, (or at least believe that objectivity should be heralded more than hope.) But, part of any community is collective complaining. Perhaps you don't enjoy this, but it's a very real aspect that humans just do. I'd just learn to live with it, personally.

Edited February 3, 2023 by jjooeeyy

[treaux]

17 hours ago, Grass_y said:

Hi, do you have any insight into how long of time (historically) the notifications between poetry/fiction are at Cornell? Just curious. 

Take a look at the results board: https://www.thegradcafe.com/survey/?per_page=20&q=&institution=Cornell+University&program=&degree=MFA

Looks like last year Poetry went out 2/22, and Fiction 2/25. 

[Coco_melons]

1 hour ago, milken said:

Cornell and "Six more! Brown, UMass Amherst, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, NYU, University of Iowa." - @hershi

Let's take an unbiased look at the data, as best as we can objectively estimate it. 

Most people applying to your 7 schools get rejected from all. 

But a very large percent get accepted to NYU (without a fellowship) , and rejected from the rest. 

I once thought to apply to Columbia. I would not have gone, but I would have felt coddled to get in somewhere. There is a veteran in Draft who estimates Columbia takes 50% of applicants. 

Given the schools you have applied to, my guess is you will consider NYU without a fellowship beneath you, or recognize the impracticality of paying NYU's above-market tuition, even though NYU calls it half-price tuition.

But still I predict getting into NYU and rejected from the others would serve some coddling effect that would not be there with straight rejections. So bottom line, here is the prognosis, given that all the data we have are the schools you applied to and Cornell's rejection:

1. Greater than a 50% chance: straight rejections.

2. Second most probable outcome: acceptance to NYU with no fellowship, with rejections everywhere else. 

3. Statistically unlikely outcomes: everything else. 

 

 

I honestly don’t care if I get banned but stop being so cunty. We get it. Hell, maybe you’re right! But you don’t have to belittle and demean. Are you even applying to MFA’s? If so, good luck. But please try to maybe brighten up a bit so your cohorts don’t think you’re a petty, Reddit incel vibes arsehole. FR. I’m a long time lurker and every time I see your username come up I just feel dread. Idk why I even wasted time replying to this, FR. Peace out everybody. 

[somewhereelse]

Hi everyone - hope all are hanging in there & taking care as updates from schools trickle in.

I was wondering if anyone might have some advice. Two days ago, I noticed one of my letter writers did not submit her letter to Iowa or Vanderbilt, which were due December 15th. I sent her countless reminders in the weeks and days leading up to the deadline, and she said she submitted the letter (which she did to my 10 other schools, some of which also had December 15th deadlines.) When I emailed her this week, she said she "thought she submitted it." I resent her the links and asked her to confirm that she received them and was able to upload the letter. Now I'm getting radio silence from her and the portals still say they are "awaiting" her letter.

Feeling anxious & honestly upset by her lack of organization and communication, especially since she encouraged me to apply. Not sure if I should reach out to the schools or just give up (Iowa & Vanderbilt were a reach, anyways.) 

[Leeannitha]

9 minutes ago, somewhereelse said:

Hi everyone - hope all are hanging in there & taking care as updates from schools trickle in.

I was wondering if anyone might have some advice. Two days ago, I noticed one of my letter writers did not submit her letter to Iowa or Vanderbilt, which were due December 15th. I sent her countless reminders in the weeks and days leading up to the deadline, and she said she submitted the letter (which she did to my 10 other schools, some of which also had December 15th deadlines.) When I emailed her this week, she said she "thought she submitted it." I resent her the links and asked her to confirm that she received them and was able to upload the letter. Now I'm getting radio silence from her and the portals still say they are "awaiting" her letter.

Feeling anxious & honestly upset by her lack of organization and communication, especially since she encouraged me to apply. Not sure if I should reach out to the schools or just give up (Iowa & Vanderbilt were a reach, anyways.) 

I would reach out to the schools for your own peace of mind 

[lanadelreystan]

5 minutes ago, Leeannitha said:

I would reach out to the schools for your own peace of mind 

I second this! Programs can be surprisingly accommodating for things like this

[ElleNoelle]

It all seems very boring, to constantly fixate on probability of getting into a program (yes, not very high, we know—and yet, here we are, applying).

A couple things I want to put out there, not necessarily because I have any need to engage with trolls, but because I know how hard it can be to hold onto hope, and I want the genuine people on this forum to know that I’m pulling for them and I believe in them.

While some applicants will have a better than average chance at getting into multiple programs, receiving one rejection (or even multiple), is not a good reason to believe no program will want you ever (like I’ve heard some suggest, and like my brain worries in it’s darkest moments).  Admissions decisions are what those over in data land call statistically independent.  Being rejected by one program isn’t automatically going to make you more or less likely to be rejected by all others.

Some writers have the “it” factor that most MFA programs are looking for, that’s undeniable, and those folks are very talented.  Every year there are stories of applicants who get into multiple programs.  I’m not denying this, but decisions are subjective, and at least partially based on the type of cohort a school hopes to build.  Every school has a different existing student population, and so every school is going to be looking for something slightly different.  You might not be one of those lucky mass appeal students who gets into a million programs, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t the slightly different that one of the schools you applied to is looking for.

I don’t remember the exact numbers, but one person on the forum mentioned getting in to two schools (out of a decent amount of applications) their first year applying, not being able to attend, then getting into none the next year.  I think this is a great example of a probably very talented writer who is certainly able to get into an MFA program, but also subject to issues of timing and the whims of individual admissions boards.  I for one hope they get in this year, and I would love to be in a program alongside them

I also have no doubt that there are many very, very talented writers who never get into MFA programs, for all they try.  As Dita Von Teese says, “you can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the whole world and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”  You might just be a peach of a writer trying to fit yourself into an apple shaped MFA program.

Like I said, the whole ~you’ll probably never get into a program because it’s so unlikely~ schtick seems very boring and defeatist to me.  I hope everyone is holding up ok, I know this period can be a tough wait.  In the words of Jess from draft, I’m sending soothing vibes to all of you.  

I also want to say that your worth as a person or a writer is not something that an MFA board (who really only see a sliver of you and your work) is able to determine.  I used to tie a lot of how I saw myself and my confidence to my grades, and it didn’t turn out to be the healthiest or most accurate thing for me.  From my limited experience, y’all are wonderful, and I hope to see your writing out in the world, even if it’s not in the context of an MFA.

[ElleNoelle]

I don’t know WHY my font size is so big but I can’t change it and I apologize to your eyes lol (unless my last post looks normal, in which case ignore me)

[Leeannitha]

13 hours ago, hershi said:

Six more! Brown, UMass Amherst, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, NYU, University of Iowa. What about you? Have you heard back from any of your schools yet? 

I also applied to 7 schools. I applied to all of yours except Johns Hopkins and Brown. I never got an offer to interview for Amherst so I think I was rejected. Someone who was accepted before said all acceptances and waitlists have to interview to make sure they can get dept funding. Did you get an email? 

[mosss]

Do y'all have any good recommendations for books/podcasts/youtubers that discuss writing well? Every time I think I've found a good writing podcast I can't get more than ten minutes in without toning it out (could be the ADHD, lol, but usually if I'm doing something with my hands then I can listen to stuff). The only book on writing I've enjoyed so far is Nancy Stohlman's Going Short, which is about flash. Would love any books on plot or long form if y'all know any:)

[gremlingirl]

4 minutes ago, mosss said:

Do y'all have any good recommendations for books/podcasts/youtubers that discuss writing well? Every time I think I've found a good writing podcast I can't get more than ten minutes in without toning it out (could be the ADHD, lol, but usually if I'm doing something with my hands then I can listen to stuff). The only book on writing I've enjoyed so far is Nancy Stohlman's Going Short, which is about flash. Would love any books on plot or long form if y'all know any:)

i really enjoyed 'bird by bird' by anne lamott! it was recommended to my undergrad cohort by a scriptwriting professor, though it focuses mainly on long form fiction

[Thunderroad12]

1 hour ago, mosss said:

Do y'all have any good recommendations for books/podcasts/youtubers that discuss writing well? Every time I think I've found a good writing podcast I can't get more than ten minutes in without toning it out (could be the ADHD, lol, but usually if I'm doing something with my hands then I can listen to stuff). The only book on writing I've enjoyed so far is Nancy Stohlman's Going Short, which is about flash. Would love any books on plot or long form if y'all know any:)

This is low-hanging fruit, but the best book on writing I've read is George Saunders' A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. It is related to a course he teaches at Syracuse on the four great Russian story writers--Tolstoy, Chekov, Gogol, and Turgenev. It is wonderful and funny and fantastic to read whether or not you want to write stories, but especially fantastic and funny and wonderful if you want to write stories.

Another book that's not as obvious is by Stephen King. It's called On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. A professor of mine assigned that as part of a class in undergrad, and I sneered at the author's name and then read it all in a day and a half. It's a wonderful book and inspired me to write every single day. A paragraph or a novella, but every single day.

As far as a podcast, there's this guy named Jared McCormack who does interviews with students at various MFA programs around the country, and has a special episode here and there--one with George Saunders, for example. The episodes are usually about an hour, but well done and informative. The title is simply MFA Writers. I hope this helps and that you find what you're looking for, and good luck to you this MFA cycle. If you are a fiction writer, I sincerely hope you are the second best applicant at everywhere I applied.

While I'm here--to milken--I am genuinely curious as to where you applied and your actual thoughts on your own hopes or chances of getting in somewhere. Without calling you names or going overboard on your pessimism, I'm more curious if you could turn that looking glass on yourself and offer a dispassionate assessment of your work and chances of getting into a top flight, or even not so top flight, MFA program? I'd be curious to read your introspection and hope you oblige me. Thanks!

Edited February 4, 2023 by Thunderroad12

[lanadelreystan]

3 hours ago, ElleNoelle said:

I don’t remember the exact numbers, but one person on the forum mentioned getting in to two schools (out of a decent amount of applications) their first year applying, not being able to attend, then getting into none the next year.  

I experienced this exact same thing!! I was like 20 years old when I got accepted and don't think I had the maturity to fully understand how rare it was to get even one fully funded offer, so I turned them both down in favor of moving abroad. I also didn't really understand how MFA programs functioned or that they even take things like cohort synergy into account and assumed I would easily get in again upon reapplication, if I decided to reapply. While I don't regret my decision now, especially after having experienced some pretty wild things and having written so much dynamic material about them, I do wonder if I would have made a different choice had I known just how special of a position I was in at the time. I do miss school in the sense of being allowed to sit, learn, and create, even if through tears. It was a privilege I wasn't fully aware of a few years ago and something I'm a lot more aware now after living in the "real world" for some time

[halsklo]

hi all! just curious, is there anyone else applying for an mfa without a prior degree in writing/lit/english? kinda nervous as i wonder if not having a degree in any of those fields would’ve negatively impacted my app

[poefire]

29 minutes ago, halsklo said:

hi all! just curious, is there anyone else applying for an mfa without a prior degree in writing/lit/english? kinda nervous as i wonder if not having a degree in any of those fields would’ve negatively impacted my app

classics major applying here. everyone ive talked to and everything ive read seems to say that what you majored in in undergrad doesnt affect things

Edited February 4, 2023 by poefire

[lanadelreystan]

31 minutes ago, poefire said:

classics major applying here. everyone ive talked to and everything ive read seems to say that what you majored in in undergrad doesnt affect things

This is true. I think the only thing that "matters" concerning undergrad is having a GPA that meets the graduate school requirement since you might not be awarded a teaching assistantship for funding otherwise. I do know that some programs like Iowa ask you about creative writing and English lit courses taken as an undergrad as well as any outside teaching/volunteering experience, so it's more important to some programs than others, I suppose

[ElleNoelle]

3 hours ago, lanadelreystan said:

I experienced this exact same thing!! I was like 20 years old when I got accepted and don't think I had the maturity to fully understand how rare it was to get even one fully funded offer, so I turned them both down in favor of moving abroad. I also didn't really understand how MFA programs functioned or that they even take things like cohort synergy into account and assumed I would easily get in again upon reapplication, if I decided to reapply. While I don't regret my decision now, especially after having experienced some pretty wild things and having written so much dynamic material about them, I do wonder if I would have made a different choice had I known just how special of a position I was in at the time. I do miss school in the sense of being allowed to sit, learn, and create, even if through tears. It was a privilege I wasn't fully aware of a few years ago and something I'm a lot more aware now after living in the "real world" for some time

If you don’t mind me asking, where did you wind up moving?  Living abroad is on my big list of life dreams, so I’m definitely curious about it.  It also factored into me deciding to apply for UNLV, who require at least a semester of study abroad.