2023 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Catpaw]

12 minutes ago, Cons said:

I've recevied a letter from University of Arizona on friday morning(thursday night in the States) and been told I was on the waitlist of fiction. Getting my foot in the door i guess? 

By the way, I am wondering what's draft and NWP means, it would be great if someone could explain this to me:D

 

Congratulations on the waitlist!! That's really promising news! 

Draft is a large, private Facebook group similar to this thread, where people post updates there on their acceptances/rejections, and keep track of which programs have sent out notifications.

NWP is the New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin. It's a parallel MFA program to the Michener Center for Writers (which is more well-known since it's been around longer). The two programs share core faculty, so it's likely that if one program has started notifying applicants, the other might be as well.

[Cons]

8 minutes ago, Catpaw said:

Congratulations on the waitlist!! That's really promising news! 

Draft is a large, private Facebook group similar to this thread, where people post updates there on their acceptances/rejections, and keep track of which programs have sent out notifications.

NWP is the New Writers Project at the University of Texas at Austin. It's a parallel MFA program to the Michener Center for Writers (which is more well-known since it's been around longer). The two programs share core faculty, so it's likely that if one program has started notifying applicants, the other might be as well.

Splendid. Cheers!

[DayOld711Pizza]

10 hours ago, Norwood said:

Sorry to add even more neurotic kvetching to the thread, but man, am I having a tough time with all this shit right now. It's starting to feel like I have—quite stupidly!—backed myself into a corner where if I don't get in somewhere this year I have truly no clue what I'm going to do. 

For some context, my girlfriend started an MFA program in studio art this fall and, since the school she got into was far away from where we lived, I decided to move with her so we could stay together. I then spent six months grinding it out at a shitty restaurant job while using every minute of my free time getting my apps together/working on my writing, only to get fired basically as soon as my last app was done (very frustratingly because I asked one time if I could switch my schedule and stop working weekends so I could spend more time with my girlfriend, the only reason I moved to this dogshit city/now the only person I see on a daily basis [only I didn't say that last part]. I was told that they, "only needed people who really wanted to work"). I now find myself in a position where I have no job, no career path, meager savings, no friends, a girlfriend who is, understandably, busy with grad school, and am staring down turning 30 with next to nothing to show for it and little hope of getting my life in order any time soon. It's been the longest month and a half (Jesus, only that long?), waiting for decisions, cold applying to jobs, and feeling too stressed out and beaten down to get any new writing done. 

I know things could easily be worse and that I still have plenty to be grateful for, but nothing has been breaking my way since I moved here and it's getting really tough to step up to the plate. Plus, in the back of my head, I can't help but assume that this trend is going to continue until well past the end of app season. I don't really know why I'm posting this here—other than to vent, I guess—but if anyone else has had any personal Ls they'd like to share, I'd love to commiserate. And if anyone was looking to get even, say, with a former boss or whatnot, I would love to get involved in a Strangers-on-a-Train-type situation. 

Hey. Sorry to hear you’re struggling.
 

But you are not experiencing “Ls,” you’re experiencing life. It’s not easy and you should be proud of yourself for getting this far despite your challenges. 

The grand fact of this career path is that it is often thankless and always grueling. I’m sure you know this. One year of rejections does not mean you’re in any corner. It just means you’ve been rejected this year.

I also have not been writing recently. Sometimes life gets in the way and we need to sort out more urgent matters than the nourishing of our creative spirit ??‍♂️ 
 

The challenges you are experiencing now are helping you grow, and you will be a better writer because of them. So don’t despair  you never know what the future holds. And, at the end of the day, do you write for a degree, or do you write because you love to write?

[Blaze]

14 hours ago, Norwood said:

Sorry to add even more neurotic kvetching to the thread, but man, am I having a tough time with all this shit right now. It's starting to feel like I have—quite stupidly!—backed myself into a corner where if I don't get in somewhere this year I have truly no clue what I'm going to do. 

For some context, my girlfriend started an MFA program in studio art this fall and, since the school she got into was far away from where we lived, I decided to move with her so we could stay together. I then spent six months grinding it out at a shitty restaurant job while using every minute of my free time getting my apps together/working on my writing, only to get fired basically as soon as my last app was done (very frustratingly because I asked one time if I could switch my schedule and stop working weekends so I could spend more time with my girlfriend, the only reason I moved to this dogshit city/now the only person I see on a daily basis [only I didn't say that last part]. I was told that they, "only needed people who really wanted to work"). I now find myself in a position where I have no job, no career path, meager savings, no friends, a girlfriend who is, understandably, busy with grad school, and am staring down turning 30 with next to nothing to show for it and little hope of getting my life in order any time soon. It's been the longest month and a half (Jesus, only that long?), waiting for decisions, cold applying to jobs, and feeling too stressed out and beaten down to get any new writing done. 

I know things could easily be worse and that I still have plenty to be grateful for, but nothing has been breaking my way since I moved here and it's getting really tough to step up to the plate. Plus, in the back of my head, I can't help but assume that this trend is going to continue until well past the end of app season. I don't really know why I'm posting this here—other than to vent, I guess—but if anyone else has had any personal Ls they'd like to share, I'd love to commiserate. And if anyone was looking to get even, say, with a former boss or whatnot, I would love to get involved in a Strangers-on-a-Train-type situation. 

Hi Norwood!

I'm really really sorry for what you are going through. I do not have any comfort or advice besides the fact that I deeply commiserate with you. Sorry. But I agree with you that life can go very suck, and at this point no light uplifting words can work... I feel bad for you, truly... because I do hate life, because it treats many good people very badly... I am sorry.

Know that you are not alone in the mire of life ... I think negativity is probably a condition of life... I like this anecdote of Beckett:

This one time, Samuel Beckett and a friend were crossing a field outside Paris. The sun came out from behind a cloud and SB’s friend said, “It’s a lovely day, Sam.”

SB: “That it is, that it is.”

Friend: “Almost makes one glad to be alive.”

SB: “I wouldn’t go that far.”

I hope you can still gather yourself together in this mire ... how? I don't know. for me I only read (I mean anything) when I am really depressed, but they do not in any way mitigate my feelings or solve my problems. but sometimes they understand how bad I feel... and that might be a comfort. I have three straight rejections and two pending ones, so congratulations on your at least having a waitlist! It is not a guarantee to anywhere, but you know your writings is approved of by someone ? I agree with all @DayOld711Pizza said. Also, if you are looking for specific advices on how to proceed, I think Draft might be the place to ask, if only because many vets in Draft are experienced in applying for MFA for many times while balancing life and writing.

Please forgive my very weak reply, because I only gather my crippled minds/shits enough to write a reply ... ?

[Blaze]

14 hours ago, jjooeeyy said:

@Norwood I don't have a L, exactly, but I spent 8 hours in the ER yesterday and I have to have surgery in 5 weeks. Also staring down 5 likely rejections thus far. 

I am sorry jjooeeyy... that is TERRIBLE. I am really sorry... I hope for the best of your condition and surgery. Praying for your. ?? It's so brave and tenacious of you to make it and go through this stressful process... God bless you ??? 

[Norwood]

@montan

I totally agree! I've long made my peace with the fact that I'll always have to have a day job to support the things I want to do—that and I'm lucky that I have a partner who is equally fine with prioritizing the things we both care about more than status and material wealth. At the risk of fetishizing struggle, I am also of the opinion that art made by people who don't have to trudge through at least some version of "the real world" anymore is boring as sin. 

@DayOld711Pizza

I appreciate you trying to spin these things into a positive—and I agree that failure and rejection are an important part of life, especially for writers. But I think what I'm really getting at is that these setbacks just feel especially lonely and therefore especially meaningless right now. Thus the (what I'm now realizing is a) very cringey midnight forum post moaning to—let's be honest here—strangers. A lot of my writing is concerned with failure and, to psychoanalyze myself a bit, I think a large part of the reason I write (and read, for that matter) is to commiserate and to share a version of my shortcomings with others, thereby lightening both our loads. I don't think you can do that, however, without recognizing them as shortcomings in the first place. 

@jjooeeyy

I'm really sorry to hear that : ( I've been through some health scares in the past and it's always really terrifying, no matter how serious it ends up being. Might be a stupid question, but how are you feeling day-to-day? Are you able to do anything to distract yourself while you wait for your surgery date? 

@Blaze

A kindred spirit! I think you speak some real truth. Somewhat in line with Beckett's whole deal, I do find that one of the best way to deal with these feelings is to find a way now and again to make a straight-faced joke out of the endless stream of shit that life is constantly blasting onto all of us—and ideally to do so with friends. I think a lot about how one of my literary heroes, Lucia Berlin, put it in one of her stories: "I don't mind telling people awful things if I can make them funny."  

(PS Sorry everyone for this big long post/the original one y'all are replying to—sometimes a body just feels like being a maudlin little twit) 

(PPS Really? No one here is trying to get revenge on anyone in their lives? Where is your writerly sense of outsized indignation?! Where is your petty rage???!)

[flameazalea]

anyone else too nervous to actually, y'know, write? lol

I finished my applications and dove straight into my undergraduate thesis and now that that's done I haven't been able to write a single word. Please tell me I'm not alone in this. My daily word count goal is giving the the side eye.

[ElleNoelle]

9 minutes ago, flameazalea said:

anyone else too nervous to actually, y'know, write? lol

I finished my applications and dove straight into my undergraduate thesis and now that that's done I haven't been able to write a single word. Please tell me I'm not alone in this. My daily word count goal is giving the the side eye.

I go through lots of peaks and valleys with my writing, and I generally find it helpful to take some time off from putting down words every now and again (it lets the lint gather in my poetry brain so the next time I want to write there’s something to write about/a handful of throwaway lines/plot points I can pull from my notes app).  This is all a way to say no you’re not alone and I’m using “creative downtime” as an excuse to watch a lot of stupid romcoms and give my brain a break after the sprint to the finish line that was my applications.

Edited February 20, 2023 by ElleNoelle

[beldani]

54 minutes ago, flameazalea said:

anyone else too nervous to actually, y'know, write? lol

I finished my applications and dove straight into my undergraduate thesis and now that that's done I haven't been able to write a single word. Please tell me I'm not alone in this. My daily word count goal is giving the the side eye.

yeah, same here. i feel like i used up all my creative energy for applications, and now i'm too busy with life and the constant waiting to get anything done. fingers crossed we all get good news (and some inspiration and energy to write!!)

[jjooeeyy]

1 hour ago, flameazalea said:

anyone else too nervous to actually, y'know, write? lol

I finished my applications and dove straight into my undergraduate thesis and now that that's done I haven't been able to write a single word. Please tell me I'm not alone in this. My daily word count goal is giving the the side eye.

i actually feel like i'm just now hitting my stride... after submitting my apps...

[LB349]

Seems like this will be a big week for notifications, no? Looking back at results from the last few years, a lot of fully funded programs seemed to notify by this week of February or earlier. 
 

good luck to all!

[beldani]

i got waitlisted for OSU! i'm absolutely ecstatic, and it's my top choice for grad school. if anyone got an acceptance and plans to go somewhere else, please reach out to the department quickly! it's my dream school and i'm shaking with excitement right now!!! omg

[treaux]

18 minutes ago, beldani said:

i got waitlisted for OSU! i'm absolutely ecstatic, and it's my top choice for grad school. if anyone got an acceptance and plans to go somewhere else, please reach out to the department quickly! it's my dream school and i'm shaking with excitement right now!!! omg

Congratulations!!! I hope there's movement on the waitlist soon!! 

Did they notify by phone or email? Oregon State is one of my top choices too (but fiction, not CNF). 

[flameazalea]

21 minutes ago, beldani said:

i got waitlisted for OSU! i'm absolutely ecstatic, and it's my top choice for grad school. if anyone got an acceptance and plans to go somewhere else, please reach out to the department quickly! it's my dream school and i'm shaking with excitement right now!!! omg

congrats! still waiting to hear back from them so i'll keep my fingers crossed for a notification soon ?

[beldani]

3 minutes ago, treaux said:

Did they notify by phone or email? Oregon State is one of my top choices too (but fiction, not CNF). 

it was by email! good luck, please let us know when you hear back!

[flameazalea]

just received a rejection email from University of Arizona. It stings like a sonofagun, but congrats to everyone who made it in!

[exsistingonline]

Just received my first official rejection from University of Arizona. First out of the 11 programs I have applied to although some I'm assuming I have already been rejected from based on the admissions I've seen posted. Not my top choice anyways so just gonna keep hoping.

[dagreenkat]

33 minutes ago, flameazalea said:

just received a rejection email from University of Arizona. It stings like a sonofagun, but congrats to everyone who made it in!

Joining the chorus of rejection. I’m not going to lie, it’s hitting harder each time. Third straight rejection out of eight applied and I’m losing hope. It’s hard because there’s really no gauge for how close or far I was. My professors and peers like my work, so I know it’s not terrible, but still no sign on if I’m losing the first pass or just barely not on the waitlist. Ugh. Hoping for more news this week. Ideally better news, but I’d be happy to just get it over with even.

[SarahRuth]

I also just received a rejection from the University of Arizona (for fiction and nonfiction). It looks like they only accepted two percent of applicants this year - seven spots instead of the twelve spots advertised on the application. I guess they just didn't get the funding for more spots? Crazy considering how good their program is. 

I'm a Tucson native and worked really hard to be able to return to my hometown (I LOVE Tucson!), so I didn't apply anywhere else. Any other older-ish writers in the same boat? In my 20's it was easier to uproot my life for opportunities like these. Not so much now.

Congrats to the waitlisted and accepted folks! Sorry to have discovered this community so late in the game. It's really neat to see everyone supporting each other on here!

[ACPF]

Just got waitlisted by John Hopkins poetry... the train rolls on...

[ACPF]

...and a rejection from Oregon. Always stings but def would rather get the news than be in silent anxiety! 

[exsistingonline]

5 minutes ago, ACPF said:

...and a rejection from Oregon. Always stings but def would rather get the news than be in silent anxiety! 

same here

[treaux]

Well, it's been a mixed bag day for me. Rejected from Oregon via the formiest of form emails just now. But received an offer from Wyoming via phone call this am!!  

Sorry for all those who got bad news from Arizona today; seems like they had a ton of applicants. Hoping you all get better news soon. 

[flameazalea]

I haven't heard from Oregon yet. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. 

Fellow rejected folks, let's make sure we treat ourselves today. Get that coffee, read that book, take that nap. Keep on keeping on. ?

[ACPF]

9 minutes ago, treaux said:

Well, it's been a mixed bag day for me. Rejected from Oregon via the formiest of form emails just now. But received an offer from Wyoming via phone call this am!!  

Sorry for all those who got bad news from Arizona today; seems like they had a ton of applicants. Hoping you all get better news soon. 

Yea... while I understand the scale of this process and how not everyone can be given tender platitudes, Oregon has been oddly intense at every step of this process. They were super snippy in their emails when I queried regarding fee waivers and even more so when I emailed regarding financial aid... Made me feel bad for even asking! Even in their little "MFA description" they come off a lil too stuffed-shirt, holier-than-thou-academic for my liking. Of course, congrats to anyone who gets in–– very awesome opportunity–– but def didn't think they'd be a great fit for me.

 

(EDIT: Congrats on your Wyoming acceptance by the way!!! Very cool and also dope!)

Edited February 20, 2023 by ACPF