2023 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[dagreenkat]

3 hours ago, crosie said:

Took myself off of South Carolina's waitlist and declined an offer to MSU Mankato. Hopefully that helps speed some things along for people!

Thank you! I’m two decisions away from UofSC being my only chance. Has anyone here or on Draft talked about being accepted? I’m trying to see the odds of people turning those spots down so I can slip in. Congrats to the admits today and to the rest, we’ll get through this!

[eternalwhitenights]

1 hour ago, stannecarson said:

Hi y’all  just got the email notifying me I got into Notre Dame! Thanks for all the help when I asked about the interview, i appreciate y’all!!

 

1 hour ago, TitiMePregunto said:

yooooo same here! congratulations! isn't their funding amazing?!

Congrats y'all! Was it for poetry or prose, do you know?

Also, I think this is the first year ND has done interviews, at least from my knowledge. I didn't get invited for an interview, so I'm not sure whether to take that as a rejection, waitlist, what...can either of you give insight into whether they mentioned that interviewees were the only candidates in consideration? ND is the only school I applied to (3rd year in a row), and my heart is still hoping against hope I at least got past the rejection stage this year.

Most of all, once again, congratulations!!! That's such a huge accomplishment, and I'm really happy for you. ❤️❤️❤️ 

[TitiMePregunto]

24 minutes ago, snarkdarklark said:

Down from six to four each in fiction and poetry. They sent me a message in the fall about it because I had already opened up my application, I guess. Increased stipend (now $30000) though, but obviously worse odds. 

what school is this for?

[stannecarson]

3 minutes ago, eternalwhitenights said:

 

Congrats y'all! Was it for poetry or prose, do you know?

Also, I think this is the first year ND has done interviews, at least from my knowledge. I didn't get invited for an interview, so I'm not sure whether to take that as a rejection, waitlist, what...can either of you give insight into whether they mentioned that interviewees were the only candidates in consideration? ND is the only school I applied to (3rd year in a row), and my heart is still hoping against hope I at least got past the rejection stage this year.

Most of all, once again, congratulations!!! That's such a huge accomplishment, and I'm really happy for you. ❤️❤️❤️ 

Poetry on my part! Unfortunately I can’t offer much insight. The verbiage they used was that people interviewed were “finalists” and/or from a “shortlist” but that’s not very helpful, sorry  Thanks so much for your kind words.

[TitiMePregunto]

7 minutes ago, eternalwhitenights said:

 

Congrats y'all! Was it for poetry or prose, do you know?

Also, I think this is the first year ND has done interviews, at least from my knowledge. I didn't get invited for an interview, so I'm not sure whether to take that as a rejection, waitlist, what...can either of you give insight into whether they mentioned that interviewees were the only candidates in consideration? ND is the only school I applied to (3rd year in a row), and my heart is still hoping against hope I at least got past the rejection stage this year.

Most of all, once again, congratulations!!! That's such a huge accomplishment, and I'm really happy for you. ❤️❤️❤️ 

This was for prose! I was told ten folks were placed on a shortlist to interview.

[eternalwhitenights]

5 minutes ago, stannecarson said:

Poetry on my part! Unfortunately I can’t offer much insight. The verbiage they used was that people interviewed were “finalists” and/or from a “shortlist” but that’s not very helpful, sorry  Thanks so much for your kind words.

That's okay!! Thanks for letting me know. ❤️ In other words: they either loved me so much they didn't feel the need to interview me and a call will miraculously come with an acceptance (unlikely), interviews now=indication of finalist status, or of course waitlist/rejection. (Just thinking out loud here...)

And absolutely on the kind words!! Where else have you been accepted? That's super exciting that you got in--it really is a great program, and I'm super happy for you and hope you go to the place that makes your heart come alive the most.

5 minutes ago, TitiMePregunto said:

This was for prose! I was told ten folks were placed on a shortlist to interview.

Awesome! Thank you so much for the info! 

[stannecarson]

20 minutes ago, eternalwhitenights said:

That's okay!! Thanks for letting me know. ❤️ In other words: they either loved me so much they didn't feel the need to interview me and a call will miraculously come with an acceptance (unlikely), interviews now=indication of finalist status, or of course waitlist/rejection. (Just thinking out loud here...)

And absolutely on the kind words!! Where else have you been accepted? That's super exciting that you got in--it really is a great program, and I'm super happy for you and hope you go to the place that makes your heart come alive the most.

Awesome! Thank you so much for the info! 

I’ve been really fortunate and have gotten accepted to ND, Michigan, Washington, WashU, Oregon, and Cornell (???!!!) and waitlisted at Arizona. I’ve declined Oregon and Arizona. I still can’t believe my luck - I found out about Cornell at work (I’m a preschool teacher) and nearly passed out on the playground!

[snarkdarklark]

48 minutes ago, TitiMePregunto said:

what school is this for?

University of Virginia

[eternalwhitenights]

1 hour ago, stannecarson said:

I’ve been really fortunate and have gotten accepted to ND, Michigan, Washington, WashU, Oregon, and Cornell (???!!!) and waitlisted at Arizona. I’ve declined Oregon and Arizona. I still can’t believe my luck - I found out about Cornell at work (I’m a preschool teacher) and nearly passed out on the playground!

It sounds like it is most definitely more than luck--i.e. you're incredibly talented!!--like, holy cannoli, that's *amazing* and congrats 8 bjillion times over to you on all of your success during this application season!! ❤️ Do you have any idea which school you're leaning towards? Talk about being spoiled for choice!

[Catpaw]

Looks like University of Texas at Austin has posted rejections if you check the portal, but isn't e-mailing anyone about it. Just saw mine there.

[daredcomet]

question to the veterans on this forum: odds/anectdotes of getting off at least one of 3 waitlists for poetry? perhaps looking for hope, perhaps for reality

Edited March 1, 2023 by daredcomet

[LW11]

Hi, do any accepted U of Oregon and U of Iowa applicants know roughly how much the 23-24 stipend will be and how much it differs from the info on their websites (the estimates seem to be from years back). Just want to know to compare some things.
 

[alligator mississippiensis]

2 hours ago, daredcomet said:

question to the veterans on this forum: odds/anectdotes of getting off at least one of 3 waitlists for poetry? perhaps looking for hope, perhaps for reality

Congrats on the waitlist and, according to my knowledge, the odds are in your favor to get accepted into at least one out of those three. I was waitlisted at a program last year and though I didn't get in I've heard PLENTY of stories of people who do (including a close friend of mine)! Here's some advice from my old professor: 

"It wouldn’t hurt to write them or call to say how much you want to go. Having been on the other side of admissions, I know that a person’s enthusiasm can sometimes move the needle. So you don’t want to harass them, but I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out twice to let them know you are hopeful/eager/excited."

Best of luck! 

[belizaparker]

has anyone here or on draft heard anything from florida state? it's been absolute radio silence so far, and by this time last year i had already gotten a rejection from them

[ACDaniels]

Does anyone have any insight at Michener because I have seen people get rejections but I do not have anything in my portal? Any possibility of acceptance in poetry?

[Nicolas M.]

8 hours ago, LW11 said:

Hi, do any accepted U of Oregon and U of Iowa applicants know roughly how much the 23-24 stipend will be and how much it differs from the info on their websites (the estimates seem to be from years back). Just want to know to compare some things.
 

Iowa is 21.2k + 4.7k summer stipend (I'm an international student but I believe this is the same for everyone :))

[poetryplus]

Y’all, how am I just now learning that Solmaz Sharif left ASU for Berkeley??? She was the main reason I applied to Arizona 😭

[Malachi Panther]

Hello! I have a lil q I could use some help with. I’ve been accepted into 3 schools so far, one of which is my dream school. The other two are not fully funded, so I’ll have to embark on the GTA funding process soon (interviews and whatnot). Should I turn down those two schools now, before I potentially waste their and my time trying to secure funding for me?

[jjooeeyy]

13 minutes ago, Malachi Panther said:

Hello! I have a lil q I could use some help with. I’ve been accepted into 3 schools so far, one of which is my dream school. The other two are not fully funded, so I’ll have to embark on the GTA funding process soon (interviews and whatnot). Should I turn down those two schools now, before I potentially waste their and my time trying to secure funding for me?

I would say so if you know that you won't be attending even if you are granted funding. That gives them the opportunity to admit and interview someone else on the waitlist.

[TitiMePregunto]

2 hours ago, Malachi Panther said:

Hello! I have a lil q I could use some help with. I’ve been accepted into 3 schools so far, one of which is my dream school. The other two are not fully funded, so I’ll have to embark on the GTA funding process soon (interviews and whatnot). Should I turn down those two schools now, before I potentially waste their and my time trying to secure funding for me?

Congratulations! This is a dream problem to have :') You're 100% sure you wouldn't go to those other schools even if you received GTA funding?

[LB349]

2 hours ago, Malachi Panther said:

Hello! I have a lil q I could use some help with. I’ve been accepted into 3 schools so far, one of which is my dream school. The other two are not fully funded, so I’ll have to embark on the GTA funding process soon (interviews and whatnot). Should I turn down those two schools now, before I potentially waste their and my time trying to secure funding for me?

Congrats! 

If it was me, I wouldn't want to turn everything else down until I had accepted a confirmed offer. Because I'm scared of wild off-the-wall scenarios like a school losing all its funding in a nightmarish situation and rescinding my offer lol (which to be clear I've never heard happen). 

So maybe if I were you I'd turn down one of those other offers? And then turn down all as soon as you accepted wherever you end up going to.

[LHPB]

20 hours ago, daredcomet said:

question to the veterans on this forum: odds/anectdotes of getting off at least one of 3 waitlists for poetry? perhaps looking for hope, perhaps for reality

I was on three waitlists for fully-funded (but not top tier) schools last time I applied. I ended up getting accepted to one. It's very much dependent on things out of your control. You never know how it's going to shake out.

[flowerpot]

That Hopkins rejection came through yesterday at last. I applied to VCU and WVU and am seeing some folks post about their acceptances to those places, so I'm inclined to think I've been waitlisted or rejected. 

On the bright side, I was off the Rutgers-Camden waitlist and had an offer within 24 hours! Bless whoever that was who already knows their plans and was able to turn down an offer that early. Between Rutgers-Camden, LSU (I have an interview so I'm hoping for either an acceptance or waitlist there), and U of Arkansas (on a "very short" waitlist), I'm feeling good at the prospect of having some options. It doesn't look like anybody has heard anything from UVA yet. They're the last ones on my list.

Current stats are: 1a/1w/3r/5p (of those 5, I have one upcoming interview, one is an almost certain rejection, 2 are likely rejection or waitlist, and 1 is completely unknown). I'm not complaining... I certainly don't want to go through this process more than once and am very grateful to be where I'm at.

Edited March 2, 2023 by flowerpot
can't do math apparently

[dustygarnet]

Just got accepted into NYU (poetry) with tuition covered, but unfortunately I didn't get a stipend so realistically it would be impossible for moi :l

2a/1w/2r/2p

[belizaparker]

nevermind my post from yesterday, just got my rejection from florida state 😕