2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Chex]

51 minutes ago, papercut said:

I just got rejected from Draft and tbh that was not the rejection I was expecting 💀

Woah, that's weird. Did they provide a reason? I know they don't accept people who work at MFA programs (such as faculty and admissions personnel), which is why those who request to join have to answer three questions on the page. 

24 minutes ago, MJY said:

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows/ heard anything about waitlists for FSU or USF? I'm just trying to figure out if I should be holding on to hope or not, haha. Thanks in advance!

I haven't heard of waitlists but people have reported acceptances on Draft. 

[jadedoptimist]

19 hours ago, TheGreatLoudini said:

Been lurking for a little while but saw this and figured I would chime in. If you are looking for private school teaching jobs, check out this website: https://careers.nais.org/jobseekers/ it is an excellent tool for finding that kind of work. I got multiple interviews and ended up getting hired at an all girls school a few years ago. Hope you don't need this info though because you get in to your dream program!

Omg, thanks so much for sharing this! I hope you get into yours as well:)

[AngusWanderer]

10 hours ago, Chex said:

Congrats on your 1A! VT seems like a great MFA program. What genre are you?

Thanks! It's poetry, though VT is quite big on cross-genre. 

Fingers crossed for everyone in the forum!  

[Southron]

4 hours ago, MJY said:

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knows/ heard anything about waitlists for FSU or USF? I'm just trying to figure out if I should be holding on to hope or not, haha. Thanks in advance!

Not sure which genre you've applied for, but it doesn't seem that fiction acceptances have gone out for FSU yet (at least, there aren't any here or in Draft).

[triciadawn]

20 hours ago, Scribe said:

No one is talking about being rejected or how long that process takes. There are three categories, each with one general letter. In the acceptance, there may be a few tweaks with respect to fellowships or other specifics. Waitlists may or may not include a ranking or other particulars, but those too tend to go out together. It takes exactly as long to determine acceptances as waitlists and rejections. The fact is, once the first two are completed, all you have to do is change the date on last year's rejection letter and c&p the new recipients. 

Moreover, we've seen plenty of schools get this right already. Let's stop making excuses for those who haven't. 

And there’s ole miss who don’t send rejections at all if you don’t make the second round. 😬

[Scribe]

Just now, triciadawn said:

And there’s ole miss who don’t send rejections at all if you don’t make the second round. 😬

The fuck?

Is there a difference in app fees?

[triciadawn]

26 minutes ago, Scribe said:

The fuck?

Is there a difference in app fees?

First round is free! But I just found out they don’t send anything at all. I wouldn’t have applied if I knew. Takes like 2 seconds to send a rejection and they’re not JHU not even close lol. 

[Southron]

26 minutes ago, Scribe said:

The fuck?

Is there a difference in app fees?

Yeah, Ole Miss doesn't have a fee for first round applications.

[branch]

15 hours ago, GoldenTree said:

Welcome Branch, I'm rooting for you too! I also write speculative fiction and although I'm applying mostly in poetry, am doing some fiction apps too (including to NC-State).

Also, a note about NC-State. When I applied there, I thought John Kessel was still on faculty (the result of applying to so many schools, likely) but since he's no longer there, I'm not sure how Spec-friendly NC-State is anymore. I hope you get your dream school but just a note about it. 

Thank you, GoldenTree!! :') So wonderful to meet a fellow specfic writer. Just because I always have to give shoutouts to the workshops and residencies offered in the genre, friendly tip: If you haven't, consider applying to Clarion, Odyssey, Futurescapes, and/or Taos Toolbox!

And yep, I knew about John Kessel. I saw he was still listed on their website in some places though so I'm not sure if he's still around in, like, an advisory capacity? I figured I'd name-drop him in my app just in case, and hopefully even if he's moved on the fact that he was there at all is a testament to their openness to scifi/fantasy, but the one I was truly devastated to miss out on was Cadwell Turnbull. Would have been ELATED to learn from him. (I don't know if you had this experience applying, but I feel like a lot of their resources are... out of date? Like they continue to list faculty members who I know for a fact aren't there anymore, e.g. Cadwell and John. Shrug!) 

15 hours ago, Chex said:

Love this and welcome!

I feel you on the your future having a lot of possibilities thing. It's the same for me and it's both scary and exciting. I'm honestly loving your interest in both MFAs and French MAs; that's so cool! I'm glad you've grown in your writing and have cultivated a meaningful practice. Wishing you good luck this season, and I'll be rooting extra hard for you re NC State!

Chex!! Thank you! Scary and exciting is one way of putting it :') Like, I'd be kidding myself if I said the rejection wouldn't hurt, but I'm also trying to remember that there are other avenues, just like there were last time. ❤️ The same is true for you! I hope you get everything you could have wished for. 

I majored in French in undergrad and honestly loved how much writing in another language changed how I wrote in and thought about English as a mode of expression. Most of the programs I'm looking at are translation-focused. French literature has a pretty rich fantasy scene or so I'm given to understand and not a lot of English translations? So I'd looooove to translate French speculative works! 

I'm wishing you the BEST of luck too. 

[GoldenTree]

42 minutes ago, branch said:

Thank you, GoldenTree!! :') So wonderful to meet a fellow specfic writer. Just because I always have to give shoutouts to the workshops and residencies offered in the genre, friendly tip: If you haven't, consider applying to Clarion, Odyssey, Futurescapes, and/or Taos Toolbox!

And yep, I knew about John Kessel. I saw he was still listed on their website in some places though so I'm not sure if he's still around in, like, an advisory capacity? I figured I'd name-drop him in my app just in case, and hopefully even if he's moved on the fact that he was there at all is a testament to their openness to scifi/fantasy, but the one I was truly devastated to miss out on was Cadwell Turnbull. Would have been ELATED to learn from him. (I don't know if you had this experience applying, but I feel like a lot of their resources are... out of date? Like they continue to list faculty members who I know for a fact aren't there anymore, e.g. Cadwell and John. Shrug!) 

Chex!! Thank you! Scary and exciting is one way of putting it :') Like, I'd be kidding myself if I said the rejection wouldn't hurt, but I'm also trying to remember that there are other avenues, just like there were last time. ❤️ The same is true for you! I hope you get everything you could have wished for. 

I majored in French in undergrad and honestly loved how much writing in another language changed how I wrote in and thought about English as a mode of expression. Most of the programs I'm looking at are translation-focused. French literature has a pretty rich fantasy scene or so I'm given to understand and not a lot of English translations? So I'd looooove to translate French speculative works! 

I'm wishing you the BEST of luck too. 

Thanks for the workshops and residency info! I didn't know about those so I appreciate it  I definitely agree about being a bit confused if John Kessel is still there in some kind of capacity. I'm not really sure why they still list them if they are no longer there. Maybe because these writers have made an impact on the program? Cadwell Turnbull would have been great to learn from too! It's sad these writers have moved on but I definitely understand, everyone has their own life path and everything. 

[jadedoptimist]

Has anyone seen American Fiction? What did you think ?

[Hjanep]

22 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

Has anyone seen American Fiction? What did you think ?

Yes, loved it! 

[jadedoptimist]

4 hours ago, Hjanep said:

Yes, loved it! 

Me too I thought it was really good. He was a perfect unlikeable yet likeable character. And I loved the multiple endings part.

[nightBlue]

I also got rejected from '24 Draft this morning. I was wondering if acceptances have gone out for fiction for the following: 

• Rutgers 
• Vandy 
• Boston 
• Brown 
• Syracuse 
• UNC Greensboro 

Would love to get into Draft soon and see the spreadsheet. I saw on here that Johns Hopkins sent out acceptances and waitlists (for fiction and poetry), as did USF. So that would make two rejections for me. 

[triciadawn]

2 hours ago, nightBlue said:

I also got rejected from '24 Draft this morning. I was wondering if acceptances have gone out for fiction for the following: 

• Rutgers 
• Vandy 
• Boston 
• Brown 
• Syracuse 
• UNC Greensboro 

Would love to get into Draft soon and see the spreadsheet. I saw on here that Johns Hopkins sent out acceptances and waitlists (for fiction and poetry), as did USF. So that would make two rejections for me. 

It’s been really slow for fiction. No fiction acceptances for any of those schools yet. I’m anxiously waiting for UNC Greensboro too. It looks like someone was notified for an interview early February, but nothing else. 

[jadedoptimist]

Dang, I wonder why people are getting rejected from Draft. If people have specific questions about what is up on the spreadsheet I can answer them here. Syracuse may have notified already (for poets at least, there's one acceptance in the sheet) but it's looking like Brown, Rutgers, Vandy, etc haven't. I am manifesting a call from Vandy this week...

[papercut]

1 hour ago, jadedoptimist said:

Dang, I wonder why people are getting rejected from Draft. If people have specific questions about what is up on the spreadsheet I can answer them here. Syracuse may have notified already (for poets at least, there's one acceptance in the sheet) but it's looking like Brown, Rutgers, Vandy, etc haven't. I am manifesting a call from Vandy this week...

In my case, my ahdh ass missed the tickbox agreeing to the Draft group rules. 

[jadedoptimist]

1 hour ago, papercut said:

In my case, my ahdh ass missed the tickbox agreeing to the Draft group rules. 

Lol, it happens. Hope you get accepted soon! 

Does anyone else have it in their head that this week is going to be *the week* for acceptances? Even though it could very well go on for another week or two afterwards. I can barely focus, but I'm going to soldier through some of my to-do list and then ... maybe even do some writing???

Edited February 11 by jadedoptimist

[Scribe]

Just jumping on to say hey on a dead Sunday. Tits Up people. I think we're headed into a wild time. 

[pananoprodigy]

Agreed, I don't know why but I just have a feeling this week is going to have a LOT of movement. Excited and scurrrred

[Jersh]

11 hours ago, triciadawn said:

It’s been really slow for fiction. No fiction acceptances for any of those schools yet. I’m anxiously waiting for UNC Greensboro too. It looks like someone was notified for an interview early February, but nothing else. 

I actually have some intel on UNCG. A couple weeks ago I happened to be in the Greensboro area for work, so I replied to the director's update email from earlier that week to ask about meeting. They said yes and ended up showing me around the English dept and even introduced me to several faculty and students. They were all super friendly and welcoming! 

Right before I left, the director mentioned that they like to talk with/interview applicants (not sure if it's everyone or only some) and that since I physically came in they could check me off that list. Sounded like they'd be reaching out to set up those calls soon. Given that there was no personal statement portion of their application, I'm guessing this is their main way of getting to know the prospective students.

As far as timeline goes, he kept reiterating that their decision process is pretty slow and that we probably won't be hearing back until at least March. 

[Hjanep]

Maybe it’s the deafening silence of the last couple weeks, but I am settling into such a weird place. It’s like I’m resigning to not getting in anywhere - maybe because that’s self preservation and the most statistically probable outcome? But I still want to know. And I still think it *could* happen and maybe I’m settling into the unknowing because that means it is still a possibility and I’m not hitting the reset button on another full year. Idk, I’m wiped out and a little pessimistic and a little hopeful and it’s taking up more space than it should

[Scribe]

30 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Maybe it’s the deafening silence of the last couple weeks, but I am settling into such a weird place. It’s like I’m resigning to not getting in anywhere - maybe because that’s self preservation and the most statistically probable outcome? But I still want to know. And I still think it *could* happen and maybe I’m settling into the unknowing because that means it is still a possibility and I’m not hitting the reset button on another full year. Idk, I’m wiped out and a little pessimistic and a little hopeful and it’s taking up more space than it should

Look, it hasn’t been a long time. Think of your application deadlines. Consider that most faculty/readers aren’t available to assess until mid January at the earliest. Now factor in their other duties and how they begins to compound. Now consider a few hundred apps to go through. 
We are not at all that deep into reading season. A few schools haven’t hit their deadlines yet. 
Patience. Good things. 

[nightBlue]

38 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Maybe it’s the deafening silence of the last couple weeks, but I am settling into such a weird place. It’s like I’m resigning to not getting in anywhere - maybe because that’s self preservation and the most statistically probable outcome? But I still want to know. And I still think it *could* happen and maybe I’m settling into the unknowing because that means it is still a possibility and I’m not hitting the reset button on another full year. Idk, I’m wiped out and a little pessimistic and a little hopeful and it’s taking up more space than it should

It's interesting you mention this period of "unknowing." I agree that it is uncomfortable, that I, too, am constantly thinking about it and checking emails and forums and so on. But when I really reflect on it, this uncertainty, this unknowing -- isn't this feeling not much different than sitting down to write? I mean, I don't know about y'all, but when I look at the blank page I don't have this premeditated plot, this story all worked out in my head, this perfect plan to execute. No, instead, ten times out of nine I have to grope into the uncertainty, you know, like Saramago's Blindness, this bright light leaving me eyeless, but I know how to put one foot in front of the other and use my hands, so I go on. Okay, maybe I'm taking this too far -- we're talking about applications, there is a firm acceptance/rejection, we want to know our futures' direction, that's a different kind of uneasiness, so on -- but I guess what I'm saying is, the discomfort, the uncertainty -- there's something there to expand on, to live with, because, MFA or not, we have to face it as writers. 

[triciadawn]

15 minutes ago, nightBlue said:

It's interesting you mention this period of "unknowing." I agree that it is uncomfortable, that I, too, am constantly thinking about it and checking emails and forums and so on. But when I really reflect on it, this uncertainty, this unknowing -- isn't this feeling not much different than sitting down to write? I mean, I don't know about y'all, but when I look at the blank page I don't have this premeditated plot, this story all worked out in my head, this perfect plan to execute. No, instead, ten times out of nine I have to grope into the uncertainty, you know, like Saramago's Blindness, this bright light leaving me eyeless, but I know how to put one foot in front of the other and use my hands, so I go on. Okay, maybe I'm taking this too far -- we're talking about applications, there is a firm acceptance/rejection, we want to know our futures' direction, that's a different kind of uneasiness, so on -- but I guess what I'm saying is, the discomfort, the uncertainty -- there's something there to expand on, to live with, because, MFA or not, we have to face it as writers. 

This. And the waiting game is something we have to get used to as writers, mfa or not. When you begin querying agents and eventually go on sub with editors, there’s even more waiting!