2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[chruchchirp]

32 minutes ago, 3feetofsnow said:

0a/2w/2r/8p

I’ve been lurking here for a few days after getting rejections from two schools and looking for other people in the same boat.

May I ask which school you were accepted to? If it’s one of the schools I’m waiting on it’d be nice to know to expect something.

I applied to Michigan for fiction but haven’t heard anything.

it looks like there was a waitlist posted for umich 

[ssuunn]

3 minutes ago, chruchchirp said:

it looks like there was a waitlist posted for umich 

There was someone posting fake results to Grad Cafe (or maybe they typed the wrong school); Michigan likely won't start notifying until next week.

edit: I thought you were referring to an older one. I see there was one just posted... hmm.

Edited February 16 by ssuunn

[Rixor]

1 hour ago, mudpuddle1 said:

1a/0w/0r/4p

Ahh!! It's so hard being patient. Still waiting to hear from these schools (for fiction!): 

University of Tennessee

Oregon State

University of Michigan

University of Kentucky

Anyone else?

Yes, I'm waiting on Oregon State! One fiction acceptance so far in the sheet. I was told they give one acceptance earlier than the others so they can be nominated for a fellowship. Here's hoping!

[chruchchirp]

7 minutes ago, ssuunn said:

There was someone posting fake results to Grad Cafe (or maybe they typed the wrong school); Michigan likely won't start notifying until next week.

edit: I thought you were referring to an older one. I see there was one just posted... hmm.

yeah i don’t think it’s fake, it’s very recent

[jadedoptimist]

Oh dear... guess I'm assuming a rejection for UMich, Virginia Tech, Syracuse and Northwestern now.

[3feetofsnow]

I just found the draft group on Facebook after seeing references in this thread and having no idea what it was haha, so I requested to join earlier. It will be nice to have a better estimate of the possible size of waitlists etc, and know when things might be coming down the pike. I’m interested to see if today is as busy as yesterday was.

[bluespruce]

A Michigan alum on Draft commented earlier this morning that the previous Michigan notification, at least, was definitely fake... And last year they didn't notify until the last week of Feb.

[ssuunn]

@jadedoptimist I haven't seen anything for UMich on Draft. This would make them an entire week early based on when they notified last year. I wouldn't worry yet. However, VTech gave out a poetry waitlist on 2/2, so I imagine they're done with making decisions. I think Syracuse poetry also already went out too.

[mudpuddle1]

12 minutes ago, Rixor said:

Yes, I'm waiting on Oregon State! One fiction acceptance so far in the sheet. I was told they give one acceptance earlier than the others so they can be nominated for a fellowship. Here's hoping!

According to the Draft results, they already nominated one person from poetry and fiction for fellowships. A general acceptance is still totally in the cards though!!! 😄

[triciadawn]

Boston poetry acceptance yesterday up on the spreadsheet. After the rejection massacre on Valentines day, I wonder what this means if I still don’t have a rejection. 

[profoundprofligate]

Is it safe to say that no word from Vanderbilt at this point means a rejection?

[3feetofsnow]

1 minute ago, profoundprofligate said:

Is it safe to say that no word from Vanderbilt at this point means a rejection?

For poetry, yes I believe so, but I’m not sure if they’ve sent anything out for fiction yet

[pananoprodigy]

Prowling the past threads again and just realized University of Arizona notifs started going out this day last year and the year before. 

[chruchchirp]

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

[ssuunn]

4 minutes ago, chruchchirp said:

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

I would look at the MFA as the opportunity to hone your craft and start on your first book. It's not really in a professor's wheelhouse to focus on the book publishing side of things. I also just wouldn't worry about that; people who don't go to Michigan or Iowa still have books published.

[prufrock_]

4 minutes ago, chruchchirp said:

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

is the program fully funded? Having 2+ years to focus on reading and writing will get you closer to publishing, no matter what else happens. I don't think getting into any program is going to make you published. creativewritingmfa.info/rankings/ - this website ranks programs based on published output (with a focus on short work). This might feel you a little less scared if the program is on there?

[mangojalapeno]

8 hours ago, Chex said:

Y'all, I'm on three straight Rs at the moment and... ('panicking' is too dramatic a word for what I'm feeling, so I'm going to go with 'congealing') congealing in spirits. 😭😭 I'm surprisingly not feeling too terrible about it. I think all who got accepted or waitlisted eminently deserved it and your joy gives me joy. My writing/application is good but maybe not so good enough yet, so I appreciate the feedback. 

I know it's still really early and anything can change at a moment's notice (I certainly hope it does!), but I'm also seriously considering the very real possibility that I get in nowhere. What a bummer. Bummer. Bummer. I'd still be super proud of myself, though. I bet on myself. Despite everything going on in my life, I believed I deserved to get a spot in one of the most elusive and exclusive graduate programmes in the world, and I fought for myself! Love that for me and I'm not stopping! I'm going to keep writing my heart out and someday someone will hear me!! 

Good luck to us all as the rest of the season unfolds. Bring on the decisions, ye MFA lordlings!!! 

yeah it's definitely congealing (and conflagrating and conxxx (i'm out of words)). I've been using some sour grape copium the past few days: if I get in somewhere great I'm a talented, promising fox, if I get in nowhere it just means I'm a different fox

Edited February 16 by mangojalapeno

[3feetofsnow]

24 minutes ago, chruchchirp said:

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

Maybe what they meant is that people aren’t going to look at your bio and use your alma mater as a reason for publishing you? Like “oh they went to x program, they must be good!” Publishing isn’t like hiring; it’s pretty much always about how well your specific piece fits with what the publisher is seeking. And an mfa program will ideally help you to improve in your writing, which should help you meet these expectations for publication more consistently.

[profoundprofligate]

3 minutes ago, 3feetofsnow said:

For poetry, yes I believe so, but I’m not sure if they’ve sent anything out for fiction yet

Appreciate the response! Ah darn, I applied for poetry...on to the next

[3feetofsnow]

1 minute ago, profoundprofligate said:

Appreciate the response! Ah darn, I applied for poetry...on to the next

Ah I’m sorry, best of luck going forward!

[mangojalapeno]

49 minutes ago, chruchchirp said:

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

hmm I'd interpret what they said in a slightly different way. It sounds like a clever way with a touch of sarcasm to say "we're not prestigious or exclusive or anything, there's no networking or fraternity or whatever that you can rely on and feel comfortable, we got to keep fighting and there's no easy way out"

[3feetofsnow]

Looks like several people heard back from USC yesterday about acceptances, so if I don’t hear anything today I expect it’ll either be a w or an r for me

[BarryDairy]

1 hour ago, chruchchirp said:

i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared

It's great you got into a program! Congrats! What you can accomplish in the program is totally up to you. From my writing friends who have both been published and went to grad school for writing, they have also echoed the same sentiment. Some programs do have a publishing track, courses to help you navigate the world of publishing, and networking events that will help you meet industry professionals, but at the end of the day, your writing is the only determinant of whether you'll be published.

From friends who haven't been published but went through an MFA, they tended to focus less on craft learning and workshopping. Most who did not go on to publish specifically just used their MFA time as space to write.

[chruchchirp]

Thank you to everyone for your responses. I think I have a lot to chew on (i.e. deciding what do i intend to use my time in the mfa for and what meaning am i ascribing to prestige?) its difficult i guess to feel like you are not from the chosen few because of what it implies about your writing and what its worth

[lychees]

Just got an email from the director of the MFA program at Northern Michigan about my application — I'm unsure if anyone else is applying there, but they have definitely begun reviewing applications, so here's hoping for good news (or any news!) soon.