2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[triciadawn]

36 minutes ago, InfernalDesireMachines said:

Lurker for a while, finally joined. 

As stands now: (0a/0w/4r/6p) with two further presumed rejections (Oregon and Michigan). Still waiting on Syracuse, Iowa, Brown, and UVA, but assuming this year is a wash. My first rejection was the closest I had to a "safety" (Kansas).

Telling myself this means I just need to work harder for the next year. Read more, write more, get better.

Same. I made it round 2 of Arkansas but I'm hesitant about the 4 year commitment. Waiting on Iowa and Boston, but everywhere else I'm waiting on isn't fully funded (NYC schools). I already have undergrad debt, so this is not looking good. 

[saramsarang]

Just wanted to offer some mildly funny news amidst Michigan tensions. I finally got my Johns Hopkins rejection email after weeks of complaining about it. Definitely thought it was something from Michigan for a moment and my heart dropped but I burst out into laughter when I saw it was from JHU. I feel like my inbox has been destined to pile with rejections all at once lol. Sending everyone lots of strength!

[mr. specific]

Got into Michigan! Crazy. Just an email notification. Not complaining, but I thought they'd call. l

[lemmmein]

Congrats!! Really excited for those of y'all who got in!

Condolences!! Solidarity with those of us hearing nos from dream programs today. Keep writing friends.

[jadedoptimist]

7 minutes ago, mr. specific said:

Got into Michigan! Crazy. Just an email notification. Not complaining, but I thought they'd call. l

OMG! Congrats! Happy to see someone in the forum get a spot. 

 

[pananoprodigy]

Y'all I'm so checked out at work, I used to confine application stuff to my phone but at this point I'm just openly scrolling gradcafe on my work computer lol

[brdiget]

15 minutes ago, mr. specific said:

Got into Michigan! Crazy. Just an email notification. Not complaining, but I thought they'd call. l

CONGRATS!!!!!! VERY EXCITED FOR U!!!!

[seeleimraum]

Has anyone heard from University of Oregon for poetry? All I see on draft is fiction. 

[Hjanep]

Looks like someone got a Syracuse call yesterday (not me). Also I’ve been sending versions of that as a text to my friends all week haha

[orangee]

3 hours ago, saramsarang said:

For some reason I thought Michigan had an elimination system? I think I might have read up wrong on this but I thought they sent out rounds of rejections before acceptances went out. I can't remember for the life of me where I read it and why that's the impression I have.

Anyways, I'm in agreement with all of you, this week looks like a busy one. On my list, I think February will close with Michigan and Syracuse! Ahh I hope many more of us will hear with acceptances or at least waitlists and not just rejections, hang in there everyone, the week has only just begun!

Also just a quick question, but what are everyone's thoughts on Brown? A lot of MFA students I talked to applied to Brown and expressed how much they wanted to get in, but ultimately ended up being rejected. No one was able to offer much information about Brown's MFA and I applied based on whatever I found on their website and the internet. I wasn't able to speak to any Brown alumni nor present students unfortunately. It could be that I didn't try hard enough because I got to it in the end and I'd lost steam by then, but it did seem harder to contact them than other school people. So in my head Brown became this "mysterious person that everyone wants but no one can seem to have" type. I'm sure that's not the case, but it's still funny to me, so I was just curious on what everyone else had to say. 

Hi @saramsarang ! I applied to Brown the year before and got in touch with a freshly-graduated/just-about-to-graduate poetry student there. One of my writing professors is also a Brown alumna. I took some notes from my informational interview with the then-Brown student; would you like me to share the document with you? Also what genre are you in?

[saramsarang]

8 minutes ago, orangee said:

Hi @saramsarang ! I applied to Brown the year before and got in touch with a freshly-graduated/just-about-to-graduate poetry student there. One of my writing professors is also a Brown alumna. I took some notes from my informational interview with the then-Brown student; would you like me to share the document with you? Also what genre are you in?

Ahh I'm for the fiction genre, but I'd appreciate your notes a tonne! You can send it to me via email if that works! My email is butterflyinthehurricaneoflife@gmail.com

Thank you so much!!

[Mrs. Fahrenheit]

Waitlisted at Bowling Green State! 0a/2w/0r/12p

[jadedoptimist]

I just called Northwestern Financial Aid and it was the most robotic, horrible experience. She just kept repeating where on the website I could apply for a loan. I am so discouraged right now I'm crying. I know it might seem insensitive, since I have some promising waitlists, but I'm really struggling with the idea that I have to decline my only acceptance so far because of a mistake I made in the application process. I really thought NW was funded. Any advice to move on?

[iamreallyabigskeletonirl]

Is there any chance Michigan will send out more acceptances/waitlists for fiction or have they probably alerted all 9 applicants? New to the process so I'm not sure how they do it, but I know they are sending out acceptances at least

[pomelo]

5 minutes ago, iamreallyabigskeletonirl said:

Is there any chance Michigan will send out more acceptances/waitlists for fiction or have they probably alerted all 9 applicants? New to the process so I'm not sure how they do it, but I know they are sending out acceptances at least

I also applied to Michigan and have been checking my email. My guess is if you don’t hear back by the end of today, assume a rejection. Harsh but that seems to be the pattern with these programs. MAYBE there’s a chance they haven’t alerted everyone yet but for now I’m going to assume a rejection. Best of luck to you as you hear back from programs. This process is nothing short of anxiety inducing. 

Edited February 20 by pomelo

[mr. specific]

59 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

OMG! Congrats! Happy to see someone in the forum get a spot. 

 

For context, I tried twice before and got rejected out of hand, so you have to be kind of crazy enough to keep going.

[electricstardust]

13 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

I just called Northwestern Financial Aid and it was the most robotic, horrible experience. She just kept repeating where on the website I could apply for a loan. I am so discouraged right now I'm crying. I know it might seem insensitive, since I have some promising waitlists, but I'm really struggling with the idea that I have to decline my only acceptance so far because of a mistake I made in the application process. I really thought NW was funded. Any advice to move on?

i don’t think this is insensitive at all! that sucks, and im sorry they weren’t more receptive/helpful. are there more places you’re waiting to hear from? sorry if you have a signature that says- i’m on mobile. i think if you’ve already gotten an A and some WLs, you have a good chance of getting good news from funded programs

Edited February 20 by electricstardust

[sunnysequoia]

16 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

I just called Northwestern Financial Aid and it was the most robotic, horrible experience. She just kept repeating where on the website I could apply for a loan. I am so discouraged right now I'm crying. I know it might seem insensitive, since I have some promising waitlists, but I'm really struggling with the idea that I have to decline my only acceptance so far because of a mistake I made in the application process. I really thought NW was funded. Any advice to move on?

I'm so, so sorry you're going through this. Is this their part-time MFA in their School of Professional Studies? They really need to make it clearer that they have two separate, completely different MFAs. I got confused when researching Northwestern, thought this MFA seemed weird with a July 15th application deadline, and didn't bother applying. I didn't even realize the Litowitz program existed and that was the program everyone was gaming for.

Make sure you're taking of yourself, first and foremost. Are you eating and sleeping? Can you go out for a brisk walk for some sunshine and fresh air? I suggest some form of vigorous exercise if you can manage it, as the endorphins will help significantly. Try to get your mind off of anything MFA-related. Eat your favorite comfort food, do some yoga and/or meditate, call a friend, watch something light like a stand-up. It might be a good idea to disconnect from this thread and Draft for a few days.

I know this absolutely sucks, and it's 100% ok to be upset right now. I would also be really distraught if I were in your situation.

Edited February 20 by sunnysequoia

[messindistress]

GUYS I GOT INTO UNR. COMES WITH A TA OFFER I AM SO EXCITED

 

They actually emailed one of my recommenders because I wasn't replying to their emails. Notification was super kind, super personalized. (They actually told me that they loved my writing sample, or something along those lines -- when I was freaking out about the fact that I had sent in a fantasy piece!) Can you IMAGINE.

Edited February 20 by messindistress
ps

[triciadawn]

8 minutes ago, messindistress said:

GUYS I GOT INTO UNR. COMES WITH A TA OFFER I AM SO EXCITED

 

They actually emailed one of my recommenders because I wasn't replying to their emails. Notification was super kind. Can you IMAGINE.

Congratulations! Seems like an awesome program. I wish I knew about it when I was applying!!

Edited February 20 by triciadawn
that critical writing sample tho lol

[pomelo]

21 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

I just called Northwestern Financial Aid and it was the most robotic, horrible experience. She just kept repeating where on the website I could apply for a loan. I am so discouraged right now I'm crying. I know it might seem insensitive, since I have some promising waitlists, but I'm really struggling with the idea that I have to decline my only acceptance so far because of a mistake I made in the application process. I really thought NW was funded. Any advice to move on?

I’m so sorry! You don’t deserve that. Have you contacted anyone from the program yet? They may have insights that Northwestern’s Fin Aid office doesn’t. I imagine the program will try their best to help you, since they evidently saw something in your application they liked and they want you to attend their program. If NW doesn’t work out, I sincerely hope one of the waitlists comes through. 

[pananoprodigy]

15 minutes ago, jadedoptimist said:

I just called Northwestern Financial Aid and it was the most robotic, horrible experience. She just kept repeating where on the website I could apply for a loan. I am so discouraged right now I'm crying. I know it might seem insensitive, since I have some promising waitlists, but I'm really struggling with the idea that I have to decline my only acceptance so far because of a mistake I made in the application process. I really thought NW was funded. Any advice to move on?

Man, this is SUCH a frustrating situation and I'm so sorry you're dealing with it. It's totally not on you, I didn't end up applying there but I was also off base on the Northwestern situation when I was researching schools, I thought it was all fully funded too. They definitely don't make that clear enough. I would say as much as it sucks right now it it's a GREAT sign that you were accepted. Probably hard to view it as a win right now, but it really is. As someone with a prior MFA in a semi-related but not creative writing field, I kind of see both sides of the coin when it comes to paying for the degree. My MFA was not at all funded and although i did get some scholarships here and there, tbh I'm probably going to be in debt from it for the rest of my life. That used to really bother me but ultimately I learned so much, became such a stronger writer, and made so many important relationships that I do think it was ultimately worth the $200 or whatever it is I need to pay the government per month (lol). I'm not necessarily encouraging you to do the unfunded NW program, but if the program is appealing to you and you think this is the right moment for you to be in school, I don't think it's inherently wrong if you do decide to consider it, even though the conventional wisdom is to never pay for an MFA. That said, I think you're in a great position to get accepted into a fully funded program in the future. Either way it's a great accomplishment to be accepted anywhere, and you should be really proud. Sending you hugs!

[jadedoptimist]

5 minutes ago, electricstardust said:

i don’t think this is insensitive at all! that sucks, and im sorry they weren’t more receptive/helpful. are there more places you’re waiting to hear from? sorry if you have a signature that says- i’m on mobile. i think if you’ve already gotten an A and some WLs, you have a good chance of getting good news from funded programs

 

4 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

I'm so, so sorry you're going through this. Is this their part-time MFA in their School of Professional Studies? They really need to make it clearer that they have two separate, completely different MFAs. I got confused when researching Northwestern, thought this MFA seemed weird with a July 31st application deadline, and didn't bother applying. I didn't even realize the Litowitz program existed and that was the program everyone was gaming for.

Make sure you're taking of yourself, first and foremost. Are you eating and sleeping? Can you go out for a brisk walk for some sunshine and fresh air? I suggest some form of vigorous exercise if you can manage it, as the endorphins will help significantly. Try to get your mind off of anything MFA-related. Eat your favorite comfort food, do some yoga and/or meditate, call a friend, watch something light like a stand-up. It might be a good idea to disconnect from this thread and Draft for a few days.

I know this absolutely sucks, and it's 100% ok to be upset right now. I would also be really distraught if I were in your situation.

I am so thankful for these replies, guys, you don't even know. This is the MFA in the SPS, yes, but I thought it was a fully-funded MFA.  I just have been on a huge roller coaster of "Omg! I got an actual acceptance!" followed by "wait... fuck. I made a mistake. I didn't research enough" and I thought "well, like NYU, there could be grants!" then ...."no." 

I'm okay, though, I'm going to focus on my waitlists. My sister, who's currently a grad student at Columbia (funded....) told me I need to "TOUCH GRASS." Lol, so that's my goal today. Go for a walk, get Vitamin D, air and endorphins, and remember that grad school =/= worth!

 

[Rixor]

8 minutes ago, messindistress said:

GUYS I GOT INTO UNR. COMES WITH A TA OFFER I AM SO EXCITED

 

They actually emailed one of my recommenders because I wasn't replying to their emails. Notification was super kind, super personalized. (They actually told me that they loved my writing sample, or something along those lines!) Can you IMAGINE.

Ahhh congratulations!!! I'm accepted there, too--I might see you there:)

[pomelo]

Two people in Draft said they got into Michener for fiction. One of them said they accepted 4 applicants this round for fiction (12 total across the 4 genres). Eep!