2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[LivingUnderABigRock]

Does anyone have any info on Columbia now that responses are coming out? The general thing i've heard is: "they accept almost everyone who applies, unless you have funding don't go."

 

I don't have access to all the previous years data or how many applicants they got this year that didn't get an offer, but can anyone speak to how true this is?

And please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not just asking this to be vain or rude, knowing info like this is going to be part of what determines if the best idea is infact to just wait another year and apply somewhere else, because if it's not as easy to get in then maybe my writing actually has some value.

 

Congrats to everyone above, I'm so proud of all of you, even my fellow peeps with the R's and the W's, our time will come!

[RobbieWrites]

Has NYU sent out any rejections? 

[Abi_P0305]

On 2/29/2024 at 3:19 PM, dasiena said:

Also not to triple text in the g chat (sry) but how normal is it have literary agents going into an MFA? I've looked up current students at IWW as well as recent Iowa admits to see that a few already have literary agents, one being signed with the same agent as Sheila Heti (holy shit). I'm wondering why someone would want to get an MFA if they already have an agent. I guess it would just be a sort of long paid fellowship to work on the book they are already set to publish? Seems cool & wish it could apply to me. Also is a little discouraging. 

 

Edited March 7, 2024 by Abi_P0305

[dasiena]

7 hours ago, justasmidge said:

Oh, that's awesome!!! My father is from Sicily but grew up around Milan after an earthquake devastated his hometown of Partanna. We are going to Milan first and then we will be flying down to Sicily

Thank you so much for the tips - I was wondering how the waiting game was going to sort out with being 6 hours ahead The best of luck to you

good luck to you too! 

Edited March 7, 2024 by dasiena

[decayingballads21]

 where is Arizona what’s going on 😭😭 really would love to know ANYTHING

[rhiannonna]

8 minutes ago, LivingUnderABigRock said:

Does anyone have any info on Columbia now that responses are coming out? The general thing i've heard is: "they accept almost everyone who applies, unless you have funding don't go."

I don't think it's necessarily true that they accept almost everyone who applies - I know someone who got into Iowa but not Columbia.

I do agree though with the sentiment that you should be wary of going into debt for an MFA.

[writernity]

3 minutes ago, LivingUnderABigRock said:

Does anyone have any info on Columbia now that responses are coming out? The general thing i've heard is: "they accept almost everyone who applies, unless you have funding don't go."

 

I don't have access to all the previous years data or how many applicants they got this year that didn't get an offer, but can anyone speak to how true this is?

And please don't take this the wrong way, I'm not just asking this to be vain or rude, knowing info like this is going to be part of what determines if the best idea is infact to just wait another year and apply somewhere else, because if it's not as easy to get in then maybe my writing actually has some value.

 

Congrats to everyone above, I'm so proud of all of you, even my fellow peeps with the R's and the W's, our time will come!

Columbia definitely does NOT accept everyone, it is still a competitive ivy league school. However, they do accept a larger cohort than a lot of other schools, and very few people get offered any funding, let along substantial funding. They're ridiculously expensive at about $140k for 2 years, and it's really not worth going into debt if you don't get a good enough funding offer. Columbia only just started sending out acceptances, so there's still news yet to come. If you get any acceptances or waitlists at all, have confidence in your writing-- even less competitive schools won't accept just ANYONE who's willing to pay!

 

7 minutes ago, RobbieWrites said:

Has NYU sent out any rejections? 

Not yet, they just started sending waitlists. Will probs take another couple days, though sometimes they stretch things out for a while.

[Hjanep]

1 minute ago, rhiannonna said:

I don't think it's necessarily true that they accept almost everyone who applies - I know someone who got into Iowa but not Columbia.

I do agree though with the sentiment that you should be wary of going into debt for an MFA.

Seconding this. I know someone who went to Michener and didn’t get in to Columbia. I think the bad rap on Columbia is more centered on their contribution to the student debt pool for an MFA. I didn’t apply because I didn’t want to be tempted to go if I got in without full funding / my recommenders are all very anti-Columbia and I felt semi shamed from asking them to write recommendations for that program 

[pananoprodigy]

11 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

 where is Arizona what’s going on 😭😭 really would love to know ANYTHING

I am once again asking...

[dasiena]

  -

Edited March 7, 2024 by dasiena

[LivingUnderABigRock]

13 minutes ago, rhiannonna said:

I don't think it's necessarily true that they accept almost everyone who applies - I know someone who got into Iowa but not Columbia.

I do agree though with the sentiment that you should be wary of going into debt for an MFA.

 

10 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Seconding this. I know someone who went to Michener and didn’t get in to Columbia. I think the bad rap on Columbia is more centered on their contribution to the student debt pool for an MFA. I didn’t apply because I didn’t want to be tempted to go if I got in without full funding / my recommenders are all very anti-Columbia and I felt semi shamed from asking them to write recommendations for that program 

 

I really truly appreciate the responses and I hope I didn't offend anyone with my ask. It's my first year applying. So far good news has been hard to come by. I don't think Columbia gives out hard numbers for acceptance rate and such so info like this is super important.

[Ancestralhand]

Hi, I’ve been lurking for some time but I saw someone mention Rutgers. Specifically Rutgers Newark, I interviewed with them last Sunday.

I haven’t seen much discussion on RUN, so I thought I’d share my experience if it helps! Pls send your support, I hope I get in! :,) 

[Abi_P0305]

3 minutes ago, dasiena said:

Hey! I didn't mean to single you out, you just happened to be the most recent of a line up of people I stalked (sry lol) (online only not in real life dnt wry) that have agents! Obviously it's easy for us to compare our journeys to others, especially in a tense time like this, but I also realize that everyone has had many difficulties in both their artistic endeavors and general life experience. I know that life doesn't spare anyone from pain and challenges, and I hope you know I wasn't implying that! I'm genuinely sorry about the loss of your dad and also what sounds like the loss of an important part of your childhood/teenagehood. That seriously must have been so hard. But I love that you used writing as a sort of catharsis and outlet. We're all here because we genuinely love words and language and you guys :*) that's kinda beautiful. We were all probably that weird kid who read instead of going outside (not just me right ha ha) and that's also kinda :*) beautiful. 

But seriously--congratulations on an impressive acceptance to Iowa and also congratulations on being seen and appreciated and signed by someone who seems to have great taste! I can't wait to read your work one day.  I hope you didn't take my comment as a diss against you as an individual! You seem cool and I'm sure you have many great things ahead.

omg no disses felt at all! I'm so glad you responded and also felt you resonated with being the weird kid inside reading   I also can't wait to read your stuff one day  

[aurqcyei]

25 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

Does anyone know if UMass Amherst, Rutgers Camden, and Iowa are done notifying for prose/nonfiction? I'm assuming rejections but would be nice to receive confirmation LOL

Didn't apply, but I saw acceptances and waitlists go out for Rutgers-Camden 3-4 days ago for both CNF/fiction. Acceptances/waitlists for Amherst went out early Feb and the prospie event is in April, so I'm fairly certain Amherst is done for fiction/poetry. Through Draft, a current IWW student indicated that Iowa was done notifying for fiction (but some fiction applications received emails that their apps were "still under consideration"). CNF might still be going on for Iowa, since I saw a waitlist today or yesterday, but I'm not entirely sure.  

I'm honestly a little surprised by the lack of reports for Iowa (I counted about 7 fiction reports, give or take) given the large cohort, but who knows ┐(°‿°)┌

[rhiannonna]

12 minutes ago, LivingUnderABigRock said:

 

 

I really truly appreciate the responses and I hope I didn't offend anyone with my ask. It's my first year applying. So far good news has been hard to come by. I don't think Columbia gives out hard numbers for acceptance rate and such so info like this is super important.

Your post was very reasonable and not offensive at all! It's important to ask these questions ❤️

[Scribe]

11 minutes ago, Ancestralhand said:

Hi, I’ve been lurking for some time but I saw someone mention Rutgers. Specifically Rutgers Newark, I interviewed with them last Sunday.

I haven’t seen much discussion on RUN, so I thought I’d share my experience if it helps! Pls send your support, I hope I get in! :,) 

I'm considering them a soft r. but that package tho.

[Ancestralhand]

51 minutes ago, Scribe said:

I'm considering them a soft r. but that package tho.

Yeah, the funding they were offering and discussing with me was awesome. Sending u positivity though! 🩷

Edited March 8, 2024 by Ancestralhand

[bluespruce]

Has anyone arranged a chat with a faculty member at a program after the initial acceptance call? And if so what did you ask them/talk about?

I had a professor say hello via email and I think it would be great to speak with them, but I don't really have any specific questions to ask. I've done enough research to know most of the logistical stuff on the suggested questions list on Draft, and I feel like most of my other questions are more geared towards current students. Just don't want to waste the faculty member's time!

[pomelo]

2 hours ago, sunnysequoia said:

Does anyone know if UMass Amherst, Rutgers Camden, and Iowa are done notifying for prose/nonfiction? I'm assuming rejections but would be nice to receive confirmation LOL

UMass is done notifying I think. I asked the same thing about UMass a few days ago and someone said they’ve already invited all of their admits for a campus visit. As for Iowa, they seem to be done for fiction. Unsure of the other genres! 

[mr. specific]

22 minutes ago, bluespruce said:

Has anyone arranged a chat with a faculty member at a program after the initial acceptance call? And if so what did you ask them/talk about?

I had a professor say hello via email and I think it would be great to speak with them, but I don't really have any specific questions to ask. I've done enough research to know most of the logistical stuff on the suggested questions list on Draft, and I feel like most of my other questions are more geared towards current students. Just don't want to waste the faculty member's time!

I've done this already with a couple faculty members. You may already have the logistical answers you're looking for, but you don't know their particular attitude towards the program and toward their students. I did run through a lot of those basic logistical type questions, but just as a jumping off point for finding common things to talk about.

It's a good gauge of the culture of the program. I think about it as just having a conversation and hopefully building a relationship. You already got in, so you don't have to ask the standard interview-y questions. If they emailed you, they're happy to talk. They're probably as interested in you as you are them. I'd definitely speak with current students too, which will probably be incredibly helpful.

[bluespruce]

@mr. specific That's good advice - thank you!

[bodegajames]

1 hour ago, mr. specific said:

I've done this already with a couple faculty members. You may already have the logistical answers you're looking for, but you don't know their particular attitude towards the program and toward their students. I did run through a lot of those basic logistical type questions, but just as a jumping off point for finding common things to talk about.

It's a good gauge of the culture of the program. I think about it as just having a conversation and hopefully building a relationship. You already got in, so you don't have to ask the standard interview-y questions. If they emailed you, they're happy to talk. They're probably as interested in you as you are them. I'd definitely speak with current students too, which will probably be incredibly helpful.

I second this. I am approaching my second residency in Sewanee; faculty members set up multiple meetings throughout the term, but meeting with them is never a bad idea, even for a quick chat or question. Building the relationship is important, as you will have some faculty advising you on your thesis. Express any questions/concerns you may have. I remember feeling nervous about talking to the program director before I arrived (and even in that first week or so). By the end of my first residency, we would run into each other multiple times throughout the week for coffee or at the library. Build relationships! Foster community! Those things are just as important as your studies. Best of luck to you!

[My Mlemtonia]

This is a paranoid post, but has anyone had their acceptance rescinded after the initial call & acceptance letter? I know that's unlikely, but this head's been going places. 

[saramsarang]

Wow, we're at a 100 pages on the forum! Congrats everyone, I think we'll outdo all the previous years topics! I guess it shows how we've been going through the whole process together and I really don't think I would have gotten through the cycle without you guys! All through the waiting and the anxiety, I've had a lot of fun on here and got to live vicariously through people's acceptances. I hope some of you guys end up meeting each other in the programs and have a laugh about it all. Might not mean much from some random stranger on the internet, but I'm super proud of all of us. To everyone regardless of acceptances, waitlists and rejections, you put yourself out there, took a lot of time, money and effort and I'm so proud of you for it! (Tearing up a little because I'm going to miss you guys once the 2024 mfa season comes to an end, but onwards and upwards!)

[Rixor]

56 minutes ago, Blue1001 said:

This is a paranoid post, but has anyone had their acceptance rescinded after the initial call & acceptance letter? I know that's unlikely, but this head's been going places. 

I know of STEM people who have gotten their offers rescinded, but only for acting rambunctious (drunk) during grad visit events.

And two of us here have gotten into one school that said their program might be cancelled because a professor quit suddenly.

But no, to my knowledge it's not normal. It's safe to get excited:)