2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[lemmmein]

1 hour ago, decayingballads21 said:

anyone on here that has applied 2x or more  have advice about what to do to prepare for another round of applying? what did you focus on changing about your app, did you write all new material or just do more revisions, etc.

 

also looking for recs for workshops or residencies or any courses  for nonfiction I can do. I got into the Yale summer workshop but it’s expensive so idk if I can do that. If anyone has any recs pls!!! 

I took more workshops and found a workshop taught by a grad of the program I wanted to get into most. She wrote one of my rec letters and gave me thoughts on my samples.

Also networking. Go to things, reach out to professors, know their work well and make sure they know your name beforehand.

[decayingballads21]

1 minute ago, lemmmein said:

I took more workshops and found a workshop taught by a grad of the program I wanted to get into most. She wrote one of my rec letters and gave me thoughts on my samples.

Also networking. Go to things, reach out to professors, know their work well and make sure they know your name beforehand.

How and where did you find these workshops?? 

[lemmmein]

18 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

How and where did you find these workshops?? 

I mean just general googling tbh. I read local news articles about the literary culture in the area and found the name of the workshop, saw that it was founded by mfa grads, dug through their course offerings and looked at the instructors for each one.

I've taken a few writing workshops online, and they're all connected to wherever they're based. Grub Street is in Boston, Redbud Writing Project is in NC, Austin Bat Cave is in ATX, Gotham Writers is in NYC, etc. Googling "[whatever city] writing workshops" is a good way to start!

[girlgenius]

do we think it's safe to assume that if one acceptance has gone out over email, they've all gone out? with phone calls there can still be some waiting, but I can't imagine they send each email individually

[rachy1997]

50 minutes ago, airlinefood_enjoyer said:

hey does anyone know if bowling green state (bgsu) has released fiction decisions? I'm not on draft and the only thing I was seeing on here is a poetry waitlist from like a month ago. I know their decisions usually go out kind of early so I am honestly assuming soft rejection... but would appreciate insight if anyone has some!

also-- big congrats to all the acceptances and waitlists coming out from new york schools :] i hope you all get 1 billion dollars of funding

I see a waitlist but nothing else. Weird!

[writercl]

Did anyone apply to Saint Mary's College of California or University of Houston?

Those are my last two programs that I am waiting for.

Not sure if either are well-known or good programs, but the people I've talked to that work at Saint Mary's seem really nice!

[lemmmein]

I applied to Houston but I've given up lol

[writercl]

8 minutes ago, lemmmein said:

I applied to Houston but I've given up lol

Oh, why?? I haven't heard of anyone receiving new yet--

[ssuunn]

23 minutes ago, girlgenius said:

do we think it's safe to assume that if one acceptance has gone out over email, they've all gone out? with phone calls there can still be some waiting, but I can't imagine they send each email individually

No, someone got their acceptance email about 3 hours before me and I wrote them off; was subsequently shocked later. Give it a day at least.

[airlinefood_enjoyer]

24 minutes ago, rachy1997 said:

I see a waitlist but nothing else. Weird!

thanks for checking! i guess i will just continue to sit here, waiting patiently

[dasiena]

6 hours ago, rachy1997 said:

Still waiting on my top choice. . . running out of ways to occupy my mind 🌀

I only applied to 2 schools in the area this year & I'm reading one as a soft rejection. 

I'm hoping we see some decisions today!

I'm in the same exact situation so I feel your pain. Two schools, one I'm 99.9% sure to be a soft rejection.

But I'm sure a lot of things will be moving (hopefully) next week!  

[sunnysequoia]

5 hours ago, ssuunn said:

Someone in Draft who is an Arizona undergrad said to expect UA's decisions by no later than Tuesday. (I guess they've been on spring break this week.) Here's hoping that turns true!

Fingers crossed!

I finally received my first official rejection from Iowa. I'm honestly so relieved LOL because I'm losing my mind with all my waitlists. While I'm grateful for my acceptances, I'm definitely not going to New York because of affordability, and Miami is my last choice fully funded program due to its insufficient stipend. I've been accepted to all my last choice schools and waitlisted at my top 3 fully funded programs and the uncertainty is killing me 😰

[Rixor]

38 minutes ago, girlgenius said:

do we think it's safe to assume that if one acceptance has gone out over email, they've all gone out? with phone calls there can still be some waiting, but I can't imagine they send each email individually

Did you see one acceptance recorded on draft and are now feeling pretty down but constantly refreshing your email just in case? 'Cause if so, I'm right there with you.

[Hjanep]

21 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

Fingers crossed!

I finally received my first official rejection from Iowa. I'm honestly so relieved LOL because I'm losing my mind with all my waitlists. While I'm grateful for my acceptances, I'm definitely not going to New York because of affordability, and Miami is my last choice fully funded program due to its insufficient stipend. I've been accepted to all my last choice schools and waitlisted at my top 3 fully funded programs and the uncertainty is killing me 😰

What genre were you for Iowa / did you get a letter or an email?

[ssuunn]

25 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

I finally received my first official rejection from Iowa. I'm honestly so relieved LOL because I'm losing my mind with all my waitlists. While I'm grateful for my acceptances, I'm definitely not going to New York because of affordability, and Miami is my last choice fully funded program due to its insufficient stipend. I've been accepted to all my last choice schools and waitlisted at my top 3 fully funded programs and the uncertainty is killing me 😰

I'm sure whichever program wonderchild @DanielNiver declines, you'll take the spot!  

[rachy1997]

1 hour ago, girlgenius said:

do we think it's safe to assume that if one acceptance has gone out over email, they've all gone out? with phone calls there can still be some waiting, but I can't imagine they send each email individually

wondering the exact same. one acceptance over email on draft 😬

[girlgenius]

1 minute ago, rachy1997 said:

wondering the exact same. one acceptance over email on draft 😬

gah I know! if you are also looking at the UW Seattle one, apparently they sent this email to some people who have asked about timeline: “We have had a very large and competitive pool of applicants for this year's admissions cycle, so our review process is taking a little bit longer than usual. We hope to convey admissions decisions in the next week or so, but at the very latest, we will convey them by April 1st. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”

so it sounds like they could be rolling out for a while!

[prufrock_]

ole miss round 2 fiction seems to be in a weird state - 1 waitlist in results here, but no acceptance/rejections listed here or in draft. Poetry results seem to be all out though! I thought i'd be hearing one way or another from them today (praise be the summoning circle).

[rachy1997]

17 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

ole miss round 2 fiction seems to be in a weird state - 1 waitlist in results here, but no acceptance/rejections listed here or in draft. Poetry results seem to be all out though! I thought i'd be hearing one way or another from them today (praise be the summoning circle).

do you know how the "rounds" work in MFA admissions? People mention rounds, but I don't really know what that means. Do all schools do rounds of acceptances?

[Srs2024]

1 hour ago, writercl said:

Did anyone apply to Saint Mary's College of California or University of Houston?

Those are my last two programs that I am waiting for.

Not sure if either are well-known or good programs, but the people I've talked to that work at Saint Mary's seem really nice!

I applied to Saint Mary's.  It's the last program I'm waiting for as well.  I talked to the admissions director about something unrelated a few week ago and he said decision would go out this week.  On draft, a few fiction applicants have indicated acceptances (3?) but no poetry or CNF. 

[minivercheevy_]

Wishing all of you a beautiful weekend and for good news to come with it---it's almost sixty degrees and sunny where I'm writing from. I'm going to take a hike. This week has been incredibly stressful. 

[sunnysequoia]

1 hour ago, Hjanep said:

What genre were you for Iowa / did you get a letter or an email?

I applied for nonfiction and received an email.

[prufrock_]

5 minutes ago, rachy1997 said:

do you know how the "rounds" work in MFA admissions? People mention rounds, but I don't really know what that means. Do all schools do rounds of acceptances?

only a few schools do 'rounds' - ole miss and arkansas are the only two i applied to this time that use 'rounds'. what it means is instead of the 'full application', including fees, lor's, etc, you send in just your writing. from there, they ask a smaller group from that 'first round' to submit the 'full application' for round two. it's a great system imo!

[Rixor]

...Maybe Kel on the sheet meant UW-Bothell? That's totally a possibility, right? :' )

(Kel if you're reading this congrats and I am so happy for you) 

[OctopusCactus]

36 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

I applied for nonfiction and received an email.

Same. But congratulations on all your acceptances!

I feel a little silly asking this, but did everyone's Iowa rejection email end with "I and the faculty sincerely wish you all the best with your writing. We will all be looking out for your work!" I've read sometimes the fiction program director personalizes some rejection letters but not sure about nonfiction.