2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[itsbeensnowing]

Anyone know wtf is going on with Southern Illinois University? Guessing not a lot of people here applied there but I haven't seen any acceptances on the results page. It's getting quite late for any program to still not even have their first wave of acceptances out. But maybe they do and it just doesn't include anybody on this site. (I'm not on facebook, so if there's been any word there, let me know.)

Also, any intel on waitlist movement for Urbana-Champaign? (Or if they're getting close to finalizing their slots?) Dunno if I should be waiting on them.

Anyways, less than three weeks until the big decision day. Hang in there, everyone!

[ssuunn]

28 minutes ago, itsbeensnowing said:

Anyone know wtf is going on with Southern Illinois University? Guessing not a lot of people here applied there but I haven't seen any acceptances on the results page. It's getting quite late for any program to still not even have their first wave of acceptances out. But maybe they do and it just doesn't include anybody on this site. (I'm not on facebook, so if there's been any word there, let me know.)

Also, any intel on waitlist movement for Urbana-Champaign? (Or if they're getting close to finalizing their slots?) Dunno if I should be waiting on them.

Anyways, less than three weeks until the big decision day. Hang in there, everyone!

I'm still waiting on UIUC fwiw. (poetry)

SIU had some acceptances from what I saw on draft. They might not've posted it on the spreadsheet, but someone was already fairly committed to attending, I think for poetry, but I could be wrong!
edit: the SIU acceptance was from mid-february.

Edited March 27 by ssuunn

[Scribe]

With respect to waitlists, you have to understand it’s a weird game of chicken. If someone’s waitlisted at their holy grail school, they’re going to wait as long as possible before saying yes somewhere else. So there’s a collective catch 22 because the person they’re waiting on to decline is waiting for a waitlist spot to open for their top choice. I’m sure there’s been occasions where two people are waiting on each other. 

[Sumire11]

13 hours ago, triciadawn said:

I haven’t seen any acceptances either. I’m most likely turning down Columbia, so I hope Arkansas pulls through. 

Rooting for us

[garfieldlives]

My last decision came in last week. What a relief. I was convinced it was a rejection from Portland State, but it ended up being an acceptance!

My final stats: 3a/2r/0w/0p

Acceptances: California College of the Arts (scholarship: $27k each year); University of Montana, Missoula (scholarship: $2,500); Portland State University (no funding)

Rejections: Oregon State University (my alma mater *crying*) & University of Washington

Extra info: Nonfiction; first round of applications.

It seems like I only got into the lower-competition programs, but hey, I got I got in somewhere!! My ability to attend is not contingent on funding. I think it's best I won't be taking a funded spot while still being able to get my MFA. I really thought it wasn't going to happen this year, so I'm still in shock about my acceptances.

What questions are you guys making sure to ask professors and students at your prospective programs?

[taliaj]

Does anyone know anything about Naropa? Is it worth applying, do we think? Their full res is still open for applications according to their website, as is low-res. Just wondering how people feel about it/what we know about it.

[prufrock_]

30 minutes ago, taliaj said:

Does anyone know anything about Naropa? Is it worth applying, do we think? Their full res is still open for applications according to their website, as is low-res. Just wondering how people feel about it/what we know about it.

If I was planning or able to pay for an MFA, Naropa would be one of my top choices (boulder is great, and their program looks amazing). I didn't apply though as they only fund three spots (out of what i imagine is a very large cohort).

[taliaj]

6 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

If I was planning or able to pay for an MFA, Naropa would be one of my top choices (boulder is great, and their program looks amazing). I didn't apply though as they only fund three spots (out of what i imagine is a very large cohort).

Oh okay, that makes sense! I've been looking into it but haven't found much in terms of their funding or anything like that; maybe I'm looking in the wrong spots. Thanks!

[aurqcyei]

19 hours ago, itsbeensnowing said:

Also, any intel on waitlist movement for Urbana-Champaign? (Or if they're getting close to finalizing their slots?) Dunno if I should be waiting on them.

I'll probably be declining my spot in fiction sometime this week. Didn't ask about the confirmed amount of spots, but I saw that someone else is declining (or has declined) their spot on Draft. It's a really fantastic program and I loved speaking with the faculty & current students. 

[viennacoffee]

Is anyone accepted at Rutgers-Newark for poetry thinking about declining? I know it’s a few weeks still till the deadline, but as I’m weighing offers of my own, I’m trying to figure out how much stock to place in the waitlists I’m on!

[sylviaplathtears]

Any news on the UMass Amherst waitlist?

[trenchywrench]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:20 PM, prufrock_ said:

Got denied from LSU just now. The denial letter basically just said 'denied' and then mentioned the grad school and the programs GPA requirements, which I found odd considering I met/exceeded them. Anyone else get the same denial letter?

i got the same letter despite also exceeding LSU’s GPA requirements. was hanging without my fiancée and told her how weird it was—my theory is that undergraduate GPA is probably a very common disqualifier for prospective LSU graduate students and maybe that’s why it’s in the generic letter. because i fully agree that it’s fucking strange to imply your applicant, who put loads of time and effort into maintaining their undergrad GPA and later filling out the comprehensive application to your school (and, thirdly, in many cases, paying an amount of money to submit said application that could instead buy them one month of unlimited phone data) didn’t have acceptable grades to get into your program when the opposite is true. most generic rejections are still polite…this one was just odd.

[decayingballads21]

hi everybody! does anyone have any info on Pitt’s waitlist - size/ if it’s ranked or unranked?

 

I emailed a few weeks ago but I haven’t gotten a response yet.

 

TIA! 

[pomelo]

On 3/22/2024 at 12:24 PM, Jane Wyman said:

Anybody have intel on LSU or UNCG? They're the last two schools I'm waiting to hear from ...

Someone in the MFA Draft FB group said UNCG wouldn’t get back to applicants until April 15 which is kind of ridiculous. At this point if you haven’t heard back from a program(s) it’s worth it to reach out to them. It’s almost April..

[RobbieWrites]

Thoughts on City College of New York vs. The New School for Fiction Creative Writing MFA? I'm a bit torn and haven't toured the campus for either (also won't be able to before decision day).

[garrick-essay]

Wow Wow

[Scribe]

4 hours ago, RobbieWrites said:

Thoughts on City College of New York vs. The New School for Fiction Creative Writing MFA? I'm a bit torn and haven't toured the campus for either (also won't be able to before decision day).

Look at what you know, faculty, cohort size, funding, alumni, etc. and ABSOLUTELY speak with current students. 

[Jane Wyman]

15 hours ago, pomelo said:

Someone in the MFA Draft FB group said UNCG wouldn’t get back to applicants until April 15 which is kind of ridiculous. At this point if you haven’t heard back from a program(s) it’s worth it to reach out to them. It’s almost April..

Good to know, thanks! And wow, April 15 ...

[pananoprodigy]

Don't really feel comfy bouncing this off anyone in my real life just yet so I'm tossing it here. I didn't get in anywhere this year (technically still waiting to hear from Oregon and Iowa lol). It was my first time applying and I only did 4 schools because I already have an MFA and I wasn't totally sure if I wanted another one. Now that time has passed I feel a lot clearer that actually yes, I DO want to do this, for sure, and I'm planning on applying to way more programs this time, as well as doing a lot more prep work. I've lived in my current city for just about 10 years, I love my friends and my apartment, and the idea of leaving is really, really scary. I think leaving for a specific purpose (like grad school) would lessen that a little, but I recently had the thought that I could actually leave this coming winter and move back home with my parents to save money while I apply. I work remote and if I were able to save what I'm currently paying on rent, I could theoretically start an MFA program in 2025 with about $20,000 of my own money saved up. However, I'd be gambling on the fact that I will, in fact, get in somewhere this time. If I don't I'll have moved across the country and uprooted my whole life just to be 33 living in my childhood bedroom. I could also continue my life as-is and plan to only move home next spring if I get accepted; I guess I wouldn't be saving THAT much more compared to moving in the winter. Idk, I guess I'm just wondering what y'all would do in this situation. I'm in so much debt from my other master's degree that the idea of going into this one with a big chunk of money is really really appealing.

[Hjanep]

31 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Don't really feel comfy bouncing this off anyone in my real life just yet so I'm tossing it here. I didn't get in anywhere this year (technically still waiting to hear from Oregon and Iowa lol). It was my first time applying and I only did 4 schools because I already have an MFA and I wasn't totally sure if I wanted another one. Now that time has passed I feel a lot clearer that actually yes, I DO want to do this, for sure, and I'm planning on applying to way more programs this time, as well as doing a lot more prep work. I've lived in my current city for just about 10 years, I love my friends and my apartment, and the idea of leaving is really, really scary. I think leaving for a specific purpose (like grad school) would lessen that a little, but I recently had the thought that I could actually leave this coming winter and move back home with my parents to save money while I apply. I work remote and if I were able to save what I'm currently paying on rent, I could theoretically start an MFA program in 2025 with about $20,000 of my own money saved up. However, I'd be gambling on the fact that I will, in fact, get in somewhere this time. If I don't I'll have moved across the country and uprooted my whole life just to be 33 living in my childhood bedroom. I could also continue my life as-is and plan to only move home next spring if I get accepted; I guess I wouldn't be saving THAT much more compared to moving in the winter. Idk, I guess I'm just wondering what y'all would do in this situation. I'm in so much debt from my other master's degree that the idea of going into this one with a big chunk of money is really really appealing.

Ok this is probably a controversial take because it is the less fiscally conservative move but I wouldn’t move back in with your parents. The year(s) between now and starting your program are your life too and (me projecting my own family dynamic) living with your parents is not going to be super pleasant? In theory your other debt will go into forbearance while you’re in a program so you’re just kicking the can down the road but personally I would just keep living your current life and maybe try to get a side hustle or do something else to make up that $20k.

[pananoprodigy]

46 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Ok this is probably a controversial take because it is the less fiscally conservative move but I wouldn’t move back in with your parents. The year(s) between now and starting your program are your life too and (me projecting my own family dynamic) living with your parents is not going to be super pleasant? In theory your other debt will go into forbearance while you’re in a program so you’re just kicking the can down the road but personally I would just keep living your current life and maybe try to get a side hustle or do something else to make up that $20k.

Thank youuu, that's a really good point that I have to remember (re: the years in between are also my life). My parents are cool and it would be nice to be closer to my little sister, who also lives at home, so I don't think it would be bad in that sense, but it definitely would be a huge adjustment for somebody (me) who's been used to living alone for like ten years lol.

[justasmidge]

This...was an interesting afternoon. So I decided to decline my spot at SLC because of lack of funding and wrote them a really nice letter saying that it wasn't feasible financially and wished them all the best.

Then I got an e-mail to check my portal and they sent me another acceptance letter, this time with the 12k a year scholarship. 

I'm wondering if maybe they forgot to give me the award in the first place? It just seems weird that they would accept me again after I declined. I wrote to the grad admissions staff asking if they could explain what happened because it is a little disappointing that, because of the lack of funding, I decided that I wasn't going to entertain the accepted students events...but if I knew I had funding, it would have been a different story. 

[Scribe]

4 hours ago, pananoprodigy said:

Don't really feel comfy bouncing this off anyone in my real life just yet so I'm tossing it here. I didn't get in anywhere this year (technically still waiting to hear from Oregon and Iowa lol). It was my first time applying and I only did 4 schools because I already have an MFA and I wasn't totally sure if I wanted another one. Now that time has passed I feel a lot clearer that actually yes, I DO want to do this, for sure, and I'm planning on applying to way more programs this time, as well as doing a lot more prep work. I've lived in my current city for just about 10 years, I love my friends and my apartment, and the idea of leaving is really, really scary. I think leaving for a specific purpose (like grad school) would lessen that a little, but I recently had the thought that I could actually leave this coming winter and move back home with my parents to save money while I apply. I work remote and if I were able to save what I'm currently paying on rent, I could theoretically start an MFA program in 2025 with about $20,000 of my own money saved up. However, I'd be gambling on the fact that I will, in fact, get in somewhere this time. If I don't I'll have moved across the country and uprooted my whole life just to be 33 living in my childhood bedroom. I could also continue my life as-is and plan to only move home next spring if I get accepted; I guess I wouldn't be saving THAT much more compared to moving in the winter. Idk, I guess I'm just wondering what y'all would do in this situation. I'm in so much debt from my other master's degree that the idea of going into this one with a big chunk of money is really really appealing.

I'm all about hard facts so just take this for what it is.

20K is not a big chunk of money. It is not. 
If you are more than 20K in debt it is nothing.

I do not know your income, debt amount, what your current MFA is in or what the one you wish to attain would be but I believe firmly you should not go into debt - AT ALL - for an MFA. There's millions and millions and MILLIONS of dollars in funding out there. Go get it. 

If moving back home is about the money, go ahead. Move home, apply next year, and take all that money you're planning to save and pay down your debt. If you don't want to do that, fine. But apply next year and pay down what you can in the meantime. If you work remote, you can likely continue while in a program for extra money. 

Do what you want. Do not put things in the way of that. 

[pananoprodigy]

1 hour ago, Scribe said:

I'm all about hard facts so just take this for what it is.

20K is not a big chunk of money. It is not. 
If you are more than 20K in debt it is nothing.

I do not know your income, debt amount, what your current MFA is in or what the one you wish to attain would be but I believe firmly you should not go into debt - AT ALL - for an MFA. There's millions and millions and MILLIONS of dollars in funding out there. Go get it. 

If moving back home is about the money, go ahead. Move home, apply next year, and take all that money you're planning to save and pay down your debt. If you don't want to do that, fine. But apply next year and pay down what you can in the meantime. If you work remote, you can likely continue while in a program for extra money. 

Do what you want. Do not put things in the way of that. 

Unfortunately I already have the debt so it’s a bit too late for that.  lol

[pomelo]

10 hours ago, justasmidge said:

This...was an interesting afternoon. So I decided to decline my spot at SLC because of lack of funding and wrote them a really nice letter saying that it wasn't feasible financially and wished them all the best.

Then I got an e-mail to check my portal and they sent me another acceptance letter, this time with the 12k a year scholarship. 

I'm wondering if maybe they forgot to give me the award in the first place? It just seems weird that they would accept me again after I declined. I wrote to the grad admissions staff asking if they could explain what happened because it is a little disappointing that, because of the lack of funding, I decided that I wasn't going to entertain the accepted students events...but if I knew I had funding, it would have been a different story. 

Huh, that’s weird. Did you end up hearing back from them?

I am going to deny Sarah Lawrence’s offer too for the same reason. I got into a fully funded program and I’ve been telling most people that I’m still weighing both options, but realistically my heart is set on the fully funded program. I just haven’t but the bullet yet. I really wanted to attend their in-person admitted students event, but I don’t think it was a smart move to let us know only weeks in advance and to schedule it on a holiday weekend. (I don’t celebrate Easter but I’m on vacation this week). 
 

12 hours ago, pananoprodigy said:

I recently had the thought that I could actually leave this coming winter and move back home with my parents to save money while I apply. I work remote and if I were able to save what I'm currently paying on rent, I could theoretically start an MFA program in 2025 with about $20,000 of my own money saved up. However, I'd be gambling on the fact that I will, in fact, get in somewhere this time. If I don't I'll have moved across the country and uprooted my whole life just to be 33 living in my childhood bedroom. I could also continue my life as-is and plan to only move home next spring if I get accepted; I guess I wouldn't be saving THAT much more compared to moving in the winter. Idk, I guess I'm just wondering what y'all would do in this situation. I'm in so much debt from my other master's degree that the idea of going into this one with a big chunk of money is really really appealing.

I’m accepting an offer at a school in the Midwest and will be moving there in the fall. This will be my second big move in the last five years (first one was NC->Philly which was a considerably more lowkey move than the one I’ll be making for grad school). With that said, if I were you, I wouldn’t move simply because you’ll likely be doing it again less than a year later for grad school. I hate moving. You may be saving money on rent, but what about moving costs? Moving is expensive! The only way you’d get me to move back in with my parents is if I was applying to schools in that area (or if I was experiencing some kind of emergency). There are other ways to save up for grad school, which I def recommend doing because even if you get into a fully funded program, there will be moving costs—and living costs! A stipend can only help so much. Most MFAs I’ve met have some kind of side gig. I would make the choice that’s most beneficial for you and your writing. Improve your application and writing sample. Take some workshops. That’s what I would do!