2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[decayingballads21]

hey everyone, can anyone offer some advice for how to respond to an email acceptance?

 

should I just express gratitude and let them know I’ll be in touch once I’ve made my decision? Should I mention other offers I’m considering or just say thank you.

 

any insight or suggestions on wording is appreciated !!

[writercl]

4 hours ago, decayingballads21 said:

hey everyone, can anyone offer some advice for how to respond to an email acceptance?

 

should I just express gratitude and let them know I’ll be in touch once I’ve made my decision? Should I mention other offers I’m considering or just say thank you.

 

any insight or suggestions on wording is appreciated !!

I think your first statement is good!

like "Thank you so much for this opportunity! (you can put more here if you want) I'll be in touch as soon as possible once I have made my ultimate decision. Thank you again and have a wonderful day!"

I wouldn't mention other offers specifically, but I would say that I am still not 100% decided in some way or another. 

[ac3]

Hi everyone! Nice to see such a supportive community here:) I only found out about Grad Cafe recently and am so glad I did.

I have a bit of an unusual question and was hoping someone here could give me their opinion. I applied for the MFA Creative Nonfiction at NYU and was rejected, but then I received an email from the director of another MA at NYU called "XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement," inviting me to apply to the program if I re-submit my statement of purpose in the next two weeks.

At first, it was a pretty nice cushion to the blow of rejection, which left me completely heartbroken and crushed. Now that I've had some time to sleep on it, however, the recruitment feels... dare I say it... a little predatory? Only 35% of tuition is covered and the curriculum is vague at best from what I can gather. It makes it feel like a revenue-generating scheme, rather than a solid second option worth exploring. 

I hope it is not insensitive of me to put this all out there... I am just a little mystified as to what this suggests about the quality of my application and/or writing. I did mention both creative and activist ambitions in my original statement of purpose, and given my background (linguistics, visual arts), I can see why they'd think I'm a fit. However, I can't help but think that I would have gotten waitlisted, and not redirected to an entirely different program, had my writing been good enough.

Any and all reactions/input/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much and wishing those still waiting the best of luck in the final stretch of waitlists, etc.!

 

[OctopusCactus]

39 minutes ago, ac3 said:

Hi everyone! Nice to see such a supportive community here:) I only found out about Grad Cafe recently and am so glad I did.

I have a bit of an unusual question and was hoping someone here could give me their opinion. I applied for the MFA Creative Nonfiction at NYU and was rejected, but then I received an email from the director of another MA at NYU called "XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement," inviting me to apply to the program if I re-submit my statement of purpose in the next two weeks.

At first, it was a pretty nice cushion to the blow of rejection, which left me completely heartbroken and crushed. Now that I've had some time to sleep on it, however, the recruitment feels... dare I say it... a little predatory? Only 35% of tuition is covered and the curriculum is vague at best from what I can gather. It makes it feel like a revenue-generating scheme, rather than a solid second option worth exploring. 

I hope it is not insensitive of me to put this all out there... I am just a little mystified as to what this suggests about the quality of my application and/or writing. I did mention both creative and activist ambitions in my original statement of purpose, and given my background (linguistics, visual arts), I can see why they'd think I'm a fit. However, I can't help but think that I would have gotten waitlisted, and not redirected to an entirely different program, had my writing been good enough.

Any and all reactions/input/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much and wishing those still waiting the best of luck in the final stretch of waitlists, etc.!

 

I got the same email yesterday (fiction applicant). FWIW, I wouldn't consider myself to have a multidisciplinary background or to have outlined multidisciplinary ambitions in my original SOP, beyond noting I'd studied something other than English/CW for undergrad and having some volunteer work on my CV. A friend of mine who applied to the fiction track at NYU a few years ago was on the waitlist when the department emailed her and asked if she'd like to resubmit her app for the low-residency program in Paris, which is when she says she knew she wasn't getting off the waitlist. 

University of Chicago is known for doing something similar with their MAPHs masters program: they email phd applicants who did not get in and suggest they resubmit their app to MAPHS (phds are obviously fully funded whereas MAPH is not and it's quite pricey).  Some reporters have called that program predatory in how it recruits, you can read about one take on it here: https://annehelen.substack.com/p/the-masters-trap

[ac3]

57 minutes ago, OctopusCactus said:

I got the same email yesterday (fiction applicant). FWIW, I wouldn't consider myself to have a multidisciplinary background or to have outlined multidisciplinary ambitions in my original SOP, beyond noting I'd studied something other than English/CW for undergrad and having some volunteer work on my CV. A friend of mine who applied to the fiction track at NYU a few years ago was on the waitlist when the department emailed her and asked if she'd like to resubmit her app for the low-residency program in Paris, which is when she says she knew she wasn't getting off the waitlist. 

University of Chicago is known for doing something similar with their MAPHs masters program: they email phd applicants who did not get in and suggest they resubmit their app to MAPHS (phds are obviously fully funded whereas MAPH is not and it's quite pricey).  Some reporters have called that program predatory in how it recruits, you can read about one take on it here: https://annehelen.substack.com/p/the-masters-trap

Thank you so much for your reply and for sharing your experience! I also stumbled upon that article and it seems to be confirming the gut reaction I had... I'm sure they get some interesting students, but it's really a pity to hear about all those bad experiences.

That's so weird that they placed you in the interdisciplinary pile... In my case, I understand how they'd interpret my CV that way, but I'm still surprised, as the argument I made was why my background made me realize I want to dedicate myself solely to writing.

I think someone in here mentioned an MFA consultant for fiction. Does anyone know of someone who does consulting for creative nonfiction applicants?

 

[OctopusCactus]

1 hour ago, ac3 said:

I think someone in here mentioned an MFA consultant for fiction. Does anyone know of someone who does consulting for creative nonfiction applicants?

 

Margo Steines is a great CNF consultant for MFA apps! 

[ac3]

42 minutes ago, OctopusCactus said:

Margo Steines is a great CNF consultant for MFA apps! 

Ahhh awesome! Thank you so much for the name! I'm definitely going to look her up:) 

[decayingballads21]

If I have an acceptance that said they need my decision by next Friday 4/12, is it appropriate to email my waitlist schools and ask about the possibility of movement before the 15th?
 

I don’t want to bother them or seem like I’m pressuring them. More-so to confirm my interest in their program and see if I can gauge where they’re at with filling their spots. Is this frowned upon, done often, etc? Any opinions? 
 

[sunnysequoia]

5 hours ago, ac3 said:

Hi everyone! Nice to see such a supportive community here:) I only found out about Grad Cafe recently and am so glad I did.

I have a bit of an unusual question and was hoping someone here could give me their opinion. I applied for the MFA Creative Nonfiction at NYU and was rejected, but then I received an email from the director of another MA at NYU called "XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement," inviting me to apply to the program if I re-submit my statement of purpose in the next two weeks.

At first, it was a pretty nice cushion to the blow of rejection, which left me completely heartbroken and crushed. Now that I've had some time to sleep on it, however, the recruitment feels... dare I say it... a little predatory? Only 35% of tuition is covered and the curriculum is vague at best from what I can gather. It makes it feel like a revenue-generating scheme, rather than a solid second option worth exploring. 

I hope it is not insensitive of me to put this all out there... I am just a little mystified as to what this suggests about the quality of my application and/or writing. I did mention both creative and activist ambitions in my original statement of purpose, and given my background (linguistics, visual arts), I can see why they'd think I'm a fit. However, I can't help but think that I would have gotten waitlisted, and not redirected to an entirely different program, had my writing been good enough.

Any and all reactions/input/advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much and wishing those still waiting the best of luck in the final stretch of waitlists, etc.!

 

I also received that email. Honestly I feel like they probably sent that to many graduate applicants in the humanities without actually looking closely at their profiles. As in, they’re probably not targeting you specifically, they just need more students to apply because they have spots to fill. Idk this is pure speculation, but I just deleted the email LOL

[littlealien]

anyone have any updates on whether there has been movement on the iowa or u of arizona waitlist? 

Edited April 5 by littlealien

[ac3]

14 hours ago, sunnysequoia said:

I also received that email. Honestly I feel like they probably sent that to many graduate applicants in the humanities without actually looking closely at their profiles. As in, they’re probably not targeting you specifically, they just need more students to apply because they have spots to fill. Idk this is pure speculation, but I just deleted the email LOL

Haha! Maybe I ought to delete it too. It makes me sad to realize that they are preying on peoples' fears of having no other door. Oh well, at least we know to stay far away!

[poetrygirl]

Hi all, this has been my first time applying to Poetry MFAs. My first round. I'm grateful to have got fully funded acceptances at Ole Miss and University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) amongst others. I've also got into NYU with a tuition waiver (no stipend etc). I'm torn between NYU and Minnesota as my two top choices. I love the faculty at Ole Miss but I'm not sure the location is for me. 

I'm down to NYU and Minnesota. NYC is expensive and so I'm extremely grateful to be able to have sufficient personal resources to fund my NYU MFA if I decided to make it there. I'm just not sure if it would be worth it. I've heard there can be varied level of faculty attention at NYU though I am in love with the faculty's work. Claudia Rankine, Catherine Barnett etc. I admire them so much. On the other hand, UMN offers great mentorship and cross-genre tracks and faculty is very invested in the students though I think I'm luke warm towards the faculty at UMN. I don't have that same sense of excitement towards them though I've heard they are great teachers. And celebrity writers don't always make the best teachers. 

I got accepted to NYU for undergrad a decade ago and couldn't go because of personal issues. And life has got me back to square one, facing a NYU acceptance again! It's an emotional moment. I also have a deep bias towards New York City (as a city). 

I'm sorry I know I should sound more grateful for all of these opportunities and I am. It's just a big move from India for me. I also regret having not applied to Iowa or UMich but it feels like too much of a gamble to not accept anywhere this year and re-apply next year. 

If funding was NOT a decisive factor, I'm torn between which program to go to b/w NYU and UMN. Any guidance/pointers? What would you have done?  Is it looked down upon to go to NYU when the school isn't offering you a living stipend? 

[sunnysequoia]

39 minutes ago, poetrygirl said:

Hi all, this has been my first time applying to Poetry MFAs. My first round. I'm grateful to have got fully funded acceptances at Ole Miss and University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) amongst others. I've also got into NYU with a tuition waiver (no stipend etc). I'm torn between NYU and Minnesota as my two top choices. I love the faculty at Ole Miss but I'm not sure the location is for me. 

I'm down to NYU and Minnesota. NYC is expensive and so I'm extremely grateful to be able to have sufficient personal resources to fund my NYU MFA if I decided to make it there. I'm just not sure if it would be worth it. I've heard there can be varied level of faculty attention at NYU though I am in love with the faculty's work. Claudia Rankine, Catherine Barnett etc. I admire them so much. On the other hand, UMN offers great mentorship and cross-genre tracks and faculty is very invested in the students though I think I'm luke warm towards the faculty at UMN. I don't have that same sense of excitement towards them though I've heard they are great teachers. And celebrity writers don't always make the best teachers. 

I got accepted to NYU for undergrad a decade ago and couldn't go because of personal issues. And life has got me back to square one, facing a NYU acceptance again! It's an emotional moment. I also have a deep bias towards New York City (as a city). 

I'm sorry I know I should sound more grateful for all of these opportunities and I am. It's just a big move from India for me. I also regret having not applied to Iowa or UMich but it feels like too much of a gamble to not accept anywhere this year and re-apply next year. 

If funding was NOT a decisive factor, I'm torn between which program to go to b/w NYU and UMN. Any guidance/pointers? What would you have done?  Is it looked down upon to go to NYU when the school isn't offering you a living stipend? 

Congratulations on all your acceptances!! I'm on the waitlist for Minnesota for nonfiction and was rejected from NYU, and both sound like incredible programs. Personally, I would choose Minnesota over NYU for the funding and stipend, but since finances is not a decisive factor for you, I suggest considering other factors beyond faculty and location. For instance, what is the teaching load at each program, and how much would you feel comfortable teaching with the funding they are offering you? How much are the student fees, and do they pay for health insurance? Looking at the program requirements, which courses would you be excited to take? Would you prefer a smaller cohort and closer mentorship, or do you want a larger program size and more opportunities for networking? What weather would you prefer as well? 

Don't worry about whether people would judge you for choosing NYU when the program doesn't offer a living stipend. Each person has their own reasons for choosing their program, so you just do you. Best of luck with your decision! I really don't think you can go wrong with either, and it is just a matter of being confident in the choice you make  

[poetrygirl]

9 hours ago, sunnysequoia said:

Congratulations on all your acceptances!! I'm on the waitlist for Minnesota for nonfiction and was rejected from NYU, and both sound like incredible programs. Personally, I would choose Minnesota over NYU for the funding and stipend, but since finances is not a decisive factor for you, I suggest considering other factors beyond faculty and location. For instance, what is the teaching load at each program, and how much would you feel comfortable teaching with the funding they are offering you? How much are the student fees, and do they pay for health insurance? Looking at the program requirements, which courses would you be excited to take? Would you prefer a smaller cohort and closer mentorship, or do you want a larger program size and more opportunities for networking? What weather would you prefer as well? 

Don't worry about whether people would judge you for choosing NYU when the program doesn't offer a living stipend. Each person has their own reasons for choosing their program, so you just do you. Best of luck with your decision! I really don't think you can go wrong with either, and it is just a matter of being confident in the choice you make  

Thanks so much for this thoughtful response! Those are some great questions! Given me a ton to think about  Thanks for this in-depth listing of factors. I'm going to do a pros v cons using these. 

That's reassuring to hear -- I've got quite sucked into the whole judgement aspect of it! I don't know if this sounds superficial but since I hope to land a funded PhD or a job in perhaps another part of the world (this could be either India or the UK or the EU or another part of Asia, but not the USA) I wonder then if NYU holds more universal weight and appeal given it might be more known in another part of the world as compared to UMN. Again, I'm very grateful to have this choice and I don't want to come across insensitive at all. I just wonder, given my future plans, which program might work better in the longer run! 

[poetrygirl]

would anyone know of any PhD programs in creative writing in Europe or the UK that offer funding?

 

[Chex]

The spirit hit and I just started writing a new SOP for the next app season. In the dead quiet of the night, it feels clearer and more sure of itself than the one before. More able to dally and parry.

I went into the 2024 app season with a lot of heart, honesty, and good intentions, but it was not enough. Honesty and raging desire aren't all it takes, I fear. I'm going to try to use the months between now and December to develop and polish new pieces, engage with other writers and the writing world, and find security in my own (he)art. I have my eyes on a few programs and will try to prepare better for them. I also plan to make some changes in my personal life - move to a different place, start a small thing, and save some money. Big, big plans, but wish me luck, y'all. 

Congratulations to everyone going this year. Save some seats for those of us coming later. Anyone who wants to workshop writing or talk general MFA tips and strategy, hit me up.

[Aotearoa]

22 hours ago, Chex said:

The spirit hit and I just started writing a new SOP for the next app season. In the dead quiet of the night, it feels clearer and more sure of itself than the one before. More able to dally and parry.

I went into the 2024 app season with a lot of heart, honesty, and good intentions, but it was not enough. Honesty and raging desire aren't all it takes, I fear. I'm going to try to use the months between now and December to develop and polish new pieces, engage with other writers and the writing world, and find security in my own (he)art. I have my eyes on a few programs and will try to prepare better for them. I also plan to make some changes in my personal life - move to a different place, start a small thing, and save some money. Big, big plans, but wish me luck, y'all. 

Congratulations to everyone going this year. Save some seats for those of us coming later. Anyone who wants to workshop writing or talk general MFA tips and strategy, hit me up.

I thought I’d come on here and finally show my results after a long long wait. For context, I’m fresh from undergrad in New Zealand and this was my first time applying to MFA programs in fiction. After being waitlisted at four programs I have gotten into:

WUSTL

USF

WVU

- still waitlisted at UMiami after an interview with Chantel and Patricia.

I am so grateful to be offered admissions to these programs. I didn’t send them that many emails when I was waitlisted- just one polite one expressing my gratitude and how I would love to be a representative from New Zealand, and patiently waited for almost two months. I got updates last week either telling me I was first on the waitlist and that I’d be offered a position if someone declined, or was offered a position. To those who have been waitlisted, don’t lose heart! There’s still time. Be patient, be polite, and if not this time, being waitlisted in a year where they’ve told me there were massive waves of applications that surpassed other years, is a testament of your promise as a writer. If nothing happens now, it will in the future. 
 

I applied to other schools including:

JHU LSU UoA VU and FSU

I was rejected, but that’s totally fine. What I find interesting is how different the programs I got into are. 

[sciencebasedlifter]

10 hours ago, Aotearoa said:

I thought I’d come on here and finally show my results after a long long wait. For context, I’m fresh from undergrad in New Zealand and this was my first time applying to MFA programs in fiction. After being waitlisted at four programs I have gotten into:

WUSTL

USF

WVU

- still waitlisted at UMiami after an interview with Chantel and Patricia.

I am so grateful to be offered admissions to these programs. I didn’t send them that many emails when I was waitlisted- just one polite one expressing my gratitude and how I would love to be a representative from New Zealand, and patiently waited for almost two months. I got updates last week either telling me I was first on the waitlist and that I’d be offered a position if someone declined, or was offered a position. To those who have been waitlisted, don’t lose heart! There’s still time. Be patient, be polite, and if not this time, being waitlisted in a year where they’ve told me there were massive waves of applications that surpassed other years, is a testament of your promise as a writer. If nothing happens now, it will in the future. 
 

I applied to other schools including:

JHU LSU UoA VU and FSU

I was rejected, but that’s totally fine. What I find interesting is how different the programs I got into are. 

not sure if you've made a decision yet but i went to WUSTL for undergrad and loved it, especially the writing program/faculty. let me know if you want to chat/DM about it!

[Scribe]

ADVICE FOR NEXT YEAR'S APPLICANTS

This is just some of what I learned this year. Every word is true. Please pass this on to whomever may need it and add your own knowledge.  And know this is just what one single (although brilliant) applicant has learned. 

 

Spread yourself around a bit. I got 15 rejections (so far). What if they were the only places I applied?

Go where you WANT. I also believed “I only need one A” and that’s true, but I didn’t apply only to places I thought I might get into. I was rejected from those too and got admitted to a school I thought was a real long shot. 

Research Research Research. Before you commit to an application, find out as much as you can. You have as many options as almost all of these schools have applicants. This is not the time to shoot from the hip. Think that every school to which you apply is one you can’t. choose wisely. Consider funding, cost of living in the school’s location, distance from home, employment and educational prospects you and for family if they’re coming with you, …

There are things to research you might not think about and may not be able to find out but it’s worth knowing. Your sample is your sample and, I believe, should not be geared to where you apply. You don’t want to be in a program that doesn’t have full support of your work. However, it may well be different for SOP’s and other essays. (That’s another place you don’t want to be surprised. ) Some schools will ask for more than an SOP. They may ask for an SOP, Teaching Statement, Personal Statement, Autobiographical Statement, Diversity Statement, or anything else. One school asked for an SOP, Personal and Autobiographical. More importantly, they weighed them more heavily than expected. If you can find these things out about your school, it can go a long way to not crafting something quickly for which you are unprepared. 

Just as important as research is knowing what you do not know. I believed even had I gotten into my longshot, I couldn’t afford to go. Not only was the stipend 50% higher than the last available numbers, the housing situation there had wildly changed. Until you know hard numbers, rule nothing out. In fact, remember how fast things can change year to year. Make no assumptions. 

Start your applications early. You don’t have to finish them… ever, but certainly not the day or week or maybe month you start. But open them all as soon as possible. Finding out what’s required may actually free up time if you realize the school isn’t for you. Another benefit is that some schools offer multiple rounds of assessment, the first of which might be free. These applications can get expensive. Which brings us to another advantage of starting early – you can spread out submissions and spread out fees. 

Wait until the deadlines for final submission. As you craft your statements for each school, you will think of things you left out of other statements, better things to say, or better ways to say them. Maybe some things not to say? You can then go back to those essays and rework them with the process gains. Once you submit them, they’re out there. It’s not typical to allow editing after submission. 

Play to the buzzer. Do not start thinking it’s over because of the first notices you received. I've so far received received 14 rejections, not including waitlists. What if they happened to be the first notices? Ultimately I was accepted at 4 places (so far) and am waitlisted at four more. Notices are not handed out in order of the programs you were most likely to be accepted by. It isn’t over until it’s over. With that in mind, don’t give up on waitlists and especially don’t abandon possible acceptances because you’re on a waitlist. Even when you have real options in which you’re confident, do not decline offers or take yourself off of a waitlist just because you have a good option. If you have multiple offers and waitlists, you can start thinking about the ones you want to drop and give other applicants a shot at having a little less anxiety. 

Learn as much as you can about how a school gets its funding. It may determine the cohort make up. This may be truer for public institutions. In the case of international students, no funding may be available. Check though. Sometimes there are scholarships and fellowships available only to certain groups. The possibility and amount of funding should absolutely be a factor in whether or not you apply. 

I don’t believe, at least as much as others, in a “fit” for a program - I’m speaking about genre. Personality, what you wish to do with your work, these things might matter more than genre. If your magical realism writing is good, I don’t think a professor who specializes in science fiction or graphic novels is going to reject you outright. You should consider where you want to go for yourself more than them. You may be able to use your essays to contextualize your writing (I would NOT suggest your writing sample specifically) in general. A personal statement or SOP can be used to reveal your social or political goals, if they apply. Yeah, you might want to be careful here but my experience says go for it. 

Where I think fit does matter? The culture of the program. Some schools, for example, have graduated and/or contingent funding. Not everybody gets the same broccoli and who gets what can change year to year. this may foster a type of competition within the cohort. Other schools may foster competition by way of attention from a mentor. I would not do well in such an environment. Some people ( I have a brother who comes to mind) absolutely thrive in that situation. Be a little introspective here. And don't think competition is the only variable. My school bans agents on campus, other schools invite them. Some schools focus on art, others on product. Many lean into the business end, others avoid it. Judge them only in terms of what you need, not they way you think "things oughta be".

Finally (until I remember something I've forgotten), do not think of any of this as a litmus for the quality of your work or your worth as a writer. That isn't a cuddly, feel-good sentiment. A look at the schools and their acceptances in both pattern and review reveals just how much of a subjective and even incidental, almost random, process this is. Let's take the 800 lb gorilla as an example. The Writer's Workshop accepts a dozen or so per genre per year. They have a very large applicant pool, most of whom applied to all of the other big gorillas. You can divide the cohort in three not necessarily equal parts. The first is people like me who applied all over the place and hit with some and missed with others. The second are those evil fucks who got into almost if not everywhere they fucking applied. The last group are people who may have applied all over the place and were rejected everywhere EXCEPT the workshop!  All of these people are not at all unusual, how is that possible? Before we guess let me give you another scenario from my own experience. I applied to two programs at the same university. Each program is funded differently and each takes three people. Those six people take the same classes, with the same teachers, at the same time. They workshop together. They all filled out two different applications but paid ONE application fee. They are however selected by different screeners before going on to the juries who decide the final cohort by rounds. Some people are accepted at both programs, some are waitlisted at both, some are accepted at one and waitlisted at the other or accepted at one and told to kick rocks by the other. I was accepted by one and didn't even make it past the first screeners at the other. What gives? Simple. Different people are looking for different things at different times. In at least one of her hand written notes to a rejectee L S C told her "Sorry it didn't happen this year." (Italics mine). 

Do not give up.

Ever. 

Sick of reading about mfa’s? maybe this will help. 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mfa-writers/id1514694295
 

[itsbeensnowing]

Finally, a rejection from UCI 😅

It really seems like a great program but idk how many times I'd be able to go through this whole "wait until the week before the deadline to get an official rejection" thing

[Scribe]

3 minutes ago, itsbeensnowing said:

Finally, a rejection from UCI 😅

It really seems like a great program but idk how many times I'd be able to go through this whole "wait until the week before the deadline to get an official rejection" thing

I know it's frustrating. I'm hoping those who are only finding out there options now have lived with the possibilities long enough to be able to make quick and painless decisions for themselves. 
I'm angry about it myself. There are still three schools who sent out acceptances and waitlists a long time ago - over a month, one i think over two months! - I am yet to hear back from and it feels insulting and dismissive. I won't say more because of been bitching about this for months and i'm sure people are tired of it but it's important for people to know they aren't alone in their rage. 

[OctopusCactus]

On 4/6/2024 at 4:36 AM, poetrygirl said:

That's reassuring to hear -- I've got quite sucked into the whole judgement aspect of it!

No one is going to know whether you got a stipend or not, how much funding you received, or whether you paid for the whole thing yourself, unless you tell them.  

[Rixor]

Still haven't heard back from some schools. Anyone else? April 15th is in just 6 days.

I'm happy to be patient, but in some cases... Man, e.g. University of South Florida completely ghosted my emails asking for clarificiation on the strange message in my admissions portal. I wouldn't want to go there anyways at this point. 

I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going at this point and I am ecstatic about it. I feel very fortunate. '

Just ~6 more days of uncertainty. Been a pleasure going through this process with you all.

[pananoprodigy]

4 hours ago, Rixor said:

Still haven't heard back from some schools. Anyone else? April 15th is in just 6 days.

I'm happy to be patient, but in some cases... Man, e.g. University of South Florida completely ghosted my emails asking for clarificiation on the strange message in my admissions portal. I wouldn't want to go there anyways at this point. 

I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going at this point and I am ecstatic about it. I feel very fortunate. '

Just ~6 more days of uncertainty. Been a pleasure going through this process with you all.

I still haven’t heard anything from Iowa or University of Oregon (fiction). :/

[justasmidge]

Just talked to an author acquaintance who graduated from a school that I didn't get into and just got longlisted for a very prestigious prize so I really feel like I can trust her judgment on this. I'm in between two schools. One that will leave me about 16k in debt and another that would leave me 40k in debt. The open house for the 40k one isn't until Thursday. It's quite a substantial price difference but I also know that if I did choose the 40k one that there are fellowship opportunities in the second year that could take the price down. 

I was concerned that the 16k school doesn't have as much name recognition as the other one, but she assured me that the name of the program doesn't matter - it's whether if you think your writing will benefit from the program's resources and if there's support from faculty. She said that one can draw on faculty connections for letters of recommendation and blurbs.

I definitely believe that the 16k school will give me a tremendous amount of guidance from all of my interactions with them so far. I do think I would be very happy there. We'll see what happens with the 40k school.