2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[justasmidge]

On 3/29/2024 at 11:01 AM, OctopusCactus said:

They didn't forget, schools just hold some funds in reserve to negotiate with. First offer does not equal final/best offer. I know multiple people who have successfully negotiated better funding for MFAs, and having a fully funded offer in your pocket is a great point of negotiating leverage! 

You are right - they told me that they were waiting for my FAFSA info to come in before they awarded funding.

Let this be a lesson not to get down on yourself if you don't get a funding offer immediately. I honestly thought, despite my other acceptances, that I wasn't good enough because I didn't get funding at first, when really, it turns out it was a matter of paperwork.

[jadedoptimist]

Just wanted to pop in and say hi as the season winds down and we get closer to the 15th. I'm so thankful for the support of this community when I was stressing hard in February! I've officially accepted my offer from Brown 

I'll be back checking in next year for sure to see how people from this cycle who chose to reapply are doing, to try to pay the support forward! If anyone wants feedback on their personal statement or sample this summer (poetry) I would be more than happy to correspond, just message me! Love y'all!

[darr1]

1 hour ago, jadedoptimist said:

Just wanted to pop in and say hi as the season winds down and we get closer to the 15th. I'm so thankful for the support of this community when I was stressing hard in February! I've officially accepted my offer from Brown 

I'll be back checking in next year for sure to see how people from this cycle who chose to reapply are doing, to try to pay the support forward! If anyone wants feedback on their personal statement or sample this summer (poetry) I would be more than happy to correspond, just message me! Love y'all!

I have friends who went there for undergrad and said the faculty are SO amazing. Congratulations!!

[decayingballads21]

If anyone is on the waitlist at Oregon state for nonfiction and doesn’t plan on attending pls let them know asap!!! im crossing all my fingers and toes that I can get in, it’s my dream school  😭😭

 

standing in solidarity with all those still on waitlists and sending lots of love and good vibes to you all!!!🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

[waitlistpurgatory]

Hello! I was recently notified that a school's waitlist has officially closed. I appreciated them emailing me rather than making me wait until April 15th. I was going to email back just to say that I appreciated the follow up, but I was also wondering if I could potentially ask for feedback.

I figured there wasn't a risk in asking (even if they, most likely, say no) but now I'm second guessing whether I should do that in case it comes off as unprofessional or needy/desperate, idk. I keep going back and forth on this but was wondering if other people have asked in the past and how that's worked out or if there's a general convention that you shouldn't ask or it's pointless to ask since they will say no. Thank you for any insight!!

[prufrock_]

23 minutes ago, waitlistpurgatory said:

Hello! I was recently notified that a school's waitlist has officially closed. I appreciated them emailing me rather than making me wait until April 15th. I was going to email back just to say that I appreciated the follow up, but I was also wondering if I could potentially ask for feedback.

I figured there wasn't a risk in asking (even if they, most likely, say no) but now I'm second guessing whether I should do that in case it comes off as unprofessional or needy/desperate, idk. I keep going back and forth on this but was wondering if other people have asked in the past and how that's worked out or if there's a general convention that you shouldn't ask or it's pointless to ask since they will say no. Thank you for any insight!!

Most schools say 'we can't give feedback on rejections' on their website. I suppose asking for feedback on a rejection from the waitlist is a bit different, but worth double checking their site to make sure they say not to even ask.

I'm not sure how much actionable advice you'd get other than 'you would have been accepted but xyz fit better for rounding out the cohort, try again next year.'

i'm just speculating though, if anyone else has more insight i'm also curious (since i'm on a few waitlists as well!).

[nothingnothing]

anyone from outside of NY thinking about going to a program in NY? how are you thinking through housing? anyone asking for more funding regarding this?

Got accepted to programs in two of the most expensive cities in the country, and though the funding is great the relocation is absurd.

[aurqcyei]

4 hours ago, waitlistpurgatory said:

Hello! I was recently notified that a school's waitlist has officially closed. I appreciated them emailing me rather than making me wait until April 15th. I was going to email back just to say that I appreciated the follow up, but I was also wondering if I could potentially ask for feedback.

I figured there wasn't a risk in asking (even if they, most likely, say no) but now I'm second guessing whether I should do that in case it comes off as unprofessional or needy/desperate, idk. I keep going back and forth on this but was wondering if other people have asked in the past and how that's worked out or if there's a general convention that you shouldn't ask or it's pointless to ask since they will say no. Thank you for any insight!!

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm a first time applicant, but I'm of the opinion that I don't think it'll hurt. Not professional or needy if you're polite and say that you understand if they can't, but obviously be prepared for a no or a 'balanced cohort' response like prufrock mentioned. Asking from the waitlist makes more sense than a rejection, IMO, especially if you're asking if there's anything that would have pushed your application over the edge. 

[twoolspun]

1 hour ago, nothingnothing said:

anyone from outside of NY thinking about going to a program in NY? how are you thinking through housing? anyone asking for more funding regarding this?

Got accepted to programs in two of the most expensive cities in the country, and though the funding is great the relocation is absurd.

If we're talking Columbia my friend went through their student housing (he moved from Tampa). Said it was straight-forward and affordable for what it is. It was in Morningside Heights/Manhattanvillea area. Don't know about NYU or other schools. What schools and genre are you looking at? 

[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, 2024 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.