chruchchirp Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 32 minutes ago, 3feetofsnow said: 0a/2w/2r/8p I’ve been lurking here for a few days after getting rejections from two schools and looking for other people in the same boat. May I ask which school you were accepted to? If it’s one of the schools I’m waiting on it’d be nice to know to expect something. I applied to Michigan for fiction but haven’t heard anything. it looks like there was a waitlist posted for umich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssuunn Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 (edited) 3 minutes ago, chruchchirp said: it looks like there was a waitlist posted for umich There was someone posting fake results to Grad Cafe (or maybe they typed the wrong school); Michigan likely won't start notifying until next week. edit: I thought you were referring to an older one. I see there was one just posted... hmm. Edited February 16 by ssuunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rixor Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 1 hour ago, mudpuddle1 said: 1a/0w/0r/4p Ahh!! It's so hard being patient. Still waiting to hear from these schools (for fiction!): University of Tennessee Oregon State University of Michigan University of Kentucky Anyone else? Yes, I'm waiting on Oregon State! One fiction acceptance so far in the sheet. I was told they give one acceptance earlier than the others so they can be nominated for a fellowship. Here's hoping! mudpuddle1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chruchchirp Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 7 minutes ago, ssuunn said: There was someone posting fake results to Grad Cafe (or maybe they typed the wrong school); Michigan likely won't start notifying until next week. edit: I thought you were referring to an older one. I see there was one just posted... hmm. yeah i don’t think it’s fake, it’s very recent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadedoptimist Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Oh dear... guess I'm assuming a rejection for UMich, Virginia Tech, Syracuse and Northwestern now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3feetofsnow Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 I just found the draft group on Facebook after seeing references in this thread and having no idea what it was haha, so I requested to join earlier. It will be nice to have a better estimate of the possible size of waitlists etc, and know when things might be coming down the pike. I’m interested to see if today is as busy as yesterday was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespruce Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 A Michigan alum on Draft commented earlier this morning that the previous Michigan notification, at least, was definitely fake... And last year they didn't notify until the last week of Feb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssuunn Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 @jadedoptimist I haven't seen anything for UMich on Draft. This would make them an entire week early based on when they notified last year. I wouldn't worry yet. However, VTech gave out a poetry waitlist on 2/2, so I imagine they're done with making decisions. I think Syracuse poetry also already went out too. jadedoptimist 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudpuddle1 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 12 minutes ago, Rixor said: Yes, I'm waiting on Oregon State! One fiction acceptance so far in the sheet. I was told they give one acceptance earlier than the others so they can be nominated for a fellowship. Here's hoping! According to the Draft results, they already nominated one person from poetry and fiction for fellowships. A general acceptance is still totally in the cards though!!! 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triciadawn Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Boston poetry acceptance yesterday up on the spreadsheet. After the rejection massacre on Valentines day, I wonder what this means if I still don’t have a rejection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profoundprofligate Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Is it safe to say that no word from Vanderbilt at this point means a rejection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3feetofsnow Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 1 minute ago, profoundprofligate said: Is it safe to say that no word from Vanderbilt at this point means a rejection? For poetry, yes I believe so, but I’m not sure if they’ve sent anything out for fiction yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pananoprodigy Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Prowling the past threads again and just realized University of Arizona notifs started going out this day last year and the year before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chruchchirp Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssuunn Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 4 minutes ago, chruchchirp said: i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared I would look at the MFA as the opportunity to hone your craft and start on your first book. It's not really in a professor's wheelhouse to focus on the book publishing side of things. I also just wouldn't worry about that; people who don't go to Michigan or Iowa still have books published. branch, BarryDairy, 3feetofsnow and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prufrock_ Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 4 minutes ago, chruchchirp said: i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared is the program fully funded? Having 2+ years to focus on reading and writing will get you closer to publishing, no matter what else happens. I don't think getting into any program is going to make you published. creativewritingmfa.info/rankings/ - this website ranks programs based on published output (with a focus on short work). This might feel you a little less scared if the program is on there? BarryDairy and pomelo 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangojalapeno Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 (edited) 8 hours ago, Chex said: Y'all, I'm on three straight Rs at the moment and... ('panicking' is too dramatic a word for what I'm feeling, so I'm going to go with 'congealing') congealing in spirits. 😭😭 I'm surprisingly not feeling too terrible about it. I think all who got accepted or waitlisted eminently deserved it and your joy gives me joy. My writing/application is good but maybe not so good enough yet, so I appreciate the feedback. I know it's still really early and anything can change at a moment's notice (I certainly hope it does!), but I'm also seriously considering the very real possibility that I get in nowhere. What a bummer. Bummer. Bummer. I'd still be super proud of myself, though. I bet on myself. Despite everything going on in my life, I believed I deserved to get a spot in one of the most elusive and exclusive graduate programmes in the world, and I fought for myself! Love that for me and I'm not stopping! I'm going to keep writing my heart out and someday someone will hear me!! Good luck to us all as the rest of the season unfolds. Bring on the decisions, ye MFA lordlings!!! yeah it's definitely congealing (and conflagrating and conxxx (i'm out of words)). I've been using some sour grape copium the past few days: if I get in somewhere great I'm a talented, promising fox, if I get in nowhere it just means I'm a different fox Edited February 16 by mangojalapeno Chex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3feetofsnow Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 24 minutes ago, chruchchirp said: i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared Maybe what they meant is that people aren’t going to look at your bio and use your alma mater as a reason for publishing you? Like “oh they went to x program, they must be good!” Publishing isn’t like hiring; it’s pretty much always about how well your specific piece fits with what the publisher is seeking. And an mfa program will ideally help you to improve in your writing, which should help you meet these expectations for publication more consistently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profoundprofligate Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 3 minutes ago, 3feetofsnow said: For poetry, yes I believe so, but I’m not sure if they’ve sent anything out for fiction yet Appreciate the response! Ah darn, I applied for poetry...on to the next 3feetofsnow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3feetofsnow Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 1 minute ago, profoundprofligate said: Appreciate the response! Ah darn, I applied for poetry...on to the next Ah I’m sorry, best of luck going forward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mangojalapeno Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 49 minutes ago, chruchchirp said: i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared hmm I'd interpret what they said in a slightly different way. It sounds like a clever way with a touch of sarcasm to say "we're not prestigious or exclusive or anything, there's no networking or fraternity or whatever that you can rely on and feel comfortable, we got to keep fighting and there's no easy way out" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3feetofsnow Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Looks like several people heard back from USC yesterday about acceptances, so if I don’t hear anything today I expect it’ll either be a w or an r for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarryDairy Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 1 hour ago, chruchchirp said: i got into a program and though i’m not deluded about publishing, i had hopes about what i could accomplish in the program. but according to some of the students in the program, it’s just not something professors focus on. they said unless the program was michigan or iowa or something adjacent, no program will really get you closer to publishing. i feel so discouraged and scared It's great you got into a program! Congrats! What you can accomplish in the program is totally up to you. From my writing friends who have both been published and went to grad school for writing, they have also echoed the same sentiment. Some programs do have a publishing track, courses to help you navigate the world of publishing, and networking events that will help you meet industry professionals, but at the end of the day, your writing is the only determinant of whether you'll be published. From friends who haven't been published but went through an MFA, they tended to focus less on craft learning and workshopping. Most who did not go on to publish specifically just used their MFA time as space to write. 3feetofsnow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chruchchirp Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Thank you to everyone for your responses. I think I have a lot to chew on (i.e. deciding what do i intend to use my time in the mfa for and what meaning am i ascribing to prestige?) its difficult i guess to feel like you are not from the chosen few because of what it implies about your writing and what its worth Chex, BarryDairy and 3feetofsnow 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lychees Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Just got an email from the director of the MFA program at Northern Michigan about my application — I'm unsure if anyone else is applying there, but they have definitely begun reviewing applications, so here's hoping for good news (or any news!) soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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