2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[prufrock_]

3 minutes ago, blondebrunette_29 said:

I am officially at my tipping point -- 4 rejections, 4 pending 😕 very nervous for what will come my way in the next few weeks

I'm sorry to hear it. I ran into the 'more rejections than pending, no acceptances or waitlists' wall yesterday and it hit me hard. I hope the best for you!

[writernity]

1 hour ago, Renrenrenren said:

me too! Was that the most vague email or what? I read it like 10 times because it didn’t even have anything about being rejected or not going with me, just, “thanks for considering us, it’s competitive”. Sooo wonky lol

Yes lol!!! The actual rejection notice is in the attached file which feels so unnecessary if they're just sending the same thing to everyone anyway 🤣

[writercl]

I asked this a little while ago and got a few responses, but are any of y'all applying to UH (University of Houston) & does the program have a good reputation? I know the PhD program is more known, but I wonder if the MFA program is good as well- 

Also, congrats to everyone who has gotten acceptances and waitlists so far 😇 & for the people who have only received rejections (like myself with 2 rejections), keep being encouraged! The right school will find you, whether it is this time around, or the next ❤️

[sunnysequoia]

I didn't get an interview at Pittsburgh and I've been waitlisted. I'm absolutely shocked. Can a school actually reject me now?????? This is too many waitlists to handle 😂😂😂

@DanielNiver Congrats on the Pittsburgh acceptance, and all your acceptances for that matter!!! We have quite a bit of overlap and I've been wondering, who is this nonfiction writer with nearly a dozen acceptances and waitlists?!?!?! 😂😂😂 Ohio State and Pittsburgh are also some of my top choices LOL

Edited February 28, 2024 by sunnysequoia

[decayingballads21]

28 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said:

I didn't get an interview at Pittsburgh and I've been waitlisted. I'm absolutely shocked. Can a school actually reject me now?????? This is too many waitlists to handle 😂😂😂

@DanielNiver Congrats on the Pittsburgh acceptance, and all your acceptances for that matter!!! We have quite a bit of overlap and I've been wondering, who is this nonfiction writer with nearly a dozen acceptances and waitlists?!?!?! 😂😂😂 Ohio State and Pittsburgh are also some of my top choices LOL

Omg sunny I’ve been thinking the same thing LOL! Go Daniel! And I’ve also been waitlisted at Pittsburgh! On three waitlists rn so I feel your pain haha. Crossing my fingers for both of us! 
 

What schools are you still waiting to hear from?

[BlueJayBird]

16 hours ago, electricstardust said:

look up the council of grad schools april 15 resolution and see if the school is listed. if they are, then i believe they have to give you until april 15

The April 15 Resolution only applies to offers of financial aid, not offers of admission. It's really lame that that's the case  but the worst that happens if you back out of an acceptance of admission is that you forfeit whatever enrollment deposit they ask you to pay (which, for some schools, may indeed be significant).

Edited February 28, 2024 by BlueJayBird
addition of relevant info

[electricstardust]

1 hour ago, Rixor said:

Congrats on the acceptances!!

It is definitely not rude. It's helpful to do it as early as possible so they can sort out the waitlist stuff. 

I don't see why it would hurt you if you knew 100% that you didn't want to attend. There's a tiny chance that both of your other two acceptances could be cancelled or something, but I doubt it's worth fretting over. 

Time/finances might be a good "out." I would probably just thank them profusely and let them know that a different program suited your situation better, and that you wanted to notify as soon as possible for their convenience. 

thank you!! and thank you for the response! the school did even say they’d like to know as soon as possible haha, i just feel bad/sad turning them down lol

3 minutes ago, BlueJayBird said:

The April 15 Resolution only applies to offers of financial aid, not offers of admission. It's really lame that that's the case 

oh wow i had no idea, my bad! that is really lame :/

[orangee]

Got my UT Austin rejections last night--New Writers' Project and Michener. Not gonna lie, y'all, the NWP one stings like a mfer. I was waitlisted last year and had high (perhaps too high) hopes for getting in this year. I was straight-up fantasizing about my poetryful life in Austin. Alas...

OK, sad wallowy monologue over. Congratulations to all who have been accepted to UT Austin! It's a great, lively city (from what I remember) and the faculty seem fantastic.

Edited February 28, 2024 by orangee

[Scribe]

5 hours ago, lychees said:

Thank you (and @Scribe) for the advice, I really appreciate it! Unfortunately Colorado State isn't listed there — I guess I'm wondering if it's a social faux pas to email and formally request an extension if they aren't listed? Or if I can expect to even receive an extension even if CSU isn't part of the resolution? 

this is for all the marbles. act like it. ask. I wouldn't wait either, if you are going to ask for more time, give the courtesy of giving them time to decide and get back to you. and don't be afraid to mention that's what you're doing. simply explain that you have a lot of balls in the air right now and there are work, family, and other dynamics at play and some more time would be appreciated. 

4 hours ago, lastnightagain said:

Hope everyone is well today. Has anyone heard of any acceptances from UNC-Wilmington this cycle?

They were on my list so i'm interested to know about their funding offer. let us know when you hear. 

[Scribe]

3 hours ago, blondebrunette_29 said:

I am officially at my tipping point -- 4 rejections, 4 pending 😕 very nervous for what will come my way in the next few weeks

 

3 hours ago, prufrock_ said:

I'm sorry to hear it. I ran into the 'more rejections than pending, no acceptances or waitlists' wall yesterday and it hit me hard. I hope the best for you!

Let me tell you and everyone else thinking like this something you already know, this is not how math works. after this is all over, you can write all your acceptances, rejections, and waitlists on index cards, shuffle them, and get a different order - or the opposite order - or the same order. what if all your acceptances came first - then you sat back happy waiting for michner, michigan, iowa, vandy, and jhu? would you presume you'd be getting in? no, of course not. 

this is a variation on the gambler's fallacy. each event is unrelated. 

those thinking about whether to cut schools loose early (before they accept another offer or have more, or are holding out for a waitlist rather than say yes somewhere) should think about this too. not only is it still early, as long as you have one pending app, it's on the table. 

when you know, you know. THEN you sign the form and decline the other offers and waitlists or call sour grapes. until then, play to the buzzer. 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2024 by Scribe

[Scribe]

AND 

A

NOTHER 

THING!

most people who apply to MFA programs this year will get in nowhere. if you get in anywhere, or are even waitlisted, it's a pretty good show.

if you are rejected everywhere, then next year go hard in the paint, play to the buzzer, and leave it all on the floor. 

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

That includes the pursuit of instruction. 

[jbs]

Anyone have any info on VCU's program? I am "quite high" on the waitlist. 

[Scribe]

Rutgers is apparently sending out interview requests. Of course, it’s one of the schools where my recommender failed me. 

[ssuunn]

Just FYI, GradCafe keeps trying to download a virus exe every time I load the forum. I think they keep getting hacked. Be safe!

[Chex]

NYU's funding offer is shit, LOL. They're offering half tuition scholarship. Absolutely not! God, I hope this is not the only acceptance I get. 😭

[Scribe]

1 minute ago, Chex said:

NYU's funding offer is shit, LOL. They're offering half tuition scholarship. Absolutely not! God, I hope this is not the only acceptance I get. 😭

you can ask for more but i don't know how that works. i do know 50% leaves a lot to pay for. then there's the roof and food. 

[writernity]

Finally got a funding offer followup from Stony Brook! It's the 25% tuition + small stipend one some others here have gotten. The letter said this is "one of the highest offers our program is able to make" and they mentioned at the open house that they don't really offer full tuition to anyone anymore, so I'm not sure if they still offer the 50% funding TAship they advertise on the website or if this is what that one dropped to. I'm a little disappointed because I really like SB, but this might be too much for me to pay for unless I don't get any better offers and decide I really want to stick with it.

[decayingballads21]

I know waitlists are good but for some reason it feels like being a last minute choice to fill a spot rather than being someone they actually rly want in the program. My brain keeps coming to this negative conclusions about it. Can someone make me feel better about waitlist status 😭😭

[Scribe]

5 minutes ago, writernity said:

Finally got a funding offer followup from Stony Brook! It's the 25% tuition + small stipend one some others here have gotten. The letter said this is "one of the highest offers our program is able to make" and they mentioned at the open house that they don't really offer full tuition to anyone anymore, so I'm not sure if they still offer the 50% funding TAship they advertise on the website or if this is what that one dropped to. I'm a little disappointed because I really like SB, but this might be too much for me to pay for unless I don't get any better offers and decide I really want to stick with it.

are you a resident? if so, it amounts to a free ride... almost. 

i, apparently, am being offered dick. 

[AngusWanderer]

8 hours ago, yumeii said:

hiii did anyone get accepted or waitlisted by notre dame? i got put on the waitlist and was wondering how many other ppl got waitlisted/accepted :') it's my top choice so i'm rly hoping to get off the waitlist aaahh (if u plan on attending elsewhere pls let them know bc this wait is killing me T^T)

I'm assuming this is for fiction as they're still interviewing poetry applicants? 

5 hours ago, Renrenrenren said:

me too! Was that the most vague email or what? I read it like 10 times because it didn’t even have anything about being rejected or not going with me, just, “thanks for considering us, it’s competitive”. Sooo wonky lol

It took me five reads and it was the most stream-of-consciousness rejection I've ever read. Then I found out I missed the attached rejection letter. 

17 minutes ago, Chex said:

NYU's funding offer is shit, LOL. They're offering half tuition scholarship. Absolutely not! God, I hope this is not the only acceptance I get. 😭

Oh no Chex, sorry to hear that! NYU is notorious for its ridiculously high tuition...

[writernity]

3 minutes ago, Scribe said:

are you a resident? if so, it amounts to a free ride... almost. 

i, apparently, am being offered dick. 

I am a NY resident, but 25% tuition means I'd still have to pay about 23.5k for the 2 years 😅 and more if I did the extra semester they encourage. Plus whatever it costs to do the summer Southhampton conference, which they don't fully cover. That is NOT a full ride by any means and even putting the full 2 years stipend towards tuition would bring it down to 10.5k, so I'd still have some debt and still have to work for living expenses. It's not a HORRIBLE amount of debt which is why I'm still keeping it in consideration, but it's definitely not ideal.

[Scribe]

17 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

I know waitlists are good but for some reason it feels like being a last minute choice to fill a spot rather than being someone they actually rly want in the program. My brain keeps coming to this negative conclusions about it. Can someone make me feel better about waitlist status 😭😭

nope. they sat around reading and commenting and sometimes even arguing. before any selection was made you were in a pool of candidates they wanted. from there they had to make eliminations because there are only so many resources. 

@writernityhow did they make the offer? email? call?

[Hjanep]

31 minutes ago, Chex said:

NYU's funding offer is shit, LOL. They're offering half tuition scholarship. Absolutely not! God, I hope this is not the only acceptance I get. 😭

Do we know what their tuition is? I wonder if anyone is going to slam the door in NYU’s face or if everyone is going to hold out for April to see if they sweeten the deal

[writernity]

7 minutes ago, Scribe said:

@writernityhow did they make the offer? email? call?

Yesterday I got the "acceptance offer pending admissions board review" email I mentioned, and then today I got an email to check my portal where there was a more official acceptance and funding offer!

[decayingballads21]

On 2/26/2024 at 3:30 PM, lychees said:

Just received an email notifying me that I'm waitlisted for University of New Mexico — bringing the total up to three waitlists so far! Here's to hoping that more good news comes to everyone this week. 

Congrats on your waitlist!! I’m also waitlisted here and it’s one of my top programs. I’m curious to know how big their waitlist is and if it’s ranked. I already emailed them thanking them for the update and letting them know I’m very interested. Would it be weird to email again and inquire about the waitlist? I don’t want bother them haha but am definitely wanting to know more.