prufrock_ Posted January 29 Posted January 29 I didn't think creative writing MFA's had interviews for admissions? is that common?
Rixor Posted January 29 Posted January 29 4 minutes ago, prufrock_ said: I didn't think creative writing MFA's had interviews for admissions? is that common? It's definitely not the norm but some programs do have interviews. prufrock_ 1
Southron Posted January 29 Posted January 29 (edited) 1 hour ago, prufrock_ said: I didn't think creative writing MFA's had interviews for admissions? is that common? I've heard that more and more programs are adding an interview step to their admissions process since the pandemic. Edited January 29 by Southron prufrock_ 1
triciadawn Posted January 29 Posted January 29 (edited) 25 minutes ago, seeleimraum said: Just wanted to share that UNC Greensboro emailed letting me know that my app "has started winding its way through the admissions committee." I also checked my Submittable account (which is where we had to submit the poetry sample) and the label has indeed turned from 'Received' to 'In Progress.' So, for anyone else who may have applied there - let the games begin. And may the odds be ever in our favor. I got that same email a couple of weeks ago for fiction! Did you just receive yours? Edited January 29 by triciadawn
Jersh Posted January 29 Posted January 29 17 minutes ago, triciadawn said: I got that same email a couple of weeks ago for fiction! Did you just receive yours? I also just got that email today for fiction! Gave me a heart attack bc I thought it was an actual decision at first 🙃 but I guess it's nice of them to keep us in the loop along the way seeleimraum 1
triciadawn Posted January 29 Posted January 29 17 minutes ago, Jersh said: I also just got that email today for fiction! Gave me a heart attack bc I thought it was an actual decision at first 🙃 but I guess it's nice of them to keep us in the loop along the way I know, right! Why are they playing with our emotions like this? I wonder why the email is being sent out at different times, though. seeleimraum 1
Jersh Posted January 29 Posted January 29 Also, is it just me, or does UNCG's program seem bizarrely not talked about given its ranking (not to mention it being the second oldest MFA after Iowa)? No one on Draft has mentioned it, and according to last year's spreadsheet it looks like only one person applied last cycle. From what I can tell it looks like a really solid fully funded program, plus they have a very active FB page posting about readings/events almost every week.... I guess I'm just confused why no one has much to say about it anecdotally. Would love to hear more about the program if anyone has additional details!
Southron Posted January 29 Posted January 29 (edited) 17 minutes ago, Jersh said: Also, is it just me, or does UNCG's program seem bizarrely not talked about given its ranking (not to mention it being the second oldest MFA after Iowa)? No one on Draft has mentioned it, and according to last year's spreadsheet it looks like only one person applied last cycle. From what I can tell it looks like a really solid fully funded program, plus they have a very active FB page posting about readings/events almost every week.... I guess I'm just confused why no one has much to say about it anecdotally. Would love to hear more about the program if anyone has additional details! If I had to guess, it might be because it is a regional college to UNC and a two-year degree. Many of the students I know prioritize three-year programs over the two-year (with the exception of places like Iowa or UM) and apply to flagship colleges over regional ones. Edited January 29 by Southron
Scribe Posted January 29 Posted January 29 So, just because I can't access Draft and therefore the spreadsheet, I'll post here. I've applied to 28 programs and at 903 this morning heard back from UI Bloomington - waitlisted. anyone know a page here where there's a list of responses and dates. I've perused but no one put up a list yet.
TPike Posted January 29 Posted January 29 6 hours ago, Elle18 said: Hi everyone!! My name is Elle! I was not planning on posting here but i’m caving lol. This is my second year applying for fiction programs. I got accepted to Boulder last year, but didn’t get any funding sooo here i am again! Is anyone else waiting on an acceptance to the Draft facebook group?? I swear i’ve been waiting for them to accept my request for a week😭 Hi Elle! What type of writing do you do?
sunnysequoia Posted January 29 Posted January 29 19 hours ago, GoldenTree said: I definitely wish I could fast forward until early March too but there is so much to look forward to outside of these applications. Namely, some of those small joyful moments of life we often taken for granted. At my uni, there was a MFA panel, and one thing they emphasized was 90% was on the writing sample. If they love the writing, and they see little issues with anything else, chances are, you'll definitely get in. I don't think mentioning the publication and nomination is necessarily a bad thing. I for one, listed my entire publication record within my CV (as I've seen some CW profs do) and gave it to all schools. I also directly stated "I was interested in teaching" and I don't regret it at all because it's the truth. Plus, not all schools are the same. I know Syracuse actually wanted a teaching statement from me, so not all of them will be turned off by it. And if they are, it is something I'm interested in. My poetry mentor did tell me that in these SOPs I shouldn't be something I'm not, and neither should any of us. I for one am a bit tired of pretending to be something I'm not. I'm definitely past that point in my life. What's done is done. Nothing is 100% perfect to everyone at every point in time. Plus, I think we need to look at rejection a bit differently. I once heard a quote from a friend one time. "Rejection is redirection and protection." So remember that all of us will end up where we're supposed to be. And there's still hope. Who knows, maybe in a couple weeks, you'll be so excited about the program you got in. The writing sample is undoubtedly the most important component of the application. That being said, my former advisor told me that they want candidates who will also thrive within and contribute positively to a writing community. While the writing sample shows your capabilities as a writer and artist, the personal statement shows them who you are as a human being. Humility is extremely important; they don't want people with an ego. Apparently every year, programs receive applications where people say things like, I want to win the Pulitzer or Nobel Prize. That's a major red flag, because this indicates that these folks are only thinking about what they can take from a program and not what they can contribute to it. You can have an incredible writing sample, and you can still be rejected for culture fit (I have a background in recruiting, so this happens across different industries; being able to gel with the people is just as important as having the skills necessary to do the work). Not trying to scare anyone into second-guessing their personal statement now (which I know we're all doing LOL), but just want to qualify the claim that the writing sample is the only component that matters, and hopefully this insight can help if folks end up applying again in future cycles. Rixor and wmly 2
seeleimraum Posted January 29 Posted January 29 1 hour ago, triciadawn said: I got that same email a couple of weeks ago for fiction! Did you just receive yours? Yes, just got mine a few hours ago! From my observations, it seems like fiction usually hears back before poetry...at least in this cycle. Though honestly it's hard to make sense of any pattern. I doubt one really exists lol
seeleimraum Posted January 29 Posted January 29 1 hour ago, Jersh said: I also just got that email today for fiction! Gave me a heart attack bc I thought it was an actual decision at first 🙃 but I guess it's nice of them to keep us in the loop along the way Same I read the subject line and literally choked on air 😅 plus 'UPdate' really sent me lmao & It does seem to be a program that's a bit under the radar. Hope it's like that in reality, as far as app numbers go this cycle...then maybe I'll have a better chance of getting in LOL Jersh 1
sunnysequoia Posted January 29 Posted January 29 (edited) Does anyone know why Hunter College offers full ride packages (in-state tuition) for fiction and poetry students but not nonfiction? I'm on the fence about whether I should apply... I really like the professors and the program has an excellent reputation, but this feels extremely inequitable and doesn't sit right with me. I've applied to several NYC programs (Sarah Lawrence, NYU, and The New School) because I couldn't let go of my NYC writerly dreams, but even if I receive full funding at NYU (which seems very rare), realistically idk how I would afford the outrageous living expenses in NYC on an insufficient stipend. Considering I've already been waitlisted at Ohio State and am waiting to hear back from 9 more fully funded programs, I'm not sure if it's worth forking over another $75 application fee for Hunter. Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? Edited January 29 by sunnysequoia
GoldenTree Posted January 30 Posted January 30 (edited) 1 hour ago, sunnysequoia said: The writing sample is undoubtedly the most important component of the application. That being said, my former advisor told me that they want candidates who will also thrive within and contribute positively to a writing community. While the writing sample shows your capabilities as a writer and artist, the personal statement shows them who you are as a human being. Humility is extremely important; they don't want people with an ego. Apparently every year, programs receive applications where people say things like, I want to win the Pulitzer or Nobel Prize. That's a major red flag, because this indicates that these folks are only thinking about what they can take from a program and not what they can contribute to it. You can have an incredible writing sample, and you can still be rejected for culture fit (I have a background in recruiting, so this happens across different industries; being able to gel with the people is just as important as having the skills necessary to do the work). Not trying to scare anyone into second-guessing their personal statement now (which I know we're all doing LOL), but just want to qualify the claim that the writing sample is the only component that matters, and hopefully this insight can help if folks end up applying again in future cycles. I definitely see what you're saying about programs wanting to make sure we'll fit the community. You're on point when you mention that all these programs have cultures and some part of it is seeing to see if an applicant fits into said culture. I do stand by what I heard at the panel though about the writing sample being the bulk of the application's importance. I think both things can be simultaneously true and or differ school to school. I will add that this is quite a subjective process and after reading your post it only made me view it as even more subjective. I wouldn't view someone who had the goal of getting a Pulitzer prize as lacking humility, I'd view that as ambition and a goal. Clearly though, these people are going to be making hard judgements on us they likely wouldn't want on themselves. It kind of makes me sad and upset at the same time in all honesty. I understand there is a give and a take in these programs. Still, most fully funded programs don't offer a livable wage (some only offer 12k per year before taxes). At the end of the day, these schools do use MFA students, I've seen it first hand at one of the top MFA schools in the country. I don't think anyone should be upset students want a lot out of the experience when the experience is going to take a lot from them. Edited January 30 by GoldenTree Chex, triciadawn and bluebikeyikes 3
Scribe Posted January 30 Posted January 30 42 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said: Does anyone know why Hunter College offers full ride packages (in-state tuition) for fiction and poetry students but not nonfiction? I'm on the fence about whether I should apply... I really like the professors and the program has an excellent reputation, but this feels extremely inequitable and doesn't sit right with me. I've applied to several NYC programs (Sarah Lawrence, NYU, and The New School) because I couldn't let go of my NYC writerly dreams, but even if I receive full funding at NYU (which seems very rare), realistically idk how I would afford the outrageous living expenses in NYC on an insufficient stipend. Considering I've already been waitlisted at Ohio State and am waiting to hear back from 9 more fully funded programs, I'm not sure if it's worth forking over another $75 application fee for Hunter. Does anyone have any thoughts on what I should do? native new yorker. all stipends are insufficient. if i didn't already live here, i'm not sure I'd apply either. i did though. and you're right about the professors. as for NYU, they have money and they give it out, but you couldn't live on that either. a job is just kind of a given. don't give up. i do wonder why NYC is so important to you. i think it's probably better to live here as a writer than struggle here as a student. wow, i sound douchie. i don't mean to be. there's good and bad everywhere. wherever you go, enjoy it!
sunnysequoia Posted January 30 Posted January 30 38 minutes ago, GoldenTree said: I definitely see what you're saying about programs wanting to make sure we'll fit the community. You're on point when you mention that all these programs have cultures and some part of it is seeing to see if an applicant fits into said culture. I do stand by what I heard at the panel though about the writing sample being the bulk of the application's importance. I think both things can be simultaneously true and or differ school to school. I will add that this is quite a subjective process and after reading your post it only made me view it as even more subjective. I wouldn't view someone who had the goal of getting a Pulitzer prize as lacking humility, I'd view that as ambition and a goal. Clearly though, these people are going to be making hard judgements on us they likely wouldn't want on themselves. It kind of makes me sad and upset at the same time in all honesty. I understand there is a give and a take in these programs. Still, most fully funded programs don't offer a livable wage (some only offer 12k per year before taxes). At the end of the day, these schools do use MFA students, I've seen it first hand at one of the top MFA schools in the country. I don't think anyone should be upset students want a lot out of the experience when the experience is going to take a lot from them. All totally valid points! I agree that both can be true, and this is all an extremely subjective and individual process within each program. 30 minutes ago, Scribe said: native new yorker. all stipends are insufficient. if i didn't already live here, i'm not sure I'd apply either. i did though. and you're right about the professors. as for NYU, they have money and they give it out, but you couldn't live on that either. a job is just kind of a given. don't give up. i do wonder why NYC is so important to you. i think it's probably better to live here as a writer than struggle here as a student. wow, i sound douchie. i don't mean to be. there's good and bad everywhere. wherever you go, enjoy it! Haha no, your insights are helpful! I've lived in the SF Bay Area my whole life and need to get out of here, and NYC is where I would want to be if I didn't have to worry about money (and ironically, it is also the one place in the country more expensive than the Bay). But I know pragmatically, it makes more sense to prioritize pursuing my MFA somewhere with affordable living costs. After all, the whole reason I'm pursuing an MFA is to have the time to work on my writing, and having to work a 9-5 at the same time to pay my bills would be absolutely self-defeating. I know I would be overwhelmed trying to juggle both. I could move to NYC any time in my life after an MFA and when I have stable income to support living there. As to why NYC is so important to me, I've kinda had an uncanny fixation on this city over the past year. A psychic told me that I was gonna meet my future spouse there, in a one-on-one encounter outdoors, and that I would be married by 30 LOL. The first thing she had told me during that reading -- and I literally hadn't told her anything about myself -- was that my career was destined to be in the arts, in writing and music and film. I was like, there is absolutely no way she is making this up 😆 I guess if I don't end up in NYC for my MFA, maybe I'll still end up there for an internship or weekend trip or something and meet my soulmate then 😅
antseverywhereallatonce Posted January 30 Posted January 30 Hey everybody! I hope you all are doing well, and it's nice to meet everybody! I just made an account and wanted to say good luck to everyone. Rooting for you all! triciadawn, Chex and Rixor 3
sunnysequoia Posted January 30 Posted January 30 4 minutes ago, antseverywhereallatonce said: Hey everybody! I hope you all are doing well, and it's nice to meet everybody! I just made an account and wanted to say good luck to everyone. Rooting for you all! Welcome to the thread! Good luck to you as well! 😄 antseverywhereallatonce 1
antseverywhereallatonce Posted January 30 Posted January 30 3 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said: Welcome to the thread! Good luck to you as well! 😄 Thanks so much for the kind wishes! I really appreciate it, how have you been doing lately? And it's so cool you do nonfiction!
sunnysequoia Posted January 30 Posted January 30 Just now, antseverywhereallatonce said: Thanks so much for the kind wishes! I really appreciate it, how have you been doing lately? And it's so cool you do nonfiction! Aww thanks for asking! I'm biting my nails like everyone else on here LOL, but I'm doing well! I've been making a detailed color-coded calendar to plan my weekends for the next six months, because if I get into somewhere, I figure that's how much time I have left in the SF Bay before I move, and I want to make sure I do everything I want to do and spend as much time as possible with the people who matter to me. I highly recommend that everyone do this actually! Will keep you occupied and grounded in the present moment before everything changes. How have you been? Are you also applying for nonfiction? Rixor and antseverywhereallatonce 2
antseverywhereallatonce Posted January 30 Posted January 30 12 minutes ago, sunnysequoia said: Aww thanks for asking! I'm biting my nails like everyone else on here LOL, but I'm doing well! I've been making a detailed color-coded calendar to plan my weekends for the next six months, because if I get into somewhere, I figure that's how much time I have left in the SF Bay before I move, and I want to make sure I do everything I want to do and spend as much time as possible with the people who matter to me. I highly recommend that everyone do this actually! Will keep you occupied and grounded in the present moment before everything changes. How have you been? Are you also applying for nonfiction? That is totally valid, I feel like the waiting is definitely the most difficult part of the process. I'm glad you're doing well otherwise though, and I hope you have a great move if you end up attending somewhere outside the Bay Area. Your idea is great, and I am definitely going to consider doing something similar, thanks very much for sharing it with us all. I've been hanging in there, thanks for asking! I am mostly writing for fiction programs alongside a few screenwriting programs, but I admire you all doing nonfiction. It's such a cool field, and I really love all the writing you do! sunnysequoia 1
pomelo Posted January 30 Posted January 30 3 hours ago, Jersh said: Also, is it just me, or does UNCG's program seem bizarrely not talked about given its ranking (not to mention it being the second oldest MFA after Iowa)? No one on Draft has mentioned it, and according to last year's spreadsheet it looks like only one person applied last cycle. From what I can tell it looks like a really solid fully funded program, plus they have a very active FB page posting about readings/events almost every week.... I guess I'm just confused why no one has much to say about it anecdotally. Would love to hear more about the program if anyone has additional details! I’m from Greensboro and I didn’t realize UNCG’s program existed, let alone was reputable or prestigious, until I started looking at MFAs. Didn’t know about the Greensboro Review until I started looking at literary journals to submit to. I love my hometown, but I’ve never considered it to have much of a literary scene, save for a literary festival that takes place every summer. I’m sure being a UNCG student is different. The cost of living is affordable and it’s a diverse, progressive city, so I definitely understand the draw there! I wish I knew more about the program but if anyone has any questions about Greensboro itself, I’m happy to chat.
Jersh Posted January 30 Posted January 30 6 minutes ago, pomelo said: I’m from Greensboro and I didn’t realize UNCG’s program existed, let alone was reputable or prestigious, until I started looking at MFAs. Didn’t know about the Greensboro Review until I started looking at literary journals to submit to. I love my hometown, but I’ve never considered it to have much of a literary scene, save for a literary festival that takes place every summer. I’m sure being a UNCG student is different. The cost of living is affordable and it’s a diverse, progressive city, so I definitely understand the draw there! I wish I knew more about the program but if anyone has any questions about Greensboro itself, I’m happy to chat. That's so interesting--I guess I'm not the only one then. Sounds like it's North Carolina's best kept secret lol It just so happens that I'm gonna be in Charlotte this week for a conference, so I'm planning to stop by Greensboro and maybe try to schedule a tour of UNCG while I'm there. Hopefully I'll like what I see!
Elle18 Posted January 30 Posted January 30 3 hours ago, TPike said: Hi Elle! What type of writing do you do? I’m a literary fiction gal! What kind do you do? Also are most of you fiction people literary or genre? I’ve always been curious about that Chex and antseverywhereallatonce 2
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