2024 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Tuxedocat]

2 minutes ago, rachy1997 said:

Hi friends-- first time poster here. I have a question! 

 

If I see a school has one reported acceptance and one waitlist, is it safe to assume that's a soft rejection for me? The acceptance and waitlist went out in early/mid February. That being said, nobody else has reported anything. Thanks for any insight you might be able to provide. I'm freakin' out. 

I would say if you see an acceptance and a waitlist in your genre and 1-2 weeks+ have passed, it is probably a soft rejection. But make sure the acceptance and waitlist are your genre!! Otherwise, you can’t really be that sure.

[rco_]

Yay on Sarah Lawrence decisions, y'all! I'm in for creative nonfiction! 

Still waiting to hear back from Emerson, which is my first choice. But so thrilled to have one decision down! 

[rachy1997]

12 minutes ago, Tuxedocat said:

I would say if you see an acceptance and a waitlist in your genre and 1-2 weeks+ have passed, it is probably a soft rejection. But make sure the acceptance and waitlist are your genre!! Otherwise, you can’t really be that sure.

Darn. It's in my genre. I guess I was hoping there was a chance it's not a rejection. Oh, well.

[Jjt143]

Hi all. Just discovered this forum, which I’m sure is a blessing that I was living blindly the last handful of months! Yesterday I was informed by the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program that I was waitlisted. Wondering if anyone here has any insight, from past cycles or wherever, about how that usually goes? I’m certainly encouraged by the waitlist, but I’m not sure it merits great optimism of an actual acceptance this cycle. No idea on size of waitlist, timeline for decision, or how any of this actually works.  Any info would be hugely appreciated! 

[Tuxedocat]

11 minutes ago, rachy1997 said:

Darn. It's in my genre. I guess I was hoping there was a chance it's not a rejection. Oh, well.

It’s ok I’ve been there 🥲 I find it’s easier to assume a soft rejection and then when you finally get the answer you have already come to terms, but if by some miracle it’s actually not then hopefully it’ll be a pleasant surprise

[itsbeensnowing]

40 minutes ago, trenchywrench said:

more importantly, i am a chiefly a speculative writer and am wondering if anyone knows of programs with admissions committees that don't laugh science-fictioners out the door. 

based on the research i have done, many speculative programs don't have what i need as they tend to be low-residency/expensive/lacking the teaching opportunities i'll need to begin a professorial career. do i have to be a poser and pretend i only want to write what we call "literary" fiction?

My general impression has been that most programs are pretty amenable to spec fic, but most do expect said spec fic to be of that nebulous "literary" quality. If you're writing "popular" sci-fi, it might be a harder fit. (But I put those terms in quotes, because how are we really supposed to define them and draw the line between them?)

I've mostly gauged a program's attitude toward genre lit through its faculty's work. If none of them write spec fic, it doesn't mean they'd be hostile towards it, but the inverse is a pretty good sign that they are open to it. For example, Megan Giddings from University of Minnesota pretty much exclusively writes horror sci-fi/fantasy. Alex Shakar from University of Illinois writes a literary, philosophical sort of sci-fi. Claire Vaye Watkins from UC Irvine has written a literary dystopian novel. University of Colorado has a range of genres represented among its faculty.

Some programs do have a stuffier reputation than others and may turn away from any sort of genre fiction, but I'm not really clued into which ones those are.

[trenchywrench]

thanks so much for your response!

yeah, i get the same general impression from a few schools! i did lots of research on faculty for statements of purpose and to ensure the schools were a good fit for me in general. because i won't have that veteran's funding in place until it's time to apply for the 2025 cycle, i can include schools like Sarah Lawrence (which i've gathered has a really good spec fic program), which aren't necessarily fully funded, to my list next year.

i started writing sci-fi for the same reasons many people write literary fiction: to comment on the state of our world from the lens of one little person in it. the difference between me and a writer of literary fiction is that i build fictional worlds to support these statements rather than drawing on aspects of our real one--that is, my work does have a strongly literary quality that i am aware of even despite the impostor syndrome. 

i won't lie, though--i didn't feel quite ready to submit a lot of my applications by the time the deadlines rolled around, though i had been working constantly on everything app-related. i completed my B.A. in September and have really just begun to understand my own style and brand.

funnily enough, i feel prepared now. it's not going to hurt me to build a list of schools that could better support my work for this next cycle!

i appreciate you. best of luck on your literary endeavors 

[prufrock_]

21 hours ago, prufrock_ said:

              🕯      🕯   🕯
     🕯                            🕯
  🕯                                    🕯
🕯             ❤️ Ole Miss &      🕯

🕯                   Arkansas      🕯
  🕯                fiction           🕯
    🕯            summoning  🕯
        🕯            circle     🕯
            🕯     🕯       🕯  

 

(just in case)

Just got waitlisted at Arkansas! My magic isn't as strong, but the summoning circle works.

[untemperedoddity]

  🕯      🕯   🕯
     🕯                          🕯
  🕯                                 🕯
🕯             ❤️‍🔥 arizona         🕯
  🕯                poetry        🕯
    🕯            summoning  🕯
        🕯            circle❤️‍🔥 🕯
            🕯   🕯  🕯  

[Mrs. Fahrenheit]

Another waitlist! This time at U of Arkansas. It's making me a little crazy to be so close and yet so far, lol. 0a/3w/5r/6p

[trenchywrench]

guess i might've spoken too soon!

just found out i made it onto NYU's fiction waitlist!

[rhiannonna]

Congrats @jadedoptimist!

Jumping on this train for good luck     

              🕯      🕯   🕯
     🕯                          🕯
  🕯           ❤️brown          🕯
🕯               fiction            🕯
  🕯.       acceptance           🕯
    🕯         summoning      🕯
        🕯            circle    🕯
               🕯    🕯   🕯  
                 

 

 

[Hjanep]

47 minutes ago, trenchywrench said:

guess i might've spoken too soon!

just found out i made it onto NYU's fiction waitlist!

Me too!! 😭

[cowboifairy]

             🕯      🕯   🕯
     🕯                             🕯
  🕯           ❤️uarizona      🕯
🕯               fiction              🕯
  🕯.       acceptance           🕯
    🕯         summoning      🕯
        🕯            circle    🕯
               🕯    🕯   🕯  

....just one more for good measure

[kushal3553]

Just found out I got onto the waitlist for nyu 😢. Is this like a "pretty much everyone gets waitlisted if they weren't accepted" kind of thing or is it like an actual thing?

[Scribe]

Columbia. 

Go me.

Looks like no package but i have to fill out a form to be sure.

 

"Just found out I got onto the waitlist for nyu 😢. Is this like a "pretty much everyone gets waitlisted if they weren't accepted" kind of thing or is it like an actual thing?"

it is an actual thing. congratulations. 

Edited March 7, 2024 by Scribe

[newyearnewtea]

1 minute ago, Scribe said:

Columbia. 

Go me.

Looks like no package but i have to fill out a form to be sure.

Go you indeed!!!! 

Just got in for poetry, and am as hype as I am sure that I won't be able to go due to financial aid haha. This'll be the kick in the pants I need to finally finish my FAFSA for this year at least.

[electricstardust]

12 minutes ago, Scribe said:

Columbia. 

Go me.

Looks like no package but i have to fill out a form to be sure.

 

"Just found out I got onto the waitlist for nyu 😢. Is this like a "pretty much everyone gets waitlisted if they weren't accepted" kind of thing or is it like an actual thing?"

it is an actual thing. congratulations. 

 

9 minutes ago, newyearnewtea said:

Go you indeed!!!! 

Just got in for poetry, and am as hype as I am sure that I won't be able to go due to financial aid haha. This'll be the kick in the pants I need to finally finish my FAFSA for this year at least.

congratulations!!!!! amazing!! and congrats to everyone who’s gotten good news these past couple of days:)

[Rixor]

4 hours ago, trenchywrench said:

hi!

saur late here. posting because i want advice from the other doers and have-doners.

i got my rejections from Syracuse and JHU, as well as the famous UVA soft rejection that i see has been a topic of discussion here. i am waiting on NYU (the full-residency--not the Paris), Rutgers (Camden), and Maryland. i understand there have been sentiments here about giving up on NYU and Rutgers.

because of this, and because i intend to move out of the state in which i'm currently living to be closer to family in case i don't get in anywhere (which i'm assuming so that i may plan accordingly), i am starting research on applying for the 2025 cycle already.

so i wanted to ask you guys. i am looking for programs that offer teaching assistantships because i want to teach undergraduate students for a living. while i only applied to fully-funded programs this year due to cost concerns, i am a disabled veteran and i just learned that i can probably get two years of a program paid for if i want to attend one that'll cost me.

more importantly, i am a chiefly a speculative writer and am wondering if anyone knows of programs with admissions committees that don't laugh science-fictioners out the door. 

based on the research i have done, many speculative programs don't have what i need as they tend to be low-residency/expensive/lacking the teaching opportunities i'll need to begin a professorial career. do i have to be a poser and pretend i only want to write what we call "literary" fiction?

of course, i plan to research on my own, because
1. this is obviously very important to me, being the most major step i can take now toward what i want to do with my existence, and;

2. what half-sane person wouldn't?

but i feel as if multiple people here--because we've all researched programs and will continue to, extensively--may be able to chime in.

if anyone would like to help, then what's the word?

also, it's nice to meet you lovely people. let's hold hands in anxious solidarity?

Just wanted to chime in and add UNevada to your list. I've been accepted there and the faculty seem amazing. They're very explicitly open for specfic and not many people know about the program because IIRC it's pretty new. It doesn't show up on any "fully funded" lists because they can't guarantee funding for everyone, but they do offer most(?) students full funding through teaching assistantships. Also, Reno seems super cool!

Good luck and happy to have you here!

[Scribe]

13 minutes ago, newyearnewtea said:

Go you indeed!!!! 

Just got in for poetry, and am as hype as I am sure that I won't be able to go due to financial aid haha. This'll be the kick in the pants I need to finally finish my FAFSA for this year at least.

Exactly. I only applied because a professor told me I should. she said i wouldn't get any money but i might get a free ride. I'm not keen on it anyway but if i got a scholarship I'd have to think about it. I'll fill out their stupid form over the weekend. 

[alligator mississippiensis]

Hello all ❤️ 

I too was waitlisted for NYU. Attending would be a dream come true. 

NYU also waitlisted me last year and they were very kind but also a bit mysterious. Does anyone know anything about their process? 

[writernity]

Huh, I got an acceptance to The New School with a 30% tuition funding offer! I really thought they were done, perhaps this is the "lower half of the alphabet" curse again 🤣 or something else. Who knows, admissions offers are a nebulous magical force.

With NYU wailists and Columbia acceptances coming out now, hoping for good news for everyone! 🙏 and congrats to those who've gotten that good news already today!

[electricstardust]

3 minutes ago, writernity said:

Huh, I got an acceptance to The New School with a 30% tuition funding offer! I really thought they were done, perhaps this is the "lower half of the alphabet" curse again 🤣 or something else. Who knows, admissions offers are a nebulous magical force.

With NYU wailists and Columbia acceptances coming out now, hoping for good news for everyone! 🙏 and congrats to those who've gotten that good news already today!

yay congratulations!!

[sunnysequoia]

Does anyone know if UMass Amherst, Rutgers Camden, and Iowa are done notifying for prose/nonfiction? I'm assuming rejections but would be nice to receive confirmation LOL

[mr. specific]

I'm in at Miami! And Columbia! Good afternoon, evening and good night.

5a/2w/6r/4p
❤️