2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[PsychPoet]

11 hours ago, zaira said:

For real, this process has also turned me into an overthinking mess. I feel you!!

I hear that, and same here! But isn't it kinda fun? Being all wrapped up in this? Chasing your dreams? Applying to good schools, applying to be a part of something, no idea how it will turn out, if you'll get in, if you'll make the right choice if you have more than one choice? 

For me this is all like Christmas extending all the way through to Jan, Feb, and beyond. 

We are all so privileged to be in a place to even dream these dreams. 

[nauseated]

Hey everyone! Intl. applicant here, finished my undergrad last summer. Haven't applied to a lot of places - just 3 universities/4 programs for fiction. Highly unlikely I get in anywhere and the whole process has left me generally queasy bec the application process is quite taxing and expensive where I'm from, but hoping something works out. This is a really cool community and I feel slightly better knowing most are as neurotic as me lol 

[Chex]

5 hours ago, PsychPoet said:

I hear that, and same here! But isn't it kinda fun? Being all wrapped up in this? Chasing your dreams? Applying to good schools, applying to be a part of something, no idea how it will turn out, if you'll get in, if you'll make the right choice if you have more than one choice? 

For me this is all like Christmas extending all the way through to Jan, Feb, and beyond. 

We are all so privileged to be in a place to even dream these dreams. 

Beautiful and true. 

[KennyK]

Does anyone know when we should hear back from John Hopkins and Notre Dame? Those are my top two. I’m getting antsy. I check the portal every hour. *sigh*

[snottlebie]

34 minutes ago, KennyK said:

Does anyone know when we should hear back from John Hopkins and Notre Dame? Those are my top two. I’m getting antsy. I check the portal every hour. *sigh*

In the past 3 years, JHU's response time has varied from early to mid Feb (2/6-2/13), though they've gone later than that (2/28 in 2020). Notre Dame has a later application date (so a later response) and they do interviews. Interview notifications have fallen around 2/14-16 [only 2 years worth of data]. Their acceptances have gone out anywhere from 2/23-3/5.

 

Take a breath. We'll get there!

Edited Friday at 02:50 PM by snottlebie

[KennyK]

15 minutes ago, snottlebie said:

In the past 3 years, JHU's response time has varied from early to mid Feb (2/6-2/13), though they've gone later than that (2/28 in 2020). Notre Dame has a later application date (so a later response) and they do interviews. Interview notifications have fallen around 2/14-16 [only 2 years worth of data]. Their acceptances have gone out anywhere from 2/23-3/5.

 

Take a breath. We'll get there!

That makes sense! I applied to 13 schools 11 of which are fully funded! I’m just eager. But you’re right! I’ll take a breath and let the decisions happen when they do!

[snottlebie]

38 minutes ago, KennyK said:

That makes sense! I applied to 13 schools 11 of which are fully funded! I’m just eager. But you’re right! I’ll take a breath and let the decisions happen when they do!

Good luck! It's hard to stop checking for notifications despite knowing that they won't be arriving any time soon (for some). Also, in general, decisions are never uploaded to the portal first - you'll likely get a call or email first.

[everything bagel lover]

OSU Fiction waitlist posted in Draft notification sheet 👀

 

Edit: another for poetry and nonfiction just went up, all waitlists

Edited Friday at 04:20 PM by everything bagel lover
new info

[Mystic_Sunshine]

1 minute ago, everything bagel lover said:

OSU Fiction waitlist posted in Draft notification sheet 👀

I'm trying to manage my anxiety on this one. 

Not going well. 

[pananoprodigy]

4 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

OSU Fiction waitlist posted in Draft notification sheet 👀

omg😭

[programedlove333]

8 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

OSU Fiction waitlist posted in Draft notification sheet 👀

I didnt even apply there but im so nervous for u guys that i keep checking 😭😭 solidarity friends!!

[pananoprodigy]

Lol just checked the OSU portal and saw that I'm missing a recommendation 🤪🙃 not sure how I missed that one. Welp. 

edit: Another OSU waitlist notif on draft, this one for poetry!

Edited Friday at 04:12 PM by pananoprodigy

[Mystic_Sunshine]

5 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Lol just checked the OSU portal and saw that I'm missing a recommendation 🤪🙃 not sure how I missed that one. Welp. 

edit: Another OSU waitlist notif on draft, this one for poetry!

I'm not sure if the fact there has been no acceptances reported means I still have a chance or not. 

[snottlebie]

18 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I'm not sure if the fact there has been no acceptances reported means I still have a chance or not. 

Don't want to dampen spirits but in most cases acceptances go out first. It's possible that the acceptances were told not to share their news (but no such thing was done with the waitlists). But what do I know!

[Mystic_Sunshine]

4 minutes ago, snottlebie said:

Don't want to dampen spirits but in most cases acceptances go out first. It's possible that the acceptances were told not to share their news (but no such thing was done with the waitlists). But what do I know!

Yeah I realize they most often go out first. Just interesting that no one shared considering they usually do based on past data. 

[prufrock_]

Yeah, also possible accepted peeps aren't on draft etc.

 

[decayingballads21]

waitlisted at Ohio state for nonfiction! last year they denied me. Hoping this is a good sign 

[pananoprodigy]

4 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

waitlisted at Ohio state for nonfiction! last year they denied me. Hoping this is a good sign 

LETS GOOOO congrats!!!

[Chex]

8 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

waitlisted at Ohio state for nonfiction! last year they denied me. Hoping this is a good sign 

CONGRATS!!! May this be the first of many more. 🎉🎊

[Mystic_Sunshine]

17 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

waitlisted at Ohio state for nonfiction! last year they denied me. Hoping this is a good sign 

Congrats!!!

[curfew]

19 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

waitlisted at Ohio state for nonfiction! last year they denied me. Hoping this is a good sign 

WAY 2 GO!!!! Congratulations!!:D

[Chex]

Really surprised we haven't heard anything from UIUC fiction. They usually notify pretty early, but I also suspect they're one of the places that ask accepted/waitlisted candidates to hold off on publicising it, so maybe that's what it is. 

[cooliejulie86]

39 minutes ago, Chex said:

Really surprised we haven't heard anything from UIUC fiction. They usually notify pretty early, but I also suspect they're one of the places that ask accepted/waitlisted candidates to hold off on publicising it, so maybe that's what it is. 

Can you say more about why you suspect this? This is the first I've heard of schools asking people not to publicize, and UIUC Poetry applicants have certainly publicized their results so far...obviously I'd much rather believe they just haven't notified yet

[Hank Moody]

That seems unlikely to me. Looking at last year's spreadsheet, people did update on the spreadsheet on the same day or the day after they received fiction waitlists from UIUC. They're probably just late this year for whatever reason. 

[runlolarun]

15 hours ago, PsychPoet said:

I hear that, and same here! But isn't it kinda fun? Being all wrapped up in this? Chasing your dreams? Applying to good schools, applying to be a part of something, no idea how it will turn out, if you'll get in, if you'll make the right choice if you have more than one choice? 

For me this is all like Christmas extending all the way through to Jan, Feb, and beyond. 

We are all so privileged to be in a place to even dream these dreams. 

It is fun... the heightened sense of expectation and purpose, the possibility of being recognized. It feels like a kind of re-do for my undergrad self who didn't get to go to a small liberal arts school. I do feel very *alive* when I am waiting on application results.