2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[PsychPoet]

7 minutes ago, runlolarun said:

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.

Very alive! Yeah, that's it exactly for me. Also, RunLolaRun - based on the movie by that same name? Love it. 

[runlolarun]

13 minutes ago, PsychPoet said:

Very alive! Yeah, that's it exactly for me. Also, RunLolaRun - based on the movie by that same name? Love it. 

Yes, based on the movie! I need to re-watch it; I haven't seen it in a long time.

[PsychPoet]

15 minutes ago, runlolarun said:

Yes, based on the movie! I need to re-watch it; I haven't seen it in a long time.

Nice, same. Dare we call it an oldie but a goodie? That's depressing and weird. There was a time that the art scene in NYC and Boston that having seen this was a required prerequisite to being issued your cool arty person card. Haha. That and Pi - people were obsessed with Pi. 

[runlolarun]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:55 PM, taliaj said:

Hey all! Glad this forum is up so early as it feeds into my neuroses, haha! I'm starting early this year since it's my first time really applying to MFAs; last year I only applied to Boise State. This year I'll likely be applying to Cornell University, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, Boise State University, Vanderbilt University, University of Iowa, Colorado State University, University of Colorado - Boulder, and University of Notre Dame. I'm thinking of adding two more in order to make it an even 10, but haven't figured all that out yet. I'll be applying for fiction. Would love to chat with fellow applicants and go crazy together as we wait through this application season!

What is drawing you to Boise State? I applied there for poetry.

[runlolarun]

13 minutes ago, PsychPoet said:

Nice, same. Dare we call it an oldie but a goodie? That's depressing and weird. There was a time that the art scene in NYC and Boston that having seen this was a required prerequisite to being issued your cool arty person card. Haha. That and Pi - people were obsessed with Pi. 

Just looked Pi up. Looks a bit dated, I don't know if I could make it through... Clint Mansell the composer is an actor in it? Interesting... Oh it's directed by Darren Aronofsky. Hmm...

[nauseated]

6 hours ago, decayingballads21 said:

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

congratulations!!!!

[programedlove333]

Maybe no point in speculating, but do yall think Ohio State will call today or make people wait until Tuesday? 

[zaira]

52 minutes ago, programedlove333 said:

Maybe no point in speculating, but do yall think Ohio State will call today or make people wait until Tuesday? 

Impossible to say. Looked at the notification sheet from past years and I'm seeing mixed results. In 2024 they did all their notifications during the work week. But in 2023 there was evidently an acceptance that came on 1/21, which was a Saturday. 

I don't think they'll notify people over a long weekend but you never really know. 

[pom3granate]

1 hour ago, programedlove333 said:

Maybe no point in speculating, but do yall think Ohio State will call today or make people wait until Tuesday? 

On this, do you think acceptances already went out, but they told them not to share? Or are they just getting the waitlists out of the way...

[programedlove333]

6 minutes ago, pom3granate said:

On this, do you think acceptances already went out, but they told them not to share? Or are they just getting the waitlists out of the way...

This is all mere speculation to pass the time lol, but i feel like Ohio State isnt a school that seems to do that (but i dont really know, just going off past results). It does seem cruel to announce a waitlist and then make people wait a long weekend for a phone call, assuming that they havent already called. As more days pass, schools’ results rollouts make less and less sense to me 

[zaira]

The strange thing is for the past two years they've done acceptances first and waitlists second. In the past, acceptances came 1-2 days before waitlists did. Maybe they're doing this differently this year? 

[KennyK]

Does anyone know how many applications for fiction Notre Dame receives? More than 200? Less than 500?

[prufrock_]

42 minutes ago, KennyK said:

Does anyone know how many applications for fiction Notre Dame receives? More than 200? Less than 500?

based off last year draft reponses: 200 fiction applications, 4 accepted (10 shortlisted total)

last year a lot of programs said they received many more applications than normal. we don't know yet if that is a new normal or an outlier.

[KennyK]

7 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

based off last year draft reponses: 200 fiction applications, 4 accepted (10 shortlisted total)

last year a lot of programs said they received many more applications than normal. we don't know yet if that is a new normal or an outlier.

Waittttt! Notre Dame only accepts 4 applicants for fiction? I was looking on this on website i think it’s called petersons? And it said they accepted like 23 or something double digit number LOL! Omg

[prufrock_]

Just now, KennyK said:

Waittttt! Notre Dame only accepts 4 applicants for fiction? I was looking on this on website i think it’s called petersons? And it said they accepted like 23 or something double digit number LOL! Omg

most funded programs are in the single digits for prose, usually under 5. The main exception being iowa. Poets and writers is a good resource for accurate numbers, via their 'MFA Programs Database' page.

[Jane Wyman]

22 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

based off last year draft reponses: 200 fiction applications, 4 accepted (10 shortlisted total)

last year a lot of programs said they received many more applications than normal. we don't know yet if that is a new normal or an outlier.

Where in Draft can you see how many applications there were for each program?

[KennyK]

6 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

most funded programs are in the single digits for prose, usually under 5. The main exception being iowa. Poets and writers is a good resource for accurate numbers, via their 'MFA Programs Database' page.

Thank you for clarifying! One last question: based on your experience does applying to more schools increase the odds of one or more acceptances? I did 13 total. But now that I know most funded programs are smaller than 5, I took a hard and dry gulp reading that, I wonder if my theory is wrong. Omgomgomg

[prufrock_]

2 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

Where in Draft can you see how many applications there were for each program?

a google sheet called 'MFA Draft Notification Data', then on the 2024 tab someone said it in 'other notes'.

 

Just now, KennyK said:

Thank you for clarifying! One last question: based on your experience does applying to more schools increase the odds of one or more acceptances? I did 13 total. But now that I know most funded programs are smaller than 5, I took a hard and dry gulp reading that, I wonder if my theory is wrong. Omgomgomg

I think it does since it's such a subjective process. Urban legends is someone applied to many schools just to get denied by everyone... except Brown. so yeah, worth doing the 'many' approach i think, as long as they're a good fit for you.

[Jane Wyman]

Thanks, @prufrock_!

[Mystic_Sunshine]

5 hours ago, zaira said:

The strange thing is for the past two years they've done acceptances first and waitlists second. In the past, acceptances came 1-2 days before waitlists did. Maybe they're doing this differently this year? 

So obvi no one really knows and I don't.

I find it unlikely that out of all the all the genres no one posted online. That's possible but it'd be like 12 people who don't have draft or grad cafe. Weird that only waitlist people do. 

I don't see why OS would ask people not to say anything. Possible but I don't see the reason. Doesn't seem like they've asked in the past and I don't think that is actually super common practice. 

They likely won't notify until Tuesday. There could be a lot of reasons they haven't made call (different faculty doing calls versus waitlist/grad school thing/admin thing. Who knows. 

I still think though they haven't sent out acceptances. 

[decayingballads21]

can anyone shed some light on waitlist etiquette and how/if you should respond to a waitlist email if you get one?

Edited yesterday at 01:21 AM by decayingballads21

[Mystic_Sunshine]

40 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

can anyone shed some light on waitlist etiquette and how/if you should respond to a waitlist email if you get one?

Based on what I've seen others say - You should definitely thank them and express your interest. And it's okay to ask if it's ranked/unranked. Other than that I think it's best to just let it be until later on in the application season.  They might ask if you have any questions and I think that can be a good way to show interest but only if they offer. 

Some people on draft have said if a school is your top choice that it is okay to say that but only say that if you actually really mean it. 

[decayingballads21]

Since AWP is in late March this year do we think most notifications will come out sooner than last years? How do we think that would affect schools decisions coming out 

[programedlove333]

Hi guys! seems like this upcoming week is the week where results start coming in a bit more regularly so hope everyone is being kind on themselves 

[prufrock_]

3 hours ago, decayingballads21 said:

Since AWP is in late March this year do we think most notifications will come out sooner than last years? How do we think that would affect schools decisions coming out 

Most decisions are out by late march, so I don't think it will change much this year. Last year many decisions came out during AWP as well.