2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[pananoprodigy]

21 minutes ago, Tuxedocat said:

I am finally getting back to this, my apologies for the delay! And take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am also a poetry applicant, so my advice about the sample is probably not useful. Current status: 6a/3r/0w/8p

Schools:

I applied to almost double the amount as last year. I went overboard because I became so worried I would not get accepted that I just kept applying. Last year, I applied to 9 fully funded programs that were all highly competitive. This time, I ignored dubious MFA program rankings and applied to schools I felt strongly about for specific program reasons. Because of that, I could write concisely about why I was applying to each school in each SOP. I also applied to a range of fully funded programs and programs with only the possibility of funding to increase my odds of getting accepted. Of the 17 places I applied, I applied to 5 of the same programs as last year. I've only heard back from 2 of the 5: 1 acceptance and 1 rejection. 

Recommenders:

Same ones as last year, but I pared back. I had 5 last year and simplified this year down to 3. I purchased Interfolio which was easier for everyone and enabled me to apply to more schools in Jan/Feb without asking recommenders to upload again. Not all schools accept Interfolio, so do your research. Not sure it made a difference, but fewer recommenders and getting Interfolio made life easier.

SOP:

Rewrote it. Barely anything carried over. This time, I focussed more on my current writing projects than my past ones. See advice below.

SOP Advice #1: Be specific about goals. Since writing my first SOP, I also understood myself and my goals more, so I could be more specific when writing out my goals. Instead of more lofty generic ones like I want to pursue my MFA to become a better writer, I would say something like I want to improve these specific elements or I hope to use XYZ experience I already have + XYZ experience I would get from an MFA to do XYZ. It shows why you need the MFA while establishing your credentials as a candidate and showing you are working towards long-term goals. In writing my SOP, I wanted it to be so specific nobody else could have written it and anyone reading it would understand why I needed an MFA now.

SOP Advice #2: Be concise. I love yammering on as you can see. Last year, all my SOPs maxed out the page limit. The blessing of 17 apps is that some required me to cut it to 500 words, and editing the same document on repeat highlighted what mattered and what didn't. It was so neat and concise by the end. Readers will appreciate it. 

Writing Sample (advice is for poets!!):

Sample Advice #1: Short and sweet. Last year, I maxed out the page limits on the sample. This year, I went with the minimum and sent the best of the best. It meant cutting great poems I loved, but every poem was my best. 

Sample Advice #2: Diversity of material. Last year, all my poems were super similar, following the same project. Similar characters, themes, etc. because most came from this one big project. But it meant that readers, even if they liked my work, might have been unsure if I could write about anything else. This year, I pushed myself to write about more varied topics and write in different ways. Because of that, I was able to include some poems that used craft elements and tackled themes differently than my other pieces. The sample was still very cohesive and I was worried it was still too similar, but it showed I could write about more than one theme. That being said, always submit your best work. Don't throw in a different piece just because it is different. But if you can include some variety at the same level as your other work, that is ideal.

Sample Advice #3: If you are reapplying, you must rework everything. Only a few of my poems carried over. If they did, they were rewritten or heavily edited. Only 1 was not massively changed but it still had many rounds of edits. The majority of my work was written after I last applied. 

--

If anyone reading this has to reapply next year, keep your chin up. Believe in yourself. Prove everyone wrong and show them the writer you know you are. After all, we are all doing MFAs to become better writers. So improve your writing outside of an MFA, and reapply even stronger next year. If I hadn't gotten in anywhere this year, it would have hurt. However, I would still be a better writer than last year. That matters.

I hope this has been helpful!

--

Also, I am once again out of reactions for now (I am so confused about when they reset each day), so I wanted to take a minute to congratulate @Eloise2897 and @Dingdong99 on the WVU waitlists!

Congrats also to @Princess Bubblegum on the Guelph acceptance + UBC waitlist!! I got into UBC this evening but I think I will have to turn them down shortly because not enough funding and the cost of living in Vancouver is so high. I didn't apply to Guelph but I have heard great things!! Feel free to reach out if accepting Guelph means moving and you want some advice on living in TO (because I think it operates out of the city).

This is SUCHHHH good advice!!!!

[inthesameboat]

First Syracuse fiction acceptance out on Draft...

[exvat]

1 hour ago, Tuxedocat said:

I am finally getting back to this, my apologies for the delay! And take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am also a poetry applicant, so my advice about the sample is probably not useful. Current status: 6a/3r/0w/8p

Schools:

I applied to almost double the amount as last year. I went overboard because I became so worried I would not get accepted that I just kept applying. Last year, I applied to 9 fully funded programs that were all highly competitive. This time, I ignored dubious MFA program rankings and applied to schools I felt strongly about for specific program reasons. Because of that, I could write concisely about why I was applying to each school in each SOP. I also applied to a range of fully funded programs and programs with only the possibility of funding to increase my odds of getting accepted. Of the 17 places I applied, I applied to 5 of the same programs as last year. I've only heard back from 2 of the 5: 1 acceptance and 1 rejection. 

Recommenders:

Same ones as last year, but I pared back. I had 5 last year and simplified this year down to 3. I purchased Interfolio which was easier for everyone and enabled me to apply to more schools in Jan/Feb without asking recommenders to upload again. Not all schools accept Interfolio, so do your research. Not sure it made a difference, but fewer recommenders and getting Interfolio made life easier.

SOP:

Rewrote it. Barely anything carried over. This time, I focussed more on my current writing projects than my past ones. See advice below.

SOP Advice #1: Be specific about goals. Since writing my first SOP, I also understood myself and my goals more, so I could be more specific when writing out my goals. Instead of more lofty generic ones like I want to pursue my MFA to become a better writer, I would say something like I want to improve these specific elements or I hope to use XYZ experience I already have + XYZ experience I would get from an MFA to do XYZ. It shows why you need the MFA while establishing your credentials as a candidate and showing you are working towards long-term goals. In writing my SOP, I wanted it to be so specific nobody else could have written it and anyone reading it would understand why I needed an MFA now.

SOP Advice #2: Be concise. I love yammering on as you can see. Last year, all my SOPs maxed out the page limit. The blessing of 17 apps is that some required me to cut it to 500 words, and editing the same document on repeat highlighted what mattered and what didn't. It was so neat and concise by the end. Readers will appreciate it. 

Writing Sample (advice is for poets!!):

Sample Advice #1: Short and sweet. Last year, I maxed out the page limits on the sample. This year, I went with the minimum and sent the best of the best. It meant cutting great poems I loved, but every poem was my best. 

Sample Advice #2: Diversity of material. Last year, all my poems were super similar, following the same project. Similar characters, themes, etc. because most came from this one big project. But it meant that readers, even if they liked my work, might have been unsure if I could write about anything else. This year, I pushed myself to write about more varied topics and write in different ways. Because of that, I was able to include some poems that used craft elements and tackled themes differently than my other pieces. The sample was still very cohesive and I was worried it was still too similar, but it showed I could write about more than one theme. That being said, always submit your best work. Don't throw in a different piece just because it is different. But if you can include some variety at the same level as your other work, that is ideal.

Sample Advice #3: If you are reapplying, you must rework everything. Only a few of my poems carried over. If they did, they were rewritten or heavily edited. Only 1 was not massively changed but it still had many rounds of edits. The majority of my work was written after I last applied.

This was so incredibly generous of you! Thank you for sharing with us!

[Nauna]

3 hours ago, pom3granate said:

Any NC State poetry applicants here?

2 hours ago, janetdamnit said:

Yes! I haven't heard anything yet, how about you?

Hiiiii! Let's just manifest that we'll be together in NC State's cohort! ❤️ I haven't heard anything yet either. I've heard that they've had some semi-recent faculty changes with Poetry, so perhaps that is part of the delay. 🙂🙃🙂

[next_semester]

For those of you who moved on to Phase II for Ole Miss - did anyone submit their official transcripts electronically? The services I used sent confirmation emails that they were received but on my application status it still says my transcript requirement is not met. I emailed the graduate dept. to confirm if they received my transcripts and haven't received a reply. . .debating if I should just email my unofficial ones too since that was an option in the meantime, but I don't want to seem annoying lol

[Prosaic Ioniser]

Well just woke up to a UBC rejection... One of the many fun things about being an international.

I'm starting to prepare for the worst for this year - in that spirit - anyone feel like sharing their day job which they feel gives them enough time/ mental clarity to write before or after work? 

If the MFA doesn't materialise, my instinct will be to wander around aimlessly, collecting adventures if nothing else - but of course, I need to finance my life, and I have already had a few jobs that killed my creativity, so just curious what you lovely writers are doing?

[Allrich90]

I work voluntarily for a nationwide student magazine in Germany)

[Chex]

10 hours ago, Tuxedocat said:

I am finally getting back to this, my apologies for the delay! And take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am also a poetry applicant, so my advice about the sample is probably not useful. Current status: 6a/3r/0w/8p

Schools:

I applied to almost double the amount as last year. I went overboard because I became so worried I would not get accepted that I just kept applying. Last year, I applied to 9 fully funded programs that were all highly competitive. This time, I ignored dubious MFA program rankings and applied to schools I felt strongly about for specific program reasons. Because of that, I could write concisely about why I was applying to each school in each SOP. I also applied to a range of fully funded programs and programs with only the possibility of funding to increase my odds of getting accepted. Of the 17 places I applied, I applied to 5 of the same programs as last year. I've only heard back from 2 of the 5: 1 acceptance and 1 rejection. 

Recommenders:

Same ones as last year, but I pared back. I had 5 last year and simplified this year down to 3. I purchased Interfolio which was easier for everyone and enabled me to apply to more schools in Jan/Feb without asking recommenders to upload again. Not all schools accept Interfolio, so do your research. Not sure it made a difference, but fewer recommenders and getting Interfolio made life easier.

SOP:

Rewrote it. Barely anything carried over. This time, I focussed more on my current writing projects than my past ones. See advice below.

SOP Advice #1: Be specific about goals. Since writing my first SOP, I also understood myself and my goals more, so I could be more specific when writing out my goals. Instead of more lofty generic ones like I want to pursue my MFA to become a better writer, I would say something like I want to improve these specific elements or I hope to use XYZ experience I already have + XYZ experience I would get from an MFA to do XYZ. It shows why you need the MFA while establishing your credentials as a candidate and showing you are working towards long-term goals. In writing my SOP, I wanted it to be so specific nobody else could have written it and anyone reading it would understand why I needed an MFA now.

SOP Advice #2: Be concise. I love yammering on as you can see. Last year, all my SOPs maxed out the page limit. The blessing of 17 apps is that some required me to cut it to 500 words, and editing the same document on repeat highlighted what mattered and what didn't. It was so neat and concise by the end. Readers will appreciate it. 

Writing Sample (advice is for poets!!):

Sample Advice #1: Short and sweet. Last year, I maxed out the page limits on the sample. This year, I went with the minimum and sent the best of the best. It meant cutting great poems I loved, but every poem was my best. 

Sample Advice #2: Diversity of material. Last year, all my poems were super similar, following the same project. Similar characters, themes, etc. because most came from this one big project. But it meant that readers, even if they liked my work, might have been unsure if I could write about anything else. This year, I pushed myself to write about more varied topics and write in different ways. Because of that, I was able to include some poems that used craft elements and tackled themes differently than my other pieces. The sample was still very cohesive and I was worried it was still too similar, but it showed I could write about more than one theme. That being said, always submit your best work. Don't throw in a different piece just because it is different. But if you can include some variety at the same level as your other work, that is ideal.

Sample Advice #3: If you are reapplying, you must rework everything. Only a few of my poems carried over. If they did, they were rewritten or heavily edited. Only 1 was not massively changed but it still had many rounds of edits. The majority of my work was written after I last applied. 

--

If anyone reading this has to reapply next year, keep your chin up. Believe in yourself. Prove everyone wrong and show them the writer you know you are. After all, we are all doing MFAs to become better writers. So improve your writing outside of an MFA, and reapply even stronger next year. If I hadn't gotten in anywhere this year, it would have hurt. However, I would still be a better writer than last year. That matters.

I hope this has been helpful!

--

Also, I am once again out of reactions for now (I am so confused about when they reset each day), so I wanted to take a minute to congratulate @Eloise2897 and @Dingdong99 on the WVU waitlists!

Congrats also to @Princess Bubblegum on the Guelph acceptance + UBC waitlist!! I got into UBC this evening but I think I will have to turn them down shortly because not enough funding and the cost of living in Vancouver is so high. I didn't apply to Guelph but I have heard great things!! Feel free to reach out if accepting Guelph means moving and you want some advice on living in TO (because I think it operates out of the city).

GradCafe still won't let me add reactions, but WOWWWW!!! This is such a detailed and generous response. Full of insightful tips, I know it'll help more than a few people in the application seasons to come. THANK YOU!! ✨ 

[tiramisu22]

Has anyone heard from UTK? And are WVU fiction results out?

[everything bagel lover]

Good morning! I not only dreamt that I got two different CSU funding responses (one where I got it, one where I was 3rd in line for funding) but also that I typed my responses into the forum, but everytime I hit post, they were nonsense that I had to keep editing. 

@tiramisu22 It does look like WVU fiction waitlists have been logged on the draft

Edit to respond to @Prosaic Ioniser:

I work as a secondary teacher and the biggest thing I've learned between my first round and now is that I have to learn to prioritize writing. It helps to have a partner who is willing to pick up more of the domestic labor when I'm engrossed in a project. A coworker who got her MFA from Brown told me if she doesn't quit teaching, she'll never write another novel, and then she told me that I needed to learn how to write outside of academia. I've really taken her advice to heart and have been intentional about making time for writing and reading when I can't bring myself to write. It's been really really impactful on my writing, even if I'm not as prolific as I was in my undergrad.

Edited Thursday at 02:10 PM by everything bagel lover
wanted to add to convo without spamming more posts

[vilum]

5 hours ago, Prosaic Ioniser said:

Well just woke up to a UBC rejection... One of the many fun things about being an international.

I'm starting to prepare for the worst for this year - in that spirit - anyone feel like sharing their day job which they feel gives them enough time/ mental clarity to write before or after work? 

If the MFA doesn't materialise, my instinct will be to wander around aimlessly, collecting adventures if nothing else - but of course, I need to finance my life, and I have already had a few jobs that killed my creativity, so just curious what you lovely writers are doing?

I work for a big fashion house, and finding time to write is very hard. At least, being immersed in this crazy world has given me inspiration for a novel! But I plan to quit soon to pursue something else, less "glamorous", that gives me the chance to spend more time doing what I love. Currently at 0A/1W/3R/1P, feeling demotivated to write and unhopeful for the future. 

[Nauna]

8 hours ago, next_semester said:

For those of you who moved on to Phase II for Ole Miss - did anyone submit their official transcripts electronically? The services I used sent confirmation emails that they were received but on my application status it still says my transcript requirement is not met. I emailed the graduate dept. to confirm if they received my transcripts and haven't received a reply. . .debating if I should just email my unofficial ones too since that was an option in the meantime, but I don't want to seem annoying lol

Yes! I was also notified that they received my transcript by the clearing house but my application status still has that anxiety-inducing red X. I emailed them and received a hazy reply: 

"Thank you for reaching out.  Once the transcripts are received, processed, and uploaded to your file it will reflect in your online portal.  You may reach out to our admission specialist at [email] for further assistance."

I've also been considering emailing my unofficial transcript if it isn't updated by 3/1. I was worried that they were holding my application because I haven't officially graduated yet... but hearing that you have the same experience makes me feel a bit better. 

[KennyK]

Do we think today will be quiet?

[everything bagel lover]

5 minutes ago, KennyK said:

Do we think today will be quiet?

I kinda feel like this whole week has been quiet, at least compared to what I was expecting. I hope today things shake up, but patient we must be.

[Jane Wyman]

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

[exvat]

2 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

Gimme my cake and let the band play, I wanna be done with this cycle 😂

[seezeegee]

18 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

The Fully-Funded send their regards.

[exvat]

6 hours ago, Prosaic Ioniser said:

Well just woke up to a UBC rejection... One of the many fun things about being an international.

I'm starting to prepare for the worst for this year - in that spirit - anyone feel like sharing their day job which they feel gives them enough time/ mental clarity to write before or after work? 

If the MFA doesn't materialise, my instinct will be to wander around aimlessly, collecting adventures if nothing else - but of course, I need to finance my life, and I have already had a few jobs that killed my creativity, so just curious what you lovely writers are doing?

Wandering aimlessly and collecting adventures has pretty much been my life! Metaphorically speaking... Mostly. And will continue very literally once I get these final two rejections confirmed.

Previously this looked like Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund — fucking around, then developing a skill/career, then imploding—which made me Interesting™, and fueled good poems, but left me deflated and confused and exhausted. (Although I did discover that manual labor is great for writing.)

Now, I'm probably about to embark on another round of wandering and collecting, but with direction. Last year I really dove headlong into my Dharma practice, and would like to spend time studying and practicing at a monastery, so I'll do that for a bit. Then probably backpack around. Help my brother renovate his new house. Pick up work and finance my life how I can. Keep writing and reading. But unlike Goldmund, and the wandering me of past, I've got my shit together now, so I'm not worried about how this period will turn out, as long as I keep my wits about me.

[Jane Wyman]

8 minutes ago, seezeegee said:

The Fully-Funded send their regards.

I'm out of reactions, so let me just say: I laughed aloud at this.

[Mystic_Sunshine]

Because there is one VT acceptance in the draft I now cannot think or function  hoping there is still a chance.

[pananoprodigy]

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

I’m so confused - I didn’t get an interview request at Pitt so why would I still be under consideration? And “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation”??? Huh??

Edited Thursday at 03:33 PM by pananoprodigy

[exvat]

3 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

 

Yooooooo that's bizarre and completely understandable 😔😮‍💨

[sgrad]

10 hours ago, Nauna said:

Hiiiii! Let's just manifest that we'll be together in NC State's cohort! ❤️ I haven't heard anything yet either. I've heard that they've had some semi-recent faculty changes with Poetry, so perhaps that is part of the delay. 🙂🙃🙂

yesss lets all get in!

[Mystic_Sunshine]

1 minute ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

 

I got this too! I'm confused because they still say application is under consideration but interview invites already went out. Someone put me out of my dang misery. 

[Nauna]

28 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

I’m so confused - I didn’t get an interview request at Pitt so why would I still be under consideration? And “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation”??? Huh??

I got that email too and just about died when there was no attachment. They likely sent it to everyone with a pending graduate school application. I do know that they had paused admissions, but yesterday had announced (I had to google it) that they had resumed their admissions process. So... who knows. I did have an interview (Poetry) and have been holding out hope that there'd be an acceptance, but now I'm not so sure. 😭

Edited Thursday at 03:58 PM by Nauna
typo