2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[pananoprodigy]

53 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

if last years draft accurate (and i don't think it is -- programs appear to be a week behind relatively), i should be hearing from my last 7 schools this week. I'm excited to get a definitive answer; my lease is expiring in two months and I need to either renew or not by april 1st!

I'm also waiting to hear back from 7 and right there with you re: decision making. I just want to KNOW what my options are even if they're not the options I was hoping for. fhsdjhfsdkf

edit: and so far this week is SLOWWWW

Edited Tuesday at 08:16 PM by pananoprodigy

[Eloise2897]

Being on 4 waitlists is really starting to get to me. I feel badly that I can't give the acceptance I'm considering an answer, though I know it's my right and they haven't been pushy. It's already been a long 4 months waiting on some answers, and I know these waitlists are likely to shift right up to the deadline. It's rough--I was really hoping to know all my options by now and start planning ahead. Still waiting on UVA and NMU, too, but that almost feels less stressful than watching the waitlists. 

[zaira]

Also worth noting that sometimes writers find that voice, really lean into it...and it doesn't connect. It doesn't make their voice any less beautiful, unique, or necessary. It doesn't mean they should change a damn thing about it. 

I was in a workshop where someone brought in a truly wacky short story. I don't want to describe it in too much detail to protect anonymity here. It was one of those stories that rewards a close read, the kind where if you zone out for even a moment you'll lose the plot. The sentence construction was nothing short of high art. I've never read anything like it before or since. I gushed over it for a solid week. 

But.

It demanded a lot of the reader. It wasn't something you could breeze through. And a lot of people in the workshop didn't get it. These were serious readers and talented writers themselves; this story just didn't speak to them like it spoke to me and a handful of other folks in the room. If that story had entered the MFA application gauntlet? Not sure it would have fared well.

Some voices naturally carry into certain environments (workshops, MFA slush piles) and other voices have a more niche appeal. I'd hate to see writers with those niche voices tone themselves down to try to appeal to certain tastes. 

[Nauna]

5 hours ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I looked up Ole Miss and there spring break is next week so I'm hoping that means it could be this week. Same for boulder. 

Maybe certain programs notify over spring break? Idk 

I would be surprised if most programs didn't do notifications over spring break. It's their chance away from the typical hustle and bustle of their standard everyday admin/faculty duties, so having that time to work on other things is a gift. 

[GhostOfHermann]

There are two Texas New Writer's Program (NWP) waitlist entries that just showed up in the Draft spreadsheet a little while ago. Now I'm anxious to hear about the Fiction results for NWP.

[Sumire11]

Yeah

I hope fiction isn't out yet, but I just don't know at this point. 

[Nauna]

Not sure if I've missed this discussion, but have we heard anything from Iowa's Poetry applicants? I only see Fiction responses on the spreadsheet.

[pom3granate]

10 minutes ago, Nauna said:

Not sure if I've missed this discussion, but have we heard anything from Iowa's Poetry applicants? I only see Fiction responses on the spreadsheet.

also waiting on iowa poetry

[Magnolia Electric Co]

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on the "prestige" question! I have found it so difficult to figure out what a "good" MFA program looks like - let alone a good program for me specifically - so I have defaulted to applying to highly-ranked schools, without a strong sense of why. It's really helpful to hear all those different perspectives.

I'm always curious about what draws people to specific programs (beyond concrete factors like stipend, teaching, location, etc.). It seems like connecting with faculty's work is maybe the biggest subjective factor that might cause a program to be a great fit for one person and a bad fit for another. I wonder what else makes people's taste in programs vary so much.

(This was probably a better thread for pre-applications than post-applications 😬 but I've become extra curious as results roll in and people are discussing their top schools)

[Jane Wyman]

Does NWP usually notify waitlists first, or are there no fiction acceptances out yet?

[Southron]

2 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

Does NWP usually notify waitlists first, or are there no fiction acceptances out yet?

Based on the note included with the draft notification, I would say that the acceptances went out first.

[Mystic_Sunshine]

I guess RIP to my summoning today for NWP. 

My chances and hope are dwindling and so is my hope but here is still to manifesting good news this week. 

[Jane Wyman]

33 minutes ago, Southron said:

Based on the note included with the draft notification, I would say that the acceptances went out first.

Ah hell.

[analog_e]

48 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts on the "prestige" question! I have found it so difficult to figure out what a "good" MFA program looks like - let alone a good program for me specifically - so I have defaulted to applying to highly-ranked schools, without a strong sense of why. It's really helpful to hear all those different perspectives.

I'm always curious about what draws people to specific programs (beyond concrete factors like stipend, teaching, location, etc.). It seems like connecting with faculty's work is maybe the biggest subjective factor that might cause a program to be a great fit for one person and a bad fit for another. I wonder what else makes people's taste in programs vary so much.

(This was probably a better thread for pre-applications than post-applications 😬 but I've become extra curious as results roll in and people are discussing their top schools)

I'm single-mindedly obsessed with going to Brown because of their reputation for limitlessness and experimentation. I just feel like it's the program for weirdos, and I fall firmly in the weirdo camp.

[Magnolia Electric Co]

6 minutes ago, analog_e said:

I'm single-mindedly obsessed with going to Brown because of their reputation for limitlessness and experimentation. I just feel like it's the program for weirdos, and I fall firmly in the weirdo camp.

I was an undergrad there and I can confirm it is definitely a more experimental department!

[GhostOfHermann]

The first response I received this year was a waitlist for Illinois and I am grateful for that, but it really made me get optimistic about my 13 other applications. All Rs since that first one and only a couple to go. I can’t figure this process out for the life of me.

[smallchange]

Thinking of making a t shirt that says “I got rejected from Iowa Writer’s Workshop and all I got was this dumb t shirt”

[Southron]

16 minutes ago, GhostOfHermann said:

The first response I received this year was a waitlist for Illinois and I am grateful for that, but it really made me get optimistic about my 13 other applications. All Rs since that first one and only a couple to go. I can’t figure this process out for the life of me.

I know how you feel. My first interactions with programs post submissions was an interview with Pitt and an acceptance from USF. I (mistakenly) thought that meant I would be hearing more good news as more programs released decisions. It did not. Instead I've had a nice run of 14 rejections since then, with only a few more to go.

Edited Tuesday at 11:37 PM by Southron

[eternalwhitenights]

Just fyi, someone reported a wait-list for fiction in Draft for Notre Dame! (I believe they were one of the people who had an interview last week based off their username, so that tracks.) Just wanted to let all fellow waiters for ND know.  @KennyK, thinking of you specifically!

[Scribe]

14 minutes ago, GhostOfHermann said:

The first response I received this year was a waitlist for Illinois and I am grateful for that, but it really made me get optimistic about my 13 other applications. All Rs since that first one and only a couple to go. I can’t figure this process out for the life of me.

I went through something similar last year. My first response was a waitlist and it RUINED me! I don't remember the order if a's and r's and w's after that, but I know I was coming off of waitlists really late in the game and the acceptances didn't start rolling in til about this week last year. 

[KennyK]

1 hour ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I guess RIP to my summoning today for NWP. 

My chances and hope are dwindling and so is my hope but here is still to manifesting good news this week. 

An NWP acceptance was posted?

[pananoprodigy]

2 minutes ago, KennyK said:

An NWP acceptance was posted?

Looks like two poetry waitlists and one fiction 😕 

[KennyK]

8 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Looks like two poetry waitlists and one fiction 😕 

Agh. They just keep hurting me.

 

And Riverside is takingggg foreverrrr 🥲

Edited Wednesday at 12:01 AM by KennyK
Wasnt doneee

[MegHe]

8 hours ago, MegHe said:

           🕯️         🕯️          🕯️

     🕯️                                    🕯️

    🕯️   UVA Acceptance       🕯️

      🕯️                                   🕯️

             🕯️        🕯️         🕯️

Sorry just replacing my candles, don't mind me...

* Turns on medieval chanting playlist
* Puts on black hooded cloak
* Looks at goat, says "okay, the goat was a bit much," sets goat free, goes back to chanting

Just a totally normal Tuesday night.

[Tinky C. Clown]

university of oregon is killing me. has anyone heard anything?