2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Lady Gladys]

8 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

just popping on here to say that I turned down fiction offers at the University of Wyoming and Virginia Tech, so there should be waitlist movement for those schools soon!

Congratulations on wherever you chose! I'm excited to see waitlists starting to move. Wishing everyone a great end to the season!

[gradschoolpspspsps]

8 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

Have you decided which of your waitlist is your top choice?

I haven't! Miami said I was top of the waitlist, so I really appreciate that, and I have family in Ohio. But I've really appreciated how communicative and responsive Ole Miss has been. Their program is REALLY small though, I'm wondering if it's too small for me. It's also really important to me I'm somewhere I can conceivably walk around, because I don't drive. Tennessee and Arizona both seem like such great areas. I have to do more research on all of them.

I'm updating my recommenders today about my results and asking them if they think I should pick one and tell them they're my top choice. I also don't want to get my heart set on a school and then not get off the waitlist! I'm just not sure on the protocol, I don't want to bother the schools. 

[Mystic_Sunshine]

LSU rejecting me with the wrong name is crazy. 

[prufrock_]

1 minute ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

LSU rejecting me with the wrong name is crazy. 

i don't specifically remember what they did to me last round when they rejected me, but my spreadsheet has them disqualified this round for 'really wack rejection last year' lol so it's a trend of theirs.

[zaira]

1 minute ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

I haven't! Miami said I was top of the waitlist, so I really appreciate that, and I have family in Ohio. But I've really appreciated how communicative and responsive Ole Miss has been. Their program is REALLY small though, I'm wondering if it's too small for me. It's also really important to me I'm somewhere I can conceivably walk around, because I don't drive. Tennessee and Arizona both seem like such great areas. I have to do more research on all of them.

I'm updating my recommenders today about my results and asking them if they think I should pick one and tell them they're my top choice. I also don't want to get my heart set on a school and then not get off the waitlist! I'm just not sure on the protocol, I don't want to bother the schools. 

As a compromise, maybe you could express strong interest in the programs without necessarily using the words "top choice?" Something along the lines of being thrilled to accept a spot if it's available? 

[everything bagel lover]

39 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

as scribe said last year, we play until we hear the bell. i'm here until i get answers from everyone! (still waitlisted at 3 schools)

What schools are you waitlisted at? Do you have a current top choice(s)?

52 minutes ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

Good morning, I'm still here! I'm waiting for Boise, Pitt, and SIU still! I'm also debating currently if I should be picking a favorite of my waitlists and emailing them and telling them that if I got in I'd 100% go, or if I should just wait. 

Yay I'm happy so many people are still here  I would recommend that, but I'm just a fan of reaching out and expressing continued interest. I also have mostly done this with CSU, but my contact person has repeatedly expressed that I'm free to reach out as much as I want. I think if anything, it can't hurt if it's just a little nudge every now and then and not a million emails

[gradschoolpspspsps]

16 minutes ago, Eloise2897 said:

put my waitlists in my signature so if you hear of/cause any movement on these lists, i would love to know. many thanks in advance!

How do you write a signature? That seems smart. 

[Eloise2897]

Just now, gradschoolpspspsps said:

How do you write a signature? That seems smart. 

Click on your name in the upper righthand corner of the screen to get that dropdown menu, then go to account settings, then go to the little menu on the lefthand side of the screen. There's a button there for 'signature' :)!

[prufrock_]

1 minute ago, everything bagel lover said:

What schools are you waitlisted at? Do you have a current top choice(s)?

wyoming, cu boulder(funding), and uiuc. They're all so different, it's hard to have a top choice! though, maybe i should remove myself from the lists because i'd have a hard time picking any of those over rutgers-camden anyway probably.

[Mystic_Sunshine]

25 minutes ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

I haven't! Miami said I was top of the waitlist, so I really appreciate that, and I have family in Ohio. But I've really appreciated how communicative and responsive Ole Miss has been. Their program is REALLY small though, I'm wondering if it's too small for me. It's also really important to me I'm somewhere I can conceivably walk around, because I don't drive. Tennessee and Arizona both seem like such great areas. I have to do more research on all of them.

I'm updating my recommenders today about my results and asking them if they think I should pick one and tell them they're my top choice. I also don't want to get my heart set on a school and then not get off the waitlist! I'm just not sure on the protocol, I don't want to bother the schools. 

You've got some really great choices  so hoping you make it off the waitlist at the place that is best for you!

Do you know how many ole miss accepted? Wondering if it is worth reapplying again next year.

 

Edited yesterday at 03:40 PM by Mystic_Sunshine

[Chex]

4 minutes ago, prufrock_ said:

wyoming, cu boulder(funding), and uiuc. They're all so different, it's hard to have a top choice! though, maybe i should remove myself from the lists because i'd have a hard time picking any of those over rutgers-camden anyway probably.

I've heard great things about UIUC especially, but you're right, I'd probably choose Rutgers-Camden over it as well. R-C has a great reputation too, and better funding. Dunno about the relative cost of living, though. 

[gradschoolpspspsps]

18 minutes ago, zaira said:

As a compromise, maybe you could express strong interest in the programs without necessarily using the words "top choice?" Something along the lines of being thrilled to accept a spot if it's available? 

That's a great idea! I'll float that by my recommenders, see what they suggest. I was going to ask my best friend Leslie Epstein lol what he thinks of the programs I get accepted to, but I don't want to do it yet. He's always brutally honest, so that's helpful. 

[everything bagel lover]

1 minute ago, prufrock_ said:

wyoming, cu boulder(funding), and uiuc. They're all so different, it's hard to have a top choice! though, maybe i should remove myself from the lists because i'd have a hard time picking any of those over rutgers-camden anyway probably.

Omg I'm already out of reactions today lol That's a good roster! That Rutgers-Camden stipend is hard to beat, I'm so happy for you!!! That's a huge win. I'm excited for you and know you'll land at the place that's best for you! ❤️ 

I've also looked at the cost of living versus stipend and for Camden, NJ, it's really good. 

[Chex]

51 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

just popping on here to say that I turned down fiction offers at the University of Wyoming and Virginia Tech, so there should be waitlist movement for those schools soon!

That's so great! Do you mind sharing where you're headed to? I'm just curious, lol, and living vicariously through other people's MFA plans. 

[Nnenna14]

The fact that I don’t know the people accepted to Brown and what they’re thinking right now is stressing me out. Waitlist shenanigans. 🥲

[gradschoolpspspsps]

15 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

You've got some really great choices  so hoping you make it off the waitlist at the place that is best for you!

Do you know how many ole miss accepted? Wondering if it is worth reapplying again next year.

 

Thank you, me too!! If you mean accepted, their program is four people, but on the waitlist I don't know. I will ask when I reach out again and let everyone know. 

[everything bagel lover]

6 minutes ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

Thank you, me too!! If you mean accepted, their program is four people, but on the waitlist I don't know. I will ask when I reach out again and let everyone know. 

Oh I just saw this on the Draft and idk if you're on there, but someone said that a poetry faculty from Pittsburg said they were pausing graduate admission indefinitely  Just wanted to give you and anyone else waiting on Pitt that heads up

Pitt is Pittsburg.... yes? False alarm if they are different but I can't imagine what else Pitt would stand for

[gradschoolpspspsps]

4 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

Oh I just saw this on the Draft and idk if you're on there, but someone said that a poetry faculty from Pittsburg said they were pausing graduate admission indefinitely  Just wanted to give you and anyone else waiting on Pitt that heads up

Pitt is Pittsburg.... yes? False alarm if they are different but I can't imagine what else Pitt would stand for

Yes, Pitt is Pittsburgh. I appreciate that, I'm not on Draft. Yeah, they sent out an email to everyone who applied about funding being paused. I guess I was assuming they'd unpause but maybe that's not true. Sad.

[Hcrews22]

Hi y'all. First post here - I was waitlisted at UTK's Phd and Arkansas MFA. I have been accepted, funding TBD, at Oklahoma State MFA, which seems well-funded in a LCOL area (some apartments are under 500 bucks). I'm also from that part of the world. Anyone here know anything more about OK State, planning on going, etc.? Thanks! 

[carly rae jepsenn]

44 minutes ago, Chex said:

That's so great! Do you mind sharing where you're headed to? I'm just curious, lol, and living vicariously through other people's MFA plans. 

I've committed to Michigan!

[decayingballads21]

Any thoughts on idaho? 
 

program seems wonderful and I love the faculty, I just keep saying to myself do I really wanna live in the middle of nowhere for 3 years? But then again it can’t be that bad, probably good to focus on my work… also people live in Iowa, so….

 

its also a 2:2 teaching load but the more I talk to current students that doesn’t seem too off putting. It seems manageable 

 

any thoughts on living there or the program?! 

[Lady Gladys]

3 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

I've committed to Michigan!

OMG, Congratulations!!!!

[everything bagel lover]

7 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

I've committed to Michigan!

Congratulations!!!! That’s amazing and I’m so excited for you!

[glowingbrightly]

5 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

Any thoughts on idaho? 
 

program seems wonderful and I love the faculty, I just keep saying to myself do I really wanna live in the middle of nowhere for 3 years? But then again it can’t be that bad, probably good to focus on my work… also people live in Iowa, so….

 

its also a 2:2 teaching load but the more I talk to current students that doesn’t seem too off putting. It seems manageable 

 

any thoughts on living there or the program?! 

2:2 is a lot but if you think the program seems great and love the faculty then that’s all you should need to know imo 

[asm0deus]

Welp, if anyone wants a glimmer of hope: my assumed soft R at NC State was just confirmed by email to be a “second waitlist”! Kinda odd but they said I’m not in first round acceptances or waitlists but they are still holding my app for review. Never had that before. But hey, if you’re waiting on some potential soft rejections, don’t lose hope yet!