2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[OctopusCactus]

23 hours ago, muffincreature said:

I extremely appreciated the advice people gave on my MFA choices! Here’s another question I have. I’ve been torn between PhD and MFA.

I’m not sure if anyone has debated between PhD and MFA and what you’ve decided considering your writing interests and career prospects. I feel like my heart is leaning toward the MFA but the PhD seems like such a good opportunity I shouldn’t miss. Would love to hear someone else’s thoughts on this. 

Could you see yourself pursuing any of the non-academic career pathways available to social science PhDs and MAs? There is some demand for social science PhDs in fields like U/X design, market research, and consulting, and those jobs can be lucrative (though they're also quite competitive).  Many PhD programs are not the best at helping students navigate the non-academic job market but there's increasing pressure on them to do better on this.

PhD programs have more structured resources to help students go on the job market than MFAs, but the social sciences academic job market is, like the creative writing academic job market, way oversupplied and competitive.  

Good luck with whatever route you choose, what great options to have!

[P i e r r o t]

27 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Yeah my workshop mate is that person. They’re visiting all schools and then deciding. I think Syracuse and JHU are top of the list. There’s another person admitted at both those programs who might be leaning JHU (this is thirdhand information) because of transit etc limitations but I don’t think they’ve done their Syracuse visit yet. Unfortunately might be closer to 4/15 before you see movement. Keep us posted!

Congrats to them—and also wish they would cut Davis loose already, god damn!

Edited March 31 by P i e r r o t

[muffincreature]

23 hours ago, Lady Gladys said:

What would you like to teach? Also, I would consider how much of your career is ahead of you. If you are 50, then 7-8 years in a PhD program doesn't seem like a good payoff for 15 years of teaching, but if you are 30, I can see how it would make more sense.

Good question... I’ve been working with students on writing so I can see myself teaching that long-term, less sure about teaching social sciences. It’s just how likely will an MFA lead to teaching jobs that aren’t a super heavy load and low pay? 

Yeah age is a good consideration. I’m still young but 7-8 years plus more years of postdoc still seems daunting. 

[Hjanep]

42 minutes ago, P i e r r o t said:

Congrats to them—and also wish they would cut Davis loose already, god damn!

They’re visiting this week so fingers crossed the end is near 

[P i e r r o t]

34 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

They’re visiting this week so fingers crossed the end is near 

Oh, good to know, thanks! Glad I mentioned it.

[muffincreature]

1 hour ago, OctopusCactus said:

Could you see yourself pursuing any of the non-academic career pathways available to social science PhDs and MAs? There is some demand for social science PhDs in fields like U/X design, market research, and consulting, and those jobs can be lucrative (though they're also quite competitive).  Many PhD programs are not the best at helping students navigate the non-academic job market but there's increasing pressure on them to do better on this.

PhD programs have more structured resources to help students go on the job market than MFAs, but the social sciences academic job market is, like the creative writing academic job market, way oversupplied and competitive.  

Good luck with whatever route you choose, what great options to have!

Thanks! Planning non-academic careers after these degrees sounds like a smart thing to do. My work has been related to writing, editing and education so I feel more comfortable staying in these fields than the corporate jobs that typically follow social science degrees. But the pay is probably much worse?

I’m also thinking if a social science degree can lead to writing-focused jobs, like journalism, but I’ve been told it’s a dying field, and experience probably helps more than seven years of schooling? 

As you said, social science and creative writing academic job markets are both highly competitive. Is one slightly better than the other though?

[LichLover]

3 hours ago, Eloise2897 said:

Do you mind if I ask where you got off the waitlists? No pressure if you would rather not share!

Got off at South Carolina and WashU. 

[rapunzel]

3 hours ago, Hjanep said:

Yeah my workshop mate is that person. They’re visiting all schools and then deciding. I think Syracuse and JHU are top of the list. There’s another person admitted at both those programs who might be leaning JHU (this is thirdhand information) because of transit etc limitations but I don’t think they’ve done their Syracuse visit yet. Unfortunately might be closer to 4/15 before you see movement. Keep us posted!

lol i envy your insider knowledge 👀

[Magnolia Electric Co]

3 hours ago, Hjanep said:

Yeah my workshop mate is that person. They’re visiting all schools and then deciding. I think Syracuse and JHU are top of the list. There’s another person admitted at both those programs who might be leaning JHU (this is thirdhand information) because of transit etc limitations but I don’t think they’ve done their Syracuse visit yet. Unfortunately might be closer to 4/15 before you see movement. Keep us posted!

Is Syracuse a hard place to live without a car?

[Hjanep]

25 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

Is Syracuse a hard place to live without a car?

Probably. I lived in Ithaca and felt like I needed a car. It seems like it would be even more necessary in Syracuse. And there’s no train or anything that goes there so to leave you effectively need to drive (or fly)

[Lady Gladys]

15 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

Is Syracuse a hard place to live without a car?

I think it depends on how far out you want to go. There are Syracuse University shuttles on campus and in the neighborhoods around campus, and there are public bus routes that connect major shopping areas and downtown. They also have bike routes, taxis, Ubers, etc. There's no subway, but they do have a transportation hub for Greyhound and Amtrak to connect Syracuse to other major cities. They also have an airport.

[Hjanep]

Out of pure curiosity, I wish there was a board that showed how many spots each of these schools have and how many have been claimed. For example, it seems like Michigan fiction has had some recent movement but I wonder how long their waitlist is and how far through they’ve made it, etc. 

[Lady Gladys]

10 minutes ago, Hjanep said:

Probably. I lived in Ithaca and felt like I needed a car. It seems like it would be even more necessary in Syracuse. And there’s no train or anything that goes there so to leave you effectively need to drive (or fly)

Amtrak serves Syracuse. They have a line that connects Boston and New York City with Chicago that always stops at Syracuse. My kids in college take it all the time to get back and forth on breaks.

[Magnolia Electric Co]

Wow - so much collective knowledge about Syracuse! I guess I wouldn't mind not being able to leave Syracuse itself, but I'd want to be able to get around the city itself without a car.

[penitentwanderer]

 

4 hours ago, Hjanep said:

Yeah my workshop mate is that person. They’re visiting all schools and then deciding. I think Syracuse and JHU are top of the list. There’s another person admitted at both those programs who might be leaning JHU (this is thirdhand information) because of transit etc limitations but I don’t think they’ve done their Syracuse visit yet. Unfortunately might be closer to 4/15 before you see movement. Keep us posted!

3 hours ago, Hjanep said:

They’re visiting this week so fingers crossed the end is near 

Do you happen to know if they plan to cut any schools loose or are they waiting until they visit their last school (UC Davis?)? Just curious as they're already leaning towards 2 schools, do they intend to decline offers from schools they've already visited? Asking as an anxiety-ridden waitlister to one of their non-preferred schools (hopefully) 🙃 I realize that you're not them and can't answer for them, but appreciate you giving us the inside scoop! Not sure it's helping the nerves, but I guess it's good to know. Hopefully, they make their last visit and are able to make timely choices!

Also extending this general inquiry more broadly - people with multiple acceptances who AREN'T waiting on waitlists - what Qs are you still mulling over before you accept? I know someone else who has at least 2 acceptances and has declined at least 1 other offer, but is still thinking things through with those 2 schools - in their case they only just recently came off a waitlist. 

[Hjanep]

1 minute ago, penitentwanderer said:

 

Do you happen to know if they plan to cut any schools loose or are they waiting until they visit their last school (UC Davis?)? Just curious as they're already leaning towards 2 schools, do they intend to decline offers from schools they've already visited? Asking as an anxiety-ridden waitlister to one of their non-preferred schools (hopefully) 🙃 I realize that you're not them and can't answer for them, but appreciate you giving us the inside scoop! Not sure it's helping the nerves, but I guess it's good to know. Hopefully, they make their last visit and are able to make timely choices!

Also extending this general inquiry more broadly - people with multiple acceptances who AREN'T waiting on waitlists - what Qs are you still mulling over before you accept? I know someone else who has at least 2 acceptances and has declined at least 1 other offer, but is still thinking things through with those 2 schools - in their case they only just recently came off a waitlist. 

My understanding is they’re trying to make an informed decision after visiting all schools and so far has been like “wow it would be amazing to go here!” about every program during the visits. I think there are also some personal decisions around geography and with any decision like this there’s probably some overwhelm and different tradeoffs but I really don’t know much beyond that. 

[pananoprodigy]

I'm committing to NAU @everything bagel lover can't wait to get bagels with you in flag!

[snottlebie]

1 hour ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

Wow - so much collective knowledge about Syracuse! I guess I wouldn't mind not being able to leave Syracuse itself, but I'd want to be able to get around the city itself without a car.

According to my partner who lived in upstate NY for many years - upstate NY is not super doable without a car. University shuttle buses would be your best bet, but anything off that track would be hard. Syracuse is easier to get to and to leave from without a car (Amtrak, Greyhound, airport) than say Ithaca, but it's hard to travel within Syracuse itself without a car (same goes for Ithaca, though Ithaca is smaller so it might technically be easier to travel within, but for all intents and purposes upstate NY is not wildly public transit friendly). 

[Elphaba MissieMissie]

Question about Indiana Bloomington (fiction) : Does anyone know if they offer decent opportunities to connect with agents? I'm also curious what the program's general reputation is among literary agents/editors. 

[Magnolia Electric Co]

14 minutes ago, snottlebie said:

According to my partner who lived in upstate NY for many years - upstate NY is not super doable without a car. University shuttle buses would be your best bet, but anything off that track would be hard. Syracuse is easier to get to and to leave from without a car (Amtrak, Greyhound, airport) than say Ithaca, but it's hard to travel within Syracuse itself without a car (same goes for Ithaca, though Ithaca is smaller so it might technically be easier to travel within, but for all intents and purposes upstate NY is not wildly public transit friendly). 

This is good to know! I'd been feeling some major regret for not applying to Syracuse but a walkable city is nonnegotiable for me. I probably should have thought to check this for my other schools 🤔

[gradschoolpspspsps]

2 hours ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

Is Syracuse a hard place to live without a car?

Idk how helpful this is but my little brother just graduated from undergrad there and none of his friends had a car, they all were fine with the campus community even in their off campus apartments. It's it's own little area. And they're all bougie business majors lol. 

[everything bagel lover]

58 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

I'm committing to NAU @everything bagel lover can't wait to get bagels with you in flag!

Oh my god that’s so exciting!!! Yay I’d love to connect and chat! Congrats on committing!!!   

[penitentwanderer]

11 minutes ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

Idk how helpful this is but my little brother just graduated from undergrad there and none of his friends had a car, they all were fine with the campus community even in their off campus apartments. It's it's own little area. And they're all bougie business majors lol. 

Yeah, I think it depends on what your needs are. The campus of my undergrad was very walkable, but outside of that, it would have been impossible to navigate without a car (for groceries, trips to doctor or dentist, etc.). If you're mostly staying close to campus, you'll be fine at Syracuse (my roommate went there), but if you wanted to go outside of the university shuttle system, things will be harder unlike bigger cities like NYC, boston, chicago, etc. 

Edited April 1 by penitentwanderer

[gradschoolpspspsps]

5 minutes ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

Idk how helpful this is but my little brother just graduated from undergrad there and none of his friends had a car, they all were fine with the campus community even in their off campus apartments. It's it's own little area. And they're all bougie business majors lol. 

Oops replied to this before seeing that literally everyone else already had answered lol, they all probably know more than my brother, he doesn't know what's going on half the time!

[pananoprodigy]

Kinda bewildered rn -- I just got a copy of Passages North, Northern Michigan's lit mag, in the mail. No note or anything, just this big fat book in a box. Surely they don't send it out to all their applicants, do they? And if not, why did I get it lol. I had been assuming they were a rejection but I haven't heard anything since I applied. 

And as if that's not odd enough I went to the grocery store right after getting it and saw a guy in a Northern Michigan sweatshirt -- I live in Los Angeles. 

edit: Assuming this is just the universe's way of making me second guess myself the minute I've actually, finally, made a decision LOL

Edited April 1 by pananoprodigy