2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[essentialflowers]

I’m waiting to hear back from my last hope. I’m waitlisted & the call I had with the director in February sounded very promising (“you are NOT someone we want to say no to”). But now I’m second-guessing, and I’m so sick I’m not able to eat. Is anyone in a similar boat? 

[squid05]

30 minutes ago, essentialflowers said:

I’m waiting to hear back from my last hope. I’m waitlisted & the call I had with the director in February sounded very promising (“you are NOT someone we want to say no to”). But now I’m second-guessing, and I’m so sick I’m not able to eat. Is anyone in a similar boat? 

Yes. Still pending at my top school. They mentioned "your applications is very much alive. The committee is going to meet again on Friday, and I expect to get a little more good news." - two weeks ago. Havent heard back anything definitive since.

 

Can barely get any work done or think about anything else. 

Edited April 4 by squid05

[essentialflowers]

8 minutes ago, squid05 said:

Yes. Still pending at my top school. They mentioned "your applications is very much alive. The committee is going to meet again on Friday, and I expect to get a little more good news." - two weeks ago. Havent heard back anything definitive since.

 

Can barely get any work done or think about anything else. 

I get that!!! I emailed the director of the program asking about waitlist movement & to affirm my interest but I haven’t heard back. I’m taking this is a good sign that they’re still deliberating but it can also be a “we don’t want to reject you right now so we are waiting for a good time.” 
 

I’m sending you lots of luck and hoping good news comes soon for both of us. 

[penitentwanderer]

26 minutes ago, squid05 said:

Yes. Still pending at my top school. They mentioned "your applications is very much alive. The committee is going to meet again on Friday, and I expect to get a little more good news." - two weeks ago. Havent heard back anything definitive since.

 

Can barely get any work done or think about anything else. 

At least they respond to you. They wouldn't tell us how many people are on the waitlist or if it's ranked, etc. Program coordinator doesn't respond to emails 🫠If anyone has insight into Cornell (fiction), please feel free to share. Trying to stay in NY close to family and good healthcare, but not feeling great about my chances at this point. Hoping people start to make decisions soon!

[squid05]

23 minutes ago, essentialflowers said:

I get that!!! I emailed the director of the program asking about waitlist movement & to affirm my interest but I haven’t heard back. I’m taking this is a good sign that they’re still deliberating but it can also be a “we don’t want to reject you right now so we are waiting for a good time.” 
 

I’m sending you lots of luck and hoping good news comes soon for both of us. 

right back at ya! Fingers crossed for the both of us 

[Tuxedocat]

2 hours ago, VOID DARLING said:

anybody know of people getting off the poetry waitlist/ rejecting their poetry spots at michigan? so far all the movement i see on the draft spreadsheet seems to be on the fiction side! 

lowkey in my delulu era thinking that 9 spots per genre means there's BOUND to be some movement in both.... TvT

I think only 1-2 people usually make it off the waitlist at Michigan at most. So it’s possible, just a slim chance. For poetry, I think at least 2 people have committed so far. I have no idea if anyone has turned down their spot yet. I probably can’t commit to Michigan until closer to April 15 because I’m waiting to hear back from a waitlist. I imagine anyone else who hasn’t committed is either waiting to hear from a waitlist or deciding between schools. So it’s probably going to be down to the wire. 

[Eloise2897]

2 hours ago, essentialflowers said:

I’m waiting to hear back from my last hope. I’m waitlisted & the call I had with the director in February sounded very promising (“you are NOT someone we want to say no to”). But now I’m second-guessing, and I’m so sick I’m not able to eat. Is anyone in a similar boat? 

yeah I've had trouble eating and functioning the past few weeks waitlisted at my top 2 schools, I really need to know where I stand. It's so rough.

[Magnolia Electric Co]

3 hours ago, elizabethjeanewrites said:

Hi!! So I'm waiting to hear back from Notre Dame, Butler and Miami of Ohio. I've gotten no email from all 3. I've never done this whole grad school thing before. Is this normal?? Should I be worried? I got waitlisted at Western Michigan University, but I got an email. Should I take no email as a rejection? I got rejected from Boston U, UIUC, and Ohio State, but they all sent emails... I'm so scared and I check my email everyday. And I'm just a undergrad finishing senior year and trying to plan what to do with my life next year. Can anyone give me some guidance?

Sometimes, schools send out acceptances and waitlists a long time before they send out rejections. I know Notre Dame has already sent out acceptances and waitlists, and looking at the spreadsheet in the Facebook group MFA Draft '25, it seems like Butler and Miami of Ohio have also sent out acceptances and waitlists. That doesn't always mean a rejection is certain - as people have pointed out, sometimes circumstances change later - but I do think it means rejection is most likely at this stage. Sometimes people use the term "soft rejection" to mean they haven't gotten an official rejection, but they know that acceptances and waitlists have already gone out. I hope that helps!

[prufrock_]

"We were pleased to consider your application..."

what a brutal way to start a rejection letter lol, for a split second my mind autocompleted it to 'we are pleased to offer you...'

anyway, officially got ND's decline.

 

[inkidacat]

another day, no movement on the waitlist T^T... is there any chance profs would reach out over the weekend? 

Edited April 4 by inkidacat

[gradschoolpspspsps]

1 hour ago, inkidacat said:

another day, no movement on the waitlist T^T... is there any chance profs would reach out over the weekend? 

I like to treat the weekend as an email refreshing break and try to do something else. Last weekend it got so bad I picked up watching Grey's Anatomy again. 

[girlwiththegreenribbon]

losing my mind waiting for any news from SIU 

[essentialflowers]

Does anyone have any FSU updates? Wishing everyone luck & love ❤️

[Nauna]

Any Pittsburgh interviewees still kicking around here? I'm wondering if anyone has any new info to share since we've seen those couple of entries on the draft spreadsheet.

[paper copy]

Hi all! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend - as we approach The Deadline, I'm planning on sending a waitlist nudge email today for UTK, but I'm a little unsure of who to send it to. My initial waitlist email came from an administrative support assistant (and CCed the director of the program & of graduate studies); however, my app portal says if I have questions about my application to email my specific admissions specialist. Any suggestions? I know I wayyyyy overthinking it, but that's what happens this close to April 15th!!!

[vilum]

30 minutes ago, paper copy said:

Hi all! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend - as we approach The Deadline, I'm planning on sending a waitlist nudge email today for UTK, but I'm a little unsure of who to send it to. My initial waitlist email came from an administrative support assistant (and CCed the director of the program & of graduate studies); however, my app portal says if I have questions about my application to email my specific admissions specialist. Any suggestions? I know I wayyyyy overthinking it, but that's what happens this close to April 15th!!!

hello! i've replied directly to the email informing me of my waitlist placement - don't take my word for it though, i haven't heard back from either school i've sent it to lol

[Jane Wyman]

32 minutes ago, paper copy said:

Hi all! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend - as we approach The Deadline, I'm planning on sending a waitlist nudge email today for UTK, but I'm a little unsure of who to send it to. My initial waitlist email came from an administrative support assistant (and CCed the director of the program & of graduate studies); however, my app portal says if I have questions about my application to email my specific admissions specialist. Any suggestions? I know I wayyyyy overthinking it, but that's what happens this close to April 15th!!!

If they said to email a specific admissions specialist, I'd try them!

[squid05]

I really do not like how little information we are getting from UNCG. They keep saying "I expect to get an update from the committee on Friday" and then.....nothing. Week after week. I understand there is funding uncertainty but come on! 

[P i e r r o t]

1 hour ago, paper copy said:

Hi all! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend - as we approach The Deadline, I'm planning on sending a waitlist nudge email today for UTK, but I'm a little unsure of who to send it to. My initial waitlist email came from an administrative support assistant (and CCed the director of the program & of graduate studies); however, my app portal says if I have questions about my application to email my specific admissions specialist. Any suggestions? I know I wayyyyy overthinking it, but that's what happens this close to April 15th!!!

You are most definitely overthinking it! Understandable, though. Email the specific admissions specialist they mentioned and CC the admin and director. Keep it brief and no one will be bothered, I promise.

[gradschoolpspspsps]

1 hour ago, paper copy said:

Hi all! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend - as we approach The Deadline, I'm planning on sending a waitlist nudge email today for UTK, but I'm a little unsure of who to send it to. My initial waitlist email came from an administrative support assistant (and CCed the director of the program & of graduate studies); however, my app portal says if I have questions about my application to email my specific admissions specialist. Any suggestions? I know I wayyyyy overthinking it, but that's what happens this close to April 15th!!!

Hi! Just wanted to say, I sent an email asking for updates and reiterating my interest to all four of my waitlists and UTK is the only one that didn't respond within the hour. I haven't gotten any responses from them since that first email. I replied to that original email they sent me, so maybe try the portal? I haven't done that yet. 

[vilum]

did anyone get a response from NYU regarding waitlists by any chance?

[Eloise2897]

Does anyone have any new information on the Syracuse or Minnesota waitlists? I got an email from the program I was accepted into reminding me that the deadline is approaching and mentioning that they would appreciate knowing where I stand at the moment. I'm not totally sure what to say back other than that I've declined other offers but I am still waiting to hear back on 2 waitlists.

I'm wondering if I should email Syracuse and Minnesota again for an update, though I never heard anything back from Minnesota in the first place. Is 3 emails between being placed on the waitlist and deadline day excessive?

[zaira]

23 minutes ago, Eloise2897 said:

Does anyone have any new information on the Syracuse or Minnesota waitlists? I got an email from the program I was accepted into reminding me that the deadline is approaching and mentioning that they would appreciate knowing where I stand at the moment. I'm not totally sure what to say back other than that I've declined other offers but I am still waiting to hear back on 2 waitlists.

I'm wondering if I should email Syracuse and Minnesota again for an update, though I never heard anything back from Minnesota in the first place. Is 3 emails between being placed on the waitlist and deadline day excessive?

I think I saw on Draft that the Syracuse waitlist is a little long. Not sure if you need to send a third email, especially if you've emailed them relatively recently (like within the past two weeks). But I don't think it would hurt to email them again anyway, seeing as the deadline is on Tuesday (eeeeeek!). If you're gonna email them, it's probably better to do it before the end of this week. Programs are gonna be busy as hell next week. 

For your accepted program, you can probably just let them know you're still considering their offer and will need a few more days to make your decision. You don't have to go into too much detail. 

(Still crossing all of my fingers for you to get into your top choice!) 

[Southron]

10 hours ago, Nauna said:

Any Pittsburgh interviewees still kicking around here? I'm wondering if anyone has any new info to share since we've seen those couple of entries on the draft spreadsheet.

Still waiting here. I emailed the professor I interviewed with towards the end of last week, but haven't heard anything. Part of me wonders if all acceptances went out last week, and only a couple of the people were on draft. I still have hope for fiction though.

[saintjdog]

2 hours ago, vilum said:

did anyone get a response from NYU regarding waitlists by any chance?

NYU waitlisted me on March 7th via email, I'm a fiction applicant. I haven't received any admissions updates from them since then, only responses to my questions about the program.