2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[MegHe]

5 minutes ago, exvat said:

It is, and conveniently also my only affordable choice. The program is a better fit for me than Columbia, my other option. I really miss living in NYC, my bestie lives there, I have family and friends close by, et freakin cetera

Thanks for the info! Who knows - depending on how things turn out, I may reach out to see if you know any closets available for rent 😅 Good luck with funding!!! 

[GhostOfHermann]

It's getting to the point where I hate that it's Friday and the weekend is almost here.

[MegHe]

14 minutes ago, doubleve said:

this is super helpful, thank you both @MegHe @exvat !! i'm an international student so i assume no phone call will come my way, so i've opted to respond to the email and cc the program manager too... fingers crossed that sends the right message lol

Ok I'm out of reactions for the day but congrats on the waitlist and good luck!!! 

[exvat]

13 minutes ago, MegHe said:

Thanks for the info! Who knows - depending on how things turn out, I may reach out to see if you know any closets available for rent 😅 Good luck with funding!!! 

Welcome, and good luck to you too! I feel like Oprah, telling people to look under their keyboards for good luck 🤪

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the ol' NYC housing hunt again. Total shit show usually, but it does reward patience, fortitude, and diligence. If you end up there, I'm happy to share my housing search experiences (pre-panini).

Edited March 7, 2025 by exvat
I forgot fortitude 🦁🦁

[Hjanep]

21 minutes ago, Clacla said:

Does anyone have any info about Irvine fiction? I feel like somebody said they were "almost done" deciding like three weeks ago lol

@Scribe is our boots on the ground there. I think nothing really

[cooliejulie86]

Uh, so I got a weird automated email just now from UH's Student Housing (here's an excerpt):

Hey, #FutureCoog, 

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Houston, joining the legacy of the UNSTOPPABLE Coogs who came before you! While you plan your next four years, we encourage you to consider living on campus with Student Housing & Residential Life.  

I went here for undergrad and left 2023, but I did also apply for their Fiction MFA. But that's obviously not "four years". I'm assuming this is just a very odd, ill-timed false flag, because I haven't heard anything from UH otherwise, and the portal isn't showing anything new. Any thoughts?

Plot thickens: someone else just entered an acceptance for UH Fiction citing this same email...this is so bizarre.

Edited March 7, 2025 by cooliejulie86

[exvat]

26 minutes ago, cooliejulie86 said:

Uh, so I got a weird automated email just now from UH's Student Housing (here's an excerpt):

Hey, #FutureCoog, 

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Houston, joining the legacy of the UNSTOPPABLE Coogs who came before you! While you plan your next four years, we encourage you to consider living on campus with Student Housing & Residential Life.  

I went here for undergrad and left 2023, but I did also apply for their Fiction MFA. But that's obviously not "four years". I'm assuming this is just a very odd, ill-timed false flag, because I haven't heard anything from UH otherwise, and the portal isn't showing anything new. Any thoughts?

Plot thickens: someone else just entered an acceptance for UH Fiction citing this same email...this is so bizarre.

My first broad hypothesis is that the accepted cohort email segment was sent to Housing's people, and they sent their welcome emails before checking that the MFA program had sent their own 😬 saying this as someone who sent mass emails for years. This is my worst nightmare come true as a sender 😂 

But also holy shit The #FutureCoog Cohort sounds potentially legendary 😂 "Yo, you read so-and-so's new book? This one HAS to win them the NBA. They'd be the last of the [fabled] FCC to win it..."

Edited March 7, 2025 by exvat

[lizziebennett]

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

[exvat]

3 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

Wow!! Congratulations!!! 🎇🎇🎇

[Hank Moody]

4 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

That's huge, congrats!

[pananoprodigy]

9 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

AMAZING!!! Congrats!!

[cooliejulie86]

19 minutes ago, exvat said:

My first broad hypothesis is that the accepted cohort email segment was sent to Housing's people, and they sent their welcome emails before checking that the MFA program had sent their own 😬 saying this as someone who sent mass emails for years. This is my worst nightmare come true as a sender 😂 

But also holy shit The #FutureCoog Cohort sounds potentially legendary 😂 "Yo, you read so-and-so's new book? This one HAS to win them the NBA. They'd be the last of the [fabled] FCC to win it..."

Hmmm so do you think this is reason enough to be cautiously optimistic at a forthcoming acceptance?

[analog_e]

I've never been more tense 😬 

[zaira]

20 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

AMAZING!!! Congrats! 

[seah0rse]

22 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

congrats!

[Hjanep]

23 minutes ago, gwenny said:

I just got the call from Brown- for fiction! 

OMG CONGRATS!!!

[seezeegee]

IWW poetry acceptance on Draft! 

[exvat]

18 minutes ago, cooliejulie86 said:

Hmmm so do you think this is reason enough to be cautiously optimistic at a forthcoming acceptance?

If I were in your shoes, I'd be cautiously optimistic, yes 🙏🕯️

[steins rose]

5 hours ago, orb weaver said:

Got the call from University of Washington last night 😳 in for poetry

ahhhh CONGRATS!!!🥳 out of curiosity, around what time of day did they call you? 

[writercl]

45 minutes ago, cooliejulie86 said:

Uh, so I got a weird automated email just now from UH's Student Housing (here's an excerpt):

Hey, #FutureCoog, 

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Houston, joining the legacy of the UNSTOPPABLE Coogs who came before you! While you plan your next four years, we encourage you to consider living on campus with Student Housing & Residential Life.  

I went here for undergrad and left 2023, but I did also apply for their Fiction MFA. But that's obviously not "four years". I'm assuming this is just a very odd, ill-timed false flag, because I haven't heard anything from UH otherwise, and the portal isn't showing anything new. Any thoughts?

Plot thickens: someone else just entered an acceptance for UH Fiction citing this same email...this is so bizarre.

that entry was me LOL. did i jump the gun??? surely it wasn't a mistake? i don't even know what to think but i'm sure it's the same hypothesis as the other comment...right?

Edited March 7, 2025 by writercl

[cooliejulie86]

Just now, writercl said:

that was me LOL. did i jump the gun??? surely it wasn't a mistake? i don't even know what to think but i'm sure it's the same hypothesis as the other comment...right?

Hey, trust me - I badly want to believe it and celebrate! I just think it's strange to find out this way and it doesn't feel "official" yet, so I'm looking for clarity before I get my hopes fully up. Glad I'm not alone, either way!

[AyvaM]

5 hours ago, exvat said:

I'm trying for patience myself (re: moolah), but I think you could probably check in a little earlier than 4 weeks. Tho I'm definitely not knowledgeable of the waitlist arts, so maybe I'll defer to those who are.

However! The Columbia professor I talked with yesterday was like, "Be the squeaky wheel about money! Ask for what you need! Be bold!" So I'm drafting The Ultimatum™ this weekend to send to their bean counters. Fwiw!

Re your edit about federal government: Supreme Court struck that down this past week..so if it's NIH related Colombia won't lose federal funding. So send the email! 🌻

Edited March 7, 2025 by AyvaM

[seah0rse]

2 minutes ago, writercl said:

that was me LOL. did i jump the gun??? surely it wasn't a mistake? i don't even know what to think but i'm sure it's the same hypothesis as the other comment...right?

one of my programs sent me an email basically saying I got the Job with the Writing Program before I'd even received an acceptance from the MFA department / before my portal changed - it was hours until the MFA followed up with an acceptance & my portal still said "under department review" - it's like they don't even talk to each other?

[writercl]

5 minutes ago, cooliejulie86 said:

Hey, trust me - I badly want to believe it and celebrate! I just think it's strange to find out this way and it doesn't feel "official" yet, so I'm looking for clarity before I get my hopes fully up. Glad I'm not alone, either way!

I feel the same way :'). the "four years" part really threw me off, but i am oh-so-hopeful. praying for the both of us!! ❤️

[exvat]

21 minutes ago, AyvaM said:

Re your edit about federal government: Supreme Court struck that down this past week..so if it's NIH related Colombia won't lose federal funding. So send the email! 🌻

Outta reactions, but thank you! Will! With gusto 💪