2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[everything bagel lover]

8 minutes ago, shelbo said:

hi! has anyone heard anything back from university of south carolina?? they're one of the last schools I'm waiting for, other than brown and UH, and I really would love to get in there! i did get an email from them asking me to set up an account for financial aid at the end of february and another email last week saying that they've accessed my fafsa, and i'm really unsure what to make of that. should i read it as a potential acceptance, or do they do that with everyone? just wanted to see if anyone else has gotten the same thing/has advice!

Hi! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but U of South Carolina acceptances and waitlists have already gone out. Idk about UH, I will check the draft and update!

edit: For Houston, there's one post on the draft that says someone got a notification about housing and assumed that means they were accepted but they seemed unsure and I don't recall if I've read anything on the forum but hopefully someone else can chime in if they have!

Edited 5 hours ago by everything bagel lover
new info

[shelbo]

4 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

Hi! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but U of South Carolina acceptances and waitlists have already gone out. Idk about UH, I will check the draft and update!

edit: For Houston, there's one post on the draft that says someone got a notification about housing and assumed that means they were accepted but they seemed unsure and I don't recall if I've read anything on the forum but hopefully someone else can chime in if they have!

thanks for your response! the draft doesn't seem to have anything for USC for this cycle, just for 2024, so I assumed nothing had been sent out. really weird that they made me create an account for fafsa and everything if they were just going to deny me. 

[exvat]

9 minutes ago, analog_e said:

Things I write well: Complex novels

Poetry

Things I do not write well: short fiction that isn't just ostensibly a prose poem and really works better being judged as poetry

I hate writing short fiction idk what it is

Wanna say I feel this. The engine of my imposter syndrome is my own perceived mismatch for the vast majority of how MFA programs are focused. With fiction largely geared (as I understand it) to short stories, your interests/talents are elsewhere. As a poet, I'll cop to poetry comprising like 5% of my reading diet, the rest being a mix of spec-fic, Buddhist shit, and high litch-ritch-uh—and this low-key has me wondering if I'll be run out of my program, regardless how else I may fit. Especially when my... knowledge, yeah... of the English poetic canon comes to light 😅😬

[everything bagel lover]

3 minutes ago, shelbo said:

thanks for your response! the draft doesn't seem to have anything for USC for this cycle, just for 2024, so I assumed nothing had been sent out. really weird that they made me create an account for fafsa and everything if they were just going to deny me. 

No problem! It seems like everyone used the full name in the form, and I made mental note because another person who was accepted into CSU also got accepted into USC (congrats Dylan if you're here!!)

[_redrabbit7]

10 minutes ago, analog_e said:

I've been told my writing is for people with graduate degrees, though I don't know how true that really is. It's really pretty readable, even if a little difficult at times. I think a lot about what DFW said in an interview about seeing Blue Velvet breaking him out of being an avant-gardist and just comfortably finding his voice as something distinct. That's really all I'm playing at. The intention is never to be difficult, just to express something how it needs to be expressed.

I didn't start writing poetry until this year because of workshop at UVA with Lisa Spaar, whom I adore. It's been a fun process, and I have written some quality prose poetry, but the lined stuff is mostly a little wanting still even if one of them got into the UVA lit mag. I'm hoping to get it to the point where I feel comfortable enough to apply for poetry and fiction next year, because as far as workshops are concerned, I find it much easier to give critical feedback and insight on poems.

I’m out of reactions but I like what you said about your work in relation to David Foster Wallace’s. I’m embarrassed to say I’m not familiar with his work.

I think applying for both poetry and fiction next year is a nice idea. But, hey, it’s not over yet until you hear from Brown. ✌🏾

[currahcane]

Hi y'all. I've been waitlisted at my top two programs (UCSD and OSU) and received 1 hard r and two soft r's. (Though, in truth, the programs I've not heard from are ones I've had to take out of consideration anyway due to the politics in the area they are in.) I am wondering if anyone has experience with waitlists moving, I know OSU's is longggg (just based on the MFA draft.) but I haven't seen anyone else waitlisted at UCSD for nonfiction. Starting to feel slightly hopeless about it, but is there any chance I'll hear before April? Has anyone else been accepted off the waitlist at one of these schools? Thanks!

[Tinky C. Clown]

omg, higher tier rejection from iowa with handwritten note at the bottom

[_redrabbit7]

21 minutes ago, rapunzel said:

everyone saying they're good with novels--HOW. i think short fiction works for me because i can hold the whole thing in my head while i'm writing, whereas with a novel there's obviously so much space and so much i feel like i have to say that i'm truly incapable lol

Lol, same way I ask myself how people write compelling stories under 5k words. At 5k, I’m just beginning to say what I want to say. 
 

I think mine stem from influences. I read Coetzee a lot, and he’s only written about three or four short stories through his career, which are not particularly good as standalones. 

[seah0rse]

1 minute ago, _redrabbit7 said:

Lol, same way I ask myself how people write compelling stories under 5k words. At 5k, I’m just beginning to say what I want to say. 
 

I think mine stem from influences. I read Coetzee a lot, and he’s only written about three or four short stories through his career, which are not particularly good as standalones. 

Most of my stories are under 1k 😅 I do get very tired, as a short story writer, of having to come up with a new idea every time I want to write. Sometimes I just want to spend 30 pages with one character by the sea or whatever. But I’ve really developed that brevity muscle (I hope), just as novelists develop endurance. Also, for my sanity during midterms, I’ve decided Brown is going to be silent until the 15th 😅 thanks for the update!

[rapunzel]

6 minutes ago, _redrabbit7 said:

Lol, same way I ask myself how people write compelling stories under 5k words. At 5k, I’m just beginning to say what I want to say. 
 

I think mine stem from influences. I read Coetzee a lot, and he’s only written about three or four short stories through his career, which are not particularly good as standalones. 

i think 5 to 5.5k is like, my upper limit. usually i'm sitting somewhere between 3.5k and 5.5k lol

but i think it also comes from the subject matter? usually when i'm working on a short story there's only one thing at the center of it, and i don't think i've ever written a short story with more than 4 characters total (usually 2-3)

[decayingballads21]

50 minutes ago, currahcane said:

Hi y'all. I've been waitlisted at my top two programs (UCSD and OSU) and received 1 hard r and two soft r's. (Though, in truth, the programs I've not heard from are ones I've had to take out of consideration anyway due to the politics in the area they are in.) I am wondering if anyone has experience with waitlists moving, I know OSU's is longggg (just based on the MFA draft.) but I haven't seen anyone else waitlisted at UCSD for nonfiction. Starting to feel slightly hopeless about it, but is there any chance I'll hear before April? Has anyone else been accepted off the waitlist at one of these schools? Thanks!

Hi! What genre are you? And do you mean Oregon state or Ohio? 

I don’t think there will be waitlist movement until after the first week of April. A lot of schools have spring breaks this week or next, and then AWP is end of March. My assumption is accepted students weekends will likely be early April- after that we should see movement! 

[currahcane]

Just now, decayingballads21 said:

Hi! What genre are you? And do you mean Oregon state or Ohio? 

I don’t think there will be waitlist movement until after the first week of April. A lot of schools have spring breaks this week or next, and then AWP is end of March. My assumption is accepted students weekends will likely be early April- after that we should see movement! 

Nonfiction! And Oregon State. Thank you!

[decayingballads21]

9 minutes ago, currahcane said:

Nonfiction! And Oregon State. Thank you!

I’m also waiting on them for cnf. Did you hear anything back from them yet about waitlist size?

[currahcane]

11 minutes ago, decayingballads21 said:

I’m also waiting on them for cnf. Did you hear anything back from them yet about waitlist size?

Nothing official yet. But based on the draft I don't see many waitlisted CNF applicants, but I do see a lot of waitlists from them in general. My email said there were only four nonfiction slots so I imagine it's pretty tight. Best of luck!

[Jitterbug98]

Is it common for someone to get into a top fully funded program on their second or third round after all rejections (no waitlists) at fully funded schools during their first round? I’m high on the waitlist for a TAship at one school which would functionally make it fully funded for me, so I guess that gives me a little validation that my application wasn’t terrible. But across the fully funded schools I applied to (Cornell, Rutgers, Syracuse, Boston, Iowa, michener, Michigan, Amherst) I got zilch, not even a higher tier rejection. It probably didn’t help that I only applied to the most competitive fully funded programs but if I reapply next year I’ll probably be limiting my applications to the northeast so it will likely be the same deal since the northeast fully funded programs tend to be very very competitive. I don’t want to waste a ton of money on a second round of applications if I’m just not a competitive applicant  

[Tinky C. Clown]

5 minutes ago, Jitterbug98 said:

Is it common for someone to get into a top fully funded program on their second or third round after all rejections (no waitlists) at fully funded schools during their first round? I’m high on the waitlist for a TAship at one school which would functionally make it fully funded for me, so I guess that gives me a little validation that my application wasn’t terrible. But across the fully funded schools I applied to (Cornell, Rutgers, Syracuse, Boston, Iowa, michener, Michigan, Amherst) I got zilch, not even a higher tier rejection. It probably didn’t help that I only applied to the most competitive fully funded programs but if I reapply next year I’ll probably be limiting my applications to the northeast so it will likely be the same deal since the northeast fully funded programs tend to be very very competitive. I don’t want to waste a ton of money on a second round of applications if I’m just not a competitive applicant  

yes totally! I applied to a similar list last year and got nothing but this year I got a lot of good news (most top top schools rejected me but still) and I'm going to a good, funded competitive program. it takes a lot of stamina and hard work in that intervening year but i'm a big fan of second round app cycles because knowing the process is huge and having to work harder on your writing is also huge

[Tuxedocat]

1 hour ago, decayingballads21 said:

Hi! What genre are you? And do you mean Oregon state or Ohio? 

I don’t think there will be waitlist movement until after the first week of April. A lot of schools have spring breaks this week or next, and then AWP is end of March. My assumption is accepted students weekends will likely be early April- after that we should see movement! 

Regarding accepted student weekends, all of the ones from my schools have been mid-late March (except Bowling Green which was in Feb). Michigan and WashU is next week, and NYU has a couple dates across March and maybe early April from what I recall (been awhile since I looked at their dates). Obviously, schools that haven’t released decisions will probably have them later.

 

I also thought to mention this because I recall someone suggesting that WashU might not have released all results yet. Their welcome day invite for next week is for all the MFA students, and their grad student info sessions are tomorrow and next week. So I’d be surprised if they aren’t don’t releasing fiction acceptances yet. 

[zaira]

4 minutes ago, Jitterbug98 said:

Is it common for someone to get into a top fully funded program on their second or third round after all rejections (no waitlists) at fully funded schools during their first round? I’m high on the waitlist for a TAship at one school which would functionally make it fully funded for me, so I guess that gives me a little validation that my application wasn’t terrible. But across the fully funded schools I applied to (Cornell, Rutgers, Syracuse, Boston, Iowa, michener, Michigan, Amherst) I got zilch, not even a higher tier rejection. It probably didn’t help that I only applied to the most competitive fully funded programs but if I reapply next year I’ll probably be limiting my applications to the northeast so it will likely be the same deal since the northeast fully funded programs tend to be very very competitive. I don’t want to waste a ton of money on a second round of applications if I’m just not a competitive applicant  

It is absolutely possible to get in on a second round after all rejections. Fwiw, one of my instructors got into Iowa on her second try. I know plenty of people who have better luck on later rounds. And this year was especially tough from what I hear. More apps than usual, which makes it tougher for even really strong apps to stand out. 

I'd say choose the schools that really speak to you. If these competitive programs seem like they'd be a perfect fit, please, please apply again next year. You never know! 

[KennyK]

I got accepted into Emerson for fiction! Does anyone have any information on how their funding works? I was told that decisions for funding/fellowships are still pending!

 

Either way, I’m grateful it wasn’t a blanket rejection season for me.

[lizziebennett]

29 minutes ago, KennyK said:

I got accepted into Emerson for fiction! Does anyone have any information on how their funding works? I was told that decisions for funding/fellowships are still pending!

 

Either way, I’m grateful it wasn’t a blanket rejection season for me.

congrats!!!!

[Tinky C. Clown]

34 minutes ago, KennyK said:

I got accepted into Emerson for fiction! Does anyone have any information on how their funding works? I was told that decisions for funding/fellowships are still pending!

 

Either way, I’m grateful it wasn’t a blanket rejection season for me.

their funding is really bad. only a few scholarships – i just turned one down today 

[KennyK]

1 minute ago, Tinky C. Clown said:

their funding is really bad. only a few scholarships – i just turned one down today 

How much was your offer if you don’t mind me asking?

[Lady Gladys]

1 minute ago, Tinky C. Clown said:

their funding is really bad. only a few scholarships – i just turned one down today 

Have you committed yet, or just turning down programs that aren't in the running? I guess it makes sense to open up spots on waitlists if you know for sure.

[gordonandwafflesandmrblik]

3 hours ago, Tinky C. Clown said:

omg, higher tier rejection from iowa with handwritten note at the bottom

Wooooah congrats!!! What did they say?! Was it specific to your manuscript? That’s super cool, I would frame it

[Tinky C. Clown]

13 minutes ago, KennyK said:

How much was your offer if you don’t mind me asking?

it was just tuition covered, no stipend 

12 minutes ago, Lady Gladys said:

Have you committed yet, or just turning down programs that aren't in the running? I guess it makes sense to open up spots on waitlists if you know for sure.

just let go of the the unfunded safety schools, not committed yet

 

7 minutes ago, gordonandwafflesandmrblik said:

Wooooah congrats!!! What did they say?! Was it specific to your manuscript? That’s super cool, I would frame it

it said “I’m sorry we couldn’t offer you a place this year “