2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[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 March 24 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! 

[Mystic_Sunshine]

1 hour 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. 

Thank you  I appreciate the info. 

 

[Lady Gladys]

33 minutes ago, Lady Gladys said:

OMG, Congratulations!!!!

 

Edited March 24 by Lady Gladys

[Lady Gladys]

45 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

I've committed to Michigan!

Did you go to admitted student info sessions or an in-person visit? If you have time, can you share what you love about the program? What are you most looking forward to?

[Chex]

50 minutes ago, carly rae jepsenn said:

I've committed to Michigan!

Congrats! Michigan sounds like a dream. Wishing you a wonderful time there! 

[Magnolia Electric Co]

 

@prufrock_ I am also waitlisted at UIUC! It looks like you're likely to head to Rutgers, but I'd be curious if you have any thoughts about UIUC as I'm trying to figure out whether it should be one of my top choices if I get in. Also @Chex if you don't mind sharing I'd love to hear what you have heard about UIUC!

My other waitlists are Indiana, Notre Dame, and Wash U. I am really struggling to figure out which should be my top choice (if accepted, of course) so I would love anyone's thoughts on this! My sense is that Indiana and Wash U might have more prestigious reputations? But I don't really know. Which would you all choose?

Edited March 24 by Magnolia Electric Co

[carrruly]

42 minutes ago, asm0deus said:

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! 

I got this email too. At first I was like, oh, cool, I might end up on the waitlist!! But now I'm realizing they probably just sent that to everyone, and I'm assuming no rejections have been sent yet at all. I would check the draft but I left the fb group because I figured I'd been rejected everywhere lol.... 

[prufrock_]

4 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

@prufrock_ I am also waitlisted at UIUC! It looks like you're likely to head to Rutgers, but I'd be curious if you have any thoughts about UIUC as I'm trying to figure out whether it should be one of my top choices if I get in.

I think UIUC makes a very good case for being a top choice! working on Ninth Letter would be a major highlight if you're at all interested in editing. my only small reservation about the program is also one of its strengths: the incoming cohort size is 3 in fiction, which means there's a small chance you might not find people you really vibe with. but the small cohort would make things really tight knit, and half the reason i'm excited for the mfa is the community. (also since its such a small cohort, i've put just about no thought into it, since i don't think i'm getting in there.)

If I was waitlisted at Notre Dame that'd probably be my top choice, but only due to subjective reasons; Roy Scranton's life and writing is very similar to mine, so i thought he'd make a great advisor. but i got declined lol

[glowingbrightly]

9 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

@prufrock_ I am also waitlisted at UIUC! It looks like you're likely to head to Rutgers, but I'd be curious if you have any thoughts about UIUC as I'm trying to figure out whether it should be one of my top choices if I get in. Also @Chex if you don't mind sharing I'd love to hear what you have heard about UIUC!

My other waitlists are Indiana, Notre Dame, and Wash U. I am really struggling to figure out which should be my top choice (if accepted, of course) so I would love anyone's thoughts on this! My sense is that Indiana and Wash U might have more prestigious reputations? But I don't really know. Which would you all choose?

I think you have four amazing waitlists and you’d be lucky to get off any one. WashU is up there a bit more in prestige but Notre Dame and Indiana have really solid reputations, and UIUC also looks lovely. You are probably right about Indiana being a bit more known than ND but ND has more reach in experimental circles (Action Books) while IU leans more traditional. I think they all have similarities in terms of LCOL but still decent midwest locations, funding, prestige so I’d choose solely based on how you vibe with faculty work.