2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[inthesameboat]

On 3/25/2025 at 8:44 AM, Eloise2897 said:

[to the tune of Wonderwall] Toooday is gonna be the day that I make it off the list at 'Cuse/ By now, these schools should somehow realize what they've gotta do/ I can't believe that Minnesota wouldn't want me in their cohort now...

 

(don't think I've ever felt this unhinged in my life)

BTW, I reached out a few days ago to check in about the Syracuse fiction waitlist and they said that only 1 person had accepted the offer so far. Maybe there's hope for us 😅

[carrruly]

On 3/24/2025 at 3:54 PM, essentialflowers said:

please let me know if you find an answer!!! trying not to be delusional about it bahaha

it looks like no rejections have been sent yet for NC State and from the draft it looks like at least ~10 other people got this email just looking at posts and comments....one girl said she replied on the email to ask if it really was a second waitlist or if it was sent to everyone but it looks like she hasn't heard back yet...im starting to think they really just sent this to everyone which SUCKS because it really got my hopes up lol

[squid05]

Ive visited this forum and Draft at least 35 times today, cant even quantify the visits to my email, portal, and the spreadsheet. What else can I neurotically check instead of being productive? Open to suggestions! 

[Southron]

On 3/23/2025 at 3:04 PM, Nauna said:

I was wondering the same thing! So heartbreaking! It wasn't my top choice for relocation, but I really vibed with the poetry faculty during the interview & love their work. I would have accepted the offer in a heartbeat.

Same, I had really high hopes after the interview and they went to the top of my list afterwards. I really hope we end up hearing anything from them soon.

Between what I've been told and what others have posted on draft, it seems that even the professors there don't know what is happening with the program at the moment.

Edited March 27 by Southron

[Jane Wyman]

Anybody else get a *second* rejection from Syracuse tonight? 

Edited March 27 by Jane Wyman

[Lady Gladys]

18 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

Anybody else get a *second* rejection from Syracuse tonight? 

Was it a duplicate? Just resent? Or was it something different? 

[Jane Wyman]

2 minutes ago, Lady Gladys said:

Was it a duplicate? Just resent? Or was it something different? 

The first rejection was from the coordinator, but this new one was from the portal itself.

[zaira]

21 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

Anybody else get a *second* rejection from Syracuse tonight? 

Ha! Yeah I got a second one on Tuesday night. And I recall someone else saying they got a second rejection last week too. 

[glowingbrightly]

18 minutes ago, zaira said:

Ha! Yeah I got a second one on Tuesday night. And I recall someone else saying they got a second rejection last week too. 

twas me. i thought it was nice that the coordinator sent out early Rs but i did not need a second one to make it official/rub it in 😪

[Jane Wyman]

8 minutes ago, zaira said:

Ha! Yeah I got a second one on Tuesday night. And I recall someone else saying they got a second rejection last week too. 

Well, at least it's a great feeling!

[P i e r r o t]

8 hours ago, glowingbrightly said:

Northwestern, Pitt, Iowa International Writer’s Program, and Hamline make 4. I also know Irvine and Brown took 1 less student per genre this year. As it stands, we are lucky to be relatively unscathed but fields like biomed are having PhD offers rescinded left and right. 

Minor detail, but just for the record: Irvine first went from six to five fiction acceptances last cycle, not this cycle (though yes, they are only taking five again this year—annoyingly, because I happen to be first on their waitlist ahhhhhhhh). Point being whatever their funding issue is, it seems to be unrelated to the current chaos.

Edited March 27 by P i e r r o t

[glowingbrightly]

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

Minor detail, but just for the record: Irvine first went from six to five fiction acceptances last cycle, not this cycle (though yes, they are only taking five again this year—annoyingly, because happen to be first on their waitlist ahhhhhhhh). Point being whatever their funding issue is, it seems to be unrelated to the current chaos.

ahhh so sorry to hear you are still waiting! hoping your spot opens up soon!

[djk233]

Hi all, I've been accepted into University of Southern Mississippi's MA program and University of South Carolina's MFA and shortlisted at Pitt's MFA, all for fiction. Any idea how these programs rank in terms of prestige and job placement? I know that's not everything, but just trying to get a sense of it. I'd like to get a PhD eventually so thinking MA at USM would put me in a position to get the PhD there. But also might be valuable getting the masters somewhere else. (Pittsburgh's also home, so that's a plus.) Any thoughts?
 

[Nauna]

5 hours ago, Southron said:

Same, I had really high hopes after the interview and they went to the top of my list afterwards. I really hope we end up hearing anything from them soon.

Between what I've been told and what others have posted on draft, it seems that even the professors there don't know what is happening with the program at the moment.

Yeah, I think someone on Draft may have been interpreting Diana's email as "indefinitely," rather than her actually using that language. In the email that she sent me, it really seemed that they are in the dark just as much as everyone else. I think it's interesting that, not long after that mass email went out to applicants with the PDF letter, media sources claimed that the pause was over, when it definitely wasn't.

[Chex]

On 3/24/2025 at 6:30 PM, 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?

Hi! Sorry for responding so late. I'm just going to copy and paste what a poetry vet who ultimately went to Cornell wrote about UIUC on the Draft 2 years ago: 

"I was admitted by them in 2021. I truly believe, in terms of faculty mentorship, they are almost unparalleled. And if UIUC hasn’t be on your radar yet, check them out!
TL;DR: If your main reason for the MFA is mentorship, apply to UIUC!
I was accepted by a good number of fully funded programs, including UIUC, in 2021. UIUC was the hardest to turn down and the only program I cried for. There is a lot to love, but since I didn't attend their MFA, I want to share the part I did experience: the recruitment process.
When UIUC accepted me during the pandemic, ALL four poetry faculty members: Ángel García, Janice Harrington, Christopher Kempf, and Corey Van Landingham reached out to me with lengthy emails, specific praises for my poems, and enthusiastically chatted about our fit and welcomed questions. We scheduled for individual calls, class visits, and a staff meeting observation at their mag, Ninth Letter. They were the most organized and transparent program I experienced. Always kept in touch, never pushy.
When I began getting acceptances elsewhere, Corey offered to share her honest opinion on each programs. She wrote me LONG emails to help me strategize, based on my exact needs, where she'd recommend me to go, like a dedicated mentor, even though it was against her own interest. The kindness, attention, labor, and expertise I received from Corey and others were truly remarkable. And we’ve been corresponding since.
During recruitment, one of the profs said, "If you come, I'll bend over backwards to make sure you get everything you need in our program." The poetry faculty there are kind and generous people who genuinely root for you. Especially if you don't yet have mentors in your corner who will support your career for decades, this is a good place to be. I know a person, once a UIUC undergrad and now successful writer, who went to one of the top MFA programs and then THE most prestigious fellowship. And they said they never got elsewhere the attention, time, and quality of mentorship they got at UIUC. Having graduated from one of the 'bigger names' of MFAs, I totally concur. Mentorship can be a rare treasure to find."

I've also heard from current students who say similarly wonderful things about the program. They also say that it's a beautiful place to live, the university is rigorous and has great facilities (including one of the largest university libraries in the world), the stipend (over 26k per year) is very liveable in Urbana-Champaign, and the rent is reasonable. 

Of Indiana, Wash U, UIUC, and Notre Dame, I think Wash U might edge out the rest in prestige, but I don't think it's by much. Indiana has a great reputation but is not as well funded as the others and the teaching responsibilities are higher. Notre Dame also has a very good reputation and, like Wash U, is a private university. I truly believe these programs are all excellent options and am rooting for you, whichever way you go. 

 

Edited March 27 by Chex

[everything bagel lover]

Next week marks April 1st! That's the hard GTA decision deadline for CSU's stuff (they're not an April 15th signatory) and I'm hoping that whoever has it gets into their dream program or at least a program they like way more than CSU and that I'm next up on the waiting list. 🕯️ 

But that also means that we're in the home stretch with only 2 weeks until the national deadline! I see on the draft that there's already some waitlist movement happening as people are narrowing down their selections. I've already declined my 3rd choice, so I'm down to my final two and I'm hoping to commit to one or the other next week 👾 

For those of y'all with multiple acceptances: how are y'all whittling down your choices? Do you have a systematic process of elimination/choosing?

[Eloise2897]

43 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

Next week marks April 1st! That's the hard GTA decision deadline for CSU's stuff (they're not an April 15th signatory) and I'm hoping that whoever has it gets into their dream program or at least a program they like way more than CSU and that I'm next up on the waiting list. 🕯️ 

But that also means that we're in the home stretch with only 2 weeks until the national deadline! I see on the draft that there's already some waitlist movement happening as people are narrowing down their selections. I've already declined my 3rd choice, so I'm down to my final two and I'm hoping to commit to one or the other next week 👾 

For those of y'all with multiple acceptances: how are y'all whittling down your choices? Do you have a systematic process of elimination/choosing?

I made my decision between my two acceptances based entirely on funding, honestly.

[everything bagel lover]

Just now, Eloise2897 said:

I made my decision between my two acceptances based entirely on funding, honestly.

That's 1000% fair honestly, congratulations on committing!! Can I ask where you committed to?

[calliopian]

Hello! I'm super anxious about my applications so I thought I'd share. I ended up applying to four schools. A couple safety colleges, NYU, and The New School. I got into one safety and The New School so far. New School offered me a 40% scholarship and loans are covering the rest of it so I'm really grateful. It's my second choice so I'm glad to have already heard back.

NYU is taking their time as of right now, which is killing me. I've seen a good amount of people on here get their decisions already, whether it be waitlisted, accepted or denied. NYU is my top choice and it's where I wanna go, but if I don't get accepted then at least I know what I'm doing next.

Originally, I was going to apply to 5 schools with Columbia being the 5th. Didn't think it was worth it though and it was more for shits and giggles. Anyway, I'm hoping for a decision tomorrow! Fingers crossed.

[Eloise2897]

45 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

That's 1000% fair honestly, congratulations on committing!! Can I ask where you committed to?

Sorry, I think I worded my post in a confusing way--I haven't committed anywhere yet, just removed myself from the running at one school because the stipend was significantly lower. I'm still in the mix at Texas Tech but waiting to see where I land on these waitlists before I commit!

[Nauna]

9 hours ago, djk233 said:

Hi all, I've been accepted into University of Southern Mississippi's MA program and University of South Carolina's MFA and shortlisted at Pitt's MFA, all for fiction. Any idea how these programs rank in terms of prestige and job placement? I know that's not everything, but just trying to get a sense of it. I'd like to get a PhD eventually so thinking MA at USM would put me in a position to get the PhD there. But also might be valuable getting the masters somewhere else. (Pittsburgh's also home, so that's a plus.) Any thoughts?
 

I can't speak to those other programs, but I will say that you don't likely want to put too many eggs into the Pitt basket. Things are just so uncertain there & no one even knows if they will be accepting anyone at all. (I was shortlisted for Poetry there and I'm super bummed about the situation at Pitt.) 

When you mention job placement, I suppose it has a lot to do with what your long-term goals are beyond the PhD. Are you hoping to teach, get into editing, etc? I would align that with their curriculum and focus. From what I understand, there is a significant difference between the pathway from MA to PhD (more straightforward) vs MFA to PhD (more nuanced, often fewer programs to choose from).

[gradschoolpspspsps]

Guyssss, I just got a Pitt rejection. Are they making moves? 👀

[Nauna]

2 hours ago, gradschoolpspspsps said:

Guyssss, I just got a Pitt rejection. Are they making moves? 👀

I saw that pop up on the spreadsheet! I'm waaaaay overthinking it! As someone who was shortlisted, I can at least share that I haven't heard any new news today. 

[Magnolia Electric Co]

5 hours ago, Chex said:

Hi! Sorry for responding so late. I'm just going to copy and paste what a poetry vet who ultimately went to Cornell wrote about UIUC on the Draft 2 years ago: 

 

Wow - thank you so much for this incredibly helpful reply!! That is certainly a resounding plug for UIUC. But the student's experience goes back to one of my larger questions: if they experienced such great mentorship from UIUC, why go to Cornell, where it sounds like the mentorship wasn't as strong? Partly rhetorical - I know Cornell is extremely prestigious - but I always wonder why/whether/how/when prestige is more valuable than mentorship. I'd be curious whether that student still felt they made the right choice in the end.

Another thing that confuses me is the varying number of faculty per genre. For example, Illinois has 4 poets (though some are interdisciplinary), whereas I think Indiana, Notre Dame, and Wash U all only have 2 poets. It would make me a little nervous to go to a school with 2 poets because what if you don't find one or even both to be good mentors? I'm curious if others are factoring in the number of faculty in their genre.

About Indiana, I will say that from talking to current/former students, it seems like the $21k stipend is in most, if not all, cases supplemented by $4k+ fellowships, bringing it up to the $25k or so of other schools. And although you do technically teach quite a bit at Indiana, the first year I believe you are just TAing creative writing courses, vs. fully teaching composition courses at some other schools.

So many variables in this crazy process! I have learned so much about how to choose a school, but I still feel like there are so many unknowns. I am very thankful for the collective wisdom and generosity of this forum and always appreciate any "inside information" folks have to share!

[saara_is.me]

Just got my UF decision.  They didn’t accept me, so guess who’s going to England!