2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[inkidacat]

On 3/31/2025 at 1:35 PM, Eloise2897 said:

I am! Someone on draft just said they are removing themselves from the waitlist. That's all I have seen in the past few weeks (other than the 1 confirmed attending), and I have been watching for movement like a hawk. 

I also wonder how many people said yes to staying on the waitlist,,, i'm so nervous because Syracuse is my top choice, n i would say yes immediately :(( n since the waitlist isn't ranked, would they reconvene to decide who to pull from the waitlist pool? i wish to be free from this waiting game,,,but it seems like it's gonna drag till the very last minute 

Edited April 3 by inkidacat

[Lady Gladys]

6 minutes ago, inkidacat said:

I also wonder how many people said yes to staying on the waitlist,,, i'm so nervous because Syracuse is my top choice, n i would say yes immediately :(( n since the waitlist isn't ranked, would they reconvene to decide who to pull from the waitlist pool? i wish to be free from this waiting game,,,but it seems like it's gonna drag till the very last minute 

I'm trying to see the bright side, especially when it comes to the big name/popular programs: as long as you are waiting, someone is still deciding, meaning they aren't sold on their choices, which means you may end up with a spot. If people were sure, it wouldn't be dragging on so long. I hope my twisted logic brings comfort.

[inkidacat]

1 minute ago, Lady Gladys said:

I'm trying to see the bright side, especially when it comes to the big name/popular programs: as long as you are waiting, someone is still deciding, meaning they aren't sold on their choices, which means you may end up with a spot. If people were sure, it wouldn't be dragging on so long. I hope my twisted logic brings comfort.

u may be cooking, me thinks...i will take this as comfort 

[Eloise2897]

19 minutes ago, inkidacat said:

I also wonder how many people said yes to staying on the waitlist,,, i'm so nervous because Syracuse is my top choice, n i would say yes immediately :(( n since the waitlist isn't ranked, would they reconvene to decide who to pull from the waitlist pool? i wish to be free from this waiting game,,,but it seems like it's gonna drag till the very last minute 

Yeah, the Syracuse wait is genuinely painful at this point. I don't know how many emails is too many to send to reaffirm that I would 100% accept if offered a spot. I've sent 2. I will probably fold and send one more next week. I respect that everyone needs time to make a thoughtful decision, but I'm really hoping they commit one way or another soon. The fact that only 1 of 6 has accepted so far (that we know of) is both giving me hope and driving me crazy.

[Tuxedocat]

28 minutes ago, Magnolia Electric Co said:

@Tuxedocat Did you end up visiting Wash U and/or having conversations with Wash U poets? I would be curious to hear what you thought if you'd be comfortable sharing! I am trying to learn more about Wash U as well

Yeah sure! We can talk more over DMs if you want more in depth info. But basically the faculty are great and very invested in the students. Spent over 2 hrs total talking to them. Their mentorship was everything I dreamed out of an MFA program. The students I spoke to said it’s a great program but due to small cohort sizes, most of their friends are outside the program. Such is the nature of small programs I guess. Sadly, I couldn’t visit WashU. St Louis is far from where I live, so I couldn’t make the travel allowance and my budget stretch to cover tickets. It’s also a really hectic time for me so I wouldn’t have been able to fly out until next week, which felt like I would be cutting everything too close. I did turn down WashU yesterday, but it’s was gut-wrenching to say no to them. It’s a really amazing program. Michigan just fits me more right now.

[curfew]

23 hours ago, zaira said:

It is!!! I'm actually pinching myself, I'm so incredibly grateful and happy. It's a dream program. I love every little detail about it and couldn't imagine myself in a better place this fall.

WAHHHHHH CONGRATULATIONS @zaira I'VE BEEN ROOTING FOR YOU FOREVER!!! Charlottesville is such a beautiful place HURRAY!!

Edited April 3 by curfew

[zaira]

3 minutes ago, curfew said:

WAHHHHHH CONGRATULATIONS @zaira I'VE BEEN ROOTING FOR YOU FOREVER!!! Charlottesville is such a beautiful place HURRAY!!

Awwwwwww, THANK YOU!!! That means so much. I'm ridiculously excited! 

It really does just take one program to say yes. That's it, just one! We gotta keep going til we find it. 

[Southron]

Looks like Pitt is alive! Acceptances for Poetry and Nonfiction on draft. 

[hmm.]

did anyone else waitlisted at WashU get a seemingly empty email from David Schuman last night? I’m guessing it was just an error but I want to make sure I’m not missing something. 
also, does anyone have insight into or impressions of the Syracuse poetry program? I am on the waitlist there too and am finding it really hard to get any sense of what it’s actually like to go there beyond what I can find on the website. It’s hard to know without visiting, but I also don’t have a specific question I can articulate in an email to the administrator. 

[Magnolia Electric Co]

7 minutes ago, hmm. said:

did anyone else waitlisted at WashU get a seemingly empty email from David Schuman last night? I’m guessing it was just an error but I want to make sure I’m not missing something. 
also, does anyone have insight into or impressions of the Syracuse poetry program? I am on the waitlist there too and am finding it really hard to get any sense of what it’s actually like to go there beyond what I can find on the website. It’s hard to know without visiting, but I also don’t have a specific question I can articulate in an email to the administrator. 

Yes, I got the mysterious blank email too! I assume it was an error. And I am also curious about Syracuse's poetry program (though I did not apply there but wish I did). I second the feeling of being on a waitlist and having trouble getting a qualitative feel for a program. I feel like talking to faculty would make things a lot clearer.

[Nauna]

6 hours ago, Southron said:

Looks like Pitt is alive! Acceptances for Poetry and Nonfiction on draft. 

I am equal parts terrified and thrilled! 

[Nauna]

You guys I met the Director at Michener today and he is SUCH a genuine, humble, and brilliant human. Grats to all of you that will be going there in the fall! If I don't get in anywhere this cycle, you better believe I'll be applying there next year! 

[rapunzel]

32 minutes ago, Nauna said:

You guys I met the Director at Michener today and he is SUCH a genuine, humble, and brilliant human. Grats to all of you that will be going there in the fall! If I don't get in anywhere this cycle, you better believe I'll be applying there next year! 

that's amazing! how did you run into him??

[Hjanep]

7 hours ago, Nauna said:

You guys I met the Director at Michener today and he is SUCH a genuine, humble, and brilliant human. Grats to all of you that will be going there in the fall! If I don't get in anywhere this cycle, you better believe I'll be applying there next year! 

Seconding! I met him at a writers conference in 2014 and he was so lovely and encouraging

[VOID DARLING]

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

[elizabethjeanewrites]

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?

[Nauna]

8 hours ago, rapunzel said:

that's amazing! how did you run into him??

He's the keynote speaker and guest at the National Undergraduate Literary Conference this year where I'm doing my undergrad & presenting this year (Weber State University). He presented as a student years ago, so it's all the more amazing that he's back as the headlining guest. 

[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!