2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[pananoprodigy]

Dude this week is killing me and it's only Tuesday. Anybody watching any good youtube channels, listening to any podcasts, etc? I need fresh brainrot material or I'm gonna lose it.

[everything bagel lover]

  On 2/11/2025 at 7:40 PM, pananoprodigy said:

Dude this week is killing me and it's only Tuesday. Anybody watching any good youtube channels, listening to any podcasts, etc? I need fresh brainrot material or I'm gonna lose it.

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Same oh my god. Tyler Bender has been my go to during these times. Her youtube channel is a delight if you like girly pop internet content

[DJ Lambchop]

  On 2/11/2025 at 7:40 PM, pananoprodigy said:

Dude this week is killing me and it's only Tuesday. Anybody watching any good youtube channels, listening to any podcasts, etc? I need fresh brainrot material or I'm gonna lose it.

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This is sort of a weird recommendation but I find Rajiv Surendra’s YouTube videos really entertaining. He’s Kevin Gnapor in Mean Girls and today he has a YouTube channel and shows off all the really specific things he owns, like a horse hair mattress and fancy spoons and whatnot. He also learns whatever art form he wants and makes videos about that. 

[nauseated]

the JHU poetry waitlist in the draft has made me want to throw up even though I'm a fiction applicant and now I am going to assume a soft rejection and go to bed. it's 1 am where I am from and if I have to wake up to any news, I will. Otherwise it' will be okay. I SUPPOSE. also, big congrats to 'best of luck!' if you're here!!

[strawberrymatcha]

  On 2/11/2025 at 8:16 PM, nauseated said:

the JHU poetry waitlist in the draft has made me want to throw up even though I'm a fiction applicant and now I am going to assume a soft rejection and go to bed. it's 1 am where I am from and if I have to wake up to any news, I will. Otherwise it' will be okay. I SUPPOSE. also, big congrats to 'best of luck!' if you're here!!

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It looks like they staggered poetry/fiction in previous years so fingers crossed that it’s the same way this year!

[isabella swan]

  On 2/11/2025 at 5:11 PM, DJ Lambchop said:

I don’t think so!

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saw a waitlist for poetry in mfa draft spreadsheet saoi it has begun

 

[isabella swan]

Is Iowa's decision out? Nothing on draft. 

 

[pananoprodigy]

  On 2/11/2025 at 7:45 PM, everything bagel lover said:

Same oh my god. Tyler Bender has been my go to during these times. Her youtube channel is a delight if you like girly pop internet content

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TY both!!!! Just watched her Kanye video and it was exactly the vibe I was seeking 

  On 2/11/2025 at 7:46 PM, DJ Lambchop said:

This is sort of a weird recommendation but I find Rajiv Surendra’s YouTube videos really entertaining. He’s Kevin Gnapor in Mean Girls and today he has a YouTube channel and shows off all the really specific things he owns, like a horse hair mattress and fancy spoons and whatnot. He also learns whatever art form he wants and makes videos about that. 

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This is such a great niche find, I'm so glad you told me about it!!!

[Tinky C. Clown]

  On 2/11/2025 at 9:23 PM, krehman said:

Is Iowa's decision out? Nothing on draft. 

 

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no. 

[Jitterbug98]

Starting to wish I had applied to some of the slightly less impossible to get into fully funded schools in less desirable locations and not just the top of the top schools... I know all fully funded programs are hard to get into but my chances of getting into Brown, Iowa, Syracuse, UMich, or Michener are feeling pretty dismal, and I'm definitely starting to doubt the quality of my writing sample even though I knew going into this that I'd be facing a lot of rejection

[pananoprodigy]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:22 PM, Jitterbug98 said:

Starting to wish I had applied to some of the slightly less impossible to get into fully funded schools in less desirable locations and not just the top of the top schools... I know all fully funded programs are hard to get into but my chances of getting into Brown, Iowa, Syracuse, UMich, or Michener are feeling pretty dismal, and I'm definitely starting to doubt the quality of my writing sample even though I knew going into this that I'd be facing a lot of rejection

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Hey, SOMEBODY is gonna get into those schools and there's no reason it couldn't be you! I feel you though, it's so hard not to second guess the application process while you're in the waiting phase. 

[Mystic_Sunshine]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:22 PM, Jitterbug98 said:

Starting to wish I had applied to some of the slightly less impossible to get into fully funded schools in less desirable locations and not just the top of the top schools... I know all fully funded programs are hard to get into but my chances of getting into Brown, Iowa, Syracuse, UMich, or Michener are feeling pretty dismal, and I'm definitely starting to doubt the quality of my writing sample even though I knew going into this that I'd be facing a lot of rejection

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I'm in the same boat. I've already started my list for next year as a coping mechanism. 

It's so hard to even figure out though which programs make good safety(ish) schools. Does anyone have any ideas?

[orb weaver]

First reply from any of my apps i got waitlisted at Hopkins for poetry. Considering clawing all my skin off, can't wait to wait more 🤪

[Blueruins]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:32 PM, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I'm in the same boat. I've already started my list for next year as a coping mechanism. 

It's so hard to even figure out though which programs make good safety(ish) schools. Does anyone have any ideas?

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looking at draft there seems to be roughly 5% acceptance/waitlist vs mass rejection 😭  esp when the program is fully funded.
My friends who are in Columbia’s mfa told me they usually accept 80 fiction+15 poetry +20 nonfiction each year but the tuition/expenses can easily get to 110,000 per year in nyc and they’ve never heard of anyone who got scholarships.

I’m on student visa rn in the states and I’m so scared of restarting my life, leaving my partner, finding jobs, etc. but I know I’ll continue writing no matter where god leads me to. ✨🫂

[Tinky C. Clown]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:32 PM, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I'm in the same boat. I've already started my list for next year as a coping mechanism. 

It's so hard to even figure out though which programs make good safety(ish) schools. Does anyone have any ideas?

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there are no good safety schools that are fully funded. i applied to a few unfunded safeties and got in to at least one prob 2 but i dont think it’s worth it. i regret those applications. you can only do the mfa once and you should keep trying for a good program.

[pananoprodigy]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:59 PM, orb weaver said:

First reply from any of my apps i got waitlisted at Hopkins for poetry. Considering clawing all my skin off, can't wait to wait more 🤪

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Congrats!!!!!!!!!

[rapunzel]

people who are receiving phone call acceptances, around what time are you getting them? also people who are getting waitlist emails 👀

[Lady Gladys]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:59 PM, orb weaver said:

First reply from any of my apps i got waitlisted at Hopkins for poetry. Considering clawing all my skin off, can't wait to wait more 🤪

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That's incredible!! Congratulations!!

[Tinky C. Clown]

  On 2/11/2025 at 11:18 PM, rapunzel said:

people who are receiving phone call acceptances, around what time are you getting them? also people who are getting waitlist emails 👀

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there’s no set time unfortunately. everywhere is different 

[Lady Gladys]

  On 2/11/2025 at 11:18 PM, rapunzel said:

people who are receiving phone call acceptances, around what time are you getting them? also people who are getting waitlist emails 👀

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The one phone call I know of was between 5-6 pm EST.

Edited February 12 by Lady Gladys

[isabella swan]

head hurts from constantly being on here and reading too much of grad cafe repeatedly. 

[Jitterbug98]

  On 2/11/2025 at 10:32 PM, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I'm in the same boat. I've already started my list for next year as a coping mechanism. 

It's so hard to even figure out though which programs make good safety(ish) schools. Does anyone have any ideas?

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Yeah I don't think there are really any fully funded "safeties" but the places with less name recognition and a generally less desirable location are going to a bit easier to get into compared to the top places-- maybe places like Wichita State, Bowling Green, West Virginia University. This page rates how competitive admission is for different programs but some of them seem inaccurate to me: 77 Fully Funded MFA Programs in Creative Writing in the US

I would think that even the least competitive fully funded programs are accepting no more than 10% of applicants but again I'm not sure about that. 

[runlolarun]

I know there are past threads discussing interviews... has anyone been interviewed recently? I just know I am going to freeze. I haven't written a thing in what feels like months and I can't even recall or articulate what my writing process is, or who has influenced me...

[pananoprodigy]

  On 2/12/2025 at 1:45 AM, runlolarun said:

I know there are past threads discussing interviews... has anyone been interviewed recently? I just know I am going to freeze. I haven't written a thing in what feels like months and I can't even recall or articulate what my writing process is, or who has influenced me...

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I think this has basically been said elsewhere by people who are more knowledgeable than me, but I did an mfa in screenwriting and I remember PANICKINGGG over the interview, only to be told once I was in the program (by the professor who interviewed me) that the interview itself is literally just a vibe check. If you've gotten to that stage it means they're excited about your writing and want you in the program. Now they're just trying to assemble a cohort of relatively chill and humble people who can give each other feedback and not be a menace in workshop (because there ARE people who would be a menace in workshop). I think you can outline a few main talking points for yourself (favorite books, things you're currently reading, a bullet point or two about why this is a good program for you), but overall, as corny as it sounds, you should just be yourself and treat it like a conversation. 

Edited February 12 by pananoprodigy

[runlolarun]

Ahh, yes, thank you.... I forgot everything I had read previously about interviews, but now I am remembering something about coming across as essentially not a know-it-all/ a-hole/whatever. Thanks for re-orienting me, lol.