2025 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[everything bagel lover]

Good morning! I not only dreamt that I got two different CSU funding responses (one where I got it, one where I was 3rd in line for funding) but also that I typed my responses into the forum, but everytime I hit post, they were nonsense that I had to keep editing. 

@tiramisu22 It does look like WVU fiction waitlists have been logged on the draft

Edit to respond to @Prosaic Ioniser:

I work as a secondary teacher and the biggest thing I've learned between my first round and now is that I have to learn to prioritize writing. It helps to have a partner who is willing to pick up more of the domestic labor when I'm engrossed in a project. A coworker who got her MFA from Brown told me if she doesn't quit teaching, she'll never write another novel, and then she told me that I needed to learn how to write outside of academia. I've really taken her advice to heart and have been intentional about making time for writing and reading when I can't bring myself to write. It's been really really impactful on my writing, even if I'm not as prolific as I was in my undergrad.

Edited February 27, 2025 by everything bagel lover
wanted to add to convo without spamming more posts

[vilum]

5 hours ago, Prosaic Ioniser said:

Well just woke up to a UBC rejection... One of the many fun things about being an international.

I'm starting to prepare for the worst for this year - in that spirit - anyone feel like sharing their day job which they feel gives them enough time/ mental clarity to write before or after work? 

If the MFA doesn't materialise, my instinct will be to wander around aimlessly, collecting adventures if nothing else - but of course, I need to finance my life, and I have already had a few jobs that killed my creativity, so just curious what you lovely writers are doing?

I work for a big fashion house, and finding time to write is very hard. At least, being immersed in this crazy world has given me inspiration for a novel! But I plan to quit soon to pursue something else, less "glamorous", that gives me the chance to spend more time doing what I love. Currently at 0A/1W/3R/1P, feeling demotivated to write and unhopeful for the future. 

[Nauna]

8 hours ago, next_semester said:

For those of you who moved on to Phase II for Ole Miss - did anyone submit their official transcripts electronically? The services I used sent confirmation emails that they were received but on my application status it still says my transcript requirement is not met. I emailed the graduate dept. to confirm if they received my transcripts and haven't received a reply. . .debating if I should just email my unofficial ones too since that was an option in the meantime, but I don't want to seem annoying lol

Yes! I was also notified that they received my transcript by the clearing house but my application status still has that anxiety-inducing red X. I emailed them and received a hazy reply: 

"Thank you for reaching out.  Once the transcripts are received, processed, and uploaded to your file it will reflect in your online portal.  You may reach out to our admission specialist at [email] for further assistance."

I've also been considering emailing my unofficial transcript if it isn't updated by 3/1. I was worried that they were holding my application because I haven't officially graduated yet... but hearing that you have the same experience makes me feel a bit better. 

[KennyK]

Do we think today will be quiet?

[everything bagel lover]

5 minutes ago, KennyK said:

Do we think today will be quiet?

I kinda feel like this whole week has been quiet, at least compared to what I was expecting. I hope today things shake up, but patient we must be.

[Jane Wyman]

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

[exvat]

2 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

Gimme my cake and let the band play, I wanna be done with this cycle 😂

[seezeegee]

18 minutes ago, Jane Wyman said:

I'm worried today will be quiet, while tomorrow will be a Red Wedding. I guess that's the joy of application season!

The Fully-Funded send their regards.

[exvat]

6 hours ago, Prosaic Ioniser said:

Well just woke up to a UBC rejection... One of the many fun things about being an international.

I'm starting to prepare for the worst for this year - in that spirit - anyone feel like sharing their day job which they feel gives them enough time/ mental clarity to write before or after work? 

If the MFA doesn't materialise, my instinct will be to wander around aimlessly, collecting adventures if nothing else - but of course, I need to finance my life, and I have already had a few jobs that killed my creativity, so just curious what you lovely writers are doing?

Wandering aimlessly and collecting adventures has pretty much been my life! Metaphorically speaking... Mostly. And will continue very literally once I get these final two rejections confirmed.

Previously this looked like Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund — fucking around, then developing a skill/career, then imploding—which made me Interesting™, and fueled good poems, but left me deflated and confused and exhausted. (Although I did discover that manual labor is great for writing.)

Now, I'm probably about to embark on another round of wandering and collecting, but with direction. Last year I really dove headlong into my Dharma practice, and would like to spend time studying and practicing at a monastery, so I'll do that for a bit. Then probably backpack around. Help my brother renovate his new house. Pick up work and finance my life how I can. Keep writing and reading. But unlike Goldmund, and the wandering me of past, I've got my shit together now, so I'm not worried about how this period will turn out, as long as I keep my wits about me.

[Jane Wyman]

8 minutes ago, seezeegee said:

The Fully-Funded send their regards.

I'm out of reactions, so let me just say: I laughed aloud at this.

[Mystic_Sunshine]

Because there is one VT acceptance in the draft I now cannot think or function  hoping there is still a chance.

[pananoprodigy]

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

I’m so confused - I didn’t get an interview request at Pitt so why would I still be under consideration? And “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation”??? Huh??

Edited February 27, 2025 by pananoprodigy

[exvat]

3 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

 

Yooooooo that's bizarre and completely understandable 😔😮‍💨

[sgrad]

10 hours ago, Nauna said:

Hiiiii! Let's just manifest that we'll be together in NC State's cohort! ❤️ I haven't heard anything yet either. I've heard that they've had some semi-recent faculty changes with Poetry, so perhaps that is part of the delay. 🙂🙃🙂

yesss lets all get in!

[Mystic_Sunshine]

1 minute ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

 

I got this too! I'm confused because they still say application is under consideration but interview invites already went out. Someone put me out of my dang misery. 

[Nauna]

28 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

I’m so confused - I didn’t get an interview request at Pitt so why would I still be under consideration? And “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation”??? Huh??

I got that email too and just about died when there was no attachment. They likely sent it to everyone with a pending graduate school application. I do know that they had paused admissions, but yesterday had announced (I had to google it) that they had resumed their admissions process. So... who knows. I did have an interview (Poetry) and have been holding out hope that there'd be an acceptance, but now I'm not so sure. 😭

Edited February 27, 2025 by Nauna
typo

[bibsy]

7 minutes ago, pananoprodigy said:

Just got what I assume is my rejection from Pittsburgh…but all it says is “Attached is a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies with an update on your application.” 
 

….except there’s no attachment. Lol 

EDIT: Okay this is weird y’all. They followed up with the letter and…

“Thank you for your application to the Department of English at the University of Pittsburgh. We want to assure you that your application remains under active consideration and is of significant interest to our department.

Our admissions process is currently being affected by recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation. We are working diligently to navigate these regulatory complexities to ensure we can offer you the best possible opportunity for your academic journey.

We anticipate providing admissions decisions as soon as we have clarity on these matters. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we will provide you with the most current information available.
We greatly appreciate your patience during this time and remain committed to supporting your scholarly pursuits.”

I’m so confused - I didn’t get an interview request at Pitt so why would I still be under consideration? And “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation”??? Huh??

WashU is also pausing admissions rn. “recent federal guidance that requires careful interpretation” is certainly in regards to recent executive orders declaring no funding will be offered to entities engaged in DEI practices. those orders have been shot down by a federal judge, but the matter will def be escalated to the supreme court, meaning the consequences are just... in limbo. there's been a stringent crackdown on scientific funding, too, which is why WashU is held up - i believe their arts and sciences departments fall under one umbrella? not to mention the existential threat to the DoE. fun times abound.

[Hank Moody]

17 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

Because there is one VT acceptance in the draft I now cannot think or function  hoping there is still a chance.

Same. No waitlists so far in the sheet at least

[crossingmyfingers1212]

7 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I got this too! I'm confused because they still say application is under consideration but interview invites already went out. Someone put me out of my dang misery. 

same... no interview so I assumed it was a soft rejection... Idk I feel like it might have been something they sent out to everyone who applied but no clue 😕 

[everything bagel lover]

CSU funding update: The GTA offers have been sent to fiction applicants (there's only 2 GTAs available for the incoming class) and one has been accepted. I'm waitlisted and the other fiction applicant has 2 weeks to decline or accept and I'm SWEATING.

[Prosaic Ioniser]

2 hours ago, Allrich90 said:

I work voluntarily for a nationwide student magazine in Germany)

2 hours ago, everything bagel lover said:

Good morning! I not only dreamt that I got two different CSU funding responses (one where I got it, one where I was 3rd in line for funding) but also that I typed my responses into the forum, but everytime I hit post, they were nonsense that I had to keep editing. 

@tiramisu22 It does look like WVU fiction waitlists have been logged on the draft

Edit to respond to @Prosaic Ioniser:

I work as a secondary teacher and the biggest thing I've learned between my first round and now is that I have to learn to prioritize writing. It helps to have a partner who is willing to pick up more of the domestic labor when I'm engrossed in a project. A coworker who got her MFA from Brown told me if she doesn't quit teaching, she'll never write another novel, and then she told me that I needed to learn how to write outside of academia. I've really taken her advice to heart and have been intentional about making time for writing and reading when I can't bring myself to write. It's been really really impactful on my writing, even if I'm not as prolific as I was in my undergrad.

Thanks everyone for your replies! I guess always prioritising writing is the name of the game... Super interesting input from your coworker. Weirdly enough this limbo has made me more determined, and I actually sit down to write almost every day as opposed to once every few days before. However, I fear, and almost know, that full out rejections will freeze my writing for a few months. 

1 hour ago, vilum said:

I work for a big fashion house, and finding time to write is very hard. At least, being immersed in this crazy world has given me inspiration for a novel! But I plan to quit soon to pursue something else, less "glamorous", that gives me the chance to spend more time doing what I love. Currently at 0A/1W/3R/1P, feeling demotivated to write and unhopeful for the future. 

Wow that can really be a good source of crazy stories at least haha! I hope and believe that you will soon find something that allows more time to write and do what you really want!! And I can really relate re: feeling unhopeful for the future...

34 minutes ago, exvat said:

Wandering aimlessly and collecting adventures has pretty much been my life! Metaphorically speaking... Mostly. And will continue very literally once I get these final two rejections confirmed.

Previously this looked like Hesse's Narcissus and Goldmund — fucking around, then developing a skill/career, then imploding—which made me Interesting™, and fueled good poems, but left me deflated and confused and exhausted. (Although I did discover that manual labor is great for writing.)

Now, I'm probably about to embark on another round of wandering and collecting, but with direction. Last year I really dove headlong into my Dharma practice, and would like to spend time studying and practicing at a monastery, so I'll do that for a bit. Then probably backpack around. Help my brother renovate his new house. Pick up work and finance my life how I can. Keep writing and reading. But unlike Goldmund, and the wandering me of past, I've got my shit together now, so I'm not worried about how this period will turn out, as long as I keep my wits about me.

Ah, love the reference, makes me wanna re-read the book! Having described your life like that, it makes sense that you would want to go spend time in a monastery  sounds like a fascinating life path tbh. Hope to read some of your stories one day! Good luck to you.

[Nauna]

20 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

Because there is one VT acceptance in the draft I now cannot think or function  hoping there is still a chance.

🫣

[pananoprodigy]

11 minutes ago, everything bagel lover said:

CSU funding update: The GTA offers have been sent to fiction applicants (there's only 2 GTAs available for the incoming class) and one has been accepted. I'm waitlisted and the other fiction applicant has 2 weeks to decline or accept and I'm SWEATING.

Doing some witchcraft and positive spells for you today!!!! You’re SO CLOSE!

[KennyK]

Yall know how NYU gives certain applicants like their biggest funding package. Is Emerson the same way? Like is it possible they’d fully fund some and get a scholarship, but not others? Or are they known to not fund?

[everything bagel lover]

Just now, pananoprodigy said:

Doing some witchcraft and positive spells for you today!!!! You’re SO CLOSE!

Thank you 😭🕯️ I'm trying to cash in all my good luck