2026 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Sumire11]

18 minutes ago, Ogwick said:

I think this is correct - with maybe one waitlist change before March, but if you’re not on an waitlist this week I would think it’s a hard “no” in the mail coming. 
 

While we torture ourselves on the Last Day - question to this group from a liberal arts newbie. 
 

Does anyone say “No” to Iowa —for fiction specifically?! Would someone pick another (assume fully funded fiction) program closer to home, or different school like JHU or NU to be in bigger cities, etc?

Any record of someone getting multiple offers and declining Iowa Fiction in reality over the years?

This had been the case for poetry, so I don't see this not being the case for fiction. 

[MamaCats]

45 minutes ago, Ogwick said:

I think this is correct - with maybe one waitlist change before March, but if you’re not on an waitlist this week I would think it’s a hard “no” in the mail coming. 
 

While we torture ourselves on the Last Day - question to this group from a liberal arts newbie. 
 

Does anyone say “No” to Iowa —for fiction specifically?! Would someone pick another (assume fully funded fiction) program closer to home, or different school like JHU or NU to be in bigger cities, etc?

Any record of someone getting multiple offers and declining Iowa Fiction in reality over the years?

There were some last year - I know Poetry had a couple, but there was at least one fiction. 

[thrifty3]

fiction applicant lurker here; first time post!
 

is it common for schools to set a decision deadline long before April 15?

[Sumire11]

10 minutes ago, thrifty3 said:

fiction applicant lurker here; first time post!
 

is it common for schools to set a decision deadline long before April 15?

If they are part of the april 15 agreement, no. List: https://cgsnet.org/april-15-resolution-faq

Although there were some issues last year according to Reddit. I think @jka0124can chime in better. 

Edited February 24 by Sumire11

[writerinthedarkk]

Does anyone remember the earliest date last year that we started seeing Iowa poetry acceptances? Someone on here already very kindly told me it would be around late Feb/Early March but I'm greedy and was wondering if anyone knew a specific date. 😭

[ocurlyfries]

3 minutes ago, writerinthedarkk said:

Does anyone remember the earliest date last year that we started seeing Iowa poetry acceptances? Someone on here already very kindly told me it would be around late Feb/Early March but I'm greedy and was wondering if anyone knew a specific date. 😭

Looks like there was a poetry waitlist on March 9

[thrifty3]

8 minutes ago, jka0124 said:

If they do and they signed the resolution, they are in violation of it. DO NOT LET ANYONE BULLY YOU INTO MAKING A FAST DECISION. Don’t get me wrong, if you know for sure you won’t be attending a place, cut them loose. If you’re on a waitlist but are planning to attend a place you got into, cut those waitlists loose. But being rushed to commit to a place? Nah. Remind programs you have time. 

People turn down Iowa all the time. Yes it’s *Iowa* but it’s also a smaller stipend than many places. Vanderbilt usually got someone over Iowa; one of the professors used to (jokingly) keep score and cackle about it. Michigan also pulls people from Iowa all the time as does Michener. 

Once the big programs get finalized, a big domino effect of acceptances happen. 

thank you and @Sumire11 so much for the info!!

[writerinthedarkk]

7 minutes ago, ocurlyfries said:

Looks like there was a poetry waitlist on March 9

Ahhh good to know thank you!

[goodoldneon]

2 hours ago, Ogwick said:

I think this is correct - with maybe one waitlist change before March, but if you’re not on an waitlist this week I would think it’s a hard “no” in the mail coming. 
 

While we torture ourselves on the Last Day - question to this group from a liberal arts newbie. 
 

Does anyone say “No” to Iowa —for fiction specifically?! Would someone pick another (assume fully funded fiction) program closer to home, or different school like JHU or NU to be in bigger cities, etc?

Any record of someone getting multiple offers and declining Iowa Fiction in reality over the years?

People do turn down Iowa for a variety of reasons: more funding from other programs, a better fit of style, or a professor they greatly admire and look forward to working with ( like george saunders in Syracuse). Iowa is the most prestigious, but people also consider more than just fame.

[womanonline]

Melissa Febos please put me out of my misery 

[gafoo]

10 hours ago, jka0124 said:

Nope, we had nothing to do with it being closed. Alas. 

Also, UMN will be releasing their waitlist this week. 

Also, congrats @gafoo!

I think I was going to say something else, but I forgot. Hang in there, y'all! ❤️ We still have two weeks in March with notifications coming out. 

Thank you for the congrats (and the intel)!! UMN was really put in such a tough situation last year thanks to all the evil political circumstances outside of their control, but I'm glad to hear it's stabilized and they're able to share a waitlist this year still. 

[SocialKonstruct]

42 minutes ago, goodoldneon said:

People do turn down Iowa for a variety of reasons: more funding from other programs, a better fit of style, or a professor they greatly admire and look forward to working with ( like george saunders in Syracuse). Iowa is the most prestigious, but people also consider more than just fame.

Also for sociopolitical reasons too (me).

[cocoice98]

30 minutes ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Also for sociopolitical reasons too (me).

When did you get into Iowa?

[SocialKonstruct]

1 minute ago, cocoice98 said:

When did you get into Iowa?

I didn’t apply. Never went there.

[fancywriter14]

ok y'all i need some insight here. 

i applied to SAIC's writing MFA really late in the game (beginning of February but the deadline to apply isn't until March 1). a part of applying was adding my unofficial transcript. my entire application is submitted with the exception of one (1) letter of recommendation, which should be in today or tomorrow. i just got an email reminding me to submit the letter of rec, but to also send in my OFFICIAL transcript. the portal says my application won't be reviewed until my last letter of rec is turned in, but i'm confused as to why they're requesting my official transcript. is there any chance they already reviewed my application but can't give me a decision yet because of my rec? 

[Emblazonries]

23 minutes ago, fancywriter14 said:

ok y'all i need some insight here. 

i applied to SAIC's writing MFA really late in the game (beginning of February but the deadline to apply isn't until March 1). a part of applying was adding my unofficial transcript. my entire application is submitted with the exception of one (1) letter of recommendation, which should be in today or tomorrow. i just got an email reminding me to submit the letter of rec, but to also send in my OFFICIAL transcript. the portal says my application won't be reviewed until my last letter of rec is turned in, but i'm confused as to why they're requesting my official transcript. is there any chance they already reviewed my application but can't give me a decision yet because of my rec? 

I can't speak for the individual school/process, but I will chime in from my experience. I submit unofficial transcripts to all of my (15) schools and got 2 kickbacks before the deadline—from University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With Alaska it was very straightforward: the stall was automated and as I was uploading supporting documents, I emailed them and just asked if I could submit my unofficial instead since my degree was in progress and they said sure, it showed up on my portal soon after as waived via unofficial. With Tennessee they wanted official, I got a more personal email and it was after everything else was submitted and my application was going to be sent to departmental review, so I had a big *sigh* moment and paid the $15 to send in officials, but only there.

Sorry that was longwinded, but basically saying it wouldn't hurt to send a quick email to submit unofficals! Worst comes to worse they will prob just tell you they need officials, as it is still before the deadline 

[fancywriter14]

4 minutes ago, Emblazonries said:

I can't speak for the individual school/process, but I will chime in from my experience. I submit unofficial transcripts to all of my (15) schools and got 2 kickbacks before the deadline—from University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and University of Tennessee, Knoxville. With Alaska it was very straightforward: the stall was automated and as I was uploading supporting documents, I emailed them and just asked if I could submit my unofficial instead since my degree was in progress and they said sure, it showed up on my portal soon after as waived via unofficial. With Tennessee they wanted official, I got a more personal email and it was after everything else was submitted and my application was going to be sent to departmental review, so I had a big *sigh* moment and paid the $15 to send in officials, but only there.

Sorry that was longwinded, but basically saying it wouldn't hurt to send a quick email to submit unofficals! Worst comes to worse they will prob just tell you they need officials, as it is still before the deadline 

The strange part is that the official transcript isn't required for the application—they only require official transcripts once you're admitted. I think I'm getting my hopes too high, LOL 

[Ogwick]

4 hours ago, jka0124 said:

If they do and they signed the resolution, they are in violation of it. DO NOT LET ANYONE BULLY YOU INTO MAKING A FAST DECISION. Don’t get me wrong, if you know for sure you won’t be attending a place, cut them loose. If you’re on a waitlist but are planning to attend a place you got into, cut those waitlists loose. But being rushed to commit to a place? Nah. Remind programs you have time. 

People turn down Iowa all the time. Yes it’s *Iowa* but it’s also a smaller stipend than many places. Vanderbilt usually got someone over Iowa; one of the professors used to (jokingly) keep score and cackle about it. Michigan also pulls people from Iowa all the time as does Michener. 

Once the big programs get finalized, a big domino effect of acceptances happen. 

Thank you! Regardless of what happens to me specifically this year, this has been a fascinating process and I appreciate all the perspective and help here!

My usual German Prussian Engineering vibes aren’t as pleasant or helpful

[GoatKidd]

15 hours ago, writerinthedarkk said:

 

Why is it that at most schools, fiction acceptances go out before poetry? I feel like it should be reversed — isn't poetry the less popular genre and would therefore have less applications? And aren't the manuscripts (at least theoretically) quicker to read? Most schools say send 10-12 poems as opposed to 25+ pages of fiction. Sorry if this is a dumb question haha

Ah, but have you met many poets, because we can overcomplicate anything. 

[Ogwick]

FYI - I just sent this to @Sumire11over email - we are connected in the “real world” / why @Sumire11? I can sense trustful people pretty quickly and you can trust him
 

Suggestion - let’s set up a WhatsApp MFA 2026 group chat to post in GradCafe but not for “anonymously posts”. Everyone has to show up in their “real self”

And no obligation - we can share each others thesis and get feedback from each other 

That would be very helpful!! No obligation to share but I want others to read my work and give feedback and I know others would as well 

 

 

if you like this idea / go to my previous post and get my email to send me your WhatsApp info to get added to the group. I will send to @Sumire11 for him to have final approval into letting people into the chat (not me - two factor people authorizing is always better for systems controls)

I can help with some tips to get this up and running on whatsapp - that’s my day job!

Edited February 24 by Ogwick

[Sumire11]

44 minutes ago, Ogwick said:

FYI - I just sent this to @Sumire11over email - we are connected in the “real world” / why @Sumire11? I can sense trustful people pretty quickly and you can trust him
 

Suggestion - let’s set up a WhatsApp MFA 2026 group chat to post in GradCafe but not for “anonymously posts”. Everyone has to show up in their “real self”

And no obligation - we can share each others thesis and get feedback from each other 

That would be very helpful!! No obligation to share but I want others to read my work and give feedback and I know others would as well 

 

 

if you like this idea / go to my previous post and get my email to send me your WhatsApp info to get added to the group. I will send to @Sumire11 for him to have final approval into letting people into the chat (not me - two factor people authorizing is always better for systems controls)

I can help with some tips to get this up and running on whatsapp - that’s my day job!

Essentially, if anyone wants to be part of a support group/online workshop, we could do that.

I became part of a group like that following my second attempt and it had been immensely helpful.

[lisichka]

I hate that there's no poetry acceptance data on the spreadsheets for NC State 😭 so mysterious

[Hmax]

I'm going crazy with how slow this week has been so far

[impatientjoy]

14 minutes ago, lisichka said:

I hate that there's no poetry acceptance data on the spreadsheets for NC State 😭 so mysterious

Sooo many of my schools don’t have poetry acceptances reported yet!! I’m curious if it’s a lack of data or they approached genres separately. I feel like we would see NC state poetry on draft!

[lisichka]

14 minutes ago, impatientjoy said:

I feel like we would see NC state poetry on draft!

especially since they accept 6 poetry applicants! at least there's poetry waitlist data from the last couple years but I find it so strange that nobody reported initial acceptances