bucket Posted March 16 Posted March 16 sitting in a weird place right now with no acceptances, but two waitlists. i have three schools i have yet to hear from, but i know at least one of them is a rejection and none are acceptances (still hoping for a waitlist or two). this whole waiting process is so difficult, and now to have it prolonged indefinitely while not having anything to fall back on or any sense of security is not a great feeling lol. anyway on the one hand i’m happy to have been placed on two waitlists for programs i love, but man those nine rejections (so far) and the knowledge that i won’t be getting any acceptances this year (my second round) is ROUGH. if anyone else is in a similar spot with waitlists but no acceptances, i’m mentally patting u on the back in solidarity😭 kiyaar, gafoo, spg_ and 3 others 4 2
spg_ Posted March 16 Posted March 16 12 minutes ago, bucket said: sitting in a weird place right now with no acceptances, but two waitlists. i have three schools i have yet to hear from, but i know at least one of them is a rejection and none are acceptances (still hoping for a waitlist or two). this whole waiting process is so difficult, and now to have it prolonged indefinitely while not having anything to fall back on or any sense of security is not a great feeling lol. anyway on the one hand i’m happy to have been placed on two waitlists for programs i love, but man those nine rejections (so far) and the knowledge that i won’t be getting any acceptances this year (my second round) is ROUGH. if anyone else is in a similar spot with waitlists but no acceptances, i’m mentally patting u on the back in solidarity😭 I feel you!! Also a second time applicant, and I'm ending the round with exactly the same result I had last year (all rejections except a VCU waitlist). It feels really hard to have to wait another month when I need to make some important decisions (my lease renewal deadline is in April, for example!). Anyway, solidarity indeed. Best of luck to you! bucket 1
labmate Posted March 16 Posted March 16 27 minutes ago, bucket said: sitting in a weird place right now with no acceptances, but two waitlists. i have three schools i have yet to hear from, but i know at least one of them is a rejection and none are acceptances (still hoping for a waitlist or two). this whole waiting process is so difficult, and now to have it prolonged indefinitely while not having anything to fall back on or any sense of security is not a great feeling lol. anyway on the one hand i’m happy to have been placed on two waitlists for programs i love, but man those nine rejections (so far) and the knowledge that i won’t be getting any acceptances this year (my second round) is ROUGH. if anyone else is in a similar spot with waitlists but no acceptances, i’m mentally patting u on the back in solidarity😭 I'm in a similar place, with five rejections, one waitlist, and four pending. But you never know! A waitlist could turn into an acceptance at any time. I'm trying to remain optimistic, and I wish the best for you as well. bucket and Solin 2
barbou Posted March 16 Posted March 16 17 hours ago, Solin said: Has anyone hear of success stories in negotiating funding and how to go about it tactfully? I'm really struggling with whether or not I should negotiate my funding from Columbia and how much more *realistically* I should ask for. I've seen other people online claim that they've negotiated full tuition funding. On the other side of that coin, I've seen people talk about how Columbia offered them more to get them to sign on, only to not follow through. I haven't accepted the offer because of finances, but if there is something in my power that I can do rn to maybe get more funding, I'm willing to try just to say I really gave it my all. My professor warned me about how expensive Columbia is and how one of their colleagues is still paying off debt. Unfortunately, I'm stubborn and lacking fully developed pre-frontal cortex. I did not make very smart decisions this cycle and kinda dug myself into my own hole. If anyone can share any beacons of hope, or a very blunt (but needed) reality check, I'd much appreciate it atm. ❤️ "I'm stubborn and lacking a fully developed pre-frontal cortex." - okay so you know this, that's good. My advice is please, PLEASE do not fuck over the future you with a fully developed brain. You will regret it more than you can imagine. You "dug yourself in your own hole" - do you mean, you should have applied to more places/places with better funding this cycle? If that's what you mean, just wait for the next cycle. Don't dig yourself into a bigger hole by taking on debt. I don't have an MFA yet myself, but I went into debt for grad school, in a STEM field. I didn't get offered any funding, both because I only applied to Master's programs (even the dumbass I was back then knew a PhD was not for me) and because my undergrad grades were bad. With hindsight, I know they were bad because I was trying to fit myself into this STEM box so I could get a high paying job, when what I really wanted was to be a writer! lol. Anyway, my thinking went "I want to have [particular job title] and the only way I can get a job doing that is to have a master's, so I will do whatever it takes." So I took out loans (and I was very stupid about how much I took, too, I won't get into all that now though)...and I DID get a high paying job in my field, so it was "worth it," except then I spent ten years paying off my loans. And they're only paid off now because I paid SO much, like the last few years I refinanced and put myself on an aggressive timeline, paying $1500/month. The whole time, I resented it SO much. I tried to let it go and not think about it, but any time I did think about it (like when I'd get my tax statement saying how many thousands I'd paid just in INTEREST for a given year) I'd get very worked up. So, yeah, the debt is terrible, and this was for a degree that at least did what it was "supposed" to do, helping me get a high paying job in my field. The same can never be said for an MFA, where all you can really expect from it is to become a better writer (but...what is "better?") - no guarantee of publication, job, anything! I hope that was a sufficiently convincing reality check Good luck - I really do understand the "fuck it, I'm doing it anyway" impulse, and the "if I don't do it now another year will pass me by!" feeling...but they should not be indulged. molemola, Solin, Emblazonries and 1 other 4
Solin Posted March 16 Posted March 16 18 minutes ago, barbou said: "I'm stubborn and lacking a fully developed pre-frontal cortex." - okay so you know this, that's good. My advice is please, PLEASE do not fuck over the future you with a fully developed brain. You will regret it more than you can imagine. You "dug yourself in your own hole" - do you mean, you should have applied to more places/places with better funding this cycle? If that's what you mean, just wait for the next cycle. Don't dig yourself into a bigger hole by taking on debt. I don't have an MFA yet myself, but I went into debt for grad school, in a STEM field. I didn't get offered any funding, both because I only applied to Master's programs (even the dumbass I was back then knew a PhD was not for me) and because my undergrad grades were bad. With hindsight, I know they were bad because I was trying to fit myself into this STEM box so I could get a high paying job, when what I really wanted was to be a writer! lol. Anyway, my thinking went "I want to have [particular job title] and the only way I can get a job doing that is to have a master's, so I will do whatever it takes." So I took out loans (and I was very stupid about how much I took, too, I won't get into all that now though)...and I DID get a high paying job in my field, so it was "worth it," except then I spent ten years paying off my loans. And they're only paid off now because I paid SO much, like the last few years I refinanced and put myself on an aggressive timeline, paying $1500/month. The whole time, I resented it SO much. I tried to let it go and not think about it, but any time I did think about it (like when I'd get my tax statement saying how many thousands I'd paid just in INTEREST for a given year) I'd get very worked up. So, yeah, the debt is terrible, and this was for a degree that at least did what it was "supposed" to do, helping me get a high paying job in my field. The same can never be said for an MFA, where all you can really expect from it is to become a better writer (but...what is "better?") - no guarantee of publication, job, anything! I hope that was a sufficiently convincing reality check Good luck - I really do understand the "fuck it, I'm doing it anyway" impulse, and the "if I don't do it now another year will pass me by!" feeling...but they should not be indulged. Buh ToT this was much needed and you're so right!!! and yes, by the "digging myself into my own hole" I meant that I should have applied only to fully funded programs and concentrated my efforts there instead of just casting a wide net. I definitely am prepared to apply for another cycle if it means avoiding loans and more financial instability. I appreciate you sharing your experience and best of luck to you too! gafoo, barbou, bioluminescent sloth and 1 other 4
strawberrymatcha Posted March 16 Posted March 16 hmm so are we thinking seattle waitlists/rejections tomorrow? thrifty3, numbskull and delraiser 3
hermione granger Posted March 17 Posted March 17 ut austin new writers project says "typically respond to applications by March 15th" on the website. do we know if all the acceptances and waitlists are out? nonsense 1
SocialKonstruct Posted March 17 Posted March 17 10 hours ago, bucket said: may i ask how you know this? just curious since you seem to have such definitive information I don't have definitive information here but from what I gather based on past data as well as talking with some of my connects. Also I had one of my persons who wrote me a letter of recommendation as a former Ph.D. graduate from UCI in comparative lit.
imgonnapuke Posted March 17 Posted March 17 looking for some advice about NYU...i was accepted to the cnf track with the standard half tuition remission. i live in ny, not planning to move for a while, and really want to pursue an mfa, so nyu seems like the best option. with working part-time/payment plans/help from my partner, i can avoid loans, but im trying to figure out if it's worth it to go for it now, or if there's any merit in waiting a year and trying again to get a fully funded offer (since there's always the chance of getting rejected next year 🥲). anyway, would appreciate any advice anyone has or info about the nyu program ! also worth it to add, ive asked already about more money and will have to wait til the april 15th deadline to get more info but seems unlikely. and since i only applied to ny programs the other offers i have are worse funding wise so not super helpful for negotiating :,(
gafoo Posted March 17 Posted March 17 (edited) Found out I am straight-up: Ranked #1 on 2 of my waitlists Ranked #4 on the other Ranked #1 on the waitlist for funding for one of my acceptances (my other acceptance is unfunded) Grateful for the positive response to my work, to be sure, etc. etc. But it's hard to imagine a situation with more uncertainty than this. Teetering on the brink of acceptance for 4 schools, totally unsure what might/might not convert before April 15. Agony! Edited March 17 by gafoo greenleaf, TPike, bucket and 3 others 6
yamselot Posted March 17 Posted March 17 I've noticed a Boston U rejection on the spreadsheet for today. Does anyone here have any information on the state of Poetry acceptances? Thanks to all Wishing luck for everyone as 4/15 approaches!
arghgradapps Posted March 17 Posted March 17 (edited) 54 minutes ago, gafoo said: Found out I am straight-up: Ranked #1 on 2 of my waitlists Ranked #4 on the other Ranked #1 on the waitlist for funding for one of my acceptances (my other acceptance is unfunded) Grateful for the positive response to my work, to be sure, etc. etc. But it's hard to imagine a situation with more uncertainty than this. Teetering on the brink of acceptance for 4 schools, totally unsure what might/might not convert before April 15. Agony! ugh i'm also on a few waitlists. really hoping things go well. which one's your top choice? Edited March 17 by arghgradapps bucket and gafoo 2
kiyaar Posted March 17 Posted March 17 43 minutes ago, gafoo said: Found out I am straight-up: Ranked #1 on 2 of my waitlists Ranked #4 on the other Ranked #1 on the waitlist for funding for one of my acceptances (my other acceptance is unfunded) Grateful for the positive response to my work, to be sure, etc. etc. But it's hard to imagine a situation with more uncertainty than this. Teetering on the brink of acceptance for 4 schools, totally unsure what might/might not convert before April 15. Agony! feel this. no acceptances for me but on 3 waitlists, and am #2 on one of them. feel constantly anxious and bad about it. wild process (derogatory). gafoo and bucket 2
gafoo Posted March 17 Posted March 17 (edited) 21 minutes ago, arghgradapps said: ugh i'm also on a few waitlists, and third at my top choice. really hoping things go well. which one's your top choice? Ohio State is prob top choice (that's my #4 WL, and least likely to convert). Barring that, I'm split 50/50 rn on VCU and Montana—would love to fly out and visit both campuses, but sorta hard to commit to a flight when I don't know whether I'll get a funded offer at either yet! Edited March 17 by gafoo bucket, arghgradapps and quetza1e5 2 1
arghgradapps Posted March 17 Posted March 17 On 2/20/2026 at 5:53 PM, chickennugget7 said: I’m fiction! have u been told your rank on the waitlist yet?
arghgradapps Posted March 17 Posted March 17 24 minutes ago, gafoo said: Ohio State is prob top choice (that's my #4 WL, and least likely to convert). Barring that, I'm split 50/50 rn on VCU and Montana—would love to fly out and visit both campuses, but sorta hard to commit to a flight when I don't know whether I'll get a funded offer at either yet! Montana seems like such a nice place to be! Congrats regardless. gafoo 1
impatientjoy Posted March 17 Posted March 17 1 hour ago, gafoo said: Found out I am straight-up: Ranked #1 on 2 of my waitlists Ranked #4 on the other Ranked #1 on the waitlist for funding for one of my acceptances (my other acceptance is unfunded) Grateful for the positive response to my work, to be sure, etc. etc. But it's hard to imagine a situation with more uncertainty than this. Teetering on the brink of acceptance for 4 schools, totally unsure what might/might not convert before April 15. Agony! Out of curiosity, how did you go about asking where you are on the waitlist for your schools? Would love to know where I sit for one of my schools in particular that’s a top choice! bucket and potentialyeti 1 1
gafoo Posted March 17 Posted March 17 (edited) 6 minutes ago, impatientjoy said: Out of curiosity, how did you go about asking where you are on the waitlist for your schools? Would love to know where I sit for one of my schools in particular that’s a top choice! When I got my initial email informing me I was on a given waitlist, I immediately reached out to enthusiastically accept the waitlist slot while also asking: 1) is this a simple ranked waitlist? and 2) can you inform me of my position on the list?. Some programs will happily tell you your exact spot, whereas others won't say specifics, but might generally hint ("you're closer to the top than to the bottom"). I got an offer for an unfunded program this week that doesn't follow the Apr 15 deadline (Hunter), so I reached out to all my waitlist schools to ask if there'd been any movement/change because I was evaluating an offer. Using this as "leverage," I got much more detailed info (# of slots accepted thus far, my specific position). But generally, if it weren't for that offer, I'd say it makes more sense to hold off on sending this check-in/status email 'til April. After emailing my 3 WL programs, the general theme seems to be that there really hasn't been any movement yet, and probably won't be for a couple weeks. Hope this helps! Good luck! Edited March 17 by gafoo dyedviolet, lusitania_unsunk, impatientjoy and 1 other 3 1
Solin Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Do we think NYU and Iowa Waitlists/rejections are coming out this week 0.0 ojo534 and strawberrymatcha 1 1
spg_ Posted March 17 Posted March 17 36 minutes ago, gafoo said: I got an offer for an unfunded program this week that doesn't follow the Apr 15 deadline (Hunter), so I reached out to all my waitlist schools to ask if there'd been any movement/change because I was evaluating an offer. Using this as "leverage," I got much more detailed info (# of slots accepted thus far, my specific position). If you're comfortable, can you share anything about what VCU shared in that more detailed info? No worries if not ofc if it would feel weird to share!
Solin Posted March 17 Posted March 17 has anyone ever heard of someone withdrawing from a program before the semester starts if they get into their top choice off a waitlist? Is this something that can be done, or does it vary from institution to institution. I've tried searching it up but only find vague info and the possibility of losing a security deposit (which is fine by me as long as full tuition isn't owed).
XXY Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Just got my Iowa rejection letter via email. It did include some kind and encouraging phrasing, so tbh I’m hella happy lol. prufrock_ 1
Theodosia Posted March 17 Posted March 17 Just got my Iowa rejection via email! No note, and I'm fairly certain it was the standard form rejection. "Many people liked your work" type wording. I wonder if they're not doing snail mail for everyone this year? prufrock_ 1
arghgradapps Posted March 17 Posted March 17 i guess iowa is doing waves of email rejections based on tiers. who else is waiting for their untiered rejection lol? strawberrymatcha 1
womaninthevoid Posted March 17 Posted March 17 are they doing iowa (fiction) rejections in bulk or by last name or something? i haven’t received one yet. i’d just like to be put out of my misery lmfao
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