2026 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[idkmann]

 

2 hours ago, madsmadsmads said:

Any guesses as to when we will hear from Hopkins and Cornell? I am so antsy lol. 

I feel like Cornell (fiction) might be next week or the week after because 2025 was one of the only years they sent them out earlier. The other years were Feb 19th to Feb 26th ish. Which, cries. I'm dying already.

[strawberrymatcha]

45 minutes ago, potentialyeti said:

Does anyone know when to expect results from UNLV? I assume they'll have later results since they took applications until January 15th, which seems pretty late. 

I think last year they came out mid-late March!

[madsmadsmads]

6 minutes ago, Mystic_Sunshine said:

I was a middle school teacher, I got my MA and transitioned to higher ed

I hope you are liking it! Middle school is HARD. Teaching higher ed is kind of my dream.

[idkmann]

I wish there was a chat function on the spreadsheet. I basically live on there, and it would be nice to say "ahh" and "ughhh" and "I'm so scared bro are you scared too" every 5 minutes. Also I get kinda sad when the numbers dwindle in the evenings, and I'm just there with like 10 people. Like I know, and you know that no one is sending out a notification at 3am, but I love that we're here. I see you. Anyways, everything's fine, I'm totally keeping sane haha okay haha 

[womanonline]

2 hours ago, impatientjoy said:

Does anyone know if Montana or Oregon State alert different genres on different days?

I’m hoping they do. I’ve only seen fiction on the Draft for Oregon State. Choosing to believe nonfiction hasn’t gone out yet

[meanwhile]

32 minutes ago, madsmadsmads said:

Hi everyone! I am new here. Out of curiosity, what is everyone planning on doing next year if MFA does not pan out? I am currently teaching 8th-grade ELA in rural Florida. I try to look on the bright side, but to be honest, I hate it. This is my second year, and it's the only "big girl" job I have had since finishing undergrad. I am trying not to see MFA as my ticket out of Florida/public middle school (it's not just that of course, it's also a lifelong dream). I worked quite a bit with my poetry professors at my undergraduate institution on my application materials, and they made me feel really good about my manuscript/chances. They run a great, fully-funded MFA program, but unfortunately do not accept their own undergrads. As time goes on, I am getting increasingly anxious about worst-case plans. I am well aware that it's a bit of a lottery and that there are many great writers out there applying. I'm both convinced I won't get in anywhere and simultaneously feel like my head got a little too big and I put too many eggs in this basket. Just curious as to if others are feeling similarly and would love to hear what others' "backup plans" are! 

Hi!! In a super similar boat (down to the state lol), except in corporate America in scholarly publishing (4 years this year in my first “grown up job”). I love what I do, just hate doing it and corporate as a whole. This was the first year I was able to try for an MFA (due to personal circumstances) and the stakes feel so very high. Very much relating to your situation! 

I don’t have a backup plan at this point, but am considering other big life changes like moving out of state anyway if this doesn’t pan out. In terms of applying again, I do think it’s a decision I need to make after the disappointment subsides a bit, not before it happens. 

Also aware I definitely need some kind of career change, and trying now while waiting on decisions to figure out what else might interest me. I’m not sure where to start there, but it’s a journey I am trying to hype myself up for!

Hang in there!

[TPike]

Is anyone else waiting for George Mason?

[traceykibres]

1 hour ago, madsmadsmads said:

Hi everyone! I am new here. Out of curiosity, what is everyone planning on doing next year if MFA does not pan out? I am currently teaching 8th-grade ELA in rural Florida. I try to look on the bright side, but to be honest, I hate it. This is my second year, and it's the only "big girl" job I have had since finishing undergrad. I am trying not to see MFA as my ticket out of Florida/public middle school (it's not just that of course, it's also a lifelong dream). I worked quite a bit with my poetry professors at my undergraduate institution on my application materials, and they made me feel really good about my manuscript/chances. They run a great, fully-funded MFA program, but unfortunately do not accept their own undergrads. As time goes on, I am getting increasingly anxious about worst-case plans. I am well aware that it's a bit of a lottery and that there are many great writers out there applying. I'm both convinced I won't get in anywhere and simultaneously feel like my head got a little too big and I put too many eggs in this basket. Just curious as to if others are feeling similarly and would love to hear what others' "backup plans" are! 

Hey! I'm not in the same boat, really, but I do work in education. I love my job so much but I hate living where I do (very far away from my friends and family). My backup plan is to move back to my home city and find a job in education (long term sub/private school/preschool/before-after school, since I don't have a certification). I'm probably going to apply for masters in education next cycle alongside a second round of MFA applications. I would really like to teach middle or high school ELA or ESL, with or without the MFA!

[lisichka]

1 hour ago, madsmadsmads said:

Out of curiosity, what is everyone planning on doing next year if MFA does not pan out?

I'm both convinced I won't get in anywhere and simultaneously feel like my head got a little too big and I put too many eggs in this basket. Just curious as to if others are feeling similarly and would love to hear what others' "backup plans" are! 

I've already begun a list of schools I would apply to in the next cycle—it's made me realize that maybe I should have been more open minded with my choices this time around, but you live and you learn. I'm also considering applying to teaching or higher education admin certification programs locally or in-state, because ultimately I want to end up guiding students in some way. I totally relate to the simultaneous pessimism and optimism during this process, UGH.

[madsmadsmads]

1 hour ago, meanwhile said:

Hi!! In a super similar boat (down to the state lol), except in corporate America in scholarly publishing (4 years this year in my first “grown up job”). I love what I do, just hate doing it and corporate as a whole. This was the first year I was able to try for an MFA (due to personal circumstances) and the stakes feel so very high. Very much relating to your situation! 

I don’t have a backup plan at this point, but am considering other big life changes like moving out of state anyway if this doesn’t pan out. In terms of applying again, I do think it’s a decision I need to make after the disappointment subsides a bit, not before it happens. 

Also aware I definitely need some kind of career change, and trying now while waiting on decisions to figure out what else might interest me. I’m not sure where to start there, but it’s a journey I am trying to hype myself up for!

Hang in there!

Glad to hear I am not alone! I will definitely be applying again if it doesn't work out this time around. I do have to say I am really looking forward to having the Summer off to figure everything out, whatever that may mean. Good luck to you!

[bones.bell]

4 hours ago, slothgirl said:

just got the call I got in!

Me too!! Congratulations!!

[BowelMovement]

In an effort to distract myself from UMich, JHU, and Cornell: Does anyone happen to know the application deadline for BU last cycle? I'm curious because this cycle the deadline was very late on 1/15 (funding issue, I think), and I'm wondering if this also means a postponed decision release. Last cycle the decision came out on 2/21, which I imagine would be hard to achieve with this year's late deadline?

[libraryworker]

Is there a time of day that schools typically release admission results?

[Mystic_Sunshine]

4 hours ago, madsmadsmads said:

I hope you are liking it! Middle school is HARD. Teaching higher ed is kind of my dream.

It's a lot better!!! Middle school was emotionally and physically exhausting. There are many ways to end up in higher ed  

[queenmartian]

Hi everyone. What do we think the chances are of getting off the Portland State University waitlist? 

[asm0deus]

4 hours ago, libraryworker said:

Is there a time of day that schools typically release admission results?

its so random but i notice the most movement from 11am EST - 4pm EST. usually not before 9am EST, usually not after 5pm EST but there's always the outliers

[bones.bell]

3 hours ago, queenmartian said:

Hi everyone. What do we think the chances are of getting off the Portland State University waitlist? 

Congrats on the waitlist! I was wondering if your portal says waitlisted or if you were notified by email? I also applied but haven't gotten any emails but my portal says "decision released"... I'm assuming the worst lol

[traceykibres]

This is super dramatic, but I’ve started to think I shouldn’t have applied this year haha. I’ve only gotten one rejection so far (no other final results) but the waiting is unpleasant enough + the chances are low that I’ll get an acceptance that I am just wishing I hadn’t wasted my time applying. So pessimistic! I’m definitely still going to try and be hopeful though. 

[libraryworker]

24 minutes ago, traceykibres said:

This is super dramatic, but I’ve started to think I shouldn’t have applied this year haha. I’ve only gotten one rejection so far (no other final results) but the waiting is unpleasant enough + the chances are low that I’ll get an acceptance that I am just wishing I hadn’t wasted my time applying. So pessimistic! I’m definitely still going to try and be hopeful though. 

I definitely relate to this, but I have hope for you!! I think being on gradcafe can make us pessimistic, but the state of mind we’re in now matters less than the state of mind we were in when we submitted the applications, because the committee will be seeing our thought process then and not now. The majority of decisions are still ahead of us. 

[womanonline]

Another Oregon State fiction acceptance…. 

[SocialKonstruct]

28 minutes ago, libraryworker said:

I definitely relate to this, but I have hope for you!! I think being on gradcafe can make us pessimistic, but the state of mind we’re in now matters less than the state of mind we were in when we submitted the applications, because the committee will be seeing our thought process then and not now. The majority of decisions are still ahead of us. 

I am more worried about the state of the nation's affairs than whether getting in is in the priority list... after all, living here in downtown LA area I have had my share of watching government detentions and enough news to inspire so much writing this year... tragic but I tend to avoid self-absorption as much as I can strive for within my writing practice.

[ocurlyfries]

1 hour ago, traceykibres said:

This is super dramatic, but I’ve started to think I shouldn’t have applied this year haha. I’ve only gotten one rejection so far (no other final results) but the waiting is unpleasant enough + the chances are low that I’ll get an acceptance that I am just wishing I hadn’t wasted my time applying. So pessimistic! I’m definitely still going to try and be hopeful though. 

No same here! After the first rejection I've started to feel so silly for even thinking I would get in anywhere lol. I have hope for you, though! We both got this :)) Anyway you are definitely not alone

[strawberrymatcha]

1 hour ago, traceykibres said:

This is super dramatic, but I’ve started to think I shouldn’t have applied this year haha. I’ve only gotten one rejection so far (no other final results) but the waiting is unpleasant enough + the chances are low that I’ll get an acceptance that I am just wishing I hadn’t wasted my time applying. So pessimistic! I’m definitely still going to try and be hopeful though. 

totally feel this too! like everyone else is saying, I’ve been trying to remind myself that we’re just at the beginning of it all (I’ve only heard back from 2/15 schools) and you just need 1! it’d definitely be nice to be able to jump forward in time though and avoid the painful wait😅

[ocurlyfries]

1 hour ago, womanonline said:

Another Oregon State fiction acceptance…. 

My whole body is filling more and more with dread lol

[impatientjoy]

1 hour ago, womanonline said:

Another Oregon State fiction acceptance…. 

But still no poetry??

also has anyone heard from Minnesota about the waitlist?