2026 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[Ogwick]

 

8 hours ago, Emblazonries said:

Hello all! Chronic lurker, first time posting. Everyone is so kind and supportive here it feels like a dream.

I was just wondering how often MFA applicants receive their Bachelor's in non-liberal arts subjects. I have finished my applications for the 2026 cycle (yay!) and am beginning the waiting process where I stew in my own anxiety and question EVERYTHING so bear with me haha. I am a Biology adjacent major, chemistry + history minors on the premedical track at my university, and have taken a grand total of 0 English classes. I have manage to squeeze in some Creative Writing courses, but the credits are minimal compared to the heavy STEM focus of my transcripts. I have been feeling a bit of insecurity/anxiety regarding the imbalance, especially after making it to Round 2 of Tennessee Knoxville where applicants are required to have completed 18+ credit hours in upper division English (I submit the full application anyways, fully knowing I could be thrown out on the draw).

My undergraduate thesis advisor is also the MFA director at my University, and he says that it does not matter what my major is, so long as I write a kickass story for my sample. I'm not saying I don't believe him... okay, I am kind of worried that he is just trying to be nice haha. I was just wondering what everyone thinks about transcript evaluation and if little to no on paper liberal arts experience will harm my application. Thank you! 

Hello fellow sci nerd!

Just wanted to echo with my background

Last English class I took was in high school.  Tested out of every writing and English class when I went to undergrad at Northwestern to study Chemical Engineering (but did read a lot for my International Studies Minor — which included having to read, analyze and discuss Günter Grass’s “The Tin Drum” all in the original German.  I left that part out of my Iowa MFA application because it sounds way too “Extra,” to quote gen-z circa 2015).

But I have always enjoyed writing my thoughts down and created great stories around my D&D campaigns growing up.

I applied to get a MFA to try something totally new and different to push my boundaries — to try something I’ve always wanted to do. 
 

Creativity and passion are needed to be successful in anything. 
 

Not degrees 

In terms of getting in, it will help not hurt, IMHO

MFA Programs state they want diversity of thought and experiences in the room. 
 

If everyone in a MFA group is a 25 yr old English major from Smith College writing about sad girls looking out gentrified second story windows in Brooklyn on rainy days worrying about her fate in life - then it won’t open up the discussion much.  
 

Throw in terms like Ligand - that’s what you’re there for!

Edited February 13 by Ogwick

[guntherpingu]

10 hours ago, Emblazonries said:

Hello all! Chronic lurker, first time posting. Everyone is so kind and supportive here it feels like a dream.

I was just wondering how often MFA applicants receive their Bachelor's in non-liberal arts subjects. I have finished my applications for the 2026 cycle (yay!) and am beginning the waiting process where I stew in my own anxiety and question EVERYTHING so bear with me haha. I am a Biology adjacent major, chemistry + history minors on the premedical track at my university, and have taken a grand total of 0 English classes. I have manage to squeeze in some Creative Writing courses, but the credits are minimal compared to the heavy STEM focus of my transcripts. I have been feeling a bit of insecurity/anxiety regarding the imbalance, especially after making it to Round 2 of Tennessee Knoxville where applicants are required to have completed 18+ credit hours in upper division English (I submit the full application anyways, fully knowing I could be thrown out on the draw).

My undergraduate thesis advisor is also the MFA director at my University, and he says that it does not matter what my major is, so long as I write a kickass story for my sample. I'm not saying I don't believe him... okay, I am kind of worried that he is just trying to be nice haha. I was just wondering what everyone thinks about transcript evaluation and if little to no on paper liberal arts experience will harm my application. Thank you! 

There are several people in my MFA program who don't have an English/Creative Writing BA. One member of my cohort has a degree very similar to yours-- I think she was Biology and pre-Med. Like your advisor said, the thing that matters most is your writing sample.

Unless there's specific requirements about having a certain number of ENGL credits (like what you mentioned with UTK), most programs do not care what your undergraduate degree is in, just that you have one.

[SleepingBadly]

First rejection yesterday from UCSD for fiction. I didn't really think I was a good fit but still -- not a great feeling. Applied last year to a bunch of programs but kind of haphazardly. Thought I submitted much tighter work this year, but can't help but feel pretty apocalyptic about the whole thing. Alas.

0a/1r/9p

[lizard in a blizzard]

Looks like JHU waitlists have gone out. Assuming acceptances are all out as well.

[womanonline]

I’m assuming the same about JHU. They don’t have CNF so I didn’t apply, but I know this is a top program for many fiction and poetry applicants and has been waited for this week. Congratulations to everyone who got through, and for everyone else, do something nice for yourself this week ❤️ 

[strawberrymatcha]

Congrats to everyone who’s heard back so far!!

Really hoping UMich and UW come through today! (although UW sent out notifs on Saturday last year so it might be an interesting Valentine’s day tomorrow…)

[SHN]

4 minutes ago, strawberrymatcha said:

Congrats to everyone who’s heard back so far!!

Really hoping UMich and UW come through today! (although UW sent out notifs on Saturday last year so it might be an interesting Valentine’s day tomorrow…)

Same boat as you! Those are my last two applications — I just keep staring at my email, refreshing over and over. 

[XXY]

2 hours ago, SleepingBadly said:

First rejection yesterday from UCSD for fiction. I didn't really think I was a good fit but still -- not a great feeling. Applied last year to a bunch of programs but kind of haphazardly. Thought I submitted much tighter work this year, but can't help but feel pretty apocalyptic about the whole thing. Alas.

0a/1r/9p

I know this isn't very helpful, but please know that this random stranger is proud of you for trying.

[gupppy]

After getting my first rejection from UCSD and accepting that I might not get in anywhere this year, I got waitlisted at JHU for fiction! (Still could possibly not get in anywhere but this definitely helped the lil sad fest I was having)

[SleepingBadly]

10 minutes ago, XXY said:

I know this isn't very helpful, but please know that this random stranger is proud of you for trying.

Thank you :')

[Bugg]

1 hour ago, lizard in a blizzard said:

Looks like JHU waitlists have gone out. Assuming acceptances are all out as well.

Yeah I haven’t heard anything back so I’m assuming I was rejected haha. A bit worried I’m going to be rejected everywhere I applied this year. I know how competitive poetry is though for these programs so I’m trying to keep that in mind.

[madsmadsmads]

Oh man, this shit is really not for the weak of heart. I got my waitlist from JHU (OMFG!) about an hour after I saw the first one hit the draft. Emotional rollercoaster. In my perfect world, I would be in a medically induced coma immediately after hitting submit on my last application, and when I woke up, every school would release all decisions all at the same time. Really hoping for Michigan today- do we really think there might not be any news till next week? 

[TPike]

6 minutes ago, madsmadsmads said:

Oh man, this shit is really not for the weak of heart. I got my waitlist from JHU (OMFG!) about an hour after I saw the first one hit the draft. Emotional rollercoaster. In my perfect world, I would be in a medically induced coma immediately after hitting submit on my last application, and when I woke up, every school would release all decisions all at the same time. Really hoping for Michigan today- do we really think there might not be any news till next week? 

Congratulations!!

[Emblazonries]

12 hours ago, SocialKonstruct said:

Indeed let's look at solid writers who didn't have an English literature degrees but are still kickass writers...

 

1) Lewis Thomas

2) William Faulkner (didn't even bother with college)

3) Claude Simon (studied painting not literature)

4) William Gaddis

5) Don Delillo (communication arts major)

6) Cormac McCarthy (he actually hated other writers)

7) Harper Lee

😎 Thomas  Pynchon (engineering and physics)

9) Ray Bradbury (another who needs college)

10) George Orwell

and so on... English lit degrees are fun but in no way are needed to be a fabulous writer/author

Ray Bradbury and Cormac McCarthy are some of my favorites! I am going to check out the rest of the list for some extra motivation! And probably should be reading more literary fiction in general lol (so hard to pry away from fantasy and sci fi) 

[gafoo]

I know this is ultimately a good problem to have but I have only heard back from two schools and neither are decisions with any certainty (1 waitlist, 1 interview). I feel like the universe can tell I'm compulsively checking draft and has chosen to mock me by refusing to give me any clean reject/accept decisions so far

[Emblazonries]

1 hour ago, jka0124 said:

*waves* My undergrad was in neuroscience and before that j dropped out of HS my freshman year (very illegal, long story).  I didn’t take a proper English class until my MFA. But yeah, I got into most of the programs I applied to for both my MFA and my PhD. It doesn’t matter what you majored in; your writing sample is what’ll get you through the door. 

That does sound like a long road wow! Fellow STEM nerd, thank you thank you for the motivation

[eunereun]

53 minutes ago, madsmadsmads said:

Oh man, this shit is really not for the weak of heart. I got my waitlist from JHU (OMFG!) about an hour after I saw the first one hit the draft. Emotional rollercoaster. In my perfect world, I would be in a medically induced coma immediately after hitting submit on my last application, and when I woke up, every school would release all decisions all at the same time. Really hoping for Michigan today- do we really think there might not be any news till next week? 

Fuck, then i'm assuming i didnt get in. i havent heard from JHU yet for poetry..

[meanwhile]

Echoing some sentiments shared earlier, but this truly isn’t for the weak of heart, and everyone here should be proud for trying against amazingly low odds. 
 

I keep telling myself this while waiting (not so patiently) to see if U of Arizona sends out poetry decisions today. One of my top two schools 🥲  To anyone else who hasn’t heard a single thing back from anywhere they applied (while seeing that others have), my heart is with y’all. Absolutely wretched feeling. 

[molemola]

UMich decisions have started to pop up on the draft. I'm surprisingly anxious about it - I guess I felt more strongly about UM than I thought!

[eunereun]

5 minutes ago, molemola said:

UMich decisions have started to pop up on the draft. I'm surprisingly anxious about it - I guess I felt more strongly about UM than I thought!

ur lying. im also still pending from accessing the draft. im dying

[SolarFan]

Weird that Michigan waitlists are dropping first - unless all accepted applicants have already been notified? 

[LouPatt]

2 minutes ago, SolarFan said:

Weird that Michigan waitlists are dropping first - unless all accepted applicants have already been notified? 

Yeah but it would be weird if not one person entered their acceptance into the spreadsheet.

[Bugg]

3 minutes ago, SolarFan said:

Weird that Michigan waitlists are dropping first - unless all accepted applicants have already been notified? 

Right I was under the impression that they come out all at once?

[eunereun]

7 minutes ago, SolarFan said:

Weird that Michigan waitlists are dropping first - unless all accepted applicants have already been notified? 

????

[Bugg]

24 minutes ago, SolarFan said:

Weird that Michigan waitlists are dropping first - unless all accepted applicants have already been notified? 

Maybe they are going alphabetically? Or some other order? One acceptance came but then another waitlist?