2026 Creative Writing MFA Applicants Forum

[gupppy]

12 minutes ago, jka0124 said:

It's impossible to tell obviously, but when I was at Vandy, someone always got in off the waitlist. Do you know your rank? (I'm pretty sure they rank..)

--------------

Very off topic, but if there's something I haven't done (let you into the draft, changed the spreadsheet, replied to a message), my bad. COVID nearly killed me, and I've lost use of my right arm and hand. Yes, seriously. (Nothing like being wheeled into an ER thinking you're having a heart attack or stroke and realizing it's just long COVID being evil.) 

Glad to hear you're okay, Jess, that sounds so scary.

Major told me he'd let me know where I ranked after I expressed interest! Been waiting to hear back since then but I know it's a busy time over there. 

[ocurlyfries]

4 hours ago, girlwiththegreenribbon said:

saw 2 NC state fiction acceptances on draft while mine is still under review on the portal. hoping it's because i'm waitlisted. 

same lololollll

[marsmentality]

3 hours ago, TBlack1697 said:

Wisconsin-Madison sent me a rejection email on Saturday.

NGL, kinda broke my heart as it was one of my top choices. 

Then, just a few minutes ago, I received a follow-up from them, flaunting an “urgent and important update had been made to my portal.”

I had flashes of the faculty sprinting out of their basement confines, robed and sleep-deprived, waving my previously disregarded application through the whipping, frigid Madison air as they collectively shouted, “WAIT, WE MADE A MISTAKE! WAIT, TBLACK1697, PLEASE DON’T GO!! WE LOVE YOU...WE NEED YOU! WAIT—”

With shaky hands, I clicked on the update, squinting my bloodshot eyes:

It was…still a rejection.

They just really wanted to hammer home that I didn’t get in.

For those struggling with rejections, I’m right there with you.

And, if it gives you any solace…

At least you weren’t rejected twice.

Same exact thing happened to me. Like thanks for rejecting me twice I guess? It didn't sting enough the first time...

[callmemarioplz]

any news from cornell poetry in the draft? dont have access to the group

[LBA]

Received a waitlist from JHU for poetry (yay). Was wondering if others heard from faculty after confirming their place on the waitlist?

Also, is anyone still waiting on their rejection from IU Bloomington ?

[chickennugget7]

Hello people! I got into Florida State’s and Alabama’s MFA for fiction. I’m wondering what people have to say about each of these programs here because they both seem like great options and I’m a very indecisive person. Thank you

[lisichka]

1 hour ago, callmemarioplz said:

any news from cornell poetry in the draft? dont have access to the group

yes, there was one cornell poetry acceptance via phone call reported yesterday!

[gupppy]

2 hours ago, couscous4two said:

Has there been any movement from UCI for fiction in draft? Crickets from them

Nope not yet. I'm waiting to hear from them, Davis, and Riverside 

[lisichka]

2 hours ago, couscous4two said:

Has there been any movement from UCI for fiction in draft? Crickets from them

nothing reported for fiction, just one poetry waitlist from 2/9

[girlwiththegreenribbon]

2 hours ago, ocurlyfries said:

same lololollll

i got my acceptance by email earlier but my portal still says 'under review' so there's still a chance you may be waitlisted :')

[lisichka]

4 hours ago, redpanda77 said:

Any movement on New Writers Project or Texas State? Thanks!

not yet! in 2024, NWP acceptances came out between 2/23 and 2/27 and last year, Texas State acceptances came out between 3/3 and 3/12

[lizard in a blizzard]

9 hours ago, crossingmyfingers1212 said:

has anyone else still not heard anything from michener

Not I. Both portals still in review.

[molemola]

Yesterday I got a lot of news - acceptances from George Mason (I checked the portal) and NC State. And also the rejection from Helen Zell that everyone else in the back half of the alphabet got, heh. I'm still processing. I don't have all funding info, but GM is closer to our in-laws than the others, so that's really compelling, for childcare reasons. I'll just have to see what shakes out.

[madsmadsmads]

11 hours ago, gupppy said:

Y’all I’m on the waitlists at JHU and Vanderbilt 😭 feeling blessed but also crazy. I know there’s no way to tell but does anyone know anecdotally of anyone who’s gotten into either school off the waitlist? Trying to get a better idea of what my chances are so I don’t lose hope 

Hi! I am also waitlisted at JHU. Two people I went to undergrad with who went on to earn MFAs were waitlisted and then admitted from the waitlist (one at JHU and one at UOregon). And they both say they know others at each program who got in off the waitlist. So we can be cautiously hopeful. Having more than one waitlist makes it all the more likely you'll get in somewhere, methinks. Good luck!

Also, sidenote- Guppy is what my whole family calls my grandma. 

[impatientjoy]

13 minutes ago, molemola said:

Yesterday I got a lot of news - acceptances from George Mason (I checked the portal) and NC State. And also the rejection from Helen Zell that everyone else in the back half of the alphabet got, heh. I'm still processing. I don't have all funding info, but GM is closer to our in-laws than the others, so that's really compelling, for childcare reasons. I'll just have to see what shakes out.

Very exciting! For fiction?

[molemola]

29 minutes ago, impatientjoy said:

Very exciting! For fiction?

Yes, for fiction!

[TheeMightyQuinn]

Question about the portals: is Michener the only school that uses a dual portal system?

All the places I've applied to only offer an "Application Status" page... which doesn't actually show the status of my application. At all. There's nothing that says "processing" or "under review"... just a checklist showing that all of my materials have been submitted, which hasn't changed since last fall.

Is there some secret portal here that I'm missing?

[ocurlyfries]

Did anyone else apply for fiction at the University of South Florida? I'm hoping the reason I didn't get an email is because they're doing it by genre (only poetry entered on the spreadsheet so far) but may be delusional lollll

[vilum]

1 minute ago, ocurlyfries said:

Did anyone else apply for fiction at the University of South Florida? I'm hoping the reason I didn't get an email is because they're doing it by genre (only poetry entered on the spreadsheet so far) but may be delusional lollll

the same delusion is shared looool

[callmemarioplz]

cornell poetry rejection just came in---Last name M

[strawberrymatcha]

it looks like a uc davis rejection dropped today, is anyone else waiting to hear back from them?

[precociousreader]

1 hour ago, TheeMightyQuinn said:

Question about the portals: is Michener the only school that uses a dual portal system?

All the places I've applied to only offer an "Application Status" page... which doesn't actually show the status of my application. At all. There's nothing that says "processing" or "under review"... just a checklist showing that all of my materials have been submitted, which hasn't changed since last fall.

Is there some secret portal here that I'm missing?

yeah so ut uses that grad portal ur looking at for submission but uses the other portal (which is also used for undergrads) as results. the portal for the app is a new thing, so they'll probably move away from the old portal for results soon, but as someone who works at a public uni, that probably won't be a change that comes through for a while. too many factors for it to be a quick switch. you can find the portal with results here: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions/status (click monitor my status with the little lock next to it)

[TheeMightyQuinn]

14 minutes ago, precociousreader said:

yeah so ut uses that grad portal ur looking at for submission but uses the other portal (which is also used for undergrads) as results. the portal for the app is a new thing, so they'll probably move away from the old portal for results soon, but as someone who works at a public uni, that probably won't be a change that comes through for a while. too many factors for it to be a quick switch. you can find the portal with results here: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions/status (click monitor my status with the little lock next to it)

Thanks! Good to know.

The main thing I was wondering, though, is whether others who have applied to different programs are getting Application Status pages that don't actually show the status of your application (even just to say it's "under review"), and whether that's the norm?

[goodoldneon]

9 minutes ago, TheeMightyQuinn said:

Thanks! Good to know.

The main thing I was wondering, though, is whether others who have applied to different programs are getting Application Status pages that don't actually show the status of your application (even just to say it's "under review"), and whether that's the norm?

That's normal. Some websites are quite confusing. They will only show the status when they have a result but before that happen, that page still be referred as Application status page. 

[TheeMightyQuinn]

1 minute ago, goodoldneon said:

That's normal. Some websites are quite confusing. They will only show the status when they have a result but before that happen, that page still be referred as Application status page. 

Okay, thanks! Glad to know it's not just me.