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Fall 2015 MFA


Kaitipoola

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Octoberstormxx,

 

Congrats to you, too!! Yes, the letter arrived yesterday (Monday). Since I'd seen some people post that they received one, I was eager to get to my  mailbox. So it was quite a cool feeling to see the envelope. Now, we wait!

 

HeyIowa, thank you!

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just saw this on Michener's website:

 

  • 2015 Admissions Decisions
    Our final admissions decisions will be made on March 10th, and all admitted or wait-listed students will be contacted directly over the next day or two. This is somewhat later than our usual decision date, and we appreciate your patience in awaiting results. If you are not called or emailed by March 13, you have not been admitted or wait-listed, even though you may not have yet received a "deny" decision from Graduate Admissions (these can be delayed by glitches in your paperwork even though we have denied admission).

 

so just one more week of waiting, folks!

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Hi all,

 

I've been a lurker on here for a few days, but I'm finally speaking up to ask if anyone here was able to access his/her application status on the Johns Hopkins website. I saw on the survey site that acceptances have been called and waitlisters emailed. But I saw some people went on the website to check status and saw that they were rejected. I went on, but my status still says "Submitted". Not a big deal, but I just thought I'd ask.

 

Congrats on all the acceptances and waitlist positions.

Edited by Otter5001
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first-time applicant, applied to:

Iowa (ha...)

University of California Irvine

California State University Long Beach

University of Alabama

 

have not heard one speck of news so far. does this mean i'm out?

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a no in nonfiction from alabama.

also a no from wustl in fiction.

i knew wustl was not going going to happen, but damn, getting those back-to-back was pretty fucking brutal

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First time applicant; I got a "yes" from The New School for the Creative Nonfiction program (25% funding)! I'd love any input on the program. 

Edited by rising_star
To correct a typo by the poster
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Fist time applicant; I got a "yes" from The New School for the Creative Nonfiction program (25% funding)! I'd love any input on the program. 

Congrats! I don't know too much about the program, but I know they are pretty stingy with funding. Just be wary of finances. NY is expensive. I would say carefully weigh the pros and cons and map out some expenses to get a better idea of what it'd be like (which is probably what I'd do for any location, even notoriously cheap ones). Whatever the case may be, it's great to be accepted. It seems clear that every season has received more and more applicants, so the odds get smaller and smaller. So, it's a big feat. Congrats on the acceptance.

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Fist time applicant; I got a "yes" from The New School for the Creative Nonfiction program (25% funding)! I'd love any input on the program. 

 

First of all, congratulations —that's a big accomplishment! 

Things you should know: The New School is expensive. Prohibitively so. A 25% funding offer will still put you 40k+ / year in loans. So is any MFA worth 80-100k? New York is also insanely expensive. I'm finishing my undergrad in Manhattan and I spend around 3k a month in expenses (including rent, food, entertainment, etc) and I feel like I'm living rather frugally. Luckily, I got a full scholarship and didn't have to pay for tuition on top of that. So you need to budget another 36k / year (give or take) just to do anything in NYC. 

Trust me, you don't want to cheap out and commute from the outer boroughs in Queens or Brooklyn —most of the New School buildings are concentrated around Union Square and Greenwich Village, and a 1+ hour commute will really take time away (from your writing, job, personal interests, etc.). You can split a large (for NY standards —9x12') room for about ~$1000 / month in the East Village —I'd much rather have a roommate and live in Manhattan than live by myself in Jackson Heights or even Williamsburg. 

If you're independently wealthy, I'd say go for it. If you're not, and have to take out loans, I would strongly discourage you from going to The New School. 

Great things about the school:

Your New School ID will give you access to NYU buildings such as Bobst Library (one of the biggest libraries in New York), dining halls, and more. The New School justifies its sticker price with an advantageous location (perfect if you're going to work / do an internship), top notch facilities (seriously, I've NEVER seen better facilities in any school. The newer buildings are simply incredible. It feels like you're taking classes in a clandestine psy-ops / artistic military facility. Seriously cool), great student body (full of artists and creatives). 

I'm friends with several undergrads at the New School and could ask them for more information if you have any specific questions about the school. I don't know much about the MFA program there but I know it's selective and prestigious. Also consider applying to scholarships if paying for school is going to be a burden. (And seriously. Don't. Take. 80k+ plus. In loans. You will be paying that off until the day you die). 

Edited by HeyIowa
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Fist time applicant; I got a "yes" from The New School for the Creative Nonfiction program (25% funding)! I'd love any input on the program.

I was also accepted there with the same funding. Unfortunately, as many others have already noted, New York City is extremely expensive. I probably will not end up going for sheer lack of funding. Even with 25% funding we would still have to pay about $22,000 per year.
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First of all, congratulations —that's a big accomplishment! 

Things you should know: The New School is expensive. Prohibitively so. A 25% funding offer will still put you 40k+ / year in loans. So is any MFA worth 80-100k? New York is also insanely expensive. I'm finishing my undergrad in Manhattan and I spend around 3k a month in expenses (including rent, food, entertainment, etc) and I feel like I'm living rather frugally. Luckily, I got a full scholarship and didn't have to pay for tuition on top of that. So you need to budget another 36k / year (give or take) just to do anything in NYC. 

Trust me, you don't want to cheap out and commute from the outer boroughs in Queens or Brooklyn —most of the New School buildings are concentrated around Union Square and Greenwich Village, and a 1+ hour commute will really take time away (from your writing, job, personal interests, etc.). You can split a large (for NY standards —9x12') room for about ~$1000 / month in the East Village —I'd much rather have a roommate and live in Manhattan than live by myself in Jackson Heights or even Williamsburg. 

If you're independently wealthy, I'd say go for it. If you're not, and have to take out loans, I would strongly discourage you from going to The New School. 

Great things about the school:

Your New School ID will give you access to NYU buildings such as Bobst Library (one of the biggest libraries in New York), dining halls, and more. The New School justifies its sticker price with an advantageous location (perfect if you're going to work / do an internship), top notch facilities (seriously, I've NEVER seen better facilities in any school. The newer buildings are simply incredible. It feels like you're taking classes in a clandestine psy-ops / artistic military facility. Seriously cool), great student body (full of artists and creatives). 

I'm friends with several undergrads at the New School and could ask them for more information if you have any specific questions about the school. I don't know much about the MFA program there but I know it's selective and prestigious. Also consider applying to scholarships if paying for school is going to be a burden. (And seriously. Don't. Take. 80k+ plus. In loans. You will be paying that off until the day you die). 

 

I have to say the vast majority of people who go to school or work in Manhattan commute every day for a small fee (what is it, $2.50 by MTA?). A large amount of people even commute from Long Island by the LIRR, which, sure, is a lot more expensive. But this is nothing compared to the cost of living in Manhattan. Commuting is the norm, and an hour of travel really isn't that much, especially when you can read, listen to music, or even get some school work done (well, this works on the ferry). Most of my friends work & go to school in addition to commuting. I used to do it myself from Staten Island, and it's typically an hour, granted everything is running on time. I used to take either the free ferry or express bus ($7.00?). I'm not too sure about the prices since I drive now (Undergraduate at Brooklyn college), and even that isn't bad. I think the Verrazano is $5.50 with my EZ-Pass when re-entering SI. My studio apartment is $700/month. Previously I rented a room for $400. I take out loans for my tuition, and work to cover my other expenses. So does it take a lot of discipline? Yes. Is it too much? I don't think so. I consider myself lazy half the time. So it's definitely possible to commute to Manhattan every day. Though I myself also question whether an MFA is worth the tuition costs at New School.

Edited by Ibuprofen
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I have to say the vast majority of people who go to school or work in Manhattan commute every day for a small fee (what is it, $2.50 by MTA?). A large amount of people even commute from Long Island by the LIRR, which, sure, is a lot more expensive. But this is nothing compared to the cost of living in Manhattan. Commuting is the norm, and an hour of travel really isn't that much, especially when you can read, listen to music, or even get some school work done (well, this works on the ferry). Most of my friends work & go to school in addition to commuting. I used to do it myself from Staten Island, and it's typically an hour, granted everything is running on time. I used to take either the free ferry or express bus ($7.00?). I'm not too sure about the prices since I drive now (Undergraduate at Brooklyn college), and even that isn't bad. I think the Verrazano is $5.50 with my EZ-Pass when re-entering SI. My studio apartment is $700/month. Previously I rented a room for $400. I take out loans for my tuition, and work at a group home to cover my other expenses. So does it take a lot of discipline? Yes. Is it too much? I don't think so. I consider myself lazy half the time. So it's definitely possible to commute to Manhattan every day. Though I myself also question whether an MFA is worth the tuition costs at New School.

All very valid points. I also know a lot of people who commute to school —I take the subway to class everyday despite living in Manhattan, but I find that living far off-campus requires too much discipline for me (I lived in East Elmhurst, Queens for the summer and the 1 hour 30 minute commute (3 hours both ways) killed me / my productivity —despite the $350 a month rent). A 30 minute commute is a reality for me even though I live like 2 miles away from campus, and if I lived any farther, even 8AMs would be nigh impossible for all but the most bright and bushy-tailed. 

I also find it harder to go out with friends / invite people over when I lived in the outer boroughs. Oftentimes you'll go for drinks / throw a dinner party after classes, and nobody wants to go all the way to Williamsburg or even Astoria, much less Jersey City / Long Island. Personally I feel like a long commute saps my energy and really restricts my social life. 

I guess it really depends on the person whether you could stomach a long commute every day. It's not so bad during Fall / Spring but the hot humid summers and frigid winters can make you really wish you lived closer to campus.

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Congrats! I don't know too much about the program, but I know they are pretty stingy with funding. Just be wary of finances. NY is expensive. I would say carefully weigh the pros and cons and map out some expenses to get a better idea of what it'd be like (which is probably what I'd do for any location, even notoriously cheap ones). Whatever the case may be, it's great to be accepted. It seems clear that every season has received more and more applicants, so the odds get smaller and smaller. So, it's a big feat. Congrats on the acceptance.

 

Thanks for the congrats! I'm currently NY-based and agree about being wary of finances. I'll certainly use funding as a major factor to weigh my options once I've heard back from everyone.

 

First of all, congratulations —that's a big accomplishment! 

Great things about the school:

Your New School ID will give you access to NYU buildings such as Bobst Library (one of the biggest libraries in New York), dining halls, and more. The New School justifies its sticker price with an advantageous location (perfect if you're going to work / do an internship), top notch facilities (seriously, I've NEVER seen better facilities in any school. The newer buildings are simply incredible. It feels like you're taking classes in a clandestine psy-ops / artistic military facility. Seriously cool), great student body (full of artists and creatives). 

I'm friends with several undergrads at the New School and could ask them for more information if you have any specific questions about the school. I don't know much about the MFA program there but I know it's selective and prestigious. Also consider applying to scholarships if paying for school is going to be a burden. (And seriously. Don't. Take. 80k+ plus. In loans. You will be paying that off until the day you die). 

 

Thank you - great to know about some of the benefits of the program! I saw some of the facilities during a program visit; beautiful campus and great location (which would allow me to keep working at my current job).

 

I'd love to send a note to your friend(s) with some questions - I'll PM you for more info. Thanks for offering. 

 

In response to your latter post: I currently work and live in uptown Manahattan, and agree that a commute from the outer boroughs may be difficult. 

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Hi guys, this question is for those of you in the Facebook group for the MFA Draft.

 

Has anyone in that Facebook group reported getting admitted to Brooklyn College's program for fiction? (If I were on Facebook, I would check for myself, but I'm not.) I see on gradcafe's results page that there have been some notifications for wait-lists, but apparently no admits. I'd like to assume at this point that I didn't get in, for my peace of mind's sake and to, you know, get on with my life. And I would assume this, and do this, if it weren't for the line in this email from Brooklyn's admissions assistant, which I received today: "Our admissions process is currently ongoing. We aim to notify applicants by late March or early April." 

 

So yeah, if anybody on Facebook has heard anything, I'd appreciate the tip. Thank you.

Edited by oss
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Hey, oss

I was accepted to Brooklyn on March 1 and I know of three other people from the Facebook group who made it too. No idea whether or not they're done notifying. Hang in there and good luck!

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According to two people on the MFA draft, two people have been waitlisted for poetry at the University of Oregon. Also, they will supposedly notify fiction people next week. I was expecting a two week wait, which will probably happen since I am also expecting to be rejected. Yikes!

Edited by SarahWakes
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Hey everyone,

 

I have a question for you all. I received an email from someone in the English dept. at one of my schools, wanting to discuss a teaching assistantship. I didn't recognize the prof's name because they are in another field in the English dept (not the MFA I applied to), but as I understand it's for teaching rhet/comp. I haven't heard anything else from this school and have not been admitted yet. Is it normal to be contacted about an assistantship before you've heard anything else? I'm just a little confused. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

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Hey everyone,

 

I have a question for you all. I received an email from someone in the English dept. at one of my schools, wanting to discuss a teaching assistantship. I didn't recognize the prof's name because they are in another field in the English dept (not the MFA I applied to), but as I understand it's for teaching rhet/comp. I haven't heard anything else from this school and have not been admitted yet. Is it normal to be contacted about an assistantship before you've heard anything else? I'm just a little confused. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

Some people I know were contacted by UMass Amherst's financial department before they were contacted about acceptance. It is possible they just are not ready to release complete information. I would say you have most likely been accepted, unofficially anyway. So, congratulations.

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got news that i'm in at UNO and waitlisted at WVU for nonfiction. wvu said they said they had sent out correspondences by mail but were following up with email. i've been in new orleans for a week so I obviously haven't seen my mail. the email was really nice, but i've heard some questionable things about turmoil in the dept. still, this is better than the two rejections in a day

Edited by bobkat
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