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Fall 2015 MFA


Kaitipoola

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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

Congratulations! That's great news!

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Which would YOU choose??? Iowa's MFA in Lit Translation, or Notre Dame for Poetry (with Some translation)??? It almost serms like Notre Dame has better funding, and it's only two years long, vs. Iowa's four year program eith a seemingly heavy courseload. Ahhh!

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Which would YOU choose??? Iowa's MFA in Lit Translation, or Notre Dame for Poetry (with Some translation)??? It almost serms like Notre Dame has better funding, and it's only two years long, vs. Iowa's four year program eith a seemingly heavy courseload. Ahhh!

 

I'd go with Notre Dame —a four year program is ridiculously long for an MFA, and you get better funding at Notre Dame + actual time to write. Plus I assume poetry's more fun than translating text. 

 

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PDH, I think it depends on what your goal is afterwards. If you're mainly interested in translation, I think Iowa would be the way to go. Plus, you could probably do a PhD there in English since a lot of lit. trans. students are doing both. If you're young (I'm not) and starting out, the extra time at Iowa might be a good thing instead of a drawback.

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Any news on the FB Draft about Indiana or UC Irvine (poetry)? I saw on Gradcafe there was a rejection by email to Irvine which seemed strange, both because it came so early and by email, when in years past all rejections were by mail, and following the acceptances. 

Edited by Bug128
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Any news on the FB Draft about Indiana or UC Irvine (poetry)? I saw on Gradcafe there was a rejection by email to Irvine which seemed strange, both because it came so early and by email, when in years past all rejections were by mail, and following the acceptances. 

 

UC Irvine asks applicants not to post about acceptances online so it's hard to know.

Edited by samson36
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Hi all, I'm new to the forum and I have a dilemma. Should I read anything into a program calling me and asking me to apply for their fellowship two months after the deadline? When I initially submitted my application I had also applied for a grad assistantship. During the phone they made to sure to say that I was not obligated to apply, but I was strongly encouraged. Do you think this increases my chances of being accepted?

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Hi all, I'm new to the forum and I have a dilemma. Should I read anything into a program calling me and asking me to apply for their fellowship two months after the deadline? When I initially submitted my application I had also applied for a grad assistantship. During the phone they made to sure to say that I was not obligated to apply, but I was strongly encouraged. Do you think this increases my chances of being accepted?

 

It honestly sounds like you were already accepted and they're just holding their cards close

EDIT: This happened to me at both Iowa and Sarah Lawrence and I ended up getting offers from both

Edited by HeyIowa
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It honestly sounds like you were already accepted and they're just holding their cards close

EDIT: This happened to me at both Iowa and Sarah Lawrence and I ended up getting offers from both

 

Thanks for your response! I hope this is the case. I thought it might be, but I think waiting on their official decision is making me prone to both anxiety and self-doubt. I have about two more weeks until I find out.

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To those of you who received acceptances this year, can you weigh in on whether publication history matters? 

 

I imagine it matters a little, even though it is said that they mostly focus on the body of work during the decision making process. Last year when I had applied, I had a single published poem, and was rejected from six schools, waitlisted at NYU, and then later rejected. For the last year I started working as a freelance journalist for a local music publication, reviewing albums, concerts and doing interviews, and this year I have received 2 acceptances, as well as an interview. Thats the biggest thing that changed on this round of applications for me. 

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I only have the one publication, and I got into SIUC. I'd say that while publications can definitely strengthen an already strong application, they're unlikely to carry much weight on their own. The writing sample is all-important.

 

On that note, has anyone heard from NCSU or UCR? NCSU in particular might just be my dream school, for its genre-friendly nature... I'm on the edge of my seat here. :( Rationally, I know my one offer so far isn't going to magically vanish before April 15, but it is so nerve-wracking to leave it unaccepted while I wait to hear back from other places based on hope and wishful thinking.

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i don't want to post back-to-back, but a recent waitlist email i got seemed sort of strange to me. They sent me a letter which was pretty standard, but then followed up by email. Reading the email over again, the opening is what threw me for the biggest loop:  "While I can’t be sure, I suspect that it is not unlikely that you will be admitted with a graduate teaching assistantship."

 

on one hand, it would be great if I'm admitted. on the other, after an email like this, it would be really wretched if i'm not. anyone else ever receive waitlist communication like this?

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Ha, what kind of email is that? Esp. from a writing program? That sounds like good news, though, although very badly worded.

 

I guess you could follow up to see what determines whether you get in w/ a GTA or not, or what the chances are, but doesn't like the writer of that email knows anything solid. Good luck! Thank goodness we only have about a month left before programs have to decide.

 

Separately, has anyone heard anything from Alabama? My status has changed to "your app has been reviewed by the dept," but apparently they don't feel like sharing the decision of the dept. I'm assuming acceptances went out long ago, and they're dragging their feet on everything else, but who knows. 

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Well, Iowa has been sending decisions snail mail, so make sure you check your mailbox. I wouldn't assume anything just yet. It's still early--though it doesn't feel like it to those waiting.

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Ha, what kind of email is that? Esp. from a writing program? That sounds like good news, though, although very badly worded.

 

I guess you could follow up to see what determines whether you get in w/ a GTA or not, or what the chances are, but doesn't like the writer of that email knows anything solid. Good luck! Thank goodness we only have about a month left before programs have to decide.

 

 

 I guess right now they can only admit 2 students in CNF... not sure if my acceptance is pending more funding coming through or 1/2 people declining. I'm trying not to get my hopes too high. Ugh he made a comment that they might not have all the offers out til AFTER april 15 (What the HELL?!)

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yall, im crossing every limb and appendage i own in preparation for Michener's decisions coming out in the next few days  :unsure: good luck all. my goodness, this process has been so draining so far. we're almost out of MFA decision season. hang in there!

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Woke up to two decisions today... one acceptance and one reject, haaah. The accept was from The New School -- with nothing more than a 25% scholarship, meaning they might as well not have admitted me at all. -_____- Bleeeaaargh.

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