Fall 2016 MFA

[holycat]

Any NYU applicants around? Historically, the last week of February appears to be when that party begins...

Oh, I'm so gonna be doubly antsy this weekend! I see lots of margaritas in my tomorrow! I'm gonna take myself out to dinner and the movies too! Anything to *try* and keep me away from staring at my phone all day! 

[chamsee22]

Hmm margaritas. There's an idea.

I, too, have my phone about six inches from my face at all times. My boss is uber-annoyed, to say the least.

[gaudysideoftown]

Thank you @chamsee22!!

@karosko- I won't know about funding for another month or so, but they did send some info about additional assistantship opportunities that are available. I'll probably apply to all of them, just to be safe lol

[FalloutCoversEverything]

1 hour ago, holycat said:

Any NYU applicants around? Historically, the last week of February appears to be when that party begins...

Oh, I'm so gonna be doubly antsy this weekend! I see lots of margaritas in my tomorrow! I'm gonna take myself out to dinner and the movies too! Anything to *try* and keep me away from staring at my phone all day! 

I applied to NYU also! Fingers crossed!

[catfeinated]

There is a website called The MFA Years, and it looks like they make a handy reference list for MFA applicants to see which schools have started sending out decisions.

Find the list here: http://themfayears.com/2016/01/16/2016-notifications/

As of this posting, it was last updated on Feb 17th.

Of course, we can find these results by searching through GradCafe but if you applied to multiple schools, this may help you.

Below are the current results!

Updated 2/17/16 10:06 PM

Programs that have notified so far according to GradCafe results. This does not necessarily mean they are done notifying. Programs are listed in alphabetical order.

• University of Alabama: acceptances in creative non-fiction and fiction.
• University of Arizona (Tucson): waitlist in creative non-fiction.
• Arizona State University: acceptance in poetry.
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago: interview notifications.
• University of British Columbia: rejections in fiction.
• University of California, Davis: acceptance in fiction.
• Chapman University: acceptance in creative non-fiction.
• Chatham University: acceptance in fiction.
• George Mason University: acceptance in creative non-fiction, acceptance in poetry and acceptances in fiction.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: acceptance in fiction.
• Iowa Writer’s Workshop: acceptances in fiction.
• Kansas University: acceptance in fiction.
• Louisiana State University: acceptance in fiction.
• Ohio State University: all genres notified.
• University of Massachusetts Amherst: acceptances in fiction and in poetry and rejections in fiction.
• Miami University: acceptance.
• The University of Minnesota: most genres notified.
• University of Mississippi: Phase II email for poetry.
• Naropa University: acceptance.
• North Carolina State University: acceptance in fiction and waitlist in poetry.
• Northern Arizona University: acceptance in poetry.
• Otis College of Art and Design: acceptance.
• University of Pittsburgh: acceptances in creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry.
• Purdue University: acceptances in poetry.
• Rutgers University-Camden: acceptance in fiction.
• The University of South Carolina-Columbia: acceptances in fiction.
• University of South Florida: acceptances in poetry and in creative non-fiction and waitlist in fiction.
• Stony Brook Southampton: acceptance in fiction and acceptance in poetry.
• Syracuse University: all genres notified.
• Temple University: acceptances in fiction and rejection and acceptance in poetry.
• University of Texas at Austin—Michener Center: rejections in fiction and poetry (rolling)
• Vanderbilt University: acceptances in fiction.
• Vermont College of Fine Arts: acceptance.
• Virginia Tech: interview notifications.
• Washington University in St. Louis: all genres notified.
• West Virginia University: acceptance in creative-non fiction.
• Western Michigan University: acceptance in poetry.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: all genres notified.
• University of Wyoming: acceptance and waitlists in creative non-fiction and acceptance and waitlist in poetry.

___________________________________________________________________________

I hope that helps! Check her website for updates.

[manoshij]

Does anybody have news regarding Virginia Tech?

[FalloutCoversEverything]

4 hours ago, manoshij said:

Does anybody have news regarding Virginia Tech?

It seems like some interviews have gone out. Unsure if that includes poetry or if it is just for fiction.

[NYCWriter93]

Is anyone here an admin for Draft on fb? I requested a few days ago and haven't been approved

That's not necessarily a bad thing -- limiting my OCD to one website 

[Ultralight]

1 hour ago, NYCWriter93 said:

Is anyone here an admin for Draft on fb? I requested a few days ago and haven't been approved

That's not necessarily a bad thing -- limiting my OCD to one website 

I'm not on Draft but a few people here are and they all implied it took some waiting. Not very helpful! 

But I hear you in the whole OCD component! We write- we have trained ourselves that we are in control of the story yet in this scenario we're all subjected to the waiting game. A bit unbearable  

[holycat]

55 minutes ago, Ultralight said:

I'm not on Draft but a few people here are and they all implied it took some waiting. Not very helpful! 

But I hear you in the whole OCD component! We write- we have trained ourselves that we are in control of the story yet in this scenario we're all subjected to the waiting game. A bit unbearable  

You hit that nail right on the darn forehead, my stranger friend. 

[NYCWriter93]

Joined and left draft-- it's way too stressful.

is anyone else having trouble disassociating these decisions from their personal sense of value? I'm taking the rejections really hard

[FalloutCoversEverything]

23 minutes ago, NYCWriter93 said:

Joined and left draft-- it's way too stressful.

is anyone else having trouble disassociating these decisions from their personal sense of value? I'm taking the rejections really hard

Don't. Some of these top tier places take 1-2% of Fiction writers, some less. It's like submitting to literary journals or submitting a novel. If your writing is good enough you have a chance of getting in, but it is still no guarantee. Also, sometimes it comes down to who faculty want to work with not who is the "best" writer (by whatever rubric) at the time of admission. If you don't get in, go to some non-MFA workshops and try to push your writing and try again next year. Apply to more places. It's not a judgement of your ability or how successful you may be as a writer down the road.

I actually was just watching a Ta-Nehisi Coates interview last night and he said most of what makes for great writers is sticking with it, because there may be people who are more talented or skilled, but most of them are going to quit because writing is hard. Like, lots of people who get into and graduate from MFA programs don't publish books, or they only publish one and then stop writing because jobs/life/etc gets in the way. Eh. If it's for you, stick with it. Don't let some MFA rejections stop you.

[holycat]

Speaking of rejections, as I'm sure many of you have already heard: Marlon James, the winner of the most recent Man Booker Prize, had his first book rejected by 78 publishers. That is seventy eight. As in, eight next to a seven. Ten sevens and then another eight. Okay, I stop, you get the picture. Just saying. This stuff is sometimes -- a lot of times -- quite subjective. 

[rosebud831]

Heard back with an acceptance to CalArts! This whole process is so nerve wracking. If I had to do it all over again, I would do so many things differently. I feel like I will handle rejections better with this acceptance under my belt. 

Still waiting to hear from Rutgers, U of New Orleans, U of Washington, Boston U, and Iowa Non-fiction. 

 

Hope everyone is weathering the wait alright. Sending good thoughts everyone's way! 

[cnp]

On 2/16/2016 at 10:45 AM, JenP said:

Hi, all!

I applied to 3 schools (poetry):

* Purdue, which I am assuming has sent out all acceptances in poetry (congrats, guys and gals!) -- this school made fairly early decisions, so I didn't have the luxury of lurking the comments to read something hopeful like "Will not accept offer because I got in to school XYZ." I'm not sure about the waitlist situation.

 

 

@JenPSo did you receive an offer to Purdue?

[cnp]

Hey y'all. New to the forum.

Still waiting from Virginia and Arizona State. Was waitlisted to Illinois for the second year in a row, which is its own special blend of cruelty.

Edited February 22, 2016 by cnp

[JenP]

2 hours ago, cnp said:

@JenPSo did you receive an offer to Purdue?

No...I wish  It was (is??) my top choice. At this point, I can only hope that I'm on a secret waitlist and everyone accepted is kind and gracious enough to reject their offer when they know they want to go somewhere else. 

[cnp]

23 minutes ago, JenP said:

No...I wish  It was (is??) my top choice. At this point, I can only hope that I'm on a secret waitlist and everyone accepted is kind and gracious enough to reject their offer when they know they want to go somewhere else. 

For what it's worth, I'm pretty sure they don't have a designated wait-list, but rather re-consider applicants based on need and fit within the department. 

[holycat]

So...Monday is drawing nigh. Wanna gather up and hold hands?

[JenP]

4 minutes ago, holycat said:

So...Monday is drawing nigh. Wanna gather up and hold hands?

*takes an extended hand; sucks in breath*

[holycat]

5 minutes ago, JenP said:

*takes an extended hand; sucks in breath*

Thou shalt not fret, sister. The Lord is with us...

 

I think.

 

[sayantika]

Received a rejection from UMass Amherst...hopes dashed  

[karosko]

Remember, guys, as all the application FAQ sections suggest: it's easier said than done, but DON'T take these rejections as commentary on your self-worth or your writerly worth. Just remember that each person reading your sample is reading it along with hundreds of others. They're BOUND to have some reader's fatigue, and it's just about your application finding the right person at the right time, especially if you're applying for poetry. This is why we all apply at so many schools--because they're so competitive, yes, but also because we want to improve our odds of our sample finding the right person at the right time. Fret not, my friends and colleagues; if you keep trying, you will get in somewhere eventually. 

[nightsociety]

8 minutes ago, karosko said:

Remember, guys, as all the application FAQ sections suggest: it's easier said than done, but DON'T take these rejections as commentary on your self-worth or your writerly worth. Just remember that each person reading your sample is reading it along with hundreds of others. They're BOUND to have some reader's fatigue, and it's just about your application finding the right person at the right time, especially if you're applying for poetry. This is why we all apply at so many schools--because they're so competitive, yes, but also because we want to improve our odds of our sample finding the right person at the right time. Fret not, my friends and colleagues; if you keep trying, you will get in somewhere eventually. 

Well said! It's so true. 

 

Hey, whatever became of Mississippi Round 2 (fiction) notifications? I'm assuming they already notified. 

 

[chamsee22]

4 hours ago, nightsociety said:

Well said! It's so true. 

 

Hey, whatever became of Mississippi Round 2 (fiction) notifications? I'm assuming they already notified. 

 

They had to have, right? I think 2/17 is their deadline for receiving transcripts, app $, etc., from round 2 applicants--or so it says on their site. Or is that outdated info?