Fall 2016 MFA

[writerman321]

Hey guys! 

I have a question about MFA applications. I read somewhere that most schools don't like to see genre writing and I'm afraid that my writing is, well, GENREish... From those who have been accepted/have applied before, what type of writing are admissions people looking for? And could you give a synopsis/example of what you wrote? I have all of my possible writing samples done (need editing, of course) but I want a general idea. 

This is the list of schools I'm applying to:

Brown University

Cornell University

Syracuse University

Vanderbilt University

The New Writers Project (UT)

Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL)

Helen Zell Writers' Program (UMass)

University of Alabama

University of Iowa

Lousiana State University

Texas State University

McNeese State University

The University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley (my undergrad and safety school)

Our Lady of The Lake University (new MA-MFA hybrid program)

The City College of New York (CUNY)

[HookedOnSonnets]

Hey guys! 

I have a question about MFA applications. I read somewhere that most schools don't like to see genre writing and I'm afraid that my writing is, well, GENREish... From those who have been accepted/have applied before, what type of writing are admissions people looking for? And could you give a synopsis/example of what you wrote? I have all of my possible writing samples done (need editing, of course) but I want a general idea. 

 

Every school I recognize on the list is literary. Don't waste the application fee by giving them genre, because they will take your money and run. My professor's advice when I was applying was, "Don't give them a reason not to accept you."

Why are these the schools on your list? It seems to me they wouldn't be a good fit. 
The good news is, there are genre schools out there. 
I don't have a list off the top of my head, but I think New School has one (although I'd be iffy on that because funding's poor), umm... quick google search, Seton Hill... not familiar with that, anyway, this isn't very helpful. But I do know there are schools out there who not only teach genre, they love teaching genre. They'll be excited about your work, and excited to teach you. I actually think there's a forum someone on grad cafe that has a whole list of them - I'll post it if I can find it.

If you're set on that list, you could always write a purely literary story for your application, but they're not going to want you to write genre once you get in there, either. 
My advice is - don't try to make yourself fit the school, find a school that fits you.

[writerman321]

Every school I recognize on the list is literary. Don't waste the application fee by giving them genre, because they will take your money and run. My professor's advice when I was applying was, "Don't give them a reason not to accept you."

Thanks HookedOnSonnets! I will try to look into that.

I guess my second question is what exactly is the difference between Literary and Genre writing and how can identify it in my own writing? I was taught to write what I feel but to have a meaning behind it, never knowing what the difference between the two is. 

Edited August 23, 2015 by writerman321

[HookedOnSonnets]

Thanks HookedOnSonnets! I will try to look into that.

I guess my second question is what exactly is the difference between Literary and Genre writing and how can identify it in my own writing? I was taught to write what I feel but to have a meaning behind it, never knowing what the difference between the two is. 

Genre includes sci fi, fantasy, romance, horror, westerns, YA - basically, there are certain rules that if you're writing genre, you're following. For example, in fantasy the rules are you will be in a fantastical setting that has some sort of magical element. If you're writing a western, it'll be set in the old American west and it'll have cowboys. That kind of thing. Usually, but not always, genre is plot-driven. Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, and Stephen King write genre.

Literary is a little harder to define - pretty much, if it's not genre, it's literary. If you're in a bookstore and there's just a big shelf that says "FICTION", that'd be the literary section. Usually, but not always, it's character-driven.

These aren't set in stone, there is some crossover. There's magical realism, which has fantastical elements but is considered literary. Never Let Me Go is considered literary even though it's set in the future and it's about clones... same with Oryx and Crake (minus the clones, plus an apocalypse). 

If you want to send me some of your writing I'd be happy to look at it and tell you if I think it's genre or literary, and why. 

Also - I was looking around and so far I've got Stonecoast, Seton Hill, and Western State Colorado that specifically teach genre - so they are out there.

EDIT: Looks like all three of those schools I listed are low-res. Back to the drawing board. There's a funded genre program out there somewhere, and as God is my witness, I will find it.

Edited August 23, 2015 by HookedOnSonnets

[writerman321]

 

Genre includes sci fi, fantasy, romance, horror, westerns, YA - basically, there are certain rules that if you're writing genre, you're following. For example, in fantasy the rules are you will be in a fantastical setting that has some sort of magical element. If you're writing a western, it'll be set in the old American west and it'll have cowboys. That kind of thing. Usually, but not always, genre is plot-driven. Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, and Stephen King write genre.
Literary is a little harder to define - pretty much, if it's not genre, it's literary. If you're in a bookstore and there's just a big shelf that says "FICTION", that'd be the literary section. Usually, but not always, it's character-driven.

If you want to send me some of your writing I'd be happy to look at it and tell you if I think it's genre or literary, and why. 

Thank you so much, HookedOnSonnets! This is very helpful!! Now that I think about it, I feel like my writing fits under the Literary category but allows some genre feeling in as well. I would love to see if I'm correct though! How would I go about sending you some of my works?

[cactusflower]

Honestly, I'm starting to really doubt if I'm even a good enough writer to stand any real chance at acceptance somewhere. 

This is how I feel ALL THE TIME. Seriously. I'm applying this year too, and finalizing my list of schools is bringing on a fully-fledged panic attack. Have people been able to sniff out a few programs at which one might have a chance at funding that have an acceptance rate better than 1-5%?

I'm going to work really, really, REALLY hard on my sample for this. But it's hard because I feel nervous even at the thought of it, spending money to apply to all of those schools and then not getting in anywhere...

[betts15]

Hey guys,

I decided to write here because your, writers', population is much bigger than ours, screenwriters', but we're still related and still trying to do the same - to get into an MFA program! So I'm looking for feedback on my SoP and PHS, and maybe some of you folks are looking for the same thing, or somebody just willing to help, etc. I created a separate topic about this, you can find it here: http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/69263-screenwriting-mfa-2016-sop-feedback/

So let's swap or just help each other. I'm hesitant to post on the Facebook's MFA 2016 group just yet, because I keep it a secret from the people in my real life that I'm applying. If you know somebody from this or previous groups, ask them please personally if they can help.

I'd also love to read successful statements of admitted students, so PM me if you have one.

Thanks!

Betts

[JustJoe1076]

Hi everyone 

I'll be applying in a few weeks to the following schools. 

Johns Hopkins, WUSTL, NYU, Boston University, Columbia, Cornell*, Iowa*, Brown*, Alabama*

*I'm still thinking about the asterisk schools. 

I have horrible anxiety right about now. I applied to Boston last year and didn't get in. But this year I'm also going to be applying to some safety programs... though I really don't know if I'd be happy studying just plain Literature. 

[heliogabalus]

Those aren't your safeties, are they?

[JustJoe1076]

Haha no. Those are schools I'm considering adding on depending on how confident I feel. 

[heliogabalus]

Well, good luck--the well known MFA programs are notoriously tough to get into. I have a couple friends who did Michener and a some who went to Iowa. and Columbia. I feel like Iowa still has the best chance of helping someone get an agent or a book deal, then Columbia, but that may be because they're large and have been around for so long. I got an MFA from a no-namer, and it was a decent experience. 

[nmachart42]

On 12/3/2015 at 3:56 PM, JustJoe1076 said:

I'll be applying in a few weeks to the following schools. 

Johns Hopkins, WUSTL, NYU, Boston University, Columbia, Cornell*, Iowa*, Brown*, Alabama*

*I'm still thinking about the asterisk schools.

Hey, you said "in a few weeks."  Some of these deadlines are quickly approaching. 

[nmachart42]

On 7/10/2015, 4:13:24, savy-senpai said:

Hey ewoj, I just graduated from Texas State as an undergrad, and had the chance to work closely with Debra Monroe on my final honors thesis. She is amazing, and so is a lot of the other staff there. If you have any questions about that school, I can do my best to answer. I was a creative writing minor, so I made the rounds of the staff but don't have as much experience as a major would have.

Hey, Savy, were you in Jennifer Dubois' CW class with me?  I think I remember your writing being pretty darn good.

[JustJoe1076]

On 12/4/2015 at 3:56 PM, nmachart42 said:

Hey, you said "in a few weeks."  Some of these deadlines are quickly approaching.

Thanks! I think I'm on track to submit by then.

[LexieB]

Hi.  

I'm applying to MFA programs. I saw some debate on genre. I'm a horror literaryish writer and my thesis advisor told me to submit part of my thesis/honors creative project (that is horror) because it doesn't come off as holy crap horror, but more of an existential horror. It takes place in the Incan Empire because I wanted to mix my anthropology and English major. I'd say as long as you don't have aliens with laser guns, you'll be fine. Or that's what I'm hoping. Watch me get rejected everywhere. Eeek! 

However, if I can only submit one story, I submit my non-genre one. I go to SIUC right now as an undergrad. Literally my only criteria for where I apply is: are hedgehogs legal in the state and is the funding alright? And can I teach? 

I'm honestly terrified of not getting in anywhere, but then I'll probably go for it again next year. Most of my apps are going towards pretty prestigious schools, and that's because I'm a little crazy. But we have to be as writers, right? I might be going for long shots, but if I get shot down, I'll just be more prepared next time.

Here are my schools: 

Iowa (actually emailed them about genre and they said go for it)

Syracuse

Wisconsin-Madison

Washington University (WUSTL)

UMass-Amherst 

Columbia College

Miami University

Mayybbee Adelphi?

Alabama

Michigan

Minnesota

Art Institute of Chicago

Brown

Boise State

[JustJoe1076]

Okay so I applied to Cornell & UT.  Definitely don't feel too great about them. Submitting NYU on the 18th. 

I'm so glad there are more deadlines coming up. I can tell the later I submit, the more confident I'll feel. 

[nmachart42]

On 12/15/2015 at 3:17 PM, JustJoe1076 said:

Okay so I applied to Cornell & UT.  Definitely don't feel too great about them. Submitting NYU on the 18th. 

I'm so glad there are more deadlines coming up. I can tell the later I submit, the more confident I'll feel. 

I submitted to UT as well, Houston, as well as others.  I feel like my confidence has gone down since clicking all those "submit" buttons.  Mostly because of the waiting, and this sense that I forgot something.  I can't stand waiting.

[holycat]

Is EVERYONE over at Draft or what? Any lurkers out there, looking for company? 

[manoshij]

Why does this thread seem to have gone dead? I have applied to the following programs: Cornell, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Alabama, Boston and Mississippi. 

Mississippi Stage 1 results were due January end. Anybody has news there? 

How are you people doing with anxiety? 

[GlowStick]

On 1/22/2016 at 10:11 PM, holycat said:

Is EVERYONE over at Draft or what? Any lurkers out there, looking for company? 

As I seem to be unable to join the Draft (seriously though, am I just that Facebook illiterate or what?), I'm hoping there are a few more people around here.

I've applied to:

• Michener
• New Writers Project
• WUSTL
• Iowa
• Montana
• Irvine
• Riverside
• Alabama

I was only going to go with four, but I got talked into bumping it up to "at least eight." Not feeling great about any of them. 

[holycat]

Good luck, @manoshij and @GlowStick! I applied to 11 schools and have read/heard somewhere of someone who applied to 20, so 8 is nothing!  

So far, I've only heard from one Program and it was an acceptance. I'm over the moon. 

[gaudysideoftown]

On 8/26/2015 at 6:36 PM, meagan29 said:

This is how I feel ALL THE TIME. Seriously. I'm applying this year too, and finalizing my list of schools is bringing on a fully-fledged panic attack. Have people been able to sniff out a few programs at which one might have a chance at funding that have an acceptance rate better than 1-5%?

I'm going to work really, really, REALLY hard on my sample for this. But it's hard because I feel nervous even at the thought of it, spending money to apply to all of those schools and then not getting in anywhere...

Thank you so much for posting this. This is exactly how I feel, and none of my friends and family members seem to understand. Given the acceptance rates, the whole thing feels like a complete gamble, and so much money (not to mention self-esteem) is on the line.

I've been obsessively checking the list of 2016 acceptances, and I'm panicking over the fact that some people have already heard from two of the schools I applied to (Syracuse and ASU).

Edited February 3, 2016 by gaudysideoftown

[LexieB]

^ I applied to Syracuse too, and that is the one I'm crossing my fingers hardest for. I only saw that one poetry one got accepted, so I'm not too worried yet.

I also applied to Minnesota and apparently they've started sending out replies. :/ 

[LexieB]

On 2/2/2016 at 3:16 PM, GlowStick said:

As I seem to be unable to join the Draft (seriously though, am I just that Facebook illiterate or what?), I'm hoping there are a few more people around here.

I've applied to:

• Michener
• New Writers Project
• WUSTL
• Iowa
• Montana
• Irvine
• Riverside
• Alabama

I was only going to go with four, but I got talked into bumping it up to "at least eight." Not feeling great about any of them. 

I'm not feeling great about anywhere I applied either. ? I think it's normal. I don't know anyone who is confident about this.

[gaudysideoftown]

12 minutes ago, LexieB said:

^ I applied to Syracuse too, and that is the one I'm crossing my fingers hardest for. I only saw that one poetry one got accepted, so I'm not too worried yet.

I also applied to Minnesota and apparently they've started sending out replies. :/ 

Yeah, I noticed that too. Do you think they go through poetry applications first then? I was hoping that was the case, but who really knows.

Oh, and I went to UW - Madison for my undergrad, and the CW program was absolutely outstanding (and the city has a pretty big art scene!). I'm happy to see you're applying there.