Fall 2017 MFA

[Scheherazade]

2 hours ago, Hortense said:

@pdh12 Me? No, I did not mention getting into a dream school. The season has gone abysmally, but I appreciate you asking. Most of the schools I thought I was a good fit for have either rejected me or already sent out acceptances and waitlists. Johns Hopkins is my last best hope, but the odds are longggggggg. I think my writing sample needed more work. But I learned a lot from this round of applications. Honestly, I'm already thinking about MFA Draft '18.

Oh, lots of people on Draft have been successful. Sometimes it's annoying (esp. if the person has been a non-contributor to the group and then starts bragging about an acceptance) and other times it's inspiring (esp. if it's a Draft veteran).

Incidentally, Syracuse just started notifying fiction acceptances.

I'm in the same boat! Johns Hopkins and the University of Washington are my last hopes, but I'm not too optimistic since I've already been rejected (or will soon be rejected) from less selective programs. Even if I don't get in, though, I feel like I'm making steps in the right direction. And despite the stress (and expense) of the application process, the experience has been a net positive overall. I wrote and polished my best story ever, learned a lot about myself as a writer, and crafted several personal statements of which I'm proud. And I'm already thinking of ways to make my application even better next year.

I ended up rejoining Draft, and some of the acceptances have actually been reassuring. A bunch of the high profile fiction acceptances (Cornell, Syracuse, et cetera) were posted by writers who are on their second or third year applying. So don't lose hope; sometimes it takes a lot of rejections to get the things you want.

[Hortense]

13 minutes ago, Scheherazade said:

I'm in the same boat! Johns Hopkins and the University of Washington are my last hopes, but I'm not too optimistic since I've already been rejected (or will soon be rejected) from less selective programs. Even if I don't get in, though, I feel like I'm making steps in the right direction. And despite the stress (and expense) of the application process, the experience has been a net positive overall. I wrote and polished my best story ever, learned a lot about myself as a writer, and crafted several personal statements of which I'm proud. And I'm already thinking of ways to make my application even better next year.

I ended up rejoining Draft, and some of the acceptances have actually been reassuring. A bunch of the high profile fiction acceptances (Cornell, Syracuse, et cetera) were posted by writers who are on their second or third year applying. So don't lose hope; sometimes it takes a lot of rejections to get the things you want.

Agree 100%. Right now it stings b/c it's so many big rejections at once. But rejections are the norm.

I'm also happy with one of the stories I wrote for my apps, and I'm sending it out to journals now.

[leogursk]

2 hours ago, minneaplan said:

Hi everybody,

I'm brand new here. Firstly, just wanted to say that reading through this forum has helped qualm some of my anticipatory anxieties, so thank you!

I was wondering if anyone had applied to the New Writer's Project (Austin's other MFA)? And if so, have you heard anything from them? I received my Michener rejection some time ago, but anxious to hear back about this one.

Thanks!

I applied to both the New Writers Project and the Michener Center, but haven't heard anything from either of them. I haven't seen anything from the NWP show up on here or Draft, either, so I think we're safe (so far)! Good luck

[Chickenrun]

Does anyone know when UVA starts notifying? The other two schools I applied to don't notify till mid March (VCU, UNLV) so I got a long wait to go...

[MFA17OrBust]

@Chickenrun I'm new here, too, and so glad to find this forum. I think UVA begins notifying in mid March. @Scheherazade Do you think Syracuse and Cornell are finished notifying for fiction and poetry? Thank you!

[virtueturnsvice]

@riverrun Hey! Congrats on being shortlisted for an interview!

I'm in CU Boulder's MFA right now. I wasn't interviewed and haven't heard anyone else in the program mentioning having been interviewed prior to acceptance. So it seems like it's a new thing. I'm gonna try to go ask our program director what's up tomorrow if I don't have too many students swarm my office hours. 

Also happy to answer questions about the program!

Edited February 20, 2017 by virtueturnsvice

[Here'sHoping]

8 hours ago, leogursk said:

I applied to both the New Writers Project and the Michener Center, but haven't heard anything from either of them. I haven't seen anything from the NWP show up on here or Draft, either, so I think we're safe (so far)! Good luck

 

 

Hi 

Lurker edging out of the shadows here. A big thank you to those who have posted to keep us up to date, and best luck to all.

Elizabeth McCracken said on her twitter that neither program she reads applications for have had final meetings yet. I think this is re Michener and NWP. 

 

[leogursk]

3 hours ago, Here'sHoping said:

 

Hi 

Lurker edging out of the shadows here. A big thank you to those who have posted to keep us up to date, and best luck to all.

Elizabeth McCracken said on her twitter that neither program she reads applications for have had final meetings yet. I think this is re Michener and NWP. 

 

That's good to hear--thank you!

[manandcamel]

Hey, all. UMass rejections went out last night / this morning, via email for both poetry and email. I checked Draft and Spire, but my status is still "applied" and I haven't been emailed. I don't want to get my hopes up about being on a wait list when I actually fell through the rejection cracks... when do you think it'd be appropriate* to call and ask about my status?

Edit--if it'd be appropriate at all. 

Edited February 20, 2017 by manandcamel

[pdh12]

@manandcamel Since it's still Monday, you could wait a couple days, then email the administrator rather than faculty. She's quick with responses, so you would have your answer by friday (...if it's bad, I guess). I've shot myself in the foot enough to suggest patience is key......

[Scheherazade]

16 hours ago, MFA17OrBust said:

@Chickenrun I'm new here, too, and so glad to find this forum. I think UVA begins notifying in mid March. @Scheherazade Do you think Syracuse and Cornell are finished notifying for fiction and poetry? Thank you!

It looks like Syracuse has sent out all notifications for poetry and fiction, but I don't think Cornell has. There's only been one report -- a fiction acceptance.

[MFA17OrBust]

42 minutes ago, Scheherazade said:

It looks like Syracuse has sent out all notifications for poetry and fiction, but I don't think Cornell has. There's only been one report -- a fiction acceptance.

Thanks, @Scheherazade. I'm following the results pages here, but haven't been able to access Draft yet. (My FB profile looks pretty suspicious; I never post and I'm rarely on social media.) Thanks for all your informative and positive posts here. So helpful. 

[manandcamel]

1 hour ago, pdh12 said:

@manandcamel Since it's still Monday, you could wait a couple days, then email the administrator rather than faculty. She's quick with responses, so you would have your answer by friday (...if it's bad, I guess). I've shot myself in the foot enough to suggest patience is key......

THX. Going to try and wait til next week. I checked the GC results page and saw 2015's rejections staggered over a week or so. Plus, maybe there was a fluke since it's a school holiday, and I'll hear by then...

[pdh12]

@manandcamel Good luck though! I hope the dream comes alive for you. 

[manandcamel]

@pdh12 I WANT TO BELIEVE.

[Hortense]

Cornell poetry acceptance just posted on Draft.

[pdh12]

noooooooooooo

[slouching]

56 minutes ago, Hortense said:

Cornell poetry acceptance just posted on Draft.

Was just thinking these ought to be coming soon...will be fun to take a break from receiving rejections I did not entirely expect to receive one I absolutely did.

[Sleam]

Great thread, thanks. I applied to three places, the costs of applying and the chance of funding limited me, but not yet heard from anyone. I like the support on here. Best of luck to you all. 

Nonfiction. 

[Hortense]

Has anyone heard from Florida for fiction? I thought they'd notified already b/c there's a fiction acceptance and waitlist reported on Grad Cafe. And it was the same day that people on Draft started reporting Florida poetry acceptances/ waitlists. But in previous years they've notified fiction later than poetry. And their deadline was 1/15, so that's a really quick turnaround for a fiction program that gets a lot of apps. So I'm wondering if the Grad Cafe fiction results are fake. Possibly wishful thinking on my part, but it's been bugging me.

[MFA17OrBust]

26 minutes ago, Hortense said:

Has anyone heard from Florida for fiction? I thought they'd notified already b/c there's a fiction acceptance and waitlist reported on Grad Cafe. And it was the same day that people on Draft started reporting Florida poetry acceptances/ waitlists. But in previous years they've notified fiction later than poetry. And their deadline was 1/15, so that's a really quick turnaround for a fiction program that gets a lot of apps. So I'm wondering if the Grad Cafe fiction results are fake. Possibly wishful thinking on my part, but it's been bugging me.

You've been so supportive and generous on this thread, I wish I had some info to share with you. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. 

[conch]

Sorry, asked this once before, but does anyone have any more info on Iowa poetry? I saw the two acceptances here on Friday, but not sure if anyone else has been notified.

[slouching]

Finally rejected from Minnesota. There goes my dream of being close to Paisley Park.

[badeyebrows]

37 minutes ago, slouching said:

Finally rejected from Minnesota. There goes my dream of being close to Paisley Park.

Same. But Prince is on Spotify now, so whatever, the Gophers can have Paisley Park.

[BLeonard]

Congrats to those who have heard, and thanks for the tip about Draft on FB! Having one of those real freak-outs today about grad school. I didn't think I wanted this as much as I now do...when this process started I was pretty chill, but now that programs are rolling out acceptances I'm freaking. out. How is everyone else doing?