Playwriting MFAs

[Boxedwine]

@jnp809 Thanks! For what it's worth, I think they are doing them in batches. I was only asked to interview on Tuesday in a two hour period but they said they could potentially do Monday with another group of applicants, but would prefer not to. So maybe they'll send out the Wednesday batch today? 

@Barista I applied to both. They didn't specify if the interview was only for one program. It will be one of the many questions I plan on asking withing the 15 minute slot they've given me. It seems like in the past people have been invited down for an in-person interview, so I don't know if that's happening this year. Or, if this just a pre-interview... Who knows. 

I applied to O'Neill, Lark, PlayPenn, BAPF, and Seven Devils. Haven't heard anything back about those either. Those are the big opportunities I know of for the summer. 

[briglee]

@Boxedwine - you've got me nervous!  Michener is the only program I applied to and it's still radio silence here!

@Barista - I only applied to O'Neill - I got notice about a month ago that I was a semi-finalist (that email also said they were still notifying people so I think they're doing rolling notifications).  That email said finalists should be notified about their status in April so fingers crossed there!

Glad this board is popping again - it's been so quiet the last couple of months!

[jnp809]

@briglee Congrats on O'Neill! That is huge!  Adding to @Boxedwine  I highly recommend everyone apply to the Wildacres Residency (I believe the deadline has passed but there's always next year).  I went for a week long residency last May and wrote an entire first draft of a play in that one week.  The application is free and incredible simple and I just had the most amazing and fruitful experience there

[briglee]

Thanks @jnp809!  Will definitely check out the Wildacres Residency - sounds great!

[Boxedwine]

@briglee Congrats about the O'Neill! That's huge! 

And I just remembered Sewanee Writers Workshop applications opened up. Naomi Iizuka and Dan O'Brien are teaching this year. 

http://sewaneewriters.org/

[briglee]

Congrats to you @Boxedwine on the interview - THAT'S huge!  Keep us posted on all things Austin!

[Boxedwine]

Email today from Deborah Stein at UCSD to set up interviews. I'm so excited! 

Anyone heard anything from Yale, Iowa, or Brown? 

[Maybel]

Also hoping to hear from Iowa! I know in the past they've taken forever to respond... But I have a couple other options floating to me and I'm eager to know if I'm being considered - as are we all!

Filling the time by reading for BAPF and KDT, and also waiting to hear back from Last Frontier.

[jnp809]

@Boxedwine Congrats on the UCSD interview!  Last year, Yale called me to set up an interview on 2/20 so if they follow the same timeline, we have about two weeks before we hear from them.

[jamesprongs101]

Thought I'd say hi. 

I've been a lowkey lurker since starting my app season and finally decided to jump in the pool with the rest of youze guys because I'm currently freaking out. It's time rn. IT. IS. TIME....

 

EEK. 

[alikat]

Congrats to all on the interviews! Fingers crossed for everyone who has yet to hear back. (:

Edited February 6, 2016 by alikat

[SeaLou]

Congrats to everyone on the interviews. UCSD and Austin, that's awesome. 

Boxedwine,

I'd love to hear more about the interview. 

[jnp809]

I don't have any interview updates, but I do have a question for the group.  Since applying to schools I've had an article published on Howlround and found out that the play I submitted with my application is going to get a workshop production in L.A.  Should I write the schools and tell them about these updates?  I don't want to be obnoxious but if it'll make any difference in my application then it's worth it, right?  And if so, should I e-mail the admissions office? the head of the program?  Any and all thoughts appreciated.

[jamesprongs101]

@jnp809 I talked to a mentor who teaches at a big program about your question and he said: "Could write a short email to admissions contact w that info. I'd keep it v short and sweet"

But it's up to you. When we discussed it he was sort of like, "it really comes down to the play...if your play is already one they are interested in then it won't help but if your play is on the maybe pile it might push you over a bit depending on the priorities of the institution. "

[jnp809]

Cool.  Thank you @jamesprongs101 for the feedback

[Boxedwine]

Hi all, 

It's been a whirlwind week/end for me so I've been remiss in updates. 

UCSD: Deborah Stein and I talked on the phone for about 30 or 40 minutes. The majority of the phone call was about my work, how and why I write. And then a little bit about why UCSD and why grad school. It was a lovely freewheeling conversation that I think went pretty well. She told me that the next steps would either be another phone interview with Naomi Iizuka or an in-person visit (assuming they still want me). She's unsure if there will be second phone interviews, so she didn't confirm that. I did ask if UCSD was taking two candidates this year or one and she said that it's unclear at this time. This is the program I drool over, so I'm really hoping I make it to the next round.

UT Austin: I was on a google hangouts chat session with Liz Engelman, Kirk Lynn, Steven Dietz, KJ Sanchez. This was a quick and dirty interview that they were trying to keep to a tight 15 minutes. (pro-tip: make sure your mic works. mine apparently didn't but it all worked out.) This conversation was not focused on my work (they didn't even reference it) but focused almost entirely on why grad school and why Austin. It was a down to business question and answer at 7:30 in the morning. So I have no idea how it went. They said I was one of twelve finalists. They said that I would hear back this week but they didn't specify if there would be to set up an in-person visit or just a, "You're in" or "You're out." 

Still no word from Yale, Iowa, or Brown. Anyone else? How are folks holding up?

I got my official rejection from O'Neill but it had a little P.S. at the bottom saying that their readers were highly complimentary of my script. Does anyone know if that's common practice for them? Do they put that on all their rejections? 

[Guest]

Congrats on your interviews! Sounds great. Google Hangouts/Skype interviews have always been tricky for me. Did they bring up Michener at all? I guess if they have 12 finalists I'm out of the running. Still haven't heard from anyone else although I should be getting my O'Neill rejecting sooner, or later. It stinks 'cause that's the same play I've been sending to most of the grad schools, but oh well. I would say anytime someone leaves a note at the bottom it's not common practice. I would say that's a really positive, special thing! Also applied to NYU, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia if anyone has word on those schools as well. 1 down, 6 to go!

[Boxedwine]

Good luck to you, Barista! I didn't apply to those schools but I haven't seen any chatter about them on MFA Draft, either. And I keep reminding myself it's only the second week of February. So there's still time. 

Google/Skype interviews are definitely the worst. I've officially decided. 

[SeaLou]

Boxedwine,

Thanks for the update on UCSD. It's always reassuring to hear a program is interested in you as a person as well as an artist. 

And sorry to hear about O'Neill, but the note sounds good. 

Still waiting on Iowa, Yale, Brown, UCLA, Iowa, UCSD (if that's still a thing). 

Ohio goes out tomorrow, but they were pretty fast last year with locking everything down. 

 

[jnp809]

Just a quick note about Columbia, last year they notified us of interviews on February 19th so I imagine we still have another week before we hear back from them.

Also don't despair about being rejected from O'Neill, they turned me down for the same script that got me an interview at Yale last year.  One rejection definitely does not mean that all will be rejections.

[Boxedwine]

Austin has notified it's top candidates and let the others (who got interviews, presumably) know that they are no longer under consideration. And I'm one of the ones no longer in the running. 

As usual, still waiting to hear from Iowa, Yale, and Brown. And to hear back from UCSD if they want me to come to an in-person. We'll see. 

Good luck out there. 

[briglee]

@Boxedwine - so sorry to hear that but you're already a CHAMPION - you've got this!  Go Boxedwine Go!!!!

[lrb0192]

Brand new to this site/thread. Extremely excited to join the community. First time applicant to MFA playwriting programs and I just found out from Naomi Iizuka two days ago that I'm a finalist for UCSD. I fly out in ten days to meet with faculty/students.

Waiting to hear back from Columbia, Brown, and Brooklyn College. Good luck everyone!

[Boxedwine]

@lrb0192 congrats on the interview! That's fantastic. I didn't hear anything so I assume that's a no to me this year. Please tell us how it goes! 

Still waiting on Yale, Brown, and Iowa. Fingers crossed I get in somewhere. 

[briglee]

Officially denied from Michener   Next year I need to apply to more schools (why can't there be more options in Texas?!) - best of luck to all yall - will be back here next year! xoxo