Creative Writing PhD Programs

[TC3]

For those of us applying to a creative writing PhD program, what have you heard? Some deadlines (e.g. Utah, Tennessee) have long passed (December 15), but others (e.g. Denver) passed quite recently (Feb 1), and one (Binghamton) was as late as *today.*

If admissions for any other English focus is a mystery, creative writing lives with the double mystery of regular application assessment and the reading of our creative writing samples. Sometimes, it seems, the latter is no different than the process by which a literary periodical selects unsolicited manuscripts. Some with novels and books of poetry are rejected. Stegner fellows are rejected. Some with degrees in entirely different fields are accepted.

So, what have you heard? What has been your experience in years past, if any applies? What have you heard about particular programs? Any advice for us?

Edited February 16, 2010 by TC3

[chitown]

No help regarding admissions info, but have you checked Poets and Writers message boards and the Suburban Ecstasies MFA/PhD response times? These seem to have the most up to date info regarding creative PhD's. Good luck!

Edited February 16, 2010 by chitown

[TC3]

No help regarding admissions info, but have you checked Poets and Writers message boards and the Suburban Ecstasies MFA/PhD response times? These seem to have the most up to date info regarding creative PhD's. Good luck!

Abramson has been a great help in the past, but I think that he's removed his blog since it contained a lot of information that he's now using for profit as part of Abramson Leslie Consulting.

It seems that there's a *ton* of data about MFA programs, but PhDs in creative writing are still a bit of a mystery to folks, and it's a rare find when one encounters some genuine insight into this process.

I've pretty much written off Illinois at this point, especially considering that they may even take less than the 7 or 8 they took last year. And I've pretty much written off Utah as well, but there's not much information on the decision timetable to form an accurate picture of its admissions decision schedule. I heard that at Utah creative PhD applications go through a slushpile round for which the creative faculty look at only the creative writing submission, and if they don't like the writing (considered absolutely in a vacuum from the other application components), the application does not move on to the rounds for which SOPs, critical writing samples, CVs, LORs, and stats are examined. A little frustrating, since that slushpile round is essentially no different than the process by which a journal selects unsolicited manuscripts for publication, and a PhD program is so much more than that.

[bktv]

Hello TC3,

There is a larger number of creative PhD applicants over in the PW forums, see, particularly, this thread:

http://www.pw.org/speakeasy/gforum.cgi?post=226508;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

It covers several years of applications, but the last few pages are from this year.

Re: programs notification, I haven't heard anything yet, but expect to (probably by the end of this week!) I do know that Texas Tech, Florida State, and North Texas, and Wisconsin-Madison have all notified, but it doesn't look you applied to any of those schools.

Best of luck!

Abramson has been a great help in the past, but I think that he's removed his blog since it contained a lot of information that he's now using for profit as part of Abramson Leslie Consulting.

It seems that there's a *ton* of data about MFA programs, but PhDs in creative writing are still a bit of a mystery to folks, and it's a rare find when one encounters some genuine insight into this process.

I've pretty much written off Illinois at this point, especially considering that they may even take less than the 7 or 8 they took last year. And I've pretty much written off Utah as well, but there's not much information on the decision timetable to form an accurate picture of its admissions decision schedule. I heard that at Utah creative PhD applications go through a slushpile round for which the creative faculty look at only the creative writing submission, and if they don't like the writing (considered absolutely in a vacuum from the other application components), the application does not move on to the rounds for which SOPs, critical writing samples, CVs, LORs, and stats are examined. A little frustrating, since that slushpile round is essentially no different than the process by which a journal selects unsolicited manuscripts for publication, and a PhD program is so much more than that.

[TC3]

Re: programs notification, I haven't heard anything yet, but expect to (probably by the end of this week!) I do know that Texas Tech, Florida State, and North Texas, and Wisconsin-Madison have all notified, but it doesn't look you applied to any of those schools.

Thanks!

I didn't apply to Texas Tech, North Texas, or Houston because I grew up in Texas and don't want to go back . Unfortunately, many of the programs to which I applied (especially the ones where I have a realistic chance of just being considered) had later due dates. Binghamton's was yesterday!

[chitown]

TC3- I believe he is still updating the response times, even though the blog has been discontinued.

[TC3]

So, I checked Tenneessee's app status today and it had changed from "Your application has been sent to the department for review" to "Your file is complete. A letter has been mailed to you."

I applied to Tennessee because I'd love to be a part of their creative writing program, and am disheartened that I will be rejected there, as I considered it to be one of the more "realistic" chances I had...

Or perhaps I will keep up pointless hope? The acceptance history shows that TN prefers to notify through snail mail, and that first round acceptances were mailed out this very week last year. Who knows. But most likely I've been rejected

Anyone know anything more solid?

[abcde]

Hi TC3,

I wish I knew more. But that sounds potentially promising, yeah? Over in the speakeasy we have been talking about potential notifications. It seems that the first round of Utah acceptances went out today. No one is reporting receiving a phone call but a current phd student in poetry said the first round of offers were made today.

So, I checked Tenneessee's app status today and it had changed from "Your application has been sent to the department for review" to "Your file is complete. A letter has been mailed to you."

I applied to Tennessee because I'd love to be a part of their creative writing program, and am disheartened that I will be rejected there, as I considered it to be one of the more "realistic" chances I had...

Or perhaps I will keep up pointless hope? The acceptance history shows that TN prefers to notify through snail mail, and that first round acceptances were mailed out this very week last year. Who knows. But most likely I've been rejected

Anyone know anything more solid?

[TC3]

I wish I knew more. But that sounds potentially promising, yeah?

Hah! Unfortunately, not. I received my rejection from TN today. Either (a) TN never before has sent out rejections so early (see acceptance/rejection history on results page) or ( no one who was rejected this early posted it on the results page.

I would have felt very privileged to be admitted into TN's program, but I also think that I was pretty qualified. I guess TN doesn't care much about CVs, though my writing samples were strong as well.

Someone once told me that TN's PhD writing program was more of an MFA program in nature, and I *know* that I don't fit the profile for an MFA student. But this might have been misleading hearsay.

All in all, it's a disppointment, and I would have loved to be a part of that program.

[LiteratureMajor]

Hah! Unfortunately, not. I received my rejection from TN today. Either (a) TN never before has sent out rejections so early (see acceptance/rejection history on results page) or ( no one who was rejected this early posted it on the results page.

I would have felt very privileged to be admitted into TN's program, but I also think that I was pretty qualified. I guess TN doesn't care much about CVs, though my writing samples were strong as well.

Someone once told me that TN's PhD writing program was more of an MFA program in nature, and I *know* that I don't fit the profile for an MFA student. But this might have been misleading hearsay.

All in all, it's a disppointment, and I would have loved to be a part of that program.

Sorry about your rejection, though I have a feeling with your credentials you will receive at least one acceptance. You are right that a lot of programs surprisingly overlook solid credentials and one must wonder if the adcoms place all the apps on a Lazy Susan and spin that f*cker...