My, you guys are chatty! That's a good thing, by the way. Good to see all the mutual support going on.
Let me know if these new mailbags are coming too frequently now. I don't want to actually interrupt the conversation.
One question I want to throw out here for consideration, though, because I see it get asked a lot and then answered in various ways: Do you have to stick to the page limit for your creative writing samples?
My take, for what it's worth is: don't go over, but it's OK to go under. Often, I think it's OK to go under by quite a bit - more than most of you think. 15 pages for a 25 page limit? No problem! If the 15 pages are strong, they'll get you in. You don't need to "pad" your manuscript with other material (particularly if it isn't as strong) out of fear that your application will seem sparse. One good story/excerpt/set of poems is enough.
Going over is much more problematic. None of the people reading these manuscripts are going to rub their hands with glee when they see a longer-than-it-should-be sample and say, "Oh goody! This one ignored the instructions!" Most of the time, they know if they want you - or at least if your application merits further consideration - in the first 10 pages. If a school has a tight page limit, and I know some do, I say, edit down, or send something shorter if you can.
That said, I don't want to freak anyone out. What has been sent has been sent. Have faith in the work, trust (and learn from) the process, and see what happens. If they love your work, chances are they are not going to nix you over a couple of extra pages.
Weigh in with your opinions on this, and other issues, below.
336 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 336 of 336Um, did anyone else wait until today, right now, to finish their Johns Hopkins application and are you also finding that the site won't process payment right now??
@Kaybay
Something else I forgot. I totally know how you feel though. I was trying to finish my last apps this week (Vandy and Oregon). I finally did. But Tues, Wed, and Thurs, I kept thinking, I just feel like the world should stop. Something of this magnitude happening should just allow for everything to halt--businesses should close, deadlines should be extended. Ordinary existence should be frozen for a few days. It felt ridiculous to be finishing applications when masses of people didn't even have water to drink. It still grieves me now that all I can do is donate. But that really is all I can do.
Ugh. I did mine a few days ago, and the processing was working fine.
With a couple of other programs, both of which had given me extensions to finish the application, when I tried to pay online I wasn't able to do so, as the payment system automatically cut off at the departmental deadline. I ended up mailing checks.
To be honest, even if JHU has this feature, I wouldn't expect it to kick in until midnight...though I suppose it could have kicked in at the close of business/bank hours.
Does it allow you submit the rest of your application without the fee? If so, I'd just do that and call the department on Monday if the payment process isn't working and figure it out then.
Good luck!
Meant that last post for Eeyore. :D
It won't let me submit without paying and it won't navigate to the payment page -- just gives me an error message. I've emailed everyone at the school and tech support so at least they have a record of my trying to submit before the deadline!
@Eeyore
Can try a different computer/system? I didn't apply to JH, but I know I had trouble with the Vandy app. I have a mac, and it would not allow me to submit. I borrowed a friend's pc and was able to hit submit. Can you try that? It looks like you've got 40 min till end of day.
I had the same problem with the Vandy app (although not JHU...just one data point).
Cheers!
@kaybay, et al. regarding the "argument" of writing vs. "doing:"
Number 1, like I think someone said, or sort of said, earlier, is that art, or any medium, can reach a much larger group of people. If you think about it in those lines, team that up with what I think Riah? said about it, which was that the idea is that people learn from things and can recreate what they learn. Not necessarily to write but the ideas within whatever they read or see. Be the change, as Ghandi said, and being means a lot more than just "helping" in the most obvious sense of the word.
On another note, I applied to UNLV mostly because of the international emphasis and peace corps opportunity. In fact, that puts UNLV much higher than Iowa on my list because I want to physically be doing something besides "just" writing and make a difference. Not only that, but my international life up to this point has led me to the kind of writer I am, and I would like that to continue.
Want to know something depressing? I actually was asked to take an Americorps position in DC working at a Literacy Center, and I had to turn it down because as fulfilling as it would have been, I wouldn't have had any money to apply to schools this fall. It's hard not to feel selfish for something like that, but I feel like I will still have opportunities like that post-MFA.
I am certain that there are people helping in Haiti right now who also happen to love to read in their spare time. Imagine one of them coming home, taking a bath, pouring a glass of wine and getting back to the book he or she was reading and being really grateful to have it.
Also, many people have said that books saved their lives. I'm one.
Nearly everyone (except for Pat Robertson) is concerned about the people in Haiti. There are many ways to contribute to the greatest good. I don't know that it matters if one way is literally saving lives and another way can sometimes figuratively save a life. The point is that it can all be good. It's all a contribution.
Kaybay, Amanda, WT and Riah etc - great discussion! The question of the utility of art (especially at times when it's so clear that's what's needed urgently is money, infrastructure provision, disaster relief, doctors, etc) is one everyone who writes has (at least IMHO) a moral responsibility to ask themselves.
i just wrote loads, then deleted it, about my own epic issue with this, which prevented me from taking writing seriously throughout most of my twenties...(forcing myself to pursue careers and paths i was crap at and miserable in, most of which were in what would be considered more 'useful' work than writing...detours for which i'm now very grateful...) but the main points of the utility/non-utility of writers have already been discussed so eloquently that i ain't gonna babble on.
Just one thing i'd like to add though - there are examples everywhere of writer-polymaths (Riah is one!); i love the fact that writing can balance activism, volunteering, another profession - there are many examples of this...and on an institutional level too - the fantastic UNLV program, the PEN organisation...we may not be the Médecins Sans Frontières guys (as far as i know?!?) but there are many ways to be socially useful writers. Though yes, i feel useless right now and utterly agree the earthquake puts my MFA applications into perspective. of course :( it makes me feel gratitude for having the chance to do this.
Also, (cos i do love this kind of discussion), stories, poems and films make messages resonate far more strongly than, say, a political science research paper or a dossier from an NGO. that's just the way i'm built, emotional as hell (as i can't exactly imagine them sitting around at an Amnesty International meeting saying: "Okay, here's the report on prison conditions in third world countries. Now, all we need is to hire a fiction writer to make a hard-hitting story out of it, and we're set to publish!") but i'm always looking for a narrative to cling to. i think of novels like Junot Diaz's '...Oscar Wao', or, say, Philip Roth's 'American Pastoral' or films like 'The Last King of Scotland' and 'Persepolis' and their effect on me clarifies how important and useful other people's writing is - it reshapes real experience so readers can step into it and live it for themselves...which should make us more aware and compassionate human beings. Five years ago i got into law school and was aiming to be a human rights lawyer, and i ultimately withdrew my place. i knew - though a lot of people thought i was being facetious and throwing a great opportunity away - that i would far prefer to read or write stories which intelligently thread human rights issues into their narratives. And i guess we have no way of comparing the beneficial effects of being something, reading about it or writing about it. But they're all to the good, as Kerry said.
anybody for a poetry sample trade?
we can exchange samples at rohsun(at)gmail(dot)com
I would also like to trade poetry samples. You can reach me at: j (dot) ogradym (at) gmail (dot) com
Re: the usefulness discussion
This may sound very selfish but I think there is something to be said for pursuing something you have a great passion for. While I greatly admire doctors who drop everything and go help in disasters like Haiti, I know personally that I could never bring the kind of passion that I feel for writing to the medical field. Everyone has their gifts and callings. But, I have to say I am a big believer in making sure you are doing something you love first and your love will spill over to others in a variety of ways. Anything can inspire someone, in my opinion.
In other news, I finally signed up to one of these so I could talk to you people. I have reached breaking point with this shit. I can't stop checking my mail. I think my downstairs neighbors think I'm crazy. It is JANUARY. I should not be this crazy in JANUARY. This is March/April crazy. Anyway, hello future MFA-ers!
Poetry, fiction, and other forms of writing can help change the way people see the larger problems in the world. It may be a slower process than a rescuer who digs one person out of the rubble, but writers can affect hundreds of thousands, who then go on to affect the world and maybe effect changes that need to be made.
Think about _To Kill A Mockingbird_. How many people have read and discussed and processed that book over the decades since Harper Lee wrote it. The racial injustice depicted in that book makes my students today think about the different forms of injustice in the world today. After my eleventh-graders read that last year, I had one student make the connection with the way LGBT students are treated and we ended up with a discussion in class about similarities between the ban on marriage between people of different races and the ban on gay marriage.
Without writers, and not just Lee's book, but all the other writers who wrote poetry and fiction and films and articles about LGBT people and issues over the years, that conversation, and the changes in the young people in that one classroom, would have never come about!
I've been following this blog for sooooooo long and have never had the nerve to say anything. But, gosh, you guys are interesting. And after I followed the discussion Kaybay started, golly, I just had top jump in . . . but then many others said basically what I wanted to say. BTW, I'm from the Caribbean and have friends from Haiti, one of whom I (or any of my other friends) have yet to hear from. I did experience that 'dampening' of nerves related to the MFA process after the disaster struck. What can I say - you feel bad and, at times, helpless. You hope and, if you're so inclined, pray. You donate if you can; you check up constantly to hear anything from anyone. But then, you know, you jus gatta do you - you go back to your writing, or to the movies, or to a book or lyme with peeps. Life goes on and such . . . and so must the writing.
DARN IT DARN DARN IT . . . sigh. I wasn't gonna look at my writing sample at all; I was determined to avoid it. But a few of you mentioned re-reading them and finding typos. So I thought, why not? AARGH! Page 1! Freakin' page 1! I had a gerund (ignoring) where its infinitive should be (to ignore) . . . good grief. Some of you said not to sweat it, but I can't help it. I feel like I Lemoned the whole thing up . . . ack.
Anyway, I'm e-mailing a few of you, taking up that offer on fiction sample swaps. I do love reading other ppl's works. It's very motivating. I dunno if that sounds weird.
Talk about a thread with range! All the way from heady universal themes (doing versus writing; Haiti etc.) to tearing ones eyes out about "were" versus "we're". Here's a quick story to add to the minutiae basket: I've been using a basic template for my SOP's and then changing the school name and school publications where necessary. I've been pretty good about it til my 12th submission to Ole Miss where I told them how much I appreciate the University of Memphis' heavy focus on workshops. I then went right back to singing the praises of Ole Miss. Good times.
Ahh, okay, I was content for a while to just lurk but I can't anymore!!
I finished all my apps right before New Years' just because I couldn't stand it anymore, so I kind of rushed them off and I've been too afraid to look at any of the materials because I know finding any typos will drive me crazy... I do have some self control, but on the other hand, I have taken up smoking again (though it probably would have happened at some point anyway). Win some, lose some, yes?
I know this discussion has been going on for quite a while now and so many intelligent things have been said, but I agree with the "be the change" sentiment. There are times when I feel selfish for preferring to hole up in my apartment and read or scribble but hey, it's the only thing I feel any real passion for, and a world without art and literature and artistic passion is a world I would not like to live in.
Good luck, everyone!! I keep telling people I may not get in to any of the 8 schools I applied to, but no one believes me. If only they knew!!
If anyone is interested in learning more about Haiti (other than just the earthquake), I highly recommend the book "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder.
And there we have an example of how writing can help raise awareness of Haiti, the issues the people there face day in and day out, and ways that we can help, whether we are Peace Corps Volunteers, physicians, or writers ourselves.
Re: Haiti
I'm so relieved those people are finally getting some freakin' water.
In more mundane news, I filled out my FAFSA. Don't forget to do that, y'all!
I'm also working on some rough drafts so that I will show up to workshop ready to go. I definitely needed to take a break from writing, but I'm over the application process enough to dive in again.
As far as I can tell I only made one goof in my apps. For UC Davis, I was talking about how great their combined studio/academic degree was, and then I realized a few days after submitting it that I forgot to change MFA to MA in that SOP. (Davis is the only MA I applied to.) I'm like damn, oh well. Hopefully, they'll let it go.
Oh-kay people... some questions, most buried in a narrative. Forgive me.
Anywhoo, I spent tonight listening to Anita Shreve give a reading and Dennis Lehane interview her Lipton-style. After that I snuck into the participants-only party to rub elbows with some writers (this was at a conference), when what do you know... there's Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin (instructors at Ole Miss, for those not applying) noshing on some finger foods! And I find out Sheri Reynolds (of Old Dominion) will also be giving a reading later in the week! Should I go up to them? If so, should I mention I applied to their respective programs, or ignore that completely and just talk craft? Should I stealthily ask how the application process is going? I don't know what to do!
Completely unrelated... do we have to fill out a FAFSA before committing to a program?
Also have a question -
how do rolling admissions work in terms of notifications. I applied to McNeese State last weekend. I noticed that last year, they notified as early as 1/17 (or something like that). I'm not expecting to be notified next week or anything (or notified at all), but should I expect to be notified, yea or nay, much later than others because I applied later? Say, March-ish?
G,
The FAFSA doesn't have to be filled out unless you want aid. If you're independently wealthy, don't bother. :p
For most of us, we'll be filling out the FAFSA after we get our W-2. Which, knowing my employer, will be sent out just before midnight on 21 Jan.
Deadlines for FAFSAs are generally in the mid-summer. When you get that golden phonecall or email, you can find out more specifically what they want and by when by talking to someone in admissions at that school. No need to fret yet about FAFSAs. :-)
kaybay, I am wondering the same thing about McNeese. Did you apply as the website suggested, with just an email to the director? I think it's great they do that, but it also makes me feel a little nervous.
VERMONT STUDIO CENTER
Hi Everyone,
I know this blog is for MFA programs, but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for applying to the Vermont Studio Center. I'm applying for a 4-week residency and for financial aid. Anyone have any advice, or has anyone gone and can offer an opinion about the program? I've always heard really positive things about it!
Best,
Victoria
ms.victoriacho at gmail dot com
kitty - I did apply via email, which is ridiculously cool in my opinion. I'm guessing we just have to wait a little bit longer, but I want to know now! :)
I've been trying to relax a little, not bite my nails down any further than I already have, refresh this site a mere 20 times a day instead of every 20 seconds. I have four to six weeks until my schools start issuing spots; no point in stroking out just yet. And then I woke up this morning (when it was still dark) sure that my samples have already been put into the no-thanks or next-round piles, and now that's all I can think about.
Just had to share.
Okay so I filled out Fafsa, but I hit the ten school limit. Most of us have applied to more than ten, did you guys call the hotline or something to add the others?
BTW, I'm getting my McNeese State app out today...so I'm nervous too, lol.
I have a suggestion for those of you who are waiting to hear back from schools--write a couple of stories/poems/essays/whatever during this downtime. I am about to go into my second semester at GMU and I am desperately writing over break in order to have something to workshop. It would have been nice to have had a draft of something to work with, but I didn't--instead I had to start a story from scratch.
Good luck to everyone!
@Jennifer
I've been writing to distract myself, but I'm finding that I like what I wrote *better* than what I sent as my sample. So I guess there's a risk or potential downside to anything. On the bright side, if I don't make it this year, I'll be damn ready for next.
@Jennifer
I love it when someone says something that seems completely obvious but then I'm like "Oh. They are exactly right". You are absolutely right! We should stop worrying and keep writing. That's why we're here right? Maybe it will keep us grounded. I know it will me.
Xataro, that's the great thing about continuing to write and read like a fiend - you only get better. A story at the beginning of the year and a story at the end of it could potentially be light years apart depending on how a writer spends his/her time. There's that "rule" about doing something for 10,000 hours (or however many years) until you get "good". I think with writing this is esp. true. That's probably why "young writers" are often in their mid 30s or even 40s.
I had a dream last night that I got into all three of my programs...that was exciting.
@ Alana, awesome dream!
@ Xataro, I am afraid to write because I am afraid I won't like my sample as much as what comes out next, especially since what I'm going to work on next is a re-write of a story I wrote a very long time ago, and I have a really exciting awesome idea for it, and I can see that it might be good if I can just get it out of my head the right way.
I also already want to revise both of my sample stories.
And, whoever said we ought to write now so we have stuff to workshop next Fall -- yes, I intend to do that because I heard the first semester especially is difficult and we won't have time to write. We'll be adjusting to the programs and we'll be teaching (most of us for the first time) -- that comes with a huge learning curve. So I do plan to bring a lot of works-in-progress to whatever program will have me next August.
I'm also trying to squeeze in as much reading as I can -- which can only help me as a writer and a student. I'm hitting my "to read" list hard and trying to whittle it down before Fall. It feels great to have a little bit of time for reading, after the application season and the holidays (which are super busy/stressful/exhausting for me, with 3 kids plus a job in retail).
But still, the waiting is killing me.
Are we going to make a pact? I know I'm your resident Negative Nancy. I prefer Realist Rugby. But never mind that ...
... what happens when one or two or three of us gets into Iowa, Michener, UMass and Cornell ... and wants to come on the site and ask for advice about which offer he/she should accept?
I worry about this moment in my mind. Last year when all my friends were applying to programs, their number one complaint come March was "this SOB is on my feckin' message board whining about how hard it is to make a decision as to whether or not he should attend Columbia or Iowa or Michener and 'does anyone have any advice?'"
They absolutely hated these people ... because the majority of the people on the message board hadn't gotten into top programs, let alone three or four, and others hadn't gotten in anywhere. They felt like the "successful" poster was being insensitive. "Can't he/she ask a professor or email an expert? Telling everyone you got into 4 schools is one thing--you deserve a round of applause. But then, hey, how about you SHUT UP and let the rest of us bottom dwellers deal with our misery?"
I dunno. Honestly. Should those of us/you who succeed beyond wildest expectations be gagged once you make your announcements? Is that fair? How do we draw a line between someone who is genuinely concerned/anxious/worried about the big decision they have to make and someone who just wants another opportunity to take a bow?
Please--no one else call me "neurotic." This isn't neurosis, I swear. I'm not a Cassandra. I just ... I dunno ... I was thinking about it. And it seemed like an interesting problem.
Rugby, I don't know if I will be singing a different tune when I read that someone doesn't know how to decide between three-four top programs, but I personally get super excited when I see that someone made it to that level. For example, last year Jamie Mu got accepted to three (or four, can't remember) top programs. I thought that was amazing, to say the least.
It's a tough decision when considering where to spend the next two or three years of your life and I think it's totally fair for someone to seek advice from people who obviously researched programs. Again, maybe I'll be thinking differently in a few months, but I don't think you should let your own insecurities get in the way of someone else's needs. Sorry, I know that sounds mean, but I had to say it.
I know this is not necessarily the case with everyone here but this website has been basically my only resource to MFA people other than my creative writing professor here at school. I think we all have looked at the numbers and know how this works.
I feel like it would make me more excited to see that someone who was freaking out the same way I have been getting a place at a school rather than just knowing that some other mystical person got it! We are all adults, and we've already been supportive of each other so why would it change?
Cos i've been reading this blog for the past two years, the kind of people that inevitably pissed me off as i lurked and stalked the applications season were people who'd pop up from nowhere to post one comment that they'd been accepted into Iowa or Brown or Michener, and who hadn't bothered to contribute anything to this blog before nor say anything to anyone after. I know it's bitchy and precious of me (as of course this here is a democratic free-for-all) but i remember a bunch of those and i've just thought 'who the hell are you, you lame-ass show-off?' There's something hideously smarmy about just popping up here to post that you're in at Iowa. Especially when the waiting is driving the rest of us bonkers...
(edited for typo. god knows why).
I'm with Eli. :)
Re: FAFSA stuff
I had similar questions as a few of you, and talked to FAFSA people via their live chat, so here goes-
FAFSA money is first-come, first-serve, so even if you don't have your tax info yet, you should still fill out and submit a FAFSA with last year's tax info. After it's submitted and you get this year's tax forms, you can go back in and edit/update your FAFSA. You want to submit as early as possible- don't wait until summer!
Also, if you look at the FAQ on the FAFSA website, it tells you several different ways of adding schools if you have more than ten.
Cheers!
When I went through this last year I thought it was really helpful to hear the news each time someone got accepted, whether they were "showing off" or not. It is just useful information to have.
But. . . since we are on the subject of people posting about getting in. . . take this warning from me: Don't freak out or give up if someone posts an acceptance from your top school and you haven't heard yet. Last year I freaked out because someone posted about getting into my first choice program and I hadn't heard anything. I fell into a deep sadness over it because I was convinced it was all over for me. But then a little over a week later I was accepted by mail.
It really ain't over til the fat lady sings. Try to remember that when the acceptances start pouring in. I don't envy you guys. . . it was really awful when I went through it.
Hey Dig,
Thanks for the heads up on the FASFA. Guess I know what I'll be doing on MLK day! Filing taxes! Woohoo!
The tone shifts as the rejections pile up. Lots of people talk about how they've got a Plan B, etc., and they wouldn't be totally surprised not to get in anywhere, but when it actually starts to happen, and eight rejections become nine and ten...
It's one of those I can't believe it's actually happening to me kind of things.
I'm just speaking myself here, but it's a terrible feeling watching the boards fill with acceptances and willing the phone to ring and never having it ring. Down the line, it was fine. People don't get in, so whatever. But while it's happening, it's hard to take.
Eli, I understand exactly what you are saying. It seems a bit tactless to hang around this community without contributing anything only to post the wonderful programs to which you have been accepted. My response to such an action is not, though, that these people are gloating or intending to put themselves on a pedestal. They got into a very competitive, very lauded program. And even if they do not contribute to the ongoing discussions of this most useful blog, they have the same sense of community with you. I know because I am one who has rarely contributed anything to these mailbags but have been a consistent reader for the past 5 months. I hope that does not seem selfish. I have only posted 2 responses in my time and they have been to help out a fellow applicant who had a question about application procedures at a school to which I also happened to be applying. I must also imagine that these people understand the difficulty of waiting as much as the rest of us and post their acceptance to give a heads-up to the community about the rustlings in the MFA acceptance world. I'm sure there are some who feed off telling others how fortuitous they have been, but I have to imagine that most are like you and me: anxious, self-doubting, and unsure of the future. I think they are deserving of a sporting congratulations, just as anyone is when they have achieved something into which they have invested immense amounts of time and energy. Also, one final note, it was my understanding that Seth used those posts in order to compile his large list of acceptance dates to schools; a list which I have perused on several occasions; a list I am glad to be able to read at my leisure. I suppose this has been a very long-winded way of saying that while I agree it may sting to read people popping up out of nowhere only to celebrate their victory, I believe and hope their motives are not so shallow as one might imagine, and, despite the sting of reading it, the information they provide is useful for future and current applicants. Good luck to you and to everyone else in this community. And know that, even though you may not hear our voices, there are many of us out here who enjoy hearing what others of the same ilk are up to in regards to this difficult process.
I'm sure a lot of the people (especially regular posters) who post multiple acceptances in the past would truly hate to upset their friends and fellow application commiserators on here with their requests for advice. I had a similar situation last year when I applied for programs (I was a regular, though not prolific poster over at the P&W Speakeasy). I was accepted to a few programs (albeit not Iowa/Michener/Brown/etc.) and ended up having to turn all of them down because I got a Fulbright grant. I posted a message to that effect on the Speakeasy to let any waitlisters know that some spots would be opening up, and also mentioned that even though it was good fortune on my part to get the grant, it was still kind of depressing to have to turn down offers after all that application neurosis. Now, I don't know if it actually pissed anyone off, but I have to admit that right after I posted the message, I kind of started to be afraid that a.) some of my compatriots would think I was just being a braggart, or b.) they would be pissed off that I was whining about being in the (somewhat) enviable position of having to turn down multiple offers for a grant like the Fulbright. But I had good intentions, and the last thing I wanted was to hurt anyone's feelings. I think this is probably true of almost everyone who post on one of these boards/threads. We're all friends here, for the most part.
Oh, and as for those one-time posters who pop up with cadillac acceptances, who knows, maybe they're not even legit. Guess it doesn't matter anyway. What matters here, in my opinion, is that we're a community, and that means that we get to share both the joys and sorrows of this crazy business with one another. Because, like it has been said before, who else is really going to care?
Wishing us all well as we wait and hope,
NM
Jeff, fair enough, and you're right about Seth's data, of course. I wouldn't think for a second the now-you-see-me-now-you-don't person's motives for posting their tip-top acceptance/s are merely shallow gloryhunting (nothing about mfa applications suggests shallowness, so i wouldn't jump to such a conclusion). Rather, i'd get irked by a one-off poster letting us know they were in at Cornell (or wherever) then disappearing again cos so many people here have been so forthcoming with their mutual and vocal supportive these past few months my reflex reaction would be 'well, bully for you, but who the fuck are you anyway, and where were you when we were all really getting stuck into this?'. Anyone who doesn't think that is a far, far kinder person than me! Of course everyone has worked hard and will indeed deserve congratulations, but truthfully, i'll be WAY more delighted when the people i already recognise from this blog and I am rooting for score a place. I'll know a little more context, and that matters when it comes to somebody's good news. Perhaps that's bitchy and arbitrary of me - i don't deny it - but arguably, it's more than fair enough too :) I do appreciate your response though - and good luck!
Also, this is way too long a post about something ridiculously speculative. i should go and do something useful. Ahem.
ps. excuse my idiotic typos, as ever
Rugby,
Right now at least (while hope still prevails!), I'm not too worried about others getting in to 'better' schools than I.
I figure if Iowa or Michener accepts them, good, that person's application showed something that the faculty at that school saw that could be improved and which the faculty knew they could work on. Doesn't *necessarily* mean it's a better writing sample; it means the applicant's skills and weaknesses fit that particular program's foci better.
All the schools I applied to, I applied to knowing that if I got an offer with money, I'd accept. And honestly, I'll be happy and thrive at any of them. So here's to hoping we all get at least one offer, and let the universe sort out what we're supposed to learn. :-)
Oh, and I guess I have this attitude based on the way the poetry faculty at my undergrad school did workshop selections: you turned in a portfolio, and then a week later, you came round to the English department, and saw if you were on any of the lists. The faculty sorted us into workshops according to how/who each faculty member thought they could help. I never DID get to take workshops with one person I wanted to, but I got teachers that were able to help with where I was at.
pps. Nick, you nailed it. We're the only ones who cares, and in as much as it can be, it's a community - so our contributions matter!!
I second Jeff's post. I think that this is only my third comment on this blog, and I'm sure there are plenty of applicants who read the blog without commenting at all because whatever questions they have are being posed and answered here for them. We all benefit from reading each other's thoughts here and that certainly includes acceptances from first-time posters; at least I know I would feel better knowing that one more person has been notified of their acceptance to a school I've applied to. And I agree that while it may be jarring to have someone come out of nowhere, their intent most likely (hopefully) isn't to rub it in anyone's face. After all the waiting, it'll be nice just to know something. Anything.
Aaand, now I have a question that Nick's situation has brought to mind. While I know that it's ultimately up to the individual to decide (based on a number of personal factors), what are the arguments for an MFA vs. a fellowship or grant? Like if someone was offered a Stegner fellowship but also a place at one of the top MFA programs, why would/should they choose one over the other?
I hope I'm getting this across clearly... :P
Epan, I'm sure you wrote critical papers in college (I don't think English depts are looking for the 5 paragraph wonder of high school classes). Check the website of the program(s) in question (or better yet call the program) and see if it would be kosher to send ANY college level critical paper (i.e. philosophy, sociology etc.). In many cases, they just want to see if you know how to write a solid essay, can cite correctly, and aren't totally incompetent on the academic side of things. The critical essay ranks pretty low in the scheme of things, so I wouldn't spend too much time writing a brand new piece this late in the game if you can help it.
I hope everyone who wants to is forthcoming with his or her acceptances, whether they've posted here before or not. I like to have all the information I can during this unknowable process. Makes me feel better.
It's always thrilling to see dreams come true--even if they're not mine!
I can't imagine becoming completely bitter if I'm rejected and others are accepted. I will be excited for the people who I know from regular posts here, but the random posts will confuse me. I'll be glad to see the data, but I can't really be too excited for somebody who only ever posts the name of a school.
I'm nervous. I'm going to try to stay off the internet for a few days. We'll see how that goes....
Maso,
My feeling in terms of MFA vs. Fellowships and Grants is this:
It depends.
- How prestigious is the fellowship/grant? (Is lightning going to strike twice? Is this something that I could probably get/do in the future without feeling like I'm taking a step back/interrupting my life?)
- What are the details of the grant/fellowship in terms of time and money? (also would the grant/fellowship contribute to my writing in anyway or just look good on a cv?)
- Where am I in my career? (i.e. Would I waste the MFA or Grant experience because I wasn't ready?)
For something like a Stegner, I think most people would put the MFA off and head to Stanford without thinking twice. You can always do an MFA but the chances of getting another Stegner is astronomically low. Now, if this hypothetical person got a Stegner, it would stand to reason that they are already a very accomplished writer (or at the very least just very lucky with a solid sample). So, two years of writing time can only help that person get better (on their own - even if they need more structure and instruction) and complete book length manuscripts.
This person would be well-prepared (not to mention competitive) when they apply to MFA programs. And while some people might balk that this person shouldn't even be applying, you have to remember that MFA programs accept people of ALL skill levels (within the realms of promise and talent) and experiences.
G, totally go up to them, make them love you, and mention that you're applying to schools so "it's good to spend time with talented writers--helps me remember, in the midst of application craziness, why it's worth it." Or something like that.
As long as you don't say anything awkward as I would be sure to!
subscribe
Yep, Maslo, to second WT - the Stegner is phenomenally prestigious. If you were offered it, no matter what top MFA programs you also might be considering, I think you shouldn't think twice about taking it. Didn't Tom Kealy do it after his MFA? Check old posts if you have time because I'm sure there's quite a lot of Stegner-tastic stuff round here testifying to the fact that its more sought after than a place at the top schools.
Oh, and I believe you're not eligible to apply for a Stegner fellowship if you've already published a book. So, it's definitely one of those things where you have to kick a$$ (but maybe not too much a$$) and still be "emerging". Although there have been fellows without MFAs, it seems like the large majority of fellows have already been through writing programs. I don't know, personally I see it as a "post-grad" thing even though you could technically apply to it whenever.
Thanks for the responses! You both make very good points. I guess I was thinking about how (like you said, WanderingTree) many of the fellows listed had earned MFAs before they became fellows. Maybe it all depends on what you want your "end" and your "means" to be.
Yes. I just posted and deleted and edited and re-posted and deleted something like five or six posts. Yep. That's me. Wanna fight about it?
Jesus, I need a juicebox or something ...
... nevermind the above erasures. I'm just fidgety.
Hi. Just checking in.I'm not savvy to "web-social networking" - makes me feel a bit squeamish for no reason other than that I'm not young enough to come wired this way. (But maybe I can learn.)
I just hopped onto this blog last eve and am flabbergasted at the activity, breadth and mutuality of our frets.
I'm glad I started following this, because I had no idea that acceptances come over the phone! OMG. Has anyone considered letting the message go to voicemail? Two advantages: 1) if it's an acceptance, it's recorded so that I can go back and listen to it again when my nightmare tells me it isn't so and 2) I'd have a chance to collect myself from the puddle of piss on the floor and actually have a coherent conversation when I call back. Does anyone know anything about this?
Also, we're all so worried about getting in - appropriately so, this is scary and by far more subjective a process than any I've participated in - does anyone know the actual acceptance rate overall, given that most of us apply to a handful or more programs?
I had this conversation with a mentor the other day, and I find this conversation interesting because I think that it is socially unacceptable to admit these deep dark irritations.
Well, my problem is the tone. Some of these acceptance responses come off downright ungrateful. "OMG, I am so stressed. I don't know what to do. I've been accepted to New School, but I don't want to commute from New Jersey, but I've also been accepted to Iowa, but I don't want to leave my boyfriend! Why couldn't I have been accepted to Rutgers? SIGH"
Then there are those who sound like they could be lying. "I got accepted to NYU, Hunter, Columbia, SF state and Texas, ALL FULLY FUNDED!"
Smug? "Really, why do people say getting into grad school is so hard? I applied to eleven schools and got into them all. I didn't even look over my writing samples but twice, didn't study for the GRE and wrote my SOP drunk on a friday night."
Those are the responses that get to me, and let's not pretend we haven't seen them on this blog, lol. They'll be in full swing come February. Yippie Kai Yay.
@ Mostly Swell:
I think I'm going to let any acceptances go to voicemail. I'm a big dork on the phone, especially when nervous. But then, I'll have to call them back, and that almost makes me more nervous than just answering the call in the first place.
I am another long-time reader who has only posted a handful of times. I, like some of you, am a teacher, and I think an analogy to my classroom will hopefully help illustrate my feelings about the "lurker" non-poster situation.
When I first began teaching five years ago, I never liked the quiet students, the ones who never spoke unless directly called upon. They made me nervous, mostly because I didn't feel like I knew them. I felt that, obviously, they must not like me or they would be speaking. I felt they must be getting nothing from my class, no knowledge, no growth, no interesting thoughts. I gravitated more toward the garrulous students, especially the slightly obnoxious, clever ones. I felt that these more loquacious students were obviously the only ones who truly got what I was selling. However, come the end of the year, mostly through course evaluations, I found out that I had it all wrong. Often the quiet students seemed to get the most out of the class. Perhaps it was because they were better listeners or because they were more reflective, but sometimes the mute ones showed the most depth of knowledge, understanding, and care. I was surprised to learn that many of these students were quite fond of me and of my class, some even naming it as their favorite class! I guess the moral of this long-winded story is that just because someone doesn't shout the loudest or add their two (or two thousand) cents on a regular basis doesn't mean that they're not listening. We are, and we love hearing what you have to say. We commiserate in our own silent way. We participate through our private emotional connections to your experiences.
It's kind of like the stereotype about the quiet, pretty girl in high school: she doesn't talk to me because she must be conceited! In reality, perhaps she's just shy and pensive. Don't hate on us quiet ones, y'all.
THANK YOU 4maivalentine! I was starting to feel misunderstood. Totally--post your responses and let us cheer you on, but don't get on the Internet and clack away about how you can't choose between School A and School B, because one is in a boring town but is offering you a $23k grant and the other is right on the beach but only offers $19k.
I brought it up because we're all a little manic and scared and excited and trembly. Just seemed a good idea to put it on the table, so we're on the same page come March.
Because I will track down the blowhards. Oh yes, I will. And I will squish your gerbils with ecstasy.
well said, burlaper
How does everyone feel about the fact that we're applying to graduate school at a time that is apparently seeing record numbers of applications? (I've seen this one a few websites.) And also at a time when funding is more limited than ever and the economy sucks?
Also, I just want to say:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I AM SICK OF WAITING! JUST BE MARCH, ALREADY. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER. CAPS LOCK CAPS LOCK CAPS LOCK.
Burlaper, i hear ya. i was dwelling on this after i had my mild vitriol spew. In my slow way, i realised that blog-related reticence was most likely shyness, as opposed to just refraining from comment until one could drop in for a brief shimmering display of triumph before sauntering off to leave us in uncertain envy. I know (hope) there won't be many of those people doing the latter this year (though i've seen it in the past). I know this isn't RugbyToy's point - but i get what you're saying, RT, and agree.
I used to be terribly shy and forced myself to become an extrovert about a decade ago and found i was okay with it - so part of me understands very well not saying anything here and merely observing. And i certainly don't mean to accuse anyone doing this of being non-community spirited. No, i completely understand the preference to be quiet. Ultimately, it could be fairly obvious come March whether someone's just dropped by to gloat, or whether they've been around and feeling the same way as the rest of us but preferred not to broadcast it. My issue, such as it is, is with the first lot... but as i said, for me to even be giving a monkeys about such people at this stage - or even at all - is really just sheer procrastinatory feeding-my-neuroses timewasting...! Yipes! I must stop!
I am officially having a nervous breakdown.
Ashley -
It's funny, because I figured that applications would be up, and you are most likely correct, but I also read something that said that applications are down considering the lack of funding and unwillingness to go into more debt. It said that people are likely to stay at their jobs, if they have a job... I'm kind of hoping that more people stay at their jobs for my sake. But, one other thing to remember, just because applications are up doesn't mean the applicants are necessarily better writers.
Aww, name pending, you'll be alright! maybe you might want to read through past threads for succour...for discussions on things like:
- the fact that an mfa ain't the be all and end all - no WAY
-the utility vs. otherwise of writing
-people's back-up plans in case they don't get in somewhere this year
-neuroses, paranoia, hope, epic procrastination, poems in honour of Ye Gods of Adcoms, and a thousand other things.
-finding community with people who are meant to be competition, and not caring
You ain't alone - far from it - and you will be fine.
Kaybay,
do you remember where you saw that? That's an interesting thing to think about. Maybe applications are up in other fields, like medicine and law but down in the arts?
Ashley/Kaybay,
For some reason I doubt people are flocking to MFA programs during a recession. Most people are looking toward programs that offer an obvious/marketable trade or profession with financial returns. Even then, I have a few friends that went to Ivy law/business schools that are having trouble finding work. Even if there were an increase in MFA applications, I can't imagine the overall quality of applicants shifting one way or the other. There will likely be talented writers who would have normally lived life for a while before applying and then there will be those who woke up this morning and decided to be a writer.
On the record number of applications, a dispatch from Cornell:
http://wardsix.blogspot.com/2010/01/mfa-application-time.html
Apparently records for MFA applications have been smashed, blown out of the water, etc.
I don't remember specifically, and I could have possibly heard it on the radio, I'm not sure. But, I just googled it and got an interesting link:
http://www.citytowninfo.com/career-and-education-news/articles/graduate-schools-report-disparity-in-number-of-applications-09031601
It said that apps are down for Iowa. Yay!
I would imagine that for the MFA, apps are down. It is kind of true that leaving a job amid economic uncertainty to compete for a $15,000 stipend and possibly accrue several thousand dollars of debt doesn't make a ton of good fiscal sense. Oh well for me!
well, looks like I'm not going to Cornell in the Fall!
You're welcome, Rugby!
Just for the record, I don't think anyone disagreed with you, I just got the feeling that people were venting about their own past experiences, you know?
Anyway, yeah, I'm having an interesting reaction to Katie's post...I'm actually excited that they've started reading. Put me out of my misery, Cornell!
Sorry to triple post here, but that Cornell link was a wonderful thing to read for so many reasons. Thank you for posting that!
Thanks for the Cornell link.
When I see things like "If we don't want you, you probably don't want us, either" my immediate response is:
Well, duh, I want you to want me!
Wow, that Cornell link made me feel like I watched a cliched feel good movie on the family channel even though I'm not applying to Cornell. I'm warm and fuzzy and hopeful despite harrowing odds.
Good heavens! No no no no no no no. That Cornell link was perfectly alarming. I don't want to hear that! Oh why do circumstances persist in being disagreeable. I just want to be accepted . . . that's all. I just want to be loved.
Cornell could be seeing a huge increase in part because of the P&W rankings. They're at #9, after all. #2 in funding! I didn't apply, but it was on my short list. They have a pretty appealing package. Maybe programs that weren't ranked so highly have seen consistent or even lowered numbers. I imagine quite a few people took the P&W rankings pretty seriously!
Just wanted to say that even though I don't post much, this blog is a lifeline through all of this madness. I've really enjoyed the conversations lately, especially the one last page about art versus more directly helping professions- something I've struggled with greatly (I used to work in social services).
Otherwise, (while this may not be true come March) I'm feeling fairly calm about applications. I think it's just that I gave them so much energy that I don't have much more energy to give them, you know? Of course, once I start hearing about the phone calls coming, I imagine my nerves will rev up!
As far as the conversation about doing an MFA during a recession...given that I work at a coffee shop, an MFA stipend would actually be the same as (or more) than I'm making now. Money-wise, what have I got to lose?? I have to say, though, during those annoying shifts dealing with all kinds of self-important yuppies, I just keep thinking, please let me get an and get funded so I can quit this nonsense and do what I love...
Again, thank you all for being here and understanding all this.
Also, RugbyToy, think you'd consider switching to fiction so we might have a chance to be in a class together? Your posts crack me up.
Honestly, fiction--of all creative writing genres--is most certainly where I am the King of Suck. I have so much esteem for fiction writers, because I just CANNOT do plot. Furthermore, I'm terribly impatient and always want to rush through the body of the story and GET TO IT. Reading my stories is like reading word problems we used to do in Algebra class, only this time around everyone has a last name and a backstory in addition to wanting to know how many Dixie cups of punch were imbibed per person at the last school dance ...
I love short-shorts and flash fiction. Wish there was an MFA program for that.
Hmm...I don't know that I can do plot either...yet I am a fiction writer...Must Ponder.
I'm another infrequent commenter, adding my voice to the (quiet) chorus of lurkers. Or, to put it creepily, "we're here and we're LISTENING." It's comforting to read y'all, I just don't post that often because I tend to second-guess anything I write online. It's less stressful to read along, nod my head and say, "yes, yes!"
Also, RugbyToy, I want you to switch to fiction, too, but I sympathize with your difficulty with plot as a fiction-writer who cannot write poetry. Maybe we can meet in the short-shorts and flash fiction?
God, I boycott films from now on until they actually make something GOOD! It's a crying shame to watch those clips from Scorsese's films and then watch as Avatar wins an award for best anything... seriously, can we please go back to good films like Taxi Driver and Last Temptation of Christ. PLEASE?
Quick questions for anyone who knows:
1-On the UVA status page, it shows that they've received evrything online, but says my app is incomplete. Anyone else experiencing this? Would like to think it's just a glitch.
2-The big question: what the hell is up with the LSU application process? Literally, how do you apply? I know I should be asking them directly, and probably will on the morrow, but for now can anyone tell me if I really have to fill out that PDF file and turn in a paper app?? That just seems ridiculous. Is there also an online app that I need to do? Furthermore, if there is no online app, do I just need to mail a check with the paper app to pay? Any LSUers out there, please help me out.
Thanks in advance!
..."probably definitely?" Wow, I need sleep.
Notice the mass of lurkers coming out of the woodworks..
I don't comment on here because I have no information at the present time to improve the conversation. When I start getting my responses, I will have information that will be useful to the rest of you, so I plan to share it.
I agree with what has already been said. It's more about tone than information. Yeah, you got into three great schools--congratulations! But don't ask me for advice on deciding which to attend. That's kind of jerky. If you're bright enough to get in without our input, you're bright enough to make a decision without it too.
Yeah, it would seem a little insensitive to post repeatedly about how hard it is to decide between each of the fabulous programs that want you. However, I don't think a couple posts asking for the opinions of others is asking too much of anyone.
And if anyone does feel like someone really should be able to figure it out on their own, he or she is free to ignore the post, right? I mean, I hope we are not so fragile that we can't ignore it if someone is being perhaps a little cocky. How the heck are y'all going to survive workshop if you can't tolerate cocky bastards? Consider it practice or give the poster the benefit of the doubt maybe? That's what I am going to do.
I think it's not helpful for us to decide that we are welcome to share our fears and neuroses, but need to monitor how much of our happiness/accomplishment we share. This is not a response to any one poster, just my opinion. I'm hoping lots of people will be sharing good news and will feel free to post whatever the frick they want.
Ryan-- That's all I filled out & sent for the department. The grad school itself has another (electronic) application, however.
Eeyore-- Gah! You're right, better not to approach them than make a fool of myself...
LSU Application-
You have to fill out the regular LSU grad school application which can be completed online. The app software is a little finicky, so I recommend doing it all at once. It's pretty straightforward, though, and you can save your progress if you need to. Then you have to fill out the PDF application for the English department and send them all your materials.
Ryan - I just checked and I hate to say my application does say 'complete' - maybe you want to email them? When I applied I got a little email from the admissions person telling me that my app had been received, which I thought was a nice personal touch, so I think they are a pretty hands on system and would get back to you promptly. That said, I can't imagine they wouldn't have contacted you if you had filed and not completed your app (especially if you paid!)
on the matter of fewer applicants this year, i wouldn't hold my breath. i think that all the mfa programs will be receiving more applications. while it's true that the mfa doesn't ofter financial security the way a law degree or a medical degree do, they do offer a shelter for people who have lost their jobs or who recognize that they are not getting much anticipated promotions anytime soon. i think especially of editorial assistants and assistants at publishing houses, magazines, newspapers, lit agencies - probably a lot of young would-be writers start out at these kinds of jobs because they offered security and are now fleeing them.
just my theory.
As someone who was regularly frequenting these parts a year ago, and sort of frequents them now, I can tell you that there will be lurkers who gloat when they get their Iowa/Cornell/Michener acceptances. I probably don't even need to tell you that they are annoying creatures by nature and definition.
Of course there are lurkers who will come here around the end of March to put their pain on display and that's another kind of annoying that is harder to flame or dispel because it's tragic. You have to accept that any moment from around the end of this month till April, you may be on of these people.
Most people strike a balance, but how that plays out can pretty much be correlated with how a particular person's acceptances go.
For my part, I got one of the first acceptances last year, and did not lord over the comments with how great I was. I simply said: "Hey I got the phone call that I've been accepted to [blank program]" and answered any questions anyone asked me. I think anyone whose taken at least a basic course in tact will conduct themselves appropriately but you'd be kidding yourself to think that there won't be some problematic or awkward moments.
I should get back to 'writing' blank verse now...good luck y'all!
@ SMG, thanks for the info; emailing them now.
Thanks everyone for the LSU tips. I think that site is close to the most ghetto one I visitted. Any takers?
wow. apparently I can't spell.
Ok. I also overlooked where on the instructions right above it says it will still read incomplete even if everything is received, although it doesn't say why. Perhaps this has to do with the rolling cycle as I submitted right at the deadline.
Ryan - the UNO (New Orleans) app was even worse. I managed to save and reload my LSU app several times before eventually submitting it. UNO I had to do in one go and it kept changing my permanent address to Japan. (My current address is Japan and I guess it was somehow screwing them up.)
I CANNOT FIND MY NEW ORLEANS SOP, it's killing me. I've started to think I may have sent them another school's SOP, I really should call and find out, lol.
So, I feel like there's a mini elephant in the room, or maybe I haven't been paying attention. I've noticed that there are a lot of people who have gotten accepted into programs but are trying again this year. In this same regard, it would seem that there are candidates who applied last year and got in no where, therefore are trying again this year.
Are these people willing to talk about what they did over the year to strengthen their candidacy and try again??
@Ryan - I submitted my UVa app early, the beginning of December, and yet my status page still says: *Please be aware that your application status will remain "incomplete" even if all required materials have been submitted and received by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences." And my status still says: "Incomplete"
@Ryan - Also, I did receive a confirmation email from the UVa grad school after submitting their portion of the applicaton online. And I got my self-addressed/stamped postcard back from the English department for my manuscript, with a really sweet "Good Luck" note written on the bottom of the card. I thought that was a really classy touch. But what a job! That poor lady had to write, what, a thousand or fifteen hundred of those sweet, little notes?
@4maivalentine
I was one of the ones who was accepted last year but is applying again this year. As much as it sucks to do this again, especially after having good results the first time, part of me is glad to have had this time to make myself a better applicant.
First of all, my writing sample is now, in my opinion, markedly better than the previous one. I submitted in December last year, and by the time March/April rolled around, I had new and better poems that I wished I had been able to include in my sample in the first place. And between then and this November/December when I applied again, I wrote a few poems that I like even more, so that this year's sample includes maybe only 3 of the poems from last year's batch.
Something else that helped me prepare for this year's applications was a workshop that I audited at GA Tech. I didn't go to Tech for undergrad, but Thomas Lux teaches there and was kind enough to let me sit in on his workshop. He's very generous to visitors--he treated me like a normal part of the workshop, so even though I didn't get credit for the course, it still got to work on poems with Lux and the members of the workshop. I also found, in him, a new recommender--that's one of the great things about workshops. If anyone lives around Atlanta, make sure to go to the Poetry@Tech reading series and make a point of introducing yourself to Tom. He's a really smart and generous guy who is always willing to help and encourage young poets.
Another thing I'm glad to have this year that I didn't last year is teaching experience. The Fulbright I'm on in Slovakia does give me a lot of time to write, however my main duty of here is serving as a teacher at a bilingual high school. I teach a few language classes and a lot of literature classes. If I'm accepted to programs again this year, I'm hoping this teaching experience will a.) help me seem like an attractive candidate for TA positions, and b.) equip me with the tools and confidence I need to actually do well in a TA position if I get one.
So I guess the basic things I've essentially done to prepare for round two of applications (sorry for my longwindedness and all of that unnecessary information) are: write, workshop, teach.
Does that answer your inquiry at all?
Fingers crossed for all of us,
NM
@ 4mai
I had also applied last year and had gotten into a programme. I'm an international student, and I didn't know such a thing as the MFA existed. But when I found out, it was late in the season so I kinda had to do a rush job (I still worked really hard on it, tho). I applied to seven schools, but I got accepted by the only one that didn't guarantee fin aid. It broke my heart, cause that was the school I was desperate to get into since I had family in the NY area. So I'm giving it another go. I honestly think every part of my application is more polished this year - SOPs, samples - everything got the benefit of time, scrutiny, re-edits and outside edits. Of course, everything came together at the last minute, so I still found myself mailing stuff and ordering scores with deadlines blaring. And the few schools I applied to that have Dec. deadlines got some of the rec letters late . . . sigh. But still, I'm better prepared this time and unbelievably more nervous. I have doubts, 4maivalentine - I have such doubts.
Grrr, I just have to vent a little. I know that a lot of people are not applying to UCF, but for anyone that is, are you having problems with them at all? They still "can't find my GREs" even with a confirmation number, they told me via email that the Jan 15th date was not a postmark even though it doesn't say that anywhere online (I had everything in except for one transcript, which I mailed on Friday), then they told me to email the MFA program to let them know that the transcript will arrive a little late and the email address is no longer in service! The lady in the graduate school has been very sweet and cordial, but is taking a while to answer emails (which she's probably very busy, so I do understand), but now it's going to be several days before I can even get in touch with her to ask for their real email. UCF is the ONLY school I've had problems with :(
4mai,
I applied last year and only had a couple of waitlists at top tiers. I think a lot of my outright rejections had also had a lot to do with just not doing enough research and applying to places that I really just didn't connect with on many levels. While I felt confident about my portfolio last year (both stories were eventually published), I was working on two other stories during application season that I KNEW were much better. Unfortunately, I didn't want to send a first draft of anything and the clock was ticking. A year later, I've changed my list based on A LOT of research on programs (esp. focusing on aesthetics). I believe that I'd be happy at any one of them. The two stories I was working on during application season? No longer my strongest stories by a long shot. I've written six other stories and went with one long one that I felt the most confident about and that I got the most positive feedback from (including friends, other writers, editors etc.). Unlike last year, it's a story that really speaks to my style, what directions I want to go in, what sorts of things I like to write about. Last year, I tried to send stories that I thought a committee would want to read and obviously that usually shows. Anyway, fingers crossed. I really don't want to go through this process again unless it's for a Phd.
4mai continued:
So, I guess long story short: I was honest about what kind of writer I am and want to be.
Gena, I didn't mean to discourage you -- I think you SHOULD talk to them. Sounds like a great opportunity to make a good impression which, if they are in on reviewing apps, could only help you. However, don't freak yourself out ahead of time, which will increase the odds of saying something awkward. I used to work in the capitol building with senators--invariably I'd say something weird to one of them ("would you like some bacon?" "you have nice hair -- good texture" (to a man)) when I was trying to relate to my ideal of them -- instead of remembering that they're just people with limitations and insecurities like everyone else. So maybe you could just leave the door open in your own mind. Chat with them a little and see if it takes off. Regardless of whether you mention that you've applied or not, it'll be good for you!
emailing nancy now. see y'all on the next thread!
Thanks Eeyore. "Socially savvy"/"Super Shmoozer" is just not in my resume, but I'll give it a shot. Hopefully something comes up... other than liking their books. I'm sure they get that all the time... oh well. I'll try to be "in the moment", as you suggest, and see if the situation allows for casual address.
You can do it Gena! Just be authentic and they'll respond to that. Best connection I ever had with someone way way above my pay/intellectual scale centered around motorcycles. I knew he loved them; since I was genuinely thinking about buying one, I asked him about it. Was very gratified to subsequently see him try to get out of a conversation with gushy rich important people to get back to ours.
Good luck!
Does anyone know anything about the program at American University? My initial interest was on account of the location, then I poked around the website and it seems they have a pretty distinguished faculty and accomplished set of alumni. I haven't heard a peep about it on this site and just wondered if it's a consideration for anyone else?
@Gena
You can also turn your perspective around and assess them rather than feel like you're being assessed. I don't know how long you're there, but if you have time, why not just observe them, see if you like them. That will give you a chance to find something to talk about other than your application. It may also give you some space to feel more comfortable approaching them.
BREATHE
(tip: rub your hands together so they're warm, in case you shake hands at your intro.)
and good luck
Rebecca:
I considered American University, but I wouldn't be able to afford it. So, I decided not to apply. :(
-Laura
For those of you finished with your applications, are you having trouble with finding things to do? Even just a fortnight ago when I was mired in all this application mess, I was yearning for the day when everything would be done. Getting up every morning knowing that I had another SOP to revise or another teaching statement to write . . . it became almost depressing. And, certainly, after the last app was sent, there was festivities/relief/large consumption of alcohol. But I sit here now (I'm currently unemployed) watching the sun make it's trajectory, yearning for something to do (or happen). I promised myself I'd wreak havoc with my Wii once all this was done. But I simply don't have the will. There were so many books I said I'd read when I was done with these bloody apps, but I read the titles on the spine then go take a nap. My Mad Men DVDs don't have the same allure as when I didn't have the time to watch them. And there's never anything on TV. I surf aimlessly, then I see something: "Ooh, the Australian Open. Oh, saw that match already." I hope I don't rub anyone the wrong way with my post-apps doldrums disorder (especially those still entangled in the drama), but this aimless anxiety suddenly hit me today. I think I sorta feel like how my mum felt when she confessed that raising me as a full-time job wasn't as fulfilling as she thought it would be . . . maybe that was a bit much, but do you feel what I'm getting at?
New mailbag going up imminently for all you subscribers. Thanks for the heads up, universalchampion.
@Cratty
I go burn my anxiety away on the elliptical machine. Get out and move around; it might help.
Or you could just check this blog obsessively. I do that, too. Oh, and never underestimate the healing properties of scotch.
Another thing, I know we are all writers and we do have a vivid imagination but I think I completely carry it to another level. I keep imagining the scene - my manuscript pages are being read (by the first person who screens the mauscripts) at the various Univ's - I keep thinking about her expression - is it like 'Oh another one of those sob stories' or is it 'hmm interesting' or is it like 'oh god I don't want to read this whole thing'....I just keep imagining such scenes all the time in my head!!!! I need help perhaps!!!
Post a Comment