Not to give anyone false hope or anythings, but I just realized something about the whole Iowa shenanigans (nothing to do with Sam Chang's bread choice).
So before this whole ordeal imploded in my face (i.e. before all my apps were submitted and I began this tortuous waiting thing) I found this dude on the internets: http://gregoryrbrown.wordpress.com/cv/
Check out his CV, impressive as fudge. Interesting thing is that he is to start Iowa this fall, but I saw this in early Jan. So Mr. Brown, whom I doubt gets manicures and is related to bread because he attended Bread Loaf, was admitted to Iowa way before I began this nauseous, anxiety-ridden thing I'm going through. The kid's got talent, and got admitted hella early. So perhaps the other folks who have already received Iowa acceptances are also on the same hella-talented-wavelength and there might still be room for those of us who are on-the-brink-of-being-hella-talented-and-need-the-guidance-of-Sam-Chang-to-reach-that-pinnacle in the coming week or two.
I bet that Arna kid is hella talented too. I mean, they can't have an entire cohort that is made up of THAT much talent, right? They need a couple rusty wrenches to challenge the shiny cogs, no?
sorry to blow a hole in your earnest and hopeful post pencore, but greg brown got admitted *last* year. i know because i remember his post on this blog and checked out his website. this is his second year.
Gregory Brown was actually admitted last year, he just deferred his enrollment a year. I remember him from the boards. Yes, hella talented guy, and super supportive. Anyone would be lucky to workshop with him.
@pencore -- Well, it's the Iowa Writers' Workshop, not the Iowa School for Feckless Nobodies. But if it's any consolation, I know MFA peeps from some of the top MFA programs in the land -- Iowa, Michigan, Virginia -- and they didn't exactly set the world on fire. It's all about desire and persistence. For example, I know that no one will outwork me -- except for Data on Star Trek: TNG, but only because he doesn't sleep. So, I don't care how talented anyone is, I know no one will work harder than me. And in the writing business, hard work will prevail over talent.
This is sort of in response to Pencore, but also my thoughts in general. I have a general distaste for this idea that talent is really measurable. I use baseball analogies a lot, so please excuse, but it does remind me of the scouting process in baseball. I cannot tell you *how many* first-round draft picks out fizzle out and never even play one game in the pros. I cannot tell you *how many* twentieth rounders are the shits in baseball.
The bottom line is that there are many talented writers writing right now who have found their "it" just yet and many writers who have found their "it" and have either hit their peak or will fizzle out. It will happen. I just can't believe that all of the Iowa people are going to be Pulitzer prize winners and all those schmoze at So-and-So State are destined for cubicles. It just doesn't work that way.
Maybe some of this has to do with the fact that I've likely been rejected from Iowa and Cornell, and well, several other programs, but I just don't find that much meaning in it. I mean, baseball again, Roger Clemens played at a junior college and was a low draft pick. So was Mike Piazza and many others!! Now, they were both on steroids too, so...
@pencore, this is where we need another rousing discussion of affirmative action on the blog, lol!
not because i'm any particular group/minority/etc ... just ... there ought to be a slot or two for untalented slobs like me just to add to the diversity of the cohort at Iowa! right? :p
Wow, I can't speak English. That should say "there are many writers who have not found their 'it' but will find it later, and many others who have found their 'it' but will not doing anything beyond their current success or will fizzle out. SORRY!! Gibberish!
Kaybay--love your baseball metaphor (I can spin those all day, and will, happily), but don't you be mentioning Mike Piazza and Roger-Roid-Rage-throw-the-bat-at-Piazza-cause-you-can't-get-him-out-otherwise-Clemens in the same category.
God, I hate the Yankees. Even if they always do win the Series.
I'll outwork you, son. I've survived a year and a half under some brutal, sleep-dep conditions. I can take the Woon. Or I'll outabsurd you. Whichever gets you distracted more.
@ everyone elsers
Pardon my Gregory Brown ignorance. I was just hella grasping at straws. That big fat Iowa straw that will take me one step closer to the Pulitzer.
Speaking of the Prize. I drew a comic when I was a teenager wherein I win the Pulitzer Prize and I show it to my pops and he says, "So ploud of my rittle cocksucka." Because, you know, when I was a kid, my dad used to call us cocksuckers because he's ESL. True story.
Emily, That would be fantastic! I'm not too worried about funding, because they seem to have it for most admits. I'm more worried about the actually being accepted part! If I had to worry about funding, I'd try my best to figure something out. Maybe I can learn to be a sexy blackjack dealer.
@KerryH Congrats on UNCW! I also am CNF. Have you heard any information regarding funding? I was told they would be getting around to that as soon as they heard "figures" from the grad school. I'm wondering how long that will be...
Wait a sec... How come no one posts about Iowa School for Feckless Nobodies? Is this an up-and-coming program? How will Seth rank them? Did they get my transcripts?!
@Seth, I appreciate all your dedication. Regarding UNCW, I also was not given a deadline and was accepted for CNF admission last week. Since that time I received a nice email stating they were waiting for figures from the graduate school to determine amounts of funding that can be provided. Thanks again, Abbie Bergdale
kaybay, your earlier post about baseball round picks just made my day. I think my dad was about to attempt a similar comparison the other day, but he somehow got off on a tangent about my little brother's preseason batting statistics. maybe it's because I got 'jected from UT and Michigan and no doubt a bunch of others... but I hope you're right!
AND CONGRATS ON YOUR WAITLIST!!!! may the good news keep on comin'!!!
Congratulations on UNCW! That program has been a favorite of mine since day one. (Of course, I think they could all be my favorite for various reasons.) In regard to funding, I'm waiting on that info too. I salivate at the idea of taking the graphic novel class! Keep me posted with your decisions. Good luck!
would any loser rejects like to start an online workshop group of loser rejects? fiction and poetry both welcome. and cnf. screenwriting. dioramas. papier mache. origami. whatever it is you do. who needs an mfa?
inkli__11 sai, I think some of us are talking about doing this if and when we end up rejected across the board. It's too early for most of us to count ourselves in, though!
I just got an email from Montana-- accepted! I think they've just begun to send out acceptances. I've been reading this blog a lot, and am always so thrilled for everyone's acceptances. I'm rooting for everyone, and I'm so excited right now I don't know what to do with myself!!!
Congratulations, Emma!! That's wonderful--you must be thrilled! Did they say something to suggest that they're sending out acceptances now, or did your acceptance seem to be a response to your earlier question?
happy happy joy joy to everyone who is in somewhere or waitlisted somewhere else or hanging on by the fingernails they have left ...
I have a new Plan B:
I'm applying to the university where I did my undergrad for a PhD in English with a creative dissertation. The deadlne technically was Jan 15 and they're almost done reviewing applications BUT I found a page that says the deadline is April 1 if one is not looking for funding, and they have agreed to consider me. So now I am rewriting my statement of purpose, frantically rounding up references, and looking, to borrow a word, for the fecking final research project I did for my master's to send as well.
Why didn't I apply there in the first place? I wanted to go somewhere new. I wanted to study with specific people in Amherst. And I was being lazy: I didn't want to have to worry about the language requirement. I also didn't want to take the GRE again ($125?!?!?).
No, I was talking about a different school earlier. That school hasn't officially accepted anyone yet, including me. I'm sorry if I'm torturing people with that one, but I don't feel like the program would want me to say anything. They haven't accepted anyone yet anyway.
but ... what about taking a year off, then apply to the Ph.D. when you have time to cram for the GREs, and can apply for funding? surely you'll have a stronger portfolio in a year, anyway? or is getting in this year really important?
This is my first post after reading for a while. Congrats to everyone who has heard good news! I have yet to hear from anywhere, and applied to 7 schools. No assumed rejections yet...I think most of the programs just haven't sent out anything yet.
But not hearing, and expecting at any moment, is making me feel neurotic. Not just about checking phone, email, and my PO Box--about everything. Example: songs have been getting stuck in my head in an unusually obnoxious way and a bad dream I had a few days ago is still messing with my head. And forget my deadlines for work...
Anyone else find MFA acceptance nerve induced neurosis invading other parts of their life/psyche? I would medicate with sugar but I feel like nervous sugar energy is the last thing I need.
Also, I can't help but imagine if, instead of fretting about MFAs getting back to me, I spent that time reading and writing. I could have completed a whole new writing sample by now, or read all those faculty books that have been sitting on my desk...
@MommyJ, You can do it! I love how you're embracing the challenge. It's really giving me some positive energy, which--I have been lacking lately. So, thanks!
not to stir up trouble, but why do people keep asking arna for his/her writing sample? he/she doesn't know any of you, so why would he/she give you a copy of his/her unpublished work? obviously arna is extremely talented and his/her stories or novel has a chance at becoming well known, prize or award winning material.
arna hasn't responded to your requests for a reason. thievery is more common than you might realize when it comes to writing.
I think the issue is that Arna's decision to share his/her work with anyone is completely Arna's and no one is criticizing him/her one way or the other.
I very politely asked for the reason that I have personally swapped writing samples with others on this blog before and I do believe it is a fairly common practice. The fact that Arna was accepted to a few of the best programs makes people want to read his/her work to get an idea of what it takes to get into some of these programs.
To make the assumption that someone is a thief for that curiosity seems wholly unfounded and accusatory. I fully respect Arna's decision not to share his/her work and the only feasible reason I could see for calling someone out like that is if someone were pressuring Arna in a derogatory way. I don't think any request has done that, so maybe let's ease up, no?
@inkli-- i applied in fiction, and i just got the email about an hour and a half ago.
There are two Emmas on this board by the way. I'm not the Emma with the question about whether or not to call a school, from earlier. I'm the Emma who responded to that Emma. So confusing!
not saying that someone would steal anything, but you must remember that this is the internet, and no one really knows anyone's intentions. let's say arna emails her/his sample to someone, then that person prints it out. maybe their neighbor sees it on the desk, reads it, and takes it home.
i'm not calling anyone out, just making an overall observation. arna has no power as to who reads her work once it's emailed. she/he has no idea where it's going. if ten people asked her/him to email her/his sample, would she send it to all ten? would she/he send it to just 2 or 3? how would arna choose who to send it to? think about it.
I get that, I really do. And I agree that there are people out there who would do something like that. What I don't agree with is making a remark that singles out individuals who, by all intents and purposes, seemed to harbor no ill intentions. Everyone who I saw post asking if they could read anyone else's writing sample was gracious and pleasant, the implication being that if that person didn't want to share there writing it was no bid deal.
It is the sole decision of whoever was asked to make that judgment call for themselves. And, while I can understand your line of reasoning, I wouldn't presume to be the spokesperson for others judgment in such manners. Especially when there was quite literally no pressure placed on anyone who was asked if they'd like to share their writing samples.
i fully understand your point (and well said, btw), but don't you think the pressure goes up as more people ask her to share?
it's seems like arna is too nice of a person to post a comment about not wanting to email his/her sample. then again, I could be way off. I can't speak for arna (and I'm not trying to), just intrigued as to why someone would do such a thing?
with 1300 applicants to iowa, you have to figure that 50-100 of them sent amazing samples. the top 25 were probably singled out with letters of rec, statement of purpose, grades, history in the writing field, teaching experience, and so on.
I agree about the pressure going up with increased inquiries, but it comes with the territory I suppose. If it's good writing more people are going to want to see it to get a better idea of exactly what DOES get you into the best schools.
I'm not saying you are wrong. I am just saying its a choice people have to make on their own. Off to watch DVR Lost.
As someone who asked Arna for a sample, I'd like to chime in. Arna's not the only one people have asked for samples from. When Trilbe got into beaucoup awesome programs, everyone wanted to see her poetry samples to know if they're way off base in applying to a school. It's actually pretty standard on this blog. This is an open community to help each other through a very difficult, nerve-racking process.
Arna's a big girl. (If you'd been falling the blog you'd know that she had a panic attack before the cornell acceptance, and her words of wisdom have helped me through my continuing anxiety attacks although I still worry that I'll get through to the end without one acceptance to show for it.) If she doesn't want to share her sample that's her thing and everyone's understanding of that. You really don't need to be the blog police for a practice that's pretty common and accepted here. (And notice I'm not indicating whether Arna sent me a sample or not because that is something that *would* be like calling someone out. You just make the request and that's that.)
Hi all. I've been lurking for this whole application season. It's my second year applying places. I just wanted to drop in and (1) give a hearty congrats to all the acceptances (2) wish everyone good luck for the notifications that will be coming up, and (3) give you all a heads up about Nevada.
No, I don't know when they're going to notify, or anything truly satisfying like that. I just want to let you all know that Nevada is in REALLY dire financial straits. Our Legislature is in a special session to try to plug an $880 million dollar hole. To put that in perspective: last year we had to raise $1 billion in taxes, AND plug an $800 million dollar hole. So, um, it sucks to be us. Higher education is looking at some potentially severe cuts. There has been talk of closing all the community colleges and state colleges; closing the med school, dental school, and law school; doing away with all collegiate athletics; or closing either UNR or UNLV. Now, I don't think it will come to that, but you should all know that the higher ed situation is bleak. So, please take that into account when hoping for the UNLV acceptance; they may end up not having money for you. Folks should also know that Nevada is at the bottom of all the "good" lists and the top of all the "bad" lists. My hometown, Reno, was recently deemed Drunkest City. I know UNLV has a pretty cool program, and I applied there, too, but I think you all deserve to know what you're potentially getting into.
Sorry for the depressing post. It's not my aim to influence folks one way or the other--your choices are your own--but I just want to offer some perspective, as a lifelong Nevada resident.
On a more hopeful note, the two creative writing profs at UNR (Univ. of Nevada, Reno) are very interested in getting an MFA program going there someday. If the funding ever becomes available, it will probably happen. And, as long as those two profs are involved with it and stay with the university, I know for a fact that it would be a genre-friendly program.
this is the OTHER EMMA :) And I was indeed talking about Montana this morning... so once again am worrying that they emailed the wrong Emma, oh lord. But HEY NOW DOUBLE EMMAS. M&M, if you will. Or not.
So, now that the cat's outta the bag, I too have heard from Montana and have apparently been accepted for fiction (albeit sans transcript).
@other Emma -- did they indicate that they have made funding decisions, perchance? And from whom was your email? Was it Karen Sturm or someone from the MFA program?
dannigirl, Thanks for the Nevada info. That's terrible news. I hope the economy improves for those of you living there and for those of us hoping to study there. It's rough times for everybody, but I guess some parts of the country are getting it worse.
Last year, during my practice-run of MFA applications (only applied to 2, but learned a thing or two) I remember coming across Boston University's MFA site. Something just made me remember it, I'm not sure what. At any rate, the site had posted what amounted to a seething, self-righteous and utterly distasteful letter from the faculty (or dean, something like that) about all the types of writing it viewed as beneath their institution, writers of which need not apply. Does anyone remember this? Blew my mind.
Thinking on it now, I wonder what exactly everyone did write about in their submissions. I noticed there is a pact against the discussion of genre on this board, which is understandable. But I'm curious: what the hell did you all write about?
@MFA Guy congrats aren't you an international applicant, well so am I - and I am so thrilled you have good news to hold onto...
@Emma congrats to you too
@Arna please please send me your fiction manuscript too I'd so appreciate it - bshveta@hotmail.com it would make me feel better in the face of complete silence from my Univ's. Thanks for the trouble..
For a second I wanted to lie to myself, just tell myself that it might mean something. So much for false hope and still waiting to hear some news from anywhere....
I considered sending a genre (read: sci-fi) piece, but one of my profs kindly talked me out of it, even though he was enthusiastic about the piece. So, instead, I sent a psychological realism story written in second person POV; it's a sort of letter from one lover to another. Slightly more complicated than that, but that's the gist.
I submitted one straight-up "literary fiction" story and one that is arguably ... I don't know, fantasy? Magic realism? Neither of those really... but definitely a genre piece.
i do not think it is something to worry about...in fact you should be happy, it was exceptionally cruel really...it was showing where graduate students could live, if you were accepted....
@Arna sorry maybe Cecil's People is right please don't bother if it makes you uncomfortable. I do understand. And once again congratulations you will be living all our dreams!!!
Nothing would please me more than to be startled from a pleasant dream of running a sub 4 minute mile, celebrating with a bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream and realizing I am related to Abe Lincoln, by your early morning phone call letting me know I have been accepted to your program.
If you're late callers, I wouldn't mind pausing my Olympic viewing and lunch or dinner to pick up.
Additionally, I stay up extremely late so if you want to call me really late at night and maybe talk about "stuff", I'm totally down.
Yes, I remember seeing that on BU's website, but had completely forgotten about it until reading your post. I think I read it over a year ago, maybe when I was first thinking about going for the MFA. I don't remember much of the content, other than the fact that its arrogant tone made me angry.
I didn't apply to BU, even though living in Boston would be ideal for me (my first choice schools are in Boston). My reason for not applying to BU was that it's only a 1-year program, and I want more time than that to write, teach, etc. And other than that, there was something I vaguely remembered feeling uneasy about in relation to their program. Now I remember -- it was that letter.
@Dannigirl, Emma#2 and whomever else might be interested
I ask because one of my stories is a little bit disturbed (while also, I hope, funny) and another is very "experimental" -- by which I mean its the narrative of a self-help infomercial I made up, hahaha.
I feel like maybe I made a mistake, like by being too weird. But I think it's all or nothing with this thing, so hell with it.
I'm usually waaay more self-conscious when I read this blog. To hell with it.
The Hobo Bobo, No. I understand the political issues between the two countries. The comment was simplistic and judgemental and irrelevant and really rude to the girl competing.
It's like when people make comments like "oh the French hate Americans." The reality of the situation is very different and it is usually not that true.
So, and this goes to everyone, is anyone else into the art of calling and emailing schools that are yet to accept anyone to see if they accidentally slip up and see whether or not you are accepted or rejected?
With how much they have going on, you would not think it would be too hard for at least one to slip up and be like "no, a visit is not really necessary."
Guys, you could just buy this: http://www.batcityreview.la.utexas.edu/
Yeah, he's definitely been published. :) Nice work, Arna! Congrats on the acceptances, and congrats to everyone else of late on acceptances and wait-lists!
I freely admit that I'm not as current in literary studies (and quite possibly not as intelligent) as the various MFA admission committee members, but I've never understood the distinction of "literary fiction" as either a genre or distinct from/above other genres. Many of my favorite literary works (and maybe they aren't really literary, I guess...depends who you ask) are mysteries (E.A. Poe), westerns (Blood Meridian, etc), speculative/science fiction (Borges and Lem), detective fiction (The New York Trilogy, Mr. Peanut), etc....
Ms Adams, Thank you for your input and for taking the time to clear some things up for us. I think that what you are reading as mistrust is actually the nervous energy that is bouncing around here. This is a place where people are very candid with their concerns and thoughts. I think that it's a shame that the economy is forcing schools to make these sorts of difficult decisions. But the schools, at least for us when we are here, don't feel as immediate as our peers on these boards. When one of the regulars here is struggling, we are quick to empathize with them. I cannot speak for anyone but myself but I honestly don't believe that anybody meant ill will towards your program or any other, which many of us here regard highly. Thank you for taking the time to address us directly here, and I think that if you are able remove your school from the agreement it has signed that people will be more understanding.
I think the fact that so many anxieties surrounding this vastly competitive, costly and taxing process are funneled through this one outlet really deranges things. But I suppose thats what writing is all about, huh?
Congrats to the newly accepted. I've gotten way too busy to write down/search everyone by name, but congrats to all of you nonetheless.
Re: Arna
I just want to help you guys out a little with some gender confusion. The name "Arna Bontemps" comes from a well-known poet who died in the 1970's. He was male.
haha oh man, I get a little behind on my email and accidentally cause a blog discussion.
I'll just make a general statement here that will maybe address everyone's concerns?
I've actually thought a lot about this, as it has suddenly become a somewhat pressing issue in my inbox and online. I really don't have a problem with sharing my sample, or at least the 25 pages of it that make up my best short story. So far (until my recent work as an Assistant Editor for Narrative Magazine picked up and I got a little behind with the email) I've sent the same part of my writing sample to everyone whose request I've seen. I'll post here a general version of what I've been telling people in the body of those emails;
The only thing that gave me some hesitation about sharing my sample is the thought that a reader might use it to draw a conclusion about their own work. Which I think is a bad idea. All of that competitive thinking muddles the approach to my writing that would best benefit anyone reading it, which is to try and see what's wrong with it instead of what's right with it (or, in finding it lacking, being swept up in resentment of it). In some ways this seems like a can of worms. I at first imagined the two possible reactions to my story being either that whoever asked for my sample hates it and therefore resents me or that they love it and therefore is made to feel less strongly about their own writing and therefore should resent me.
But I'm an applicant too, and I completely understand the other motivation in asking someone like me for my sample: simple curiosity.
Much in the tradition of my Jewish-Buddhist philosophy, I've tried to find a middle way. So far I've been sending out to anyone who asks the first 25 pages of my writing sample, which makes up my best story. It was published in Bat City Review and is currently nominated for a Pushcart Prize (which circumstances also happen to take care of the possible plagiarism issue). I feel like this solution helps the people wanting to see what my writing is like while still preserving some mystery, in the sense that at a school with page limits like Iowa, this story was only one third of my writing sample.
So, to put this directly: To anyone who wants to see my sample, or at least the main part of it: feel free to ask. Just email me your email address and brief 'hello' and I don't mind at all sending it on. My address is abhemenway at gmail.com.
I want to say, though, that my situation is more or less the situation all of us are in when we write. That story that was the heart of my sample got pretty trashed in my undergrad workshop with Jim McPherson at Iowa (though not by him). The next week one of the graduate students from Iowa emailed me, telling me he'd accidentally picked up a copy of it instead of the story for his workshop (the boxes were right next to each other) and that he just wanted to tell me he thought it was beautiful. It was from this encouragement that I ended up submitting it to The Atlantic Fiction contest, where it won 3rd place (behind one of the grad students from Iowa) and went on to sell it to the Bat City Review. My point is that you always live with the onus of possibility, the potential reactions that cut both ways. You have to. It's the risk of being a shitty writer that drives everybody who tries to be a good one. No one should be afraid of that. And having gotten in to Cornell and Iowa and going to interview at Hunter, I'm not above this. So it doesn't bother me to share my sample. Some of you might read it and think yours is better [to wit: even after The Atlantic Fiction editor and judge of the contest wrote to me personally to tell me how much he liked it, the story still got rejected at 13 out of 14 lit mags] and I think that's good. It's good to feel strongly about writing, and I hope it motivates your own. Which is the same way I feel about anyone who might like it. As my favorite poetry teacher Dean Young recently wrote, "You can't hurt poetry by trying to write it." The same is true of fiction, including that you can't hurt it by having an opinion. As far as writing samples go, the point is to just try to learn from it somehow.
Best,
Arna
P.S. Thank you to the person(s) who defended my right (accidentally exercised) to withhold my sample, and thank you to the person(s) who stuck up for their curiosity to see it.
P.P.S If you've already made a request for my sample just hold tight. I'm going to send out a big batch tomorrow.
P.P.S. If anyone thinks of or encounters an Iowa fiction admit as hoity-toity, I should let it be publicly known that I am wearing a mouthguard while
I just wanted to clarify one other point. I am not so smart to know the names of poets who died several decades ago. Google + Wikipedia is my friend. You guys should try it!
I wasn't anxious awaiting my MFA application results until I started reading this blog (today). Now, I'm officially unsettled. Ha! Best wishes to everyone!
I wasn't anxious awaiting my MFA application results until I started reading this blog (today). Now, I'm officially unsettled. Ha! Best wishes to everyone!
Now that Arna has revealed himself on this blog, I can say that I had the opportunity to share emails with him when we were both accepted to Cornell. Not only is he an extremely talented writer, but he's also a nice guy. Plus, he's like ten years younger than me and that makes me feel infinitely bad. Just kidding, Arna. :)
ok, this is meant to be in response to a post by Lavonne Adams, which seems to have been deleted between the time I loaded the page and the time I logged in so as to write this response. (or maybe I've gone blind?)
First, thank you for coming to the blog to clarify for us what UNCW's position regarding the timeliness of offers, monetary constraints, and expected time for MFA acceptees to respond is. Knowledge DOES help this process.
I spent a lot of time this past year, as I researched programmes, deciding whether to apply to UNCW or not, based in large part on student concerns over how offers were made, and issues of funding once at the school. In the end, I did apply, but had reservations. I do wish that UNCW was up front with prospective students about how they make their offers. Had I known the information you just posted, about offers being made on a rolling basis, with short deadlines, I would have saved the time and money and not applied. I really do hope, for the sake of people holding a stronger opinion of your programme in the future, that you will offer the information up front to applicants about how you will handle admissions.
In my own work, I more than understand the fiscal constraints and juggling that you refer to; I do not envy you the job you have to do, and I do wish you the best in finding a way to do so. But I do ask that you be much more transparent than has occurred in the past or in this round of applications.
Do you happen to have a copy of the comment left by Ms. Adams of UNCW? It has been erased and now I'm in a spot--I have to decide whether to drop UNCW from the rankings and have no idea what Ms. Adams may have written. All I have to go on is your response, which suggested that Ms. Adams was reading "mistrust" toward programs, that UNCW cited the economy as the reason for its recent breach of the CGSR, and that UNCW plans on removing themselves from the CGSR.
As to the first: MFA programs have spent approximately 75 years earning, as best they can, the mistrust of applicants. Whereas Ms. Adams, or any MFA administrator, only has (one presumes) direct knowledge of a single program's peccadilloes, for four years I've gotten private e-mails from across the country detailing, from those involved in the situations recounted, precisely the lengths some programs have gone to to earn the mistrust of their most important audience. Programs have refused to release vital data applicants need to make matriculation decisions; they have lied (repeatedly) to applicants who make inquiries via telephone; they have violated written agreements to which they are signatories; they have given themselves pay-raises while placing students in debt-holes they may never climb out of; they have pushed and promulgated ranking systems that privilege faculty values, not student values; they have spent almost no time listening to applicants to understand what students want in a program. And I say all this as someone who loves the MFA model, wants to see it succeed, and has consistently been amazed at how, amongst all the muck in the system, hundreds and hundreds of people are still working in good faith to serve applicants to the best of their ability. Indeed the majority are.
The economy is bad--and 199 programs have responded to that by continuing to comply with the CGSR. It's as simple as that--the bad economy cannot be an excuse for malfeasance for only 1 program. Just so, when last year a program (not UNCW) justified violating the CGSR by spreading the accusation that "applicants are habitually holding onto funded offers just because they can," that explanation was not only factually false--and dare I say, odious, given the conscientiousness of this community about being fair to all its members and to the programs--but also notable for having been raised by only 1 program out of 200. And now, once again (ironically) the mistrust UNCW is ascribing to applicants is, as with last year's CGSR scandals, a matter of projection. The angriest people re: UNCW right now are not applicants, who feel disempowered to speak up against the poor treatment they receive, but other programs. UNCW has been spared their complaints because of the internal politics amongst MFA programs; I, however, get to hear all the complaints backchannel about how UNCW is showing disrespect to its fellows in declaring itself above the agreements it (and hundreds of other programs) signed.
Finally, as to UNCW dropping out of the CGSR: I hope they won't do this. But if they do, the one silver lining is that it makes the decision to drop UNCW from the rankings much easier. It's sad that UNCW is prominently featuring the P&W rankings on its website but when contacted by the author of those rankings to try to come up with a solution to keep UNCW in the rankings, all that happened was an (apparently tone-deaf) response getting posted here and then deleted.
Most MFA programs work their butts off to serve applicants. Guess what: So do I. For years. And for a much larger group. I don't take a back seat to anyone in terms of working in good faith to give applicants the rights and dignity they're due--and unlike some, I don't make excuses when I fall down on the job.
I don't have the full text, but here are the notes I took on her post:
(geek, i know!)
Lavonne Adams post, main points:
* has asked to be out of CGSR
* their notification process: try to figure out how many admits can make, give only those with funding a deadline. as they accept/reject, they go down the list for more offers of funding, at which point those new admits become on a timeline to decide.
* some of this is also predicated on waiting for NC to tell them how much money, and also on the mix of instate/out of state.
* she's new this year, first year in role.
* no mention made of wanting or trying to change the process by which they admit or require decisions, ecept to ask UNCW no longer be a signee onto CGSR.
It's funny, I just mailed in my application to BU today (four months after the first app submission, they're finally all in!). I had held off as long as possible specifically because I disliked that letter so much. It just has a really awful, elitist tone, and it's smack in the middle of a terribly designed, nearly unusable website. That, in addition to my other problems with the program (only 1 year, iffy funding sitch) had given me enough reason to hold off and hope I would get an offer elsewhere. Since that hasn't happened (3 rejections into the process), I gave in and finally submitted my application, but paying that $70 app fee felt like a needle in my eye.
But, now that I've applied, I feel like I should focus on the good parts of the program (Ha Jin! and not much else!) and hope for the best.
Seth, I did not save a copy of the comment but I can provide you with what I remember of it.
Ms Adams first expressed concern that people here may be of the opinion that the schools are out to get or trick their applicants, which she maintained that they are not. She then said that since they can only fund about half of their students and that she/UNCW set time limits only for students who are offered funding and that she is willing to offer extensions if the students were to ask for one. She explained that initial offers are made and that many students are waiting to know if they will be offered funding or not. However, she did suggest that some students may attempt to hold on to an offer while waiting until April 15th to find out about a waitlist spot elsewhere, which she said she doesn't agree with. She said that UNCW is currently attempting to remove itself from the April 15th resolution as it does not benefit the program's students or the direction that they want to do in. It was a very lengthy comment, and she did speak of the economy and a bit about the process of getting funding approved. She said this it complicated and may not be done by the date that you suggested it ought to be done by. This is mainly what I remember of the comment but it was pretty thorough.
If I have misrepresented UNCW or Ms Adams opinions, I apologize. This is just what I remember. I also feel that since the information was in the public that it is okay for me to repeat this information and I apologize if this is considered in bad taste. I will delete this comment if asked to do so by either of them.
i'm sitll not sure what's worse ... rejections, or the forever-limbo when a place neither rejects you nor admits but doesn't clearly say you're waitlisted either ...
anyhoo, i'll ponder that in my dreams tonight. nite nite all! xx koru
Thanks so much. Some thoughts on the note (now having read it):
1. I haven't heard anyone say that MFA administrators are trying to "take application money and run." The only person who said anything remotely like that was me--and what I said, via e-mail, was that applicants apply to programs in reliance on publicly-available information put out by the programs. If the programs abrogate a signed agreement applicants may be presumed to know about ex ante, then applicants have detrimentally relied on information put out by the program in choosing to pay an application fee. This is an unjust effect; I never said, nor would I, that UNCW's rolling admissions process and fanciful two-week response deadline is a get-rich-quick scheme. That just wouldn't make any sense (and wouldn't work!).
2. When I said programs have their budgets set by mid-February I meant that either programs have dedicated funding lines, or else they have minimum dedicated funding lines (e.g., they know they can fund at least X TAs, the question is only whether they can fund X + [number] TAs, and it's only this latter question programs sometimes can answer only belatedly). My point was that I have never heard of a program fully bifurcating their admissions and funding systems--as there'd never be any budgetary explanation for doing so, and so the only possible explanation would be a strategic one. In any case, it's moot: I had been giving UNCW the benefit of the doubt in assuming full bifurcation (i.e., only offers of admission without [as yet] funding offers were being subject to the two-week deadline), but I have since learned that, yes, UNCW explicitly put a two-week deadline on at least some funded offers--a straight-up, prima facie CGSR violation.
3. I will seem to be speaking sarcastically when I say that my heart broke upon reading the following: "I have given no deadlines to students who have been offered no money. I have given deadlines to those I have offered financial support." But in fact I was very, very depressed by this admission (because I'm going to assume good faith) that UNCW's administrative head has never even read the CGSR the University signed--as what Ms. Adams is confessing here is that she has violated the CGSR to the letter. She has it backwards: "technically," unfunded offers can have deadlines attached (though it's unconscionable and that's another story); it's funded offers that can only have an April 15th deadline. Again, I'm now assuming this was merely ignorance of the prevailing standard--no one would so baldly admit to a CGSR violation if they actually knew what the Resolution said. So I truly am sympathetic to what was clearly not an ill-intended (instead merely grossly negligent) institutional policy.
4. As to UNCW's explanation of their funding scheme putting them in a special spot--I'm afraid that (at last count) approx. 106 full-res MFA programs were in an analagous situation. I.e., Ms. Adams merely described the situation at any non-fully-funded program--and nothing about the explanation justifies a CGSR violation.
What needs to change is not UNCW's signature on the CGSR, but its policies. It needs to conform to the courage other programs have shown in risking all (i.e., applicants they really want) to give all applicants a fair shake. If UNCW pulls out of the CGSR I don't see how there can be any response but dropping them from the rankings. This remedy may have to be applied to a couple other programs also.
My email from Montana was from Deirdre McNamer, and it did discuss funding. I was offered a TAship. I wouldn't be worried that they've confused us, though. I don't think that would happen! Don't worry 'bout a thing.
Gosh, if you both go to the same program, it'll be extremely confusing.
Didn't one of you talk secretively about getting an offer from a program in the northeast? Or were you both just talking about Montana? I ask only because I applied to most of the programs in New England, and want to know how nervous to be.
Sorry, but this whole Freaky Friday-type thing has got me all confused.
Do you suppose anyone in the main Grad College at UNCW knows what's going on in the MFA department/MFA admissions?
(i doubt you know unless you're a mind reader ... but it came up when some of us were talking off-blog about this yesterday). i just cannot imagine the Grad College allowing this; maybe I'm naive?
I'll look forward to finding out if I'm naive upon my waking. :-)
You've naive. But I love you for it--it's adorable. ;-)
Institutions (qua institutions) are amoral (amoral, not immoral); consequently, they will get away with whatever they are allowed to get away with. If the Grad College knew what was going on at the MFA my guess is they wouldn't care--unless and until the infraction was caught. At that point it gets complicated, as (were I a Provost) I would consider the most responsible first action to be notifying the University's Legal Department. If the University has signed a contract and one of its divisions has repeatedly breached that contract, let alone publicly admitted that breach, there is (however distant) the possibility of legal liability accruing to the University through respondeat superior--for instance, if UNCW were to pull the plug on a funded offer because an applicant insisted on the terms of the CGSR that student (were they foolish enough to do so; why try to join a club where everyone's going to hate you?) would probably have a slam-dunk equity action (injunction, &c) against the University. No money would change hands (except maybe legal fees), but that applicant, I believe, would get their spot. Though again, at that point why would they even want it?
The point is, the MFA is in a bind (and no one at UNCW or here should construe this as legal advice), because there's no way in heck they will be able to convince the entire University to back out of the CGSR--that would be a huge blow to the University's reputation, the TA union would go apeshit, &c &c--so the only recourse is to start complying with the CGSR forthwith. Meaning, you'd think the UNCW MFA would contact all funded admittees, like, yesterday to tell them that they have until April 15th to make a matriculation decision (and then this should be followed up with the same notice, via USPS, on letterhead). That's why I say that this can only end one of two ways: UNCW reforms immediately, or it becomes a chronic CGSR violator and therefore is dropped forthwith from the rankings. Mind you, those aren't the only two options because I say so--those are literally the only two ways this can play out, whatever anyone would say or want.
(My speciality as an attorney was legal strategy ;-).
@kaybay: I'm so late that I'm annoying myself by typing this comment. That said, CONGRATS! It's really lovely to hear good news from you.
@DFW1986: You make me smirk at my computer. Yeah, that's an internet flirt (pencore, charming, isn't he??). I'm going to assume that numeric figure next to your David Foster Wallace reference (may he rest in peace) is your birth year. Let me just work with my calculator here for a minute...so thaaaat's...plus...minus...square root...uh huh...carry the two...yeah, so you're younger than me. Let's take it slow - stick with jokes. I like your jokes, young blood.
Thank you everyone (mostly) for being lighthearted today. The sillies keep me away from the crazies. xoxo.
@cecil peoples When I spoke to Iowa on the phone, I had the distinct impression, multiple times, that none of my materials had been read except the poems. I have it on "authority" from former Workshop students that the faculty state their decisions are made solely on the MS (at least the admit itself; funding/fellowship is probably different).
@Nethanial-- I didn't apply to any schools in New England. The Northeastern school I was talking about was Hunter. They told me that they were down to 12 people, and were strongly considering me. I hope that helps. I don't know if they've officially accepted anyone yet. I'm divulging this to quell any concerns, and I think someone else on here got this news as well.
Wishing everyone all the best, and sorry if I made people worry with my vague post. I'm the Emma who lives in LA, so I will now be referring to myself (begrudgingly, since I can't stand this town) as LA Emma.
I am so fed up with this waiting game.I also feel I have a long way to go in the MFA 'acceptees' line especially for the top schools.Perhaps I shall try next year but it's not like I'm young and have many years to take a shot at it. I get a feeling that most of these schools look at candidates with a somewhat established track record in publishing in literary reviews or winning writing contests. I can't say this applies to every candidate but broadly it seems like it. I read Gregory Brown's bio and those of some 'others' (I've been watching too much LOST:)) accepted into Iowa and I think they have a lot to show in terms of achievements in the literary field.
I am so fed up with this waiting game.I also feel I have a long way to go in the MFA 'acceptees' line especially for the top schools.Perhaps I shall try next year but it's not like I'm young and have many years to take a shot at it. I get a feeling that most of these schools look at candidates with a somewhat established track record in publishing in literary reviews or winning writing contests. I can't say this applies to every candidate but broadly it seems like it. I read Gregory Brown's bio and those of some 'others' (I've been watching too much LOST:)) accepted into Iowa and I think they have a lot to show in terms of achievements in the literary field.
Nefrettiti: your feeling that programs take only published writers is not something to worry about. I know plenty of people who were accepted last year, into some good programs (though not necessarily top-tier programs) with no publishing record (myself included).
I truly believe that the majority of MFA Programs do not care about your publishing literary background. They care about one thing, and one thing only, and that's your manuscript. There are just as many people at Iowa and the rest of the programs who were accepted without any published material as there are who have been published.
If things don't pan out this year, I would encourage you to keep on writing. If there's a writers group in your community, join it! You do not need an MFA to be a writer. You need to write to be a writer.
Nathaniel, thanks for your rockin' MFA playlist. It'll help me during this painful time of notifications. I applied to Boston, too, as the Chinese writer known as Ha Jin teaches there. By the way, have you read his novel, "Waiting?" Appropriate title for a lot of us folks on this blog..
back here (sigh, feels kind of like coming back home to some kind of strange family living room during the holidays, doesn't it? Where everybody's cooking, making pastries, sharing music and songs, passing the Neurotic around, loading on hugs, somebody's dancing on the coffee table, somebody's getting drunk in the corner, sibling rivalry, Seth as the calm, take-charge parent who's just got this situation under control, so we shouldn't even worry about it. Yep. Just like coming home for the holidays.
I want to SHOUT OUT a HUGE warm CONGRATULATIONS to all of you beautiful people who are on this blog! Of course big squeals of glee for those of you who have official good news today, but also big hugs to ALL of us who are here everyday, cheering each other up, sharing our knowledge, our insecurities, victories. I respect and like SO much that this group feels genuinely happy for one another, empathetic and kind, very much a we-are-all-in-this-together sort of place. And so yes, of course, watching the news pour in can increase stress, but with that stress comes a place of feeling validated in this particular kind of craziness, sadness, uncertainty, disbelief, joy etc.
Thank you, each and every single one of you beautiful people. (not a small amount of thanks, too, for the shared playlists, and distracting hanna montana and kitten videos. perfection.)
as for me: Still. Not. A. Single. Word. Not a rejection, a FOE, CERTAINLY not an acceptance....just this really bizarre silence...like they don't know I exist, or something. Maybe it's the programs I've applied to that are just on a later timeline? One of the other MFA blogs (where it shows dates at which notifications from various schools went out in each genre in previous years) suggests that I'm REALLY allowed to go into cardiac arrest during the first week of march...
Any other CNF applicants here applying to University of Arizona The New School Columbia Hollins Iowa (assuming that's a nope) UNCW (i'm assuming this is a no) ?
Also, @Abbie, you just stuck out at me, and I'm really super excited and happy for your acceptance. Seems like you've worked really hard, and have very cool things ahead of you. <3 Congrats to you! (and to all!)
First I'd like to congratulate everyone who I have not yet congratulated on their acceptances and waitlists! Sorry I'm not around as much these days, but I'm still paying attention!
Secondly, I'm happy to say that I just woke to an e-mail from Beth Ann Fennelly informing me that I'm accepted at OLE MISS with a fellowship! She said that she would have called if I weren't in Europe, so I will assume that any other acceptees based in America will be getting their notification via phone.
Be well, all, and the best of luck! I'm rooting for you all!
CONGRATS!!!!! Beth Ann Fennely was a guest speaker at my school last semester (along with her husband) and they were both so wonderful. I got to workshop my poetry with her, and I think you're in for a treat! Great news!!
I can't dig through all of these pages, so could someone tell me if it is generally understood now that if we have not gotten an acceptance from Iowa, we should pretty much assume rejection?
The impression I've been getting form the rest of the community is that fiction and poetry stuff is still up in the air. Some have suggested that they might be finished notifying, but that isn't really the consensus yet. As for the Nonfiction Writing Program, I think most people agree that notification is over. Someone may have confirmed this a few days ago, but I can't remember for sure.
I took a nap and had this horrid dream where I received a 10 page long email from a school... but I couldn't figure out if they rejected or accepted me. And at the end of the email, they said that the committee was still deliberating on it.
Maybe we should start a list entitled You Know You're Stressed From MFA Admissions WHEN...
1) You've broken into the cooking wine. 2) Your ashtray is full. 3) Your laptop is too heated up... since you've been on this blog and refreshing your email too often.
I think I am gonna open a cooking class - I actually pretend I'm in a cooking show and make stuff which I would never normally make - yest was apple pie, I made it right from the crust...today is baked stuffed tomatoes,orange and walnut salad and an exotic red wine mushroom quiche...and I don't end up finishing any of it. Perhaps I should become a cook and forget about an MFA:)))
Thanks for your encouraging comments good to know people do get in without a publishing background too....I shall not give up and I will try next year too...
I saw Julie and Julia; Streep and Adams are fun to watch. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, but the story isn't that compelling. Child's life is, should have just been about her.
@Jason J yup I was more so referring to the premise of the story - where Adams life is quite stuck in a rut and she turns to cooking as a solace:)))) That's not to say my life is in a rut but yup the MFA wait is surely not exciting anymore...
@Jason J yup I was more so referring to the premise of the story - where Adams life is quite stuck in a rut and she turns to cooking as a solace:)))) That's not to say my life is in a rut but yup the MFA wait is surely not exciting anymore...
@Jason interesting article very honest confessions. Sarah from the article (from Columbia school) is so right - she expected to get a book deal and graduate instead that happened to only one person in her class...
"I lived right by the hospital in that story “Emergency” from Jesus' Son. There’s a giant sign across the hospital, EMERGENCY, and every time you see that, you think of Denis Johnson."
Last year I got lucky and the program where I already lived accepted me, but you know what? If Ole Miss would have accepted me, I might have moved! Faulkner's Mississippi!!!
@Denis I think that's really too harsh - on someone like Sarah. Some people are just very clear about what they want and since she didn't get what she wanted she is simply voicing it. There are people who do this just for a book deal too...
Not to be contrarian to your point, but MFA degrees are not such that you graduate and someone swoops down on you to bestow fame and fortune. It's an art degree. Someone who automatically expects a book deal has some entitlement and overblown ego problems. People like Sarah are going to be sorely disappointed, and should never get an MFA "just for a book deal."
@NickMcRae - Congratulations on Ole Miss! Yea! Your decision process just gets more and more difficult. You're in an enviable position, but having to actually choose must be incredibly stressful. With that said, though, keep on rockin' those admits, boyeeee!
@kaybay -
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !
It can't be said often enough: Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally!
kaybaybaybaybay! I hope this is just the beginning of the good news you're going to get this Spring. Congratulations! Finally! Whew!
Also, assquilt. It had to be said.
@KerryHeadley & ceegee & MFAguy & all our Emmas - Wow! Congratulations! Especially Kerry, who has been on a winning streak.
@DFW1986 - Your letter was hilarious! And Northwestern is an awesome institution. HOWEVER the University of Chicago, which has produced the largest number of Nobel Prize winners (by a substantial margin) than any other institution in the world, is actually the best school in Chicago. The atomic chain reaction was born at the UofC. Major breakthroughs in cardiac surgery, blood storage and a variety of other medical processes that we take for granted came from the UofC. Economic ideas that have helped to build and then stabilize the world's emerging markets, from the UofC. So, Northwestern is not the best school in the Midwest and not quite the best school in Chicagoland. Although it absolutely is the best university in Evanston, IL! And it's a pretty awesome school, it just has some tough local competition.
Full disclosure: My grade school was at the University of Chicago. So I may be a tiny bit biased (brainwashed). Hyde Park represent, yo!
i'm not sure how poetry works at iowa (considering they receive far less applications), but for fiction there are rounds of readers. yes, the first few rounds, read by current/former students, is solely based on your writing sample. this also means that directors and profs like samantha chang or ethan canin won't even see a large percent of the applications. maybe they will review the top 50 or so. that's when other factors come into play.
but again, i know nothing about the poetry department.
@Jasmine I completely agree with you and I believe in what your'e saying, an MFA is to work on your craft solely and not have air headed expectations of book deals and fame:) I'm just saying there people who believe otherwise and each one to his own - that's it....perhaps I have a weakness to be judgemental..dunno why I spoke up for silly Sarah!!!
yup, that's a definite possibility. iowa is the only school i know of that goes through rounds (two, three, maybe even four). i spent last summer there in workshop with sam chang and jim mcpherson and asked how the selection process works.
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«Oldest ‹Older 1601 – 1800 of 2428 Newer› Newest»Not to give anyone false hope or anythings, but I just realized something about the whole Iowa shenanigans (nothing to do with Sam Chang's bread choice).
So before this whole ordeal imploded in my face (i.e. before all my apps were submitted and I began this tortuous waiting thing) I found this dude on the internets: http://gregoryrbrown.wordpress.com/cv/
Check out his CV, impressive as fudge. Interesting thing is that he is to start Iowa this fall, but I saw this in early Jan. So Mr. Brown, whom I doubt gets manicures and is related to bread because he attended Bread Loaf, was admitted to Iowa way before I began this nauseous, anxiety-ridden thing I'm going through. The kid's got talent, and got admitted hella early. So perhaps the other folks who have already received Iowa acceptances are also on the same hella-talented-wavelength and there might still be room for those of us who are on-the-brink-of-being-hella-talented-and-need-the-guidance-of-Sam-Chang-to-reach-that-pinnacle in the coming week or two.
I bet that Arna kid is hella talented too. I mean, they can't have an entire cohort that is made up of THAT much talent, right? They need a couple rusty wrenches to challenge the shiny cogs, no?
Feck. I hate hope. Hope makes one delusional.
PS I do not apologize for my "hella" usage.
@ Ashley Brooke
UNLV is one of my very, very, VERY top choices, too... that is they will be if I get to have a choice!
I'm slightly worried about funding, but I've decided I can't worry about that until I'm done worrying about whether or not I'll get in!!!
Good luck :) Maybe we'll see each other there!
sorry to blow a hole in your earnest and hopeful post pencore, but greg brown got admitted *last* year. i know because i remember his post on this blog and checked out his website. this is his second year.
Pencore,
Gregory Brown was actually admitted last year, he just deferred his enrollment a year. I remember him from the boards. Yes, hella talented guy, and super supportive. Anyone would be lucky to workshop with him.
@pencore -- Well, it's the Iowa Writers' Workshop, not the Iowa School for Feckless Nobodies. But if it's any consolation, I know MFA peeps from some of the top MFA programs in the land -- Iowa, Michigan, Virginia -- and they didn't exactly set the world on fire. It's all about desire and persistence. For example, I know that no one will outwork me -- except for Data on Star Trek: TNG, but only because he doesn't sleep. So, I don't care how talented anyone is, I know no one will work harder than me. And in the writing business, hard work will prevail over talent.
(I'm male, btw)
This is sort of in response to Pencore, but also my thoughts in general. I have a general distaste for this idea that talent is really measurable. I use baseball analogies a lot, so please excuse, but it does remind me of the scouting process in baseball. I cannot tell you *how many* first-round draft picks out fizzle out and never even play one game in the pros. I cannot tell you *how many* twentieth rounders are the shits in baseball.
The bottom line is that there are many talented writers writing right now who have found their "it" just yet and many writers who have found their "it" and have either hit their peak or will fizzle out. It will happen. I just can't believe that all of the Iowa people are going to be Pulitzer prize winners and all those schmoze at So-and-So State are destined for cubicles. It just doesn't work that way.
Maybe some of this has to do with the fact that I've likely been rejected from Iowa and Cornell, and well, several other programs, but I just don't find that much meaning in it. I mean, baseball again, Roger Clemens played at a junior college and was a low draft pick. So was Mike Piazza and many others!! Now, they were both on steroids too, so...
Arna, I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and beg for your writing sample if you don't mind sharing.
smilingdropsofrain [at] gmail [dot] com
@pencore, this is where we need another rousing discussion of affirmative action on the blog, lol!
not because i'm any particular group/minority/etc ... just ... there ought to be a slot or two for untalented slobs like me just to add to the diversity of the cohort at Iowa! right? :p
Wow, I can't speak English. That should say "there are many writers who have not found their 'it' but will find it later, and many others who have found their 'it' but will not doing anything beyond their current success or will fizzle out. SORRY!! Gibberish!
Also, to whichever commenter it was that posted the ADORABLE doggie video (I think Coreyann?) -- SO CUTE! I've watched the video like four times now.
(Sorry for the sudden spammage, people. I'm catching up here!)
Yaaaay kaybay! Congrats to you and all the other acceptances/waitlists :)
And yay boobs.
I am off to go stress-eat a fresh-baked chocolate pudding cake. All are welcome to save me from myself, as I skipped the gym today.
Kaybay--love your baseball metaphor (I can spin those all day, and will, happily), but don't you be mentioning Mike Piazza and Roger-Roid-Rage-throw-the-bat-at-Piazza-cause-you-can't-get-him-out-otherwise-Clemens in the same category.
God, I hate the Yankees. Even if they always do win the Series.
Leslie - steroids, money, and general douchebaggery go very far sometimes ;)
@ Woon
I'll outwork you, son. I've survived a year and a half under some brutal, sleep-dep conditions. I can take the Woon.
Or I'll outabsurd you. Whichever gets you distracted more.
@ everyone elsers
Pardon my Gregory Brown ignorance. I was just hella grasping at straws. That big fat Iowa straw that will take me one step closer to the Pulitzer.
Speaking of the Prize. I drew a comic when I was a teenager wherein I win the Pulitzer Prize and I show it to my pops and he says, "So ploud of my rittle cocksucka." Because, you know, when I was a kid, my dad used to call us cocksuckers because he's ESL. True story.
Emily,
That would be fantastic!
I'm not too worried about funding, because they seem to have it for most admits. I'm more worried about the actually being accepted part! If I had to worry about funding, I'd try my best to figure something out. Maybe I can learn to be a sexy blackjack dealer.
@Leslie - and in case that comment gets misconstrued, I was talking about the Yankees :P
@Leslie, Mariners fan, here. God, the Yankees are evil.
@KerryH
Congrats on UNCW! I also am CNF. Have you heard any information regarding funding? I was told they would be getting around to that as soon as they heard "figures" from the grad school. I'm wondering how long that will be...
Maybe I'll see you in Wilmington!
I figured that, kaybay. =)
Wait a sec...
How come no one posts about Iowa School for Feckless Nobodies? Is this an up-and-coming program? How will Seth rank them? Did they get my transcripts?!
WHEN WILL THEY NOTIFY?!
In late: I just went back and watched your puupy, Coreyann, and I loved the video! Awwwwww. so cute!
@pencore, go check DH ... Iowa School for Feckless Nobodies let people know back in Nooooovvvember. keep up with the program! hehehe!
Am I the only one doing a Google search for Apolo Anton Ohno's mother? <--example of my tireless work ethic.
Why would we google Ohno's mom? Oh fudge. Did she get into IWW too?
Sam Chang! WTF. She will not enjoy bread with you as much as I will! her name is Ohno, oh no! All you will get is regret! OH NO!
@koru -- I'm male.
@Woon --- are you his mother?
(to paraphrase PD Eastman?)
A distraction: http://thesuperficial.com/2010/02/hilary_duffs_guide_to_acceptin.php
Funniest shit I've seen in a long time.
@Seth,
I appreciate all your dedication. Regarding UNCW, I also was not given a deadline and was accepted for CNF admission last week. Since that time I received a nice email stating they were waiting for figures from the graduate school to determine amounts of funding that can be provided. Thanks again,
Abbie Bergdale
P.S. I just saw the word Idaho and my heart dropped a little...congrats to all who were accepted today!
kaybay, your earlier post about baseball round picks just made my day. I think my dad was about to attempt a similar comparison the other day, but he somehow got off on a tangent about my little brother's preseason batting statistics. maybe it's because I got 'jected from UT and Michigan and no doubt a bunch of others... but I hope you're right!
AND CONGRATS ON YOUR WAITLIST!!!! may the good news keep on comin'!!!
ugh, I hate The Superficial but sometimes I look at that site anyway. I mean, really really hate the dude that runs that website. He's such a dbag.
:end rant
Hey Abbie,
Congratulations on UNCW! That program has been a favorite of mine since day one. (Of course, I think they could all be my favorite for various reasons.) In regard to funding, I'm waiting on that info too. I salivate at the idea of taking the graphic novel class! Keep me posted with your decisions. Good luck!
would any loser rejects like to start an online workshop group of loser rejects? fiction and poetry both welcome. and cnf. screenwriting. dioramas. papier mache. origami. whatever it is you do.
who needs an mfa?
@DFW
I hope we end up in the same program. And if you do make that story public, let me know about it.
inkli__11 sai,
I think some of us are talking about doing this if and when we end up rejected across the board. It's too early for most of us to count ourselves in, though!
CONGRATULATIONS on the Waitlist KAYBAY!!! I am so so so happy for you!!!
Lauren ♥
And ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ to everyone else on this blog :)
I just got an email from Montana-- accepted! I think they've just begun to send out acceptances. I've been reading this blog a lot, and am always so thrilled for everyone's acceptances. I'm rooting for everyone, and I'm so excited right now I don't know what to do with myself!!!
Good luck to everyone.
Congrats, Emma! I'm assuming that was the school you were talking about earlier??
Hey,
I've just heard that I'm at the top of the waitlist for Virginia Tech (fiction). Woot!
Awesome MFA Guy!! Your first bit of good news, right?? Great program, by the way!
@Emma, @MFAguy, congrats!
Hopefully all these acceptances and waitlists are signs this will be a good week for the bloggers! :-)
Hey, yes thanks people, my first bit of good news!
Emma, congratulations!
evenifitsmontanaandimsojealous.
MFAGuy, congratulations!
congrats to emma and MFA guy!
Congrats, Emma and MFAguy!
Congratulations MFAguy and Emma! And anyone else I missed!
Congratulations, Emma!! That's wonderful--you must be thrilled! Did they say something to suggest that they're sending out acceptances now, or did your acceptance seem to be a response to your earlier question?
Congrats to everyone today!
I'm baaaaaack!!!
happy happy joy joy to everyone who is in somewhere or waitlisted somewhere else or hanging on by the fingernails they have left ...
I have a new Plan B:
I'm applying to the university where I did my undergrad for a PhD in English with a creative dissertation. The deadlne technically was Jan 15 and they're almost done reviewing applications BUT I found a page that says the deadline is April 1 if one is not looking for funding, and they have agreed to consider me. So now I am rewriting my statement of purpose, frantically rounding up references, and looking, to borrow a word, for the fecking final research project I did for my master's to send as well.
Why didn't I apply there in the first place? I wanted to go somewhere new. I wanted to study with specific people in Amherst. And I was being lazy: I didn't want to have to worry about the language requirement. I also didn't want to take the GRE again ($125?!?!?).
Here's hoping.
Here I come French classes.
Good luck Mommy J. I'm so sorry about Amherst, but maybe this is for the better anyway :)
@kaybay
No, I was talking about a different school earlier. That school hasn't officially accepted anyone yet, including me. I'm sorry if I'm torturing people with that one, but I don't feel like the program would want me to say anything. They haven't accepted anyone yet anyway.
@MommyJ ... good luck!
but ... what about taking a year off, then apply to the Ph.D. when you have time to cram for the GREs, and can apply for funding? surely you'll have a stronger portfolio in a year, anyway? or is getting in this year really important?
This is my first post after reading for a while. Congrats to everyone who has heard good news! I have yet to hear from anywhere, and applied to 7 schools. No assumed rejections yet...I think most of the programs just haven't sent out anything yet.
But not hearing, and expecting at any moment, is making me feel neurotic. Not just about checking phone, email, and my PO Box--about everything. Example: songs have been getting stuck in my head in an unusually obnoxious way and a bad dream I had a few days ago is still messing with my head. And forget my deadlines for work...
Anyone else find MFA acceptance nerve induced neurosis invading other parts of their life/psyche? I would medicate with sugar but I feel like nervous sugar energy is the last thing I need.
Also, I can't help but imagine if, instead of fretting about MFAs getting back to me, I spent that time reading and writing. I could have completed a whole new writing sample by now, or read all those faculty books that have been sitting on my desk...
@Mommy J
Glad to see you back in the ranks! Best of luck. You can handle the GREs. Good luck w/ the french haha :)
congratulations, emma!
what genre did you apply in?
did you just get the email now?
Well I only applied to 1 school which was Michigan. This was my second run applying for this degree. Good bye to the idea of an MFA!
MommyJ,
I'm assuming you need the GRE Lit? A very generous person has shared his GRE Lit flash cards among other helpful tips here:
http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/TheList.html
It's pretty damn extensive. Mix this up with a review of Greek and Roman Mythology and take a few of those practice tests and you're golden.
@MommyJ,
You can do it! I love how you're embracing the challenge. It's really giving me some positive energy, which--I have been lacking lately. So, thanks!
MommyJ, your Plan B sounds awesome! I was a little depressed for the past week or so but your spirit even has me inspired. :o)
not to stir up trouble, but why do people keep asking arna for his/her writing sample? he/she doesn't know any of you, so why would he/she give you a copy of his/her unpublished work? obviously arna is extremely talented and his/her stories or novel has a chance at becoming well known, prize or award winning material.
arna hasn't responded to your requests for a reason. thievery is more common than you might realize when it comes to writing.
@ MommyJ,
So glad to see you back here! That sounds like an awesome Plan B. Best of luck!
Congrats, Emma & MFA guy!
Good luck, MommyJ! :) We're rooting for you!
@Cecil Peoples
I think the issue is that Arna's decision to share his/her work with anyone is completely Arna's and no one is criticizing him/her one way or the other.
I very politely asked for the reason that I have personally swapped writing samples with others on this blog before and I do believe it is a fairly common practice. The fact that Arna was accepted to a few of the best programs makes people want to read his/her work to get an idea of what it takes to get into some of these programs.
To make the assumption that someone is a thief for that curiosity seems wholly unfounded and accusatory. I fully respect Arna's decision not to share his/her work and the only feasible reason I could see for calling someone out like that is if someone were pressuring Arna in a derogatory way. I don't think any request has done that, so maybe let's ease up, no?
@inkli-- i applied in fiction, and i just got the email about an hour and a half ago.
There are two Emmas on this board by the way. I'm not the Emma with the question about whether or not to call a school, from earlier. I'm the Emma who responded to that Emma. So confusing!
not saying that someone would steal anything, but you must remember that this is the internet, and no one really knows anyone's intentions. let's say arna emails her/his sample to someone, then that person prints it out. maybe their neighbor sees it on the desk, reads it, and takes it home.
i'm not calling anyone out, just making an overall observation. arna has no power as to who reads her work once it's emailed. she/he has no idea where it's going. if ten people asked her/him to email her/his sample, would she send it to all ten? would she/he send it to just 2 or 3? how would arna choose who to send it to? think about it.
I get that, I really do. And I agree that there are people out there who would do something like that. What I don't agree with is making a remark that singles out individuals who, by all intents and purposes, seemed to harbor no ill intentions. Everyone who I saw post asking if they could read anyone else's writing sample was gracious and pleasant, the implication being that if that person didn't want to share there writing it was no bid deal.
It is the sole decision of whoever was asked to make that judgment call for themselves. And, while I can understand your line of reasoning, I wouldn't presume to be the spokesperson for others judgment in such manners. Especially when there was quite literally no pressure placed on anyone who was asked if they'd like to share their writing samples.
i fully understand your point (and well said, btw), but don't you think the pressure goes up as more people ask her to share?
it's seems like arna is too nice of a person to post a comment about not wanting to email his/her sample. then again, I could be way off. I can't speak for arna (and I'm not trying to), just intrigued as to why someone would do such a thing?
with 1300 applicants to iowa, you have to figure that 50-100 of them sent amazing samples. the top 25 were probably singled out with letters of rec, statement of purpose, grades, history in the writing field, teaching experience, and so on.
I agree about the pressure going up with increased inquiries, but it comes with the territory I suppose. If it's good writing more people are going to want to see it to get a better idea of exactly what DOES get you into the best schools.
I'm not saying you are wrong. I am just saying its a choice people have to make on their own. Off to watch DVR Lost.
Congrats Emma! Woo!
In other completely unrelated news OH PLEASE MONTANA I LOVE YOU SO REALLY I DO
The wasabi peas are only going so far tonight...
anybody else kind of mad about the fake out "new residency hall" from Brooklyn email?
Congrats all waitlisters and acceptees! (Looks like some action from Idaho and Montana happened today...) Yea kaybay!!!
@ cecil
As someone who asked Arna for a sample, I'd like to chime in. Arna's not the only one people have asked for samples from. When Trilbe got into beaucoup awesome programs, everyone wanted to see her poetry samples to know if they're way off base in applying to a school. It's actually pretty standard on this blog. This is an open community to help each other through a very difficult, nerve-racking process.
Arna's a big girl. (If you'd been falling the blog you'd know that she had a panic attack before the cornell acceptance, and her words of wisdom have helped me through my continuing anxiety attacks although I still worry that I'll get through to the end without one acceptance to show for it.) If she doesn't want to share her sample that's her thing and everyone's understanding of that. You really don't need to be the blog police for a practice that's pretty common and accepted here. (And notice I'm not indicating whether Arna sent me a sample or not because that is something that *would* be like calling someone out. You just make the request and that's that.)
Hi all. I've been lurking for this whole application season. It's my second year applying places. I just wanted to drop in and (1) give a hearty congrats to all the acceptances (2) wish everyone good luck for the notifications that will be coming up, and (3) give you all a heads up about Nevada.
No, I don't know when they're going to notify, or anything truly satisfying like that. I just want to let you all know that Nevada is in REALLY dire financial straits. Our Legislature is in a special session to try to plug an $880 million dollar hole. To put that in perspective: last year we had to raise $1 billion in taxes, AND plug an $800 million dollar hole. So, um, it sucks to be us. Higher education is looking at some potentially severe cuts. There has been talk of closing all the community colleges and state colleges; closing the med school, dental school, and law school; doing away with all collegiate athletics; or closing either UNR or UNLV. Now, I don't think it will come to that, but you should all know that the higher ed situation is bleak. So, please take that into account when hoping for the UNLV acceptance; they may end up not having money for you. Folks should also know that Nevada is at the bottom of all the "good" lists and the top of all the "bad" lists. My hometown, Reno, was recently deemed Drunkest City. I know UNLV has a pretty cool program, and I applied there, too, but I think you all deserve to know what you're potentially getting into.
Sorry for the depressing post. It's not my aim to influence folks one way or the other--your choices are your own--but I just want to offer some perspective, as a lifelong Nevada resident.
Best to you all,
Danielle
On a more hopeful note, the two creative writing profs at UNR (Univ. of Nevada, Reno) are very interested in getting an MFA program going there someday. If the funding ever becomes available, it will probably happen. And, as long as those two profs are involved with it and stay with the university, I know for a fact that it would be a genre-friendly program.
Hey --
this is the OTHER EMMA :) And I was indeed talking about Montana this morning... so once again am worrying that they emailed the wrong Emma, oh lord. But HEY NOW DOUBLE EMMAS. M&M, if you will. Or not.
So, now that the cat's outta the bag, I too have heard from Montana and have apparently been accepted for fiction (albeit sans transcript).
@other Emma -- did they indicate that they have made funding decisions, perchance? And from whom was your email? Was it Karen Sturm or someone from the MFA program?
Thanks :)
dannigirl,
Thanks for the Nevada info. That's terrible news. I hope the economy improves for those of you living there and for those of us hoping to study there. It's rough times for everybody, but I guess some parts of the country are getting it worse.
Last year, during my practice-run of MFA applications (only applied to 2, but learned a thing or two) I remember coming across Boston University's MFA site. Something just made me remember it, I'm not sure what. At any rate, the site had posted what amounted to a seething, self-righteous and utterly distasteful letter from the faculty (or dean, something like that) about all the types of writing it viewed as beneath their institution, writers of which need not apply. Does anyone remember this? Blew my mind.
Thinking on it now, I wonder what exactly everyone did write about in their submissions. I noticed there is a pact against the discussion of genre on this board, which is understandable. But I'm curious: what the hell did you all write about?
Oh, Montana, I love you... This is getting rougher which each school.
BUT congrats to Emma #2!!
MAYBE they are only letting Emmas into Montana!
It's a lovely name but seriously, Montana, you need some diversity here.
Congrats to BOTH Emmas.
@Benjamin:
YES. Holy crap. I almost peed myself.
FOE virgin no longer.
@MFA Guy congrats aren't you an international applicant, well so am I - and I am so thrilled you have good news to hold onto...
@Emma congrats to you too
@Arna please please send me your fiction manuscript too I'd so appreciate it - bshveta@hotmail.com it would make me feel better in the face of complete silence from my Univ's. Thanks for the trouble..
@BookMoth
For a second I wanted to lie to myself, just tell myself that it might mean something. So much for false hope and still waiting to hear some news from anywhere....
@Jarsh -
I considered sending a genre (read: sci-fi) piece, but one of my profs kindly talked me out of it, even though he was enthusiastic about the piece. So, instead, I sent a psychological realism story written in second person POV; it's a sort of letter from one lover to another. Slightly more complicated than that, but that's the gist.
@ everyone commiserating over Brooklyn's FOE
should i be concerned that i DIDN'T receive a FOE??
(this whole process is not-so-subtly making me insane)
@ Jarsh --
I submitted one straight-up "literary fiction" story and one that is arguably ... I don't know, fantasy? Magic realism? Neither of those really... but definitely a genre piece.
- Emma #2
Dear schools that I applied to,
Anytime tomorrow I am available to receive calls or e-mails. Feel free to give me a ring, yo.
@miss private eye
i do not think it is something to worry about...in fact you should be happy, it was exceptionally cruel really...it was showing where graduate students could live, if you were accepted....
@Arna sorry maybe Cecil's People is right please don't bother if it makes you uncomfortable. I do understand. And once again congratulations you will be living all our dreams!!!
@Benjamin
dudeeee. that IS cruel. don't show us where we MIGHT live?!?!
creeps.
@Benjamin: I understand.
@miss private eye: No. (You aren't insane, either.)
"And Koreans feel that any defeat of Japan is memorable. So it adds a little cultural rivalry."
What is WITH these olympic commentators?
Ashley, unfortunately that's rather true. Everyone in Asia hates the Japanese because of WW2.
@miss private eye
and when you do get this email, please feel free to cry with us
Ashley Brooke! Ditto!
Dear Programs With My Application,
Nothing would please me more than to be startled from a pleasant dream of running a sub 4 minute mile, celebrating with a bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream and realizing I am related to Abe Lincoln, by your early morning phone call letting me know I have been accepted to your program.
If you're late callers, I wouldn't mind pausing my Olympic viewing and lunch or dinner to pick up.
Additionally, I stay up extremely late so if you want to call me really late at night and maybe talk about "stuff", I'm totally down.
You have my number!
@Benjamin
the tears will flow freely and rapidly.
@ Jarsh,
Yes, I remember seeing that on BU's website, but had completely forgotten about it until reading your post. I think I read it over a year ago, maybe when I was first thinking about going for the MFA. I don't remember much of the content, other than the fact that its arrogant tone made me angry.
I didn't apply to BU, even though living in Boston would be ideal for me (my first choice schools are in Boston). My reason for not applying to BU was that it's only a 1-year program, and I want more time than that to write, teach, etc. And other than that, there was something I vaguely remembered feeling uneasy about in relation to their program. Now I remember -- it was that letter.
@Dannigirl, Emma#2 and whomever else might be interested
I ask because one of my stories is a little bit disturbed (while also, I hope, funny) and another is very "experimental" -- by which I mean its the narrative of a self-help infomercial I made up, hahaha.
I feel like maybe I made a mistake, like by being too weird. But I think it's all or nothing with this thing, so hell with it.
I'm usually waaay more self-conscious when I read this blog. To hell with it.
The Hobo Bobo,
No. I understand the political issues between the two countries. The comment was simplistic and judgemental and irrelevant and really rude to the girl competing.
It's like when people make comments like "oh the French hate Americans." The reality of the situation is very different and it is usually not that true.
Dear MFA World,
What Ashley and Jason said.
I guess now I'm being irrelevant. The comment just didn't sit right with me.
Yes, what Jason said, only I'll be lucky to get a 10 minute mile.
So, and this goes to everyone, is anyone else into the art of calling and emailing schools that are yet to accept anyone to see if they accidentally slip up and see whether or not you are accepted or rejected?
With how much they have going on, you would not think it would be too hard for at least one to slip up and be like "no, a visit is not really necessary."
Sorry...neurotic.
@ Everyone regarding Arna's sample:
Guys, you could just buy this:
http://www.batcityreview.la.utexas.edu/
Yeah, he's definitely been published. :) Nice work, Arna! Congrats on the acceptances, and congrats to everyone else of late on acceptances and wait-lists!
I freely admit that I'm not as current in literary studies (and quite possibly not as intelligent) as the various MFA admission committee members, but I've never understood the distinction of "literary fiction" as either a genre or distinct from/above other genres. Many of my favorite literary works (and maybe they aren't really literary, I guess...depends who you ask) are mysteries (E.A. Poe), westerns (Blood Meridian, etc), speculative/science fiction (Borges and Lem), detective fiction (The New York Trilogy, Mr. Peanut), etc....
Cheers!
Ms Adams,
Thank you for your input and for taking the time to clear some things up for us. I think that what you are reading as mistrust is actually the nervous energy that is bouncing around here. This is a place where people are very candid with their concerns and thoughts.
I think that it's a shame that the economy is forcing schools to make these sorts of difficult decisions. But the schools, at least for us when we are here, don't feel as immediate as our peers on these boards. When one of the regulars here is struggling, we are quick to empathize with them. I cannot speak for anyone but myself but I honestly don't believe that anybody meant ill will towards your program or any other, which many of us here regard highly.
Thank you for taking the time to address us directly here, and I think that if you are able remove your school from the agreement it has signed that people will be more understanding.
re UNCW thing, general mania
I think the fact that so many anxieties surrounding this vastly competitive, costly and taxing process are funneled through this one outlet really deranges things. But I suppose thats what writing is all about, huh?
Too much.
Ashley, did they say it in that chipper announcer voice? Because then it would have been very irksome indeed.
I could pull off 6:30 four years ago; now I'd be content to do 800m in that time.
Congrats to the newly accepted. I've gotten way too busy to write down/search everyone by name, but congrats to all of you nonetheless.
Re: Arna
I just want to help you guys out a little with some gender confusion. The name "Arna Bontemps" comes from a well-known poet who died in the 1970's. He was male.
@cecil @DFW @Riah and whoever else:
haha oh man, I get a little behind on my email and accidentally cause a blog discussion.
I'll just make a general statement here that will maybe address everyone's concerns?
I've actually thought a lot about this, as it has suddenly become a somewhat pressing issue in my inbox and online. I really don't have a problem with sharing my sample, or at least the 25 pages of it that make up my best short story. So far (until my recent work as an Assistant Editor for Narrative Magazine picked up and I got a little behind with the email) I've sent the same part of my writing sample to everyone whose request I've seen. I'll post here a general version of what I've been telling people in the body of those emails;
The only thing that gave me some hesitation about sharing my sample is the thought that a reader might use it to draw a conclusion about their own work. Which I think is a bad idea. All of that competitive thinking muddles the approach to my writing that would best benefit anyone reading it, which is to try and see what's wrong with it instead of what's right with it (or, in finding it lacking, being swept up in resentment of it). In some ways this seems like a can of worms. I at first imagined the two possible reactions to my story being either that whoever asked for my sample hates it and therefore resents me or that they love it and therefore is made to feel less strongly about their own writing and therefore should resent me.
But I'm an applicant too, and I completely understand the other motivation in asking someone like me for my sample: simple curiosity.
Much in the tradition of my Jewish-Buddhist philosophy, I've tried to find a middle way. So far I've been sending out to anyone who asks the first 25 pages of my writing sample, which makes up my best story. It was published in Bat City Review and is currently nominated for a Pushcart Prize (which circumstances also happen to take care of the possible plagiarism issue). I feel like this solution helps the people wanting to see what my writing is like while still preserving some mystery, in the sense that at a school with page limits like Iowa, this story was only one third of my writing sample.
contd.
contd.
So, to put this directly: To anyone who wants to see my sample, or at least the main part of it: feel free to ask. Just email me your email address and brief 'hello' and I don't mind at all sending it on. My address is abhemenway at gmail.com.
I want to say, though, that my situation is more or less the situation all of us are in when we write. That story that was the heart of my sample got pretty trashed in my undergrad workshop with Jim McPherson at Iowa (though not by him). The next week one of the graduate students from Iowa emailed me, telling me he'd accidentally picked up a copy of it instead of the story for his workshop (the boxes were right next to each other) and that he just wanted to tell me he thought it was beautiful. It was from this encouragement that I ended up submitting it to The Atlantic Fiction contest, where it won 3rd place (behind one of the grad students from Iowa) and went on to sell it to the Bat City Review. My point is that you always live with the onus of possibility, the potential reactions that cut both ways. You have to. It's the risk of being a shitty writer that drives everybody who tries to be a good one. No one should be afraid of that. And having gotten in to Cornell and Iowa and going to interview at Hunter, I'm not above this. So it doesn't bother me to share my sample. Some of you might read it and think yours is better [to wit: even after The Atlantic Fiction editor and judge of the contest wrote to me personally to tell me how much he liked it, the story still got rejected at 13 out of 14 lit mags] and I think that's good. It's good to feel strongly about writing, and I hope it motivates your own. Which is the same way I feel about anyone who might like it. As my favorite poetry teacher Dean Young recently wrote, "You can't hurt poetry by trying to write it." The same is true of fiction, including that you can't hurt it by having an opinion. As far as writing samples go, the point is to just try to learn from it somehow.
Best,
Arna
P.S. Thank you to the person(s) who defended my right (accidentally exercised) to withhold my sample, and thank you to the person(s) who stuck up for their curiosity to see it.
P.P.S If you've already made a request for my sample just hold tight. I'm going to send out a big batch tomorrow.
P.P.S. If anyone thinks of or encounters an Iowa fiction admit as hoity-toity, I should let it be publicly known that I am wearing a mouthguard while
Re: My literary intelligence
I just wanted to clarify one other point. I am not so smart to know the names of poets who died several decades ago. Google + Wikipedia is my friend. You guys should try it!
Slappy Hooper!!!
I wasn't anxious awaiting my MFA application results until I started reading this blog (today). Now, I'm officially unsettled. Ha! Best wishes to everyone!
I wasn't anxious awaiting my MFA application results until I started reading this blog (today). Now, I'm officially unsettled. Ha! Best wishes to everyone!
The Hobo Bobo,
Actually, he kind of did! ha. It was very "oh listen to this cultural tidbit I've got for you here."
*while writing this
Now that Arna has revealed himself on this blog, I can say that I had the opportunity to share emails with him when we were both accepted to Cornell. Not only is he an extremely talented writer, but he's also a nice guy. Plus, he's like ten years younger than me and that makes me feel infinitely bad. Just kidding, Arna. :)
@Arna
Just wanted to say I appreciate you taking the time to write that response and it was very eloquently put.
Sam Chang is a visiting faculty at the Brea Loaf Writers Conference this year in Aug...
ok, this is meant to be in response to a post by Lavonne Adams, which seems to have been deleted between the time I loaded the page and the time I logged in so as to write this response. (or maybe I've gone blind?)
First, thank you for coming to the blog to clarify for us what UNCW's position regarding the timeliness of offers, monetary constraints, and expected time for MFA acceptees to respond is. Knowledge DOES help this process.
I spent a lot of time this past year, as I researched programmes, deciding whether to apply to UNCW or not, based in large part on student concerns over how offers were made, and issues of funding once at the school. In the end, I did apply, but had reservations. I do wish that UNCW was up front with prospective students about how they make their offers. Had I known the information you just posted, about offers being made on a rolling basis, with short deadlines, I would have saved the time and money and not applied. I really do hope, for the sake of people holding a stronger opinion of your programme in the future, that you will offer the information up front to applicants about how you will handle admissions.
In my own work, I more than understand the fiscal constraints and juggling that you refer to; I do not envy you the job you have to do, and I do wish you the best in finding a way to do so. But I do ask that you be much more transparent than has occurred in the past or in this round of applications.
@Arna (and anyone else who wants to share samples - poetry or fiction):
bookmothblog@gmail.com
In solidarity,
BM
@Ashley
Do you happen to have a copy of the comment left by Ms. Adams of UNCW? It has been erased and now I'm in a spot--I have to decide whether to drop UNCW from the rankings and have no idea what Ms. Adams may have written. All I have to go on is your response, which suggested that Ms. Adams was reading "mistrust" toward programs, that UNCW cited the economy as the reason for its recent breach of the CGSR, and that UNCW plans on removing themselves from the CGSR.
As to the first: MFA programs have spent approximately 75 years earning, as best they can, the mistrust of applicants. Whereas Ms. Adams, or any MFA administrator, only has (one presumes) direct knowledge of a single program's peccadilloes, for four years I've gotten private e-mails from across the country detailing, from those involved in the situations recounted, precisely the lengths some programs have gone to to earn the mistrust of their most important audience. Programs have refused to release vital data applicants need to make matriculation decisions; they have lied (repeatedly) to applicants who make inquiries via telephone; they have violated written agreements to which they are signatories; they have given themselves pay-raises while placing students in debt-holes they may never climb out of; they have pushed and promulgated ranking systems that privilege faculty values, not student values; they have spent almost no time listening to applicants to understand what students want in a program. And I say all this as someone who loves the MFA model, wants to see it succeed, and has consistently been amazed at how, amongst all the muck in the system, hundreds and hundreds of people are still working in good faith to serve applicants to the best of their ability. Indeed the majority are.
The economy is bad--and 199 programs have responded to that by continuing to comply with the CGSR. It's as simple as that--the bad economy cannot be an excuse for malfeasance for only 1 program. Just so, when last year a program (not UNCW) justified violating the CGSR by spreading the accusation that "applicants are habitually holding onto funded offers just because they can," that explanation was not only factually false--and dare I say, odious, given the conscientiousness of this community about being fair to all its members and to the programs--but also notable for having been raised by only 1 program out of 200. And now, once again (ironically) the mistrust UNCW is ascribing to applicants is, as with last year's CGSR scandals, a matter of projection. The angriest people re: UNCW right now are not applicants, who feel disempowered to speak up against the poor treatment they receive, but other programs. UNCW has been spared their complaints because of the internal politics amongst MFA programs; I, however, get to hear all the complaints backchannel about how UNCW is showing disrespect to its fellows in declaring itself above the agreements it (and hundreds of other programs) signed.
Finally, as to UNCW dropping out of the CGSR: I hope they won't do this. But if they do, the one silver lining is that it makes the decision to drop UNCW from the rankings much easier. It's sad that UNCW is prominently featuring the P&W rankings on its website but when contacted by the author of those rankings to try to come up with a solution to keep UNCW in the rankings, all that happened was an (apparently tone-deaf) response getting posted here and then deleted.
Most MFA programs work their butts off to serve applicants. Guess what: So do I. For years. And for a much larger group. I don't take a back seat to anyone in terms of working in good faith to give applicants the rights and dignity they're due--and unlike some, I don't make excuses when I fall down on the job.
S.
@Seth,
I don't have the full text, but here are the notes I took on her post:
(geek, i know!)
Lavonne Adams post, main points:
* has asked to be out of CGSR
* their notification process: try to figure out how many admits can make, give only those with funding a deadline. as they accept/reject, they go down the list for more offers of funding, at which point those new admits become on a timeline to decide.
* some of this is also predicated on waiting for NC to tell them how much money, and also on the mix of instate/out of state.
* she's new this year, first year in role.
* no mention made of wanting or trying to change the process by which they admit or require decisions, ecept to ask UNCW no longer be a signee onto CGSR.
* they fund 50% of students in the MFA programme.
@Jarsh/Laura T/Wandering Tree
It's funny, I just mailed in my application to BU today (four months after the first app submission, they're finally all in!). I had held off as long as possible specifically because I disliked that letter so much. It just has a really awful, elitist tone, and it's smack in the middle of a terribly designed, nearly unusable website. That, in addition to my other problems with the program (only 1 year, iffy funding sitch) had given me enough reason to hold off and hope I would get an offer elsewhere. Since that hasn't happened (3 rejections into the process), I gave in and finally submitted my application, but paying that $70 app fee felt like a needle in my eye.
But, now that I've applied, I feel like I should focus on the good parts of the program (Ha Jin! and not much else!) and hope for the best.
@Seth A
Just emailed you a copy of the UNCW coordinator's comment, in case no one else had already.
Seth,
I did not save a copy of the comment but I can provide you with what I remember of it.
Ms Adams first expressed concern that people here may be of the opinion that the schools are out to get or trick their applicants, which she maintained that they are not.
She then said that since they can only fund about half of their students and that she/UNCW set time limits only for students who are offered funding and that she is willing to offer extensions if the students were to ask for one. She explained that initial offers are made and that many students are waiting to know if they will be offered funding or not. However, she did suggest that some students may attempt to hold on to an offer while waiting until April 15th to find out about a waitlist spot elsewhere, which she said she doesn't agree with.
She said that UNCW is currently attempting to remove itself from the April 15th resolution as it does not benefit the program's students or the direction that they want to do in.
It was a very lengthy comment, and she did speak of the economy and a bit about the process of getting funding approved. She said this it complicated and may not be done by the date that you suggested it ought to be done by.
This is mainly what I remember of the comment but it was pretty thorough.
If I have misrepresented UNCW or Ms Adams opinions, I apologize. This is just what I remember. I also feel that since the information was in the public that it is okay for me to repeat this information and I apologize if this is considered in bad taste. I will delete this comment if asked to do so by either of them.
@Ashley,
everything you summarised reads as i remember it. :-)
Kou,
You beat me to it, though!
@AB ... mad outlining skillz! i has 'em!
:D
And the rejections keep coming.
Nice to see you depression, glad to see you're doing so well.
...Oh, yes you haven't met Lexapro. Don't mind him - he won't bother you
... well I said he wouldn't, you don't have to be mean about it.
... yes, yes alcohol's coming over soon, I know how well you guys get along. You don't have to keep asking. Jesus.
Koru, so do you outline everything that goes on here? :P
I can only imagine! "Well they talked about boobs for awhile...."
@bbartok, sorry about the rejections. :-(
i'm sitll not sure what's worse ... rejections, or the forever-limbo when a place neither rejects you nor admits but doesn't clearly say you're waitlisted either ...
anyhoo, i'll ponder that in my dreams tonight. nite nite all! xx koru
@Nathaniel
Thanks so much. Some thoughts on the note (now having read it):
1. I haven't heard anyone say that MFA administrators are trying to "take application money and run." The only person who said anything remotely like that was me--and what I said, via e-mail, was that applicants apply to programs in reliance on publicly-available information put out by the programs. If the programs abrogate a signed agreement applicants may be presumed to know about ex ante, then applicants have detrimentally relied on information put out by the program in choosing to pay an application fee. This is an unjust effect; I never said, nor would I, that UNCW's rolling admissions process and fanciful two-week response deadline is a get-rich-quick scheme. That just wouldn't make any sense (and wouldn't work!).
2. When I said programs have their budgets set by mid-February I meant that either programs have dedicated funding lines, or else they have minimum dedicated funding lines (e.g., they know they can fund at least X TAs, the question is only whether they can fund X + [number] TAs, and it's only this latter question programs sometimes can answer only belatedly). My point was that I have never heard of a program fully bifurcating their admissions and funding systems--as there'd never be any budgetary explanation for doing so, and so the only possible explanation would be a strategic one. In any case, it's moot: I had been giving UNCW the benefit of the doubt in assuming full bifurcation (i.e., only offers of admission without [as yet] funding offers were being subject to the two-week deadline), but I have since learned that, yes, UNCW explicitly put a two-week deadline on at least some funded offers--a straight-up, prima facie CGSR violation.
3. I will seem to be speaking sarcastically when I say that my heart broke upon reading the following: "I have given no deadlines to students who have been offered no money. I have given deadlines to those I have offered financial support." But in fact I was very, very depressed by this admission (because I'm going to assume good faith) that UNCW's administrative head has never even read the CGSR the University signed--as what Ms. Adams is confessing here is that she has violated the CGSR to the letter. She has it backwards: "technically," unfunded offers can have deadlines attached (though it's unconscionable and that's another story); it's funded offers that can only have an April 15th deadline. Again, I'm now assuming this was merely ignorance of the prevailing standard--no one would so baldly admit to a CGSR violation if they actually knew what the Resolution said. So I truly am sympathetic to what was clearly not an ill-intended (instead merely grossly negligent) institutional policy.
4. As to UNCW's explanation of their funding scheme putting them in a special spot--I'm afraid that (at last count) approx. 106 full-res MFA programs were in an analagous situation. I.e., Ms. Adams merely described the situation at any non-fully-funded program--and nothing about the explanation justifies a CGSR violation.
What needs to change is not UNCW's signature on the CGSR, but its policies. It needs to conform to the courage other programs have shown in risking all (i.e., applicants they really want) to give all applicants a fair shake. If UNCW pulls out of the CGSR I don't see how there can be any response but dropping them from the rankings. This remedy may have to be applied to a couple other programs also.
Best,
S.
@ Other Emma
My email from Montana was from Deirdre McNamer, and it did discuss funding. I was offered a TAship. I wouldn't be worried that they've confused us, though. I don't think that would happen! Don't worry 'bout a thing.
@Emmas
Gosh, if you both go to the same program, it'll be extremely confusing.
Didn't one of you talk secretively about getting an offer from a program in the northeast? Or were you both just talking about Montana? I ask only because I applied to most of the programs in New England, and want to know how nervous to be.
Sorry, but this whole Freaky Friday-type thing has got me all confused.
@Seth,
Do you suppose anyone in the main Grad College at UNCW knows what's going on in the MFA department/MFA admissions?
(i doubt you know unless you're a mind reader ... but it came up when some of us were talking off-blog about this yesterday). i just cannot imagine the Grad College allowing this; maybe I'm naive?
I'll look forward to finding out if I'm naive upon my waking. :-)
@koru
You've naive. But I love you for it--it's adorable. ;-)
Institutions (qua institutions) are amoral (amoral, not immoral); consequently, they will get away with whatever they are allowed to get away with. If the Grad College knew what was going on at the MFA my guess is they wouldn't care--unless and until the infraction was caught. At that point it gets complicated, as (were I a Provost) I would consider the most responsible first action to be notifying the University's Legal Department. If the University has signed a contract and one of its divisions has repeatedly breached that contract, let alone publicly admitted that breach, there is (however distant) the possibility of legal liability accruing to the University through respondeat superior--for instance, if UNCW were to pull the plug on a funded offer because an applicant insisted on the terms of the CGSR that student (were they foolish enough to do so; why try to join a club where everyone's going to hate you?) would probably have a slam-dunk equity action (injunction, &c) against the University. No money would change hands (except maybe legal fees), but that applicant, I believe, would get their spot. Though again, at that point why would they even want it?
The point is, the MFA is in a bind (and no one at UNCW or here should construe this as legal advice), because there's no way in heck they will be able to convince the entire University to back out of the CGSR--that would be a huge blow to the University's reputation, the TA union would go apeshit, &c &c--so the only recourse is to start complying with the CGSR forthwith. Meaning, you'd think the UNCW MFA would contact all funded admittees, like, yesterday to tell them that they have until April 15th to make a matriculation decision (and then this should be followed up with the same notice, via USPS, on letterhead). That's why I say that this can only end one of two ways: UNCW reforms immediately, or it becomes a chronic CGSR violator and therefore is dropped forthwith from the rankings. Mind you, those aren't the only two options because I say so--those are literally the only two ways this can play out, whatever anyone would say or want.
(My speciality as an attorney was legal strategy ;-).
S.
More and more I want to grow up to be just like Seth.
Ownin' it, big time.
Just caught up. Holy Christ! What a day!
@kaybay: I'm so late that I'm annoying myself by typing this comment. That said, CONGRATS! It's really lovely to hear good news from you.
@DFW1986: You make me smirk at my computer. Yeah, that's an internet flirt (pencore, charming, isn't he??). I'm going to assume that numeric figure next to your David Foster Wallace reference (may he rest in peace) is your birth year. Let me just work with my calculator here for a minute...so thaaaat's...plus...minus...square root...uh huh...carry the two...yeah, so you're younger than me. Let's take it slow - stick with jokes. I like your jokes, young blood.
Thank you everyone (mostly) for being lighthearted today. The sillies keep me away from the crazies. xoxo.
@cecil peoples
When I spoke to Iowa on the phone, I had the distinct impression, multiple times, that none of my materials had been read except the poems. I have it on "authority" from former Workshop students that the faculty state their decisions are made solely on the MS (at least the admit itself; funding/fellowship is probably different).
okkk officially received the FOE from brooklyn. lol.
Hmm go the Brooklyn housing email as well.
That makes 3 FOE's in one day... from SFSU, CCA and Brooklyn, plus the rejection from Syracuse! Most contact I've had ever!
bbartok: I hope that's an allusion to the great Béla?
As long as it's not a MAOI...
is anyone else rereading their fakeout Brooklyn email looking for secret clues or hidden messages...
@Nethanial-- I didn't apply to any schools in New England. The Northeastern school I was talking about was Hunter. They told me that they were down to 12 people, and were strongly considering me. I hope that helps. I don't know if they've officially accepted anyone yet. I'm divulging this to quell any concerns, and I think someone else on here got this news as well.
Wishing everyone all the best, and sorry if I made people worry with my vague post. I'm the Emma who lives in LA, so I will now be referring to myself (begrudgingly, since I can't stand this town) as LA Emma.
I just realized that in my last post I said Freaky Friday, when I clearly meant the Parent Trap. Doh.
And somebody please stop me, because it's 2 in the AM, and I'm talking to myself about old Disney movies and no one is listening...
I live in LA, LA Emma! But my own reasoning behind it is quite lacking...
@Nathaniel - go to sleep!
Okay, now somebody tell me to.
I am so fed up with this waiting game.I also feel I have a long way to go in the MFA 'acceptees' line especially for the top schools.Perhaps I shall try next year but it's not like I'm young and have many years to take a shot at it.
I get a feeling that most of these schools look at candidates with a somewhat established track record in publishing in literary reviews or winning writing contests. I can't say this applies to every candidate but broadly it seems like it. I read Gregory Brown's bio and those of some 'others' (I've been watching too much LOST:)) accepted into Iowa and I think they have a lot to show in terms of achievements in the literary field.
I am so fed up with this waiting game.I also feel I have a long way to go in the MFA 'acceptees' line especially for the top schools.Perhaps I shall try next year but it's not like I'm young and have many years to take a shot at it.
I get a feeling that most of these schools look at candidates with a somewhat established track record in publishing in literary reviews or winning writing contests. I can't say this applies to every candidate but broadly it seems like it. I read Gregory Brown's bio and those of some 'others' (I've been watching too much LOST:)) accepted into Iowa and I think they have a lot to show in terms of achievements in the literary field.
@Hannah go to sleep, I'm on the other side of the globe it's one in the afternoon here...
re: The Hobo Bobo
no, ssri's so far. Yes Bela Bartok.
Nefrettiti: your feeling that programs take only published writers is not something to worry about. I know plenty of people who were accepted last year, into some good programs (though not necessarily top-tier programs) with no publishing record (myself included).
Publishing doesn't matter, but good writing does.
@ Nefrettiti
I truly believe that the majority of MFA Programs do not care about your publishing literary background. They care about one thing, and one thing only, and that's your manuscript. There are just as many people at Iowa and the rest of the programs who were accepted without any published material as there are who have been published.
If things don't pan out this year, I would encourage you to keep on writing. If there's a writers group in your community, join it! You do not need an MFA to be a writer. You need to write to be a writer.
But good luck with your applications this year!
Nathaniel, thanks for your rockin' MFA playlist. It'll help me during this painful time of notifications.
I applied to Boston, too, as the Chinese writer known as Ha Jin teaches there. By the way, have you read his novel, "Waiting?" Appropriate title for a lot of us folks on this blog..
bbartok: I won a competition with a Bartok piece when I was young. Holds special significance.
And ugh, I stopped that after a week.
back here (sigh, feels kind of like coming back home to some kind of strange family living room during the holidays, doesn't it? Where everybody's cooking, making pastries, sharing music and songs, passing the Neurotic around, loading on hugs, somebody's dancing on the coffee table, somebody's getting drunk in the corner, sibling rivalry, Seth as the calm, take-charge parent who's just got this situation under control, so we shouldn't even worry about it. Yep. Just like coming home for the holidays.
I want to SHOUT OUT a HUGE warm CONGRATULATIONS to all of you beautiful people who are on this blog! Of course big squeals of glee for those of you who have official good news today, but also big hugs to ALL of us who are here everyday, cheering each other up, sharing our knowledge, our insecurities, victories. I respect and like SO much that this group feels genuinely happy for one another, empathetic and kind, very much a we-are-all-in-this-together sort of place. And so yes, of course, watching the news pour in can increase stress, but with that stress comes a place of feeling validated in this particular kind of craziness, sadness, uncertainty, disbelief, joy etc.
Thank you, each and every single one of you beautiful people.
(not a small amount of thanks, too, for the shared playlists, and distracting hanna montana and kitten videos. perfection.)
as for me: Still. Not. A. Single. Word. Not a rejection, a FOE, CERTAINLY not an acceptance....just this really bizarre silence...like they don't know I exist, or something. Maybe it's the programs I've applied to that are just on a later timeline? One of the other MFA blogs (where it shows dates at which notifications from various schools went out in each genre in previous years) suggests that I'm REALLY allowed to go into cardiac arrest during the first week of march...
Any other CNF applicants here applying to
University of Arizona
The New School
Columbia
Hollins
Iowa (assuming that's a nope)
UNCW (i'm assuming this is a no)
?
Also, @Abbie, you just stuck out at me, and I'm really super excited and happy for your acceptance. Seems like you've worked really hard, and have very cool things ahead of you. <3 Congrats to you! (and to all!)
Last year, Hollins CNF notification was around the 8th or 9th of March.
Hello all,
First I'd like to congratulate everyone who I have not yet congratulated on their acceptances and waitlists! Sorry I'm not around as much these days, but I'm still paying attention!
Secondly, I'm happy to say that I just woke to an e-mail from Beth Ann Fennelly informing me that I'm accepted at OLE MISS with a fellowship! She said that she would have called if I weren't in Europe, so I will assume that any other acceptees based in America will be getting their notification via phone.
Be well, all, and the best of luck! I'm rooting for you all!
NM
For Poetry, I should have said.
NM
@ Nick,
CONGRATS!!!!! Beth Ann Fennely was a guest speaker at my school last semester (along with her husband) and they were both so wonderful. I got to workshop my poetry with her, and I think you're in for a treat! Great news!!
also, @Denis, thank you for the time-frame on Hollins. I've been anxious to hear their reply. Looks like it'll be a little bit of a wait, yet.
Nick McRae pulling another 'Nick McRae.' Congrats!
I can't dig through all of these pages, so could someone tell me if it is generally understood now that if we have not gotten an acceptance from Iowa, we should pretty much assume rejection?
@ Eli
The impression I've been getting form the rest of the community is that fiction and poetry stuff is still up in the air. Some have suggested that they might be finished notifying, but that isn't really the consensus yet. As for the Nonfiction Writing Program, I think most people agree that notification is over. Someone may have confirmed this a few days ago, but I can't remember for sure.
Hope this helps!
NM
I took a nap and had this horrid dream where I received a 10 page long email from a school... but I couldn't figure out if they rejected or accepted me. And at the end of the email, they said that the committee was still deliberating on it.
Maybe we should start a list entitled You Know You're Stressed From MFA Admissions WHEN...
1) You've broken into the cooking wine.
2) Your ashtray is full.
3) Your laptop is too heated up... since you've been on this blog and refreshing your email too often.
I think I am gonna open a cooking class - I actually pretend I'm in a cooking show and make stuff which I would never normally make - yest was apple pie, I made it right from the crust...today is baked stuffed tomatoes,orange and walnut salad and an exotic red wine mushroom quiche...and I don't end up finishing any of it. Perhaps I should become a cook and forget about an MFA:)))
Thanks for your encouraging comments good to know people do get in without a publishing background too....I shall not give up and I will try next year too...
Rose and Denis thanks for the encouragement:))
Maybe it's the 'Julie and Julia' effect - did anyone here like the movie??
I saw Julie and Julia; Streep and Adams are fun to watch. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, but the story isn't that compelling. Child's life is, should have just been about her.
@Jason J yup I was more so referring to the premise of the story - where Adams life is quite stuck in a rut and she turns to cooking as a solace:)))) That's not to say my life is in a rut but yup the MFA wait is surely not exciting anymore...
@Jason J yup I was more so referring to the premise of the story - where Adams life is quite stuck in a rut and she turns to cooking as a solace:)))) That's not to say my life is in a rut but yup the MFA wait is surely not exciting anymore...
http://www.viceland.com/int/v16n1/htdocs/workshop-workshop-524.php?country=
writers talking about mfa's
@NM
You're on fire! Kudos on the ole miss. I'm rereading Fennelly's "Tenderhooks" now...what an amazing opp to work w/ her!
@Jason interesting article very honest confessions. Sarah from the article (from Columbia school) is so right - she expected to get a book deal and graduate instead that happened to only one person in her class...
@ Chelsea
Thanks! Yeah, Tender Hooks is the book that convinced me to apply to Ole Miss in the first place. Beautiful.
NM
"I lived right by the hospital in that story “Emergency” from Jesus' Son. There’s a giant sign across the hospital, EMERGENCY, and every time you see that, you think of Denis Johnson."
That just blew my mind.
Congratulations again, Nick McRae!
Congrats, Nick McRae.
Last year I got lucky and the program where I already lived accepted me, but you know what? If Ole Miss would have accepted me, I might have moved! Faulkner's Mississippi!!!
@Denis I think that's really too harsh - on someone like Sarah. Some people are just very clear about what they want and since she didn't get what she wanted she is simply voicing it. There are people who do this just for a book deal too...
Nefrettiti
Not to be contrarian to your point, but MFA degrees are not such that you graduate and someone swoops down on you to bestow fame and fortune. It's an art degree. Someone who automatically expects a book deal has some entitlement and overblown ego problems. People like Sarah are going to be sorely disappointed, and should never get an MFA "just for a book deal."
congratulations again, nick! :)
Here's a big wish for great news today, MFA hopefuls!
@Nadia, thank you!
@NM, congrats as usual man!
(and i'm very jealous) :-)
@NickMcRae - Congratulations on Ole Miss! Yea! Your decision process just gets more and more difficult. You're in an enviable position, but having to actually choose must be incredibly stressful. With that said, though, keep on rockin' those admits, boyeeee!
@kaybay -
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !
It can't be said often enough: Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally! Congratulations! Finally!
kaybaybaybaybay! I hope this is just the beginning of the good news you're going to get this Spring. Congratulations! Finally! Whew!
Also, assquilt. It had to be said.
@KerryHeadley & ceegee & MFAguy & all our Emmas - Wow! Congratulations! Especially Kerry, who has been on a winning streak.
@DFW1986 - Your letter was hilarious! And Northwestern is an awesome institution. HOWEVER the University of Chicago, which has produced the largest number of Nobel Prize winners (by a substantial margin) than any other institution in the world, is actually the best school in Chicago. The atomic chain reaction was born at the UofC. Major breakthroughs in cardiac surgery, blood storage and a variety of other medical processes that we take for granted came from the UofC. Economic ideas that have helped to build and then stabilize the world's emerging markets, from the UofC. So, Northwestern is not the best school in the Midwest and not quite the best school in Chicagoland. Although it absolutely is the best university in Evanston, IL! And it's a pretty awesome school, it just has some tough local competition.
Full disclosure: My grade school was at the University of Chicago. So I may be a tiny bit biased (brainwashed). Hyde Park represent, yo!
@Nefrettiti - Hang in there! It's still early days. A lot happens on the MFA front in March.
punswallow,
i'm not sure how poetry works at iowa (considering they receive far less applications), but for fiction there are rounds of readers. yes, the first few rounds, read by current/former students, is solely based on your writing sample. this also means that directors and profs like samantha chang or ethan canin won't even see a large percent of the applications. maybe they will review the top 50 or so. that's when other factors come into play.
but again, i know nothing about the poetry department.
@Jasmine I completely agree with you and I believe in what your'e saying, an MFA is to work on your craft solely and not have air headed expectations of book deals and fame:) I'm just saying there people who believe otherwise and each one to his own - that's it....perhaps I have a weakness to be judgemental..dunno why I spoke up for silly Sarah!!!
@Trilbe thanks, for your encouragement..
Good morning all!
Sending out all kinds of good energy for those still awaiting word today!
And as always, CONGRATS to all who have been accepted thus far!
cecil,
So if one of those fiction students reads my sample, finds it's ridiculous, he'll just throw it away and that's that?
stranger,
yup, that's a definite possibility. iowa is the only school i know of that goes through rounds (two, three, maybe even four). i spent last summer there in workshop with sam chang and jim mcpherson and asked how the selection process works.
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