Thursday, March 25, 2010

Mailbag, Thursday, March 25, 2010 - plus, gosh-darn-it, some actual content!

Hi Everyone,

The new content posting has been pretty quiet around here as I seem to be one of the only people updating the blog these days, what with Tom and Seth busy writing and all, and I have been distracted myself -- with writing, teaching, editing, etc. Never fear. I'll continue to throw up new mailbags, and though the blog tends to quiet down over the summer, there will be semi-regular new posts with relevant MFA related content, so be sure to check back, no matter your status heading into the fall.

For now I have a grab-bag of links for you, and some questions I want to throw out there, and a few thoughts.

The eminently sane Vince Gotera (whose personal statement advice has already proved helpful to many an MFA applicant) has advice about how to handle acceptances, rejections, and (maybe most importantly) waitlists. Sure, this is from 2006, but I think it still stands.

Gotera suggests that if you end up with rejections, you should try and figure out why. The new incarnation of ALC, known as Driftless House (and which seems to be ALC minus Seth) is offering a service to help you do just that. You give them ten pages of fiction, or five of poetry, plus your list of schools, plus $90, and in return you'll get "in-line notes and an evaluation letter." That's nine or eighteen bucks a page! Just sayin'. (I work for less than that, if you are interested...)

This brings me to some questions: If you didn't get accepted, will you be reapplying next year? And what, if anything, do you think you gained from going through the process this time around?

For what it's worth, I always tell my MFA application students and clients that they should think of an MFA as a five or six year process: one or two years to apply, two or three years in the program, and a year to adjust afterward. And that's a minimum, in my opinion.

Also for what it's worth: last year I worked with someone going through her fourth year of applications. She'd been waitlisted before, but never had any full offers. After polishing up her stories and statements she went at it again and was accepted, in fiction, at multiple top schools, including Hollins, Brooklyn, and UNCW [Updated - it was actually UNCG, my mistake.] I can't take much credit on that one -- she did so well because she didn't give up, and used the time in between applications to workshop, hone her craft, and improve her stories. By the time I met her she was already in good shape and just needed guidance on statements and some final developmental feedback. But it goes to show that tenacity pays, both for MFA applications and in your future writing lives. Sometimes the ones who make it are the ones who don't give up.

***end pep talk***

More links: many MFA programs have really terrible websites -- any applicant knows this. But how many have blogs? NMSU does, but I'm not sure of any others. Can we crowdsource this one? Post your links to official (or, I guess, unofficial) MFA blogs in the comments.

Current NMSU student Carrie Murphy also emailed me to let me know about her blog, Master of Fine Eats. "Thought this might be of interest to the MFA blog readers," she wrote, "many of whom are already (if not about to be) poor graduate students."

Last thought: one commentator was lamenting over what to tell your recommenders if you don't have the outcome you were looking for. I say (as a fairly prolific recommendation writer myself) just tell them straight. They won't hold it against you one little bit, and most will be happy to get an update, no matter the results. I sometimes don't hear anything from the people I write recs for -- and I always wish I did.

For all this post's focus on possible less-than-desirable results, the acceptance season is not yet over, and there are still more happy "yay, I've been accepted" comments to come. So don't give up the good fight yet, people!

2,268 comments:

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Mr. Hemlock said...

@Phillywriter

Good Luck! I hope LSU comes through for you and you find yourself working on The Southern Review. What a great opportunity.

@M.Swann

Are you planning on going to another school if you don't get funding at Columbia?

Sidney Bechet said...

@ frankish

Thanks. I guess I can say, if you don't get into an MFA program it won't keep you from publishing in New Republic or New England Review. It's embarrassing/outre to actually name the places I've been published. But I had a root canal this morning, so there you go. I'm angry, swollen and drugged.

gsolbrunne said...

@frankish
Thanks! I know i shouldnt be such a twit with calling/ emailing programs at this point, but I like to take the path of least anxiety.

@Laura T, Chrissy, Rosie

Hid under my mailslot just now when my roommate announced "MAILMAN!", but no letter. I have an irrational fear that my mailman, who has been chased by my well-intentioned but large puppy too many times to like me may be hiding any letters i get to punish me for my lackadaisical 'parenting' habits.
So now it's time for me to start panicking! I just cannot go without funding, since i'll be taking out loans to just live in boston anyways. Sigh. Glad we at least have this stress-camaraderie.

Unknown said...

@ Ratliff

I'm sorry that your teacher passed away. It's nice, though, that you can remember him so fondly and that the positive encouragement he gave you then has continued to shape you.

I hope you get some great news today.

Brittany said...

Took the bait placed by frankish and emailed Carla Blount as well. She responded quickly with a rejection for me, so anyone wanting to be put out of their Florida misery could/should email the lovely Ms. Blount! Not to say that no news from them = bad news; it seems like it might bode well for you, Frankish, that she wouldn't tell you over the phone! :)

Emily said...

Sidney -

Success will be your revenge. I have several successful/critically embraced artist friends who did not go the MFA route, and almost every single peer of mine with an MFA is underemployed and bitter, even years out. Screw 'em, and I hope you feel better.

Em

Mr. Hemlock said...

@Sidney Bechet

I can understood your bewilderment. I have been published in respectable print journal as well, and only managed to gain acceptance at one MFA program. In fact, I was rejected by a school where last year I won first prize their lit mag's fiction contest whose judge was the head of their MFA program.

It's all quite subjective, and this year there were many more applicants than in years past. I do think that given two strong applicants, Adcoms may take the younger of the two, thinking the younger applicant is more susceptible to learning and has more time to develop. Even though no one will ever admit to this.

You know how much rejection one has to accept just to get published; it seems one has to accept nearly as much to get into MFA programs. Persevere. Maybe have DH take a look at your samples. If you're investing $1000 bucks in applications it could be worth it.

Henry, wag said...

@Courtney

What are the arguments for and against 2-year programs? I am likely to accept at Sarah Lawrence but am also considering going part-time because of work commitments. That would make it a 3-year program, though, of course, not a traditional one.

As far as living in Brooklyn, I would imagine that Williamsburg would probably be most convenient. L to the 4, 5, 6. That commute wouldn't be much farther than one from the West Village.

And congrats on the financial aid from SLC!

kaybay said...

Thanks for the info Frankish and Brittany, I just sent her an email too, so I'm sure I'll have the same news to share! I'm sure she's probably bombarded with emails right now, but oh well :P

Laura said...

@ Algae,

Maybe it's a good sign that none of us got a letter yet... maybe that means they are still on their way. Like if they ended up being mailed later than the reported Friday. Hope hope hope.

Am I the one who lives closest to Boston out of all of us? (I live in RI.)

gsolbrunne said...

@ Laura T,
I dont know about Rosie and Chrissy, but I live in southwest Texas, so you for sure win that contest.
Maybe they did get sent out late, since the gradmission blog originally reported they would be out two weeks ago and then that one changed. Hrm. here's hoping!

Chelsea said...

@Laura

I'm in at Emerson, too. About 30 miles south of Boston. Went to school in RI though.

How are you enjoying this biblical weather we got goin on? haha

Woon said...

I walked all over Newport, RI as a tourist last Fall. I guess that doesn't count.

Rosie said...

I live in WA state.

Kati-Jane said...

Someone's comment about waiting for the mailman rings true to me. I feel like Ellen Burstyn in Requiem.

Still no concrete word from Ole Miss, but I did put in an application to the MA in CW program at South Alabama, for kicks.

April, April will bring good news. :) And by good news, I mean hopefully I won't have to be on unemployment for long. Such an ick feeling, does anyone know if I have to redo my FAFSA due to a couple of months worth of being on the dole?

koru said...

we went to the RI beaches when i lived in southern CT. but i don't even know which letters we're talking about, so i don't think i'm much help.

but beaches ... sound lovely.

i hope it's finally spring for everyone! :-)

*quite distractable koru*

Kara said...

Do not give up hope.

My UCSD waitlist just turned into an acceptance!

Justin Bendell said...

@ ratliff - Sorry to hear about your sad day. Take a nice, long walk in a shady park.

@ threes - Ha, that is the question isn't it? I am waiting to hear back from FIU re: funding. Once i do, I'll have a much clearer idea of where I'm heading. Of five acceptances: I've turned down one, two schools have offered no funding, I have semi-funding at UNH and ?? at FIU. I am leaning toward where the money is at this point...

Woon said...

I've been watching "Brotherhood" on DVD. I gotta tell ya, it doesn't exactly show Providence in a good light.

Chrissy Widmayer said...

@Laura T, Algae, Chelsea, Rosie -- I'm in good ole Michigan. Laura and Chelsea, looks like you two are closest. Keep us posted!!

rsantos said...

Good luck to those emailing Florida. I sent that email a week and a half ago and haven't heard back. Here's my updates:

Accepted with TA: Texas State
Rejected: Hopkins, Oregon, Nebraska (PhD)
No Word: Florida, Denver (PhD).

Frankish and others seems to be indicating that there's hope for Florida to come through, so that's exciting.

I emailed Denver last week and was told they notified their first choices three weeks ago, and that if people decline the offer they "might" make more offers around the end of March.

Best of luck and congratulations to all.

Chelsea said...

@Woon

If you want a hilariously accurate/inaccurate (depending on where you're from) depiction of RI, watch "Outside Providence" with Alec Baldwin. Good n' crude. The way comedy should be!

Unknown said...

Congrats, Kara!

Laura said...

@ koru, we're talking about Emerson funding letters! And yay for RI beaches... when I move I'm going to miss spending summers constantly going to the beaches here.

@ Woon, I love Newport! Did you walk the Cliffwalk? It's beautiful and one of my favorite places in RI.

@ Algae, I'm thinking that if they had been sent, probably SOMEONE on the blog would have gotten one, since there are a lot of us? Hope!

@ Chelsea, which RI school did you go to? And oh my god the weather. This morning I braved the badly flooded roads for an hour to get to school, then as soon as I arrived on campus, got a text from my school's emergency weather alert saying that classes were canceled. Argh! Turned the car around and braved the even worse flooding for another hour on the way home.

kaybay said...

Kati-Jane, I didn't know they had an MA CW program there! That's right by my mom, but she's more near the beaches. I think I might give that a shot too, hmmmm. Any funding available this late in the game? Or would everything had to be paid out of pocket. I'm out of state too, even though my mom is an AL resident.

Chelsea said...

@Laura T

Good ol' RWU in Bristol. Graduated last May. I imagine the rain is falling sideways down there. Therefore, today, I do not miss college. haha

Laura said...

@ Chelsea,

oh cool! I thought about going there, was accepted and went for a visit, liked it but ended up deciding to go to URI.

Coughka said...

Hey Mr. Hemlock,

I'm sitting on two wait-lists right now (one a lot more likely than the other), so it's hard to say.

Funding isn't promising, so I'm in the same difficult boat as others: forgoing a year of study for the risk (and it is always a risk) of getting funded positions next year.

I won't fudge. It'll hurt my heart (I'm 95) to do this a third time, but I'll make do if it comes to that. And I have a new goal: finally publishing something this year!

Woon said...

@Laura T - yes, we did the Cliffwalk thing and toured 3 mansions. My wife insisted on buying the 5 mansion package, but being the typical woman (...har har...), she was bad at keeping track of time and we ended up touring only 3.

Chelsea said...

@Laura T

I've heard good things about URI. I had a friend who went there for undergrad for special education.

Stay dry! Today's a good excuse to situate yourself on the couch and watch some daytime television, I should think.

If I hear anything from Emerson (taps foot) I'll keep you posted!

koru said...

@M.Swann,

are you taking applications yet for a literary executor ... not to suggest you have anything other than the greatest longevity ahead of you (you're ONLY 95) ... but i'm thinking it could be a fun post-MFA job for one or several of us, to edit tomes of your lifelong creative works ...

Woon said...

It's 12:43 PM. I'm going for my 4-mile run and then lunch at an Indian buffet. I love naan! Bye.

Laura said...

@ Woon, haha! I never did the 5 mansion package but I remember touring some of the mansions on field trips as a kid. It seemed to be kind of a default field trip in RI schools -- nothing else to do, let's go see another mansion.

kaybay said...

Wow, Kati-Jane, thank you for mentioning the program at South Alabama! Looks like the deadline for T.A.'s is April 23rd, which means I still have plenty of time to get things in order. Thank you! That would really be awesome :D

Laura said...

@ Chelsea,

thank you, I hope you hear from Emerson soon! I'm going to attempt to un-plaster myself from the computer and read or something. Or watch daytime TV. hehe

frankish said...

Well, I got my Florida email, and it was a rejection. That said, the woman I called seemed quite confident that all offers hadn't gone out, so there may be hope for those that haven't heard.

In better news, I just got a call from FIU and have been accepted with a nice TAship. :)

That was the last school I was really waiting to hear from. UVa seems too conservative and Columbia too expensive to make me rethink Houston at all.

For anyone waiting to hear, FIU had its decision meeting today and should be making notifications this week (as far as I understand it).

Does anyone know much about FIU? The faculty work I've read has been really strong, but I haven't heard as much about the program as I have about the more popular ones.

Cheers!

Woon said...

In one episode of "Brotherhood," Michael Caffee (Irish gangster figure and all-around nice guy) was wondering what he should do for the weekend. He says to his friend Pete McGonagle (another Irish lowlife), "Hey, you wanna head on over to Newport and break into some mansions?"

kaybay said...

Frankish, the only thing I know about Miami, FIU, and FAU is that it is really, really, really hot there. I mean hot-hot. Like you'll hate your life hot because it never cools down. Just something to think about :) Sorry about your rejection, but hurray for you acceptance!

frankish said...

@kaybay - It seems like I'm destined for the heat (and humidity). My two top choices right now are Houston and FIU. :D

Cheers!

kaybay said...

Oi vey, wear lots of deodorant :P

Coughka said...

LOL Koru!

Exactly: 95 years YOUNG! I've only been published in AARP and on the Vet bingo hall corkboard, but there are multitudes inside me yet!

I'll need to talk to my assistant over the rotary about a literary executor.

Don't fax us. We'll fax you.

Woon said...

@frankish, others - re. Florida

I'm certainly no expert on Florida. But I offer the following based on my personal experience:

All fiction and poetry offers have gone out. They have notified waitlisters. Over the past few weeks, more waitlisters have been added. Why? I can only speculate that some initial offerees have declined or, in the case of Arna, waitlisters have declined spots. My theory is that the bulk of the applicants have already been marked for "rejection" but there's a small pool of applicants in Not-Quite-Waitlist Purgatory.

Just my observation. I am watching the Florida situation closely because of a personal stake in the matter.

Ratliff said...

Thank you, all. I've spoken with many old classmates today, and every one of them share my sentiments. What an incredible impact he's had on all our lives! I hope he knows how much he's missed. I have a bunch of stories, but suffice it to say I read more in his class than any other up to that point. He introduced me to E.M. Forster, Salinger, Irving, Dickinson, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Hardy, and Willa Cather, to name a few. Some not for the first time, but even those revisited were seen differently after this class. There is a grief exacerbated by the weather, which leads me to...

@Dry Leaves, cc: New Englanders

I would love to take a long walk in a park. I would also love to use my own toilet. Septic systems, anyone? Roads are flooded. My backyard and basement are flooded. I can't shower or use any indoor plumbing without fear of backup. My mother just referred to our home as "lakeside property." Who wants on the ark? And by ark, I mean USS Massachusetts floating in Battleship Cove. That's about the only way we'll make it through the week.

@Laura T, Chelsea
I went to PC :)

Kati-Jane said...

@kaybay:

Yes, I'm glad you found the information... I just decided to apply about a week and a half ago, and their website can be sort of difficult to figure things out. It'd be great if we both ended up at South Alabama, though. I was heartened by the fact that apparently that's where Tom Franklin (Ole Miss Fiction Prof) got his MA, not to mention that Carolyn Haines just won the 2010 Harper Lee award... Plus, Mobile... awesome. :) If you do send off an app, just notice (as I finally did) that all your regular application items go to Admissions (including SOP) but all the GA/TA application items go to Dr. Ellen Harrington at the English Department (LOR, writing sample, etc.)...

We'll come out with a victory yet, kaybay!

koru said...

@M.Swann,

I can handle the rotary telephone! After all, there's an app for that!

Chelsea said...

@Ratliff

Woo RI Pride!

Sounds like your teacher was a wise person. He certainly passed along some great readership.

kaybay said...

That would be great! I just emailed my mom to tell her about the program. She flew down here this past weekend for a visit and is now at the point in her "mothering" where she tears up when we part (oh dear...). I've been trying to move somewhere closer to her (hello, FSU, that's you, sweetheart!), but to no avail. I would love to get a Master's of Arts and then follow it with an MFA later. It looks like a nice little program, and the deadline is perfect. Hopefully I'll be able to get everything ready by the end of April. Keep me posted on your results :)

Alum said...

Probably a dumb question, but are ya'll talking about Florida State University or a different Florida school?

frankish said...

@Alum -

Florida = University of Florida

FSU = Florida State

FIU = Florida International

And there's also Florida Atlantic, I believe.

These recent posts have been about the University of Florida.

Cheers!

Alum said...

Thanks. :) I'll try to keep up.

Jimmy James said...

@kaybay

It's a beautiful 73 degrees in Fort Lauderdale right now. I just went to the park on my lunch break. It is indeed hot down here, but my solution is to roll up my sleeves & enjoy.

kaybay said...

Jimmy - I'm in Lakeland, FL and complain about the heat all the time, lol. Oh sure, it's beautiful now (low 70s here too), but just wait another month and BAM 95 with high humidity! And you think it'll only last a few months? Oh no, it won't. It'll be humid 90s until October!! Yes, October. It was 90 degrees last Halloween and all the little kiddies came to my door sweating. It was miserable last spring/summer/fall and it will be miserable next spring/summer/fall. That's how this miserable state is, weather-wise. Anger-inducing heat and humidity. Nice beaches though :D

Hannah said...

frankish - what email address did you use for ASU? I've been calling them all week without reply-

frankish said...

Heh. Yeah, that sounds sticky.

On the other hand, I'll be gone for the summer (whenever that is for these programs...mid-May through late- August?). Back to Cali where the weather is fine. :D

Cheers!

frankish said...

@Hannah - I sent an email to Pete Turchi, director of the program.

Good luck!

Hobbledehoy said...

Concerning Alabama.. Any updates on the fiction waitlist since Wee Meathead posted?

Julia said...

@ Chelsea

Congratulations!

Also in at UNCG (for fiction, though, not poetry) and would be happy to chat.

juliakpatt [at] gmail [dot] com

Actually, that goes for anyone who thinks they may be headed there.

Hannah said...

thanks, frankish :) I'm pretty sure it's lights-out for me, though...

Adam Atkinson said...

Thanks, Chelsea & Zoulou, for the waitlist congrats! It is indeed a nice feeling, especially since they take only four (as far as I know) and got way more apps this year than ever.

In any case, I'm still incredibly excited about my Plan B: following my SAIC-accepted boyfriend to Chicago. (I'm an improv comedian, and I planned to give Chicago a piece of my life anyhow.) So I'm glowing and fine with whatever happens!

Corey Haydu said...

Woah. Just got off the phone. I was accepted to New School! Holy Crap. I actually was accepted for Writing for Children (a side interest of mine) and waitlisted for fiction. i'd applied for a dual concentration. i'm overwhelmed. i was sending in my check for low-res program at Queens/Charlotte today. Anyone have info on this kind of situation?

aghhhhhhh.

thats all.

Brooks Sherman said...

WHOO! Congrats on TNS, Coreyann!

Brooks Sherman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mr. Hemlock said...

Congrats Coreyann!!!

James Cooney said...

As I wait, exhausted and desperate, for UVA and Florida to deliver the final death blow, I am suddenly reminded of the movie Predator:

"Come on... come on, do it. Come on, kill me! Come on, kill me, I'm here. Do it! DO IT NAUWGGHH!!!"

Hobbledehoy said...

Ink and Beans, you made me smile.

Julia said...

@ Ink and Beans

Thanks for the laugh. You made me feel better. :)

Perpetua said...

Congratulations to everyone who has gotten good news today.

Tired of waiting!

Unknown said...

Congrats Coreyann!

Who did you call to find out your status? Are you leaning towards TNS now that you're in?

koru said...

@Coreyann ... congrats!

i have no advice. sorry! i can't even manage to figure out what i'm doing today! lol :-)

Brittany said...

Congrats @Ashley_Brooke and Frankish for your FIU acceptances and funding! Woot!

amanda said...

After having a lovely, encouraging, wonderful visit to Nashville with students and faculty yesterday and feeling only slightly silly for being here as a waitlister...

I just got a call from Mark Jarman: in at Vandy. I was already going out for drinks with some of the students later, and now they can be drinks of celebration!!!

:D

Ashley Brooke said...

OK bad day turns good REALLY QUICKLY:

I e-mailed Florida Atlantic today to inquire about my status, and I received a reply saying that I had been accepted with an assistantship.

GUYS I GOT FUNDING.

I'm thinking there is a 98% chance I will be accepting the offer. I was excited about Texas State but I am also excited about FAU, and the money seems to be making the decision for me!

If anybody else gets good news from FAU, let's talk!

Chrissy Widmayer said...

AMANDA! That's the BEST NEWS EVER! I just read your post about the visit over on Ning, and I was like, "Man, I really hope she gets it. It sounds incredible there!"

SO FLIPPIN' EXCITED FOR YOU! Seriously. That's just plain old incredible news. I'm so happy. :)

Brittany said...

Whoops, my bad: Ashley Brooke, congrats on FAU (not FIU as I said before)...and special congrats on the rad funding!

red said...

@ Amanda and Ashley Brooke

Two fantastic posts in a row - congrats to both of you!!!

Laura said...

CONGRATULATIONS Amanda and Ashley Brooke!!! :D

Sidney Bechet said...

Mr Hemlock,

Ouch! The "win the journal prize but can't come to the school" must have stung. That's sort of happened to me too, one of the bigwigs at a glossy school picked something of mine for a prize 2 years ago then I didn't even get a waitlist.

Maybe journals are actually easier to get into than MFA programs? Drugs from my root canal have washed off, so now I'm just exhausted.

koru said...

@Amanda ... go celebrate! i'm incredibly happy for you babe!

@Ashley Brooke ... you go celebrate as well! congrats on the funding! :D

Chrissy Widmayer said...

@Ashley Brooke--YAY FUNDING! Congrats!

Justin Bendell said...

I got funding too! At FIU (not FAU) -- a TA ship! Finally!

Ashley Brooke said...

Thanks guys! It's so terrific to know that I won't be going into extreme debt!
And Amanda... I'm REALLY happy for you and so glad you found such an awesome spot at such an insanely competitive school!

Ashley Brooke said...

Dry Leaves,
YAY!!! Congratulations!
We'll be close!

e/m said...

@ Coreyann

Congrats!! Im in at New School as well (poetry)

LAswede said...

@wandering tree

was this for real?
WanderingTree said...
Just turned down my fiction spot at Notre Dame. Fingers crossed for those on the wait list.
just curious...because no one has really mentioned anything about it...

LAswede said...

oh sorry...that was on march 19th in case anyone missed it...

kaybay said...

Ashley! Congrats, yo! Take it! Texas State sounds awesome, but you've been hailing the FAU program for a while, and to get in there with funding is something special. Boca's nice too, albeit expensive. Good luck with your decision :)

Woon said...

@LASwede - I'm not Wandering Tree, but I remember him mulling over the ND issue. From what I recall, it had to do with the lack of additional $$$ to cover cost of living. The tuition remission wasn't enough. That's what I remember him saying. Of course, he's the best one to shed light on HIS situation.

Ashley Brooke said...

Kaybay & others,
Thank you!
I also received an e-mail saying that they didn't mean to offer me the funding that they did and that I will actually be getting 33% more than the offer that they first made. It's a crazzzyyy day!

LAswede said...

cool beans
just thought it was strange that that post passed by under all the notre dame fanatics radars, myself included

Woon said...

Congrats Ashley Brooke and Amanda!!

I've been rooting for you two the most, only behind my son who is also trying to get into MFA programs. Plural.

Woon said...

@LASwede - I actually don't remember WT's post here in this blog. I remember it from the MFA Limbo site at Ning.

Ashley Brooke said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Woon said...

@Amanda - I'm sure I have a son somewhere. Heheh...

Woon said...

@Ashley Brooke - I meant "@Ashley Brooke" not "@Amanda." I glossed over the name. Saw the "A" and decided it was sufficient.

Lucas said...

Re: Ashley

Congrats. Take the funding. No, seriously, don't even think about not taking it. I won't go on an Abramson rant, but this is a terminal degree and we should all be offered funding. Plus, I mean, funding at the one school means they are trying harder to woo you. You want to work where they want to work with you the most, correct?

This is none of my business, but I feel strongly about this issue.

Woon said...

@Ashley Brooke/Amanda - what are the details of the funding? Teaching load? Etc. My son would want to know.

Justin Bendell said...

Yes, I wrote, "Askley," but I'm okay with this.

Ashley Brooke said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ashley Brooke said...

haha dry leaves, I didn't even notice. :)

Ali Haider said...

@Ashley Brooke Congrats on the funded offer! I am not surprised by the offer at all after enjoying your sample. I know you and I are in the same boat at TSU, and it would be a joy to workshop with you...but how can you turn down funding!! Not meant to influence you either way. I am sure you will be happy no matter where you go.

shannono said...

Re: Virginia--I could not take the suspense one more day as I needed to make a final decision at another program and made the call. I spoke with the very nice and helpful coordinator, Barbara, in the creative writing program (bam9s@virginia.edu) who let me know that 1) I did not make the cut and 2) Formal letters would be going out by the end of the week. While I was not thrilled to be rejected, I am thrilled to know so I can move on and make other decisions.

Andrea said...

Woot! Congrats to amanda, Ashley Brooke, Dry Leaves, and Coreyann! What a happy day.

My Oregon rejection hasn't been emailed to me yet, so I'm holding onto delusions of grandeur. Also, I got a rad haircut and color today, so booyah all around.

Woon said...

@DigAPony - I like your new haircut. It's totally you.

Hannah said...

My Oregon email rejection got filtered into 'spam' on Gmail - just a heads up to all waiting.

Julia said...

@shannono

You're way braver than I am! I'm going to follow your example and shoot her email.

Ashley Brooke said...

sahaider,
I enjoyed reading your sample as well and was looking forward to workshopping with you, not to mention the rest of Team Texas State! You are still on a waitlist for funding, aren't you? I am REALLY crossing my fingers for you to get because you completely deserve it. Good luck and I hope you love Texas... ride down the river for me, please.

Julia said...

*an email

Man, now it sounds like I'm going to shoot someone (or their email?). That's not the case! I'm a pacifist, I swear.

Ashley Brooke said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Woon said...

Well, it's 5:11 PM. Time for my pills, a banana, and "Mad Men" (3rd season) on DVD. Then a nap.

Hobbledehoy said...

^Julia, don't worry, we understood you the first time! :]

shannono said...

@Julia

Have no fear--I felt so much better having an answer. Of course I waited until I was absolutely down to the wire :)

Andrea said...

@ Woon

I know, right? I mean, thank you.

No Oregon rejection in my spam folder! Gah! Come on, universe, you know how brutal false hope is.

Also, I loved the Predator reference. It made me think, "Get to the choppuh!"

Ashley Brooke said...

Seriously now, where are my comments going? Is blogger messing up? I've posted twice now and my posts have disappeared.

Ashley Brooke said...

subscribing, because maybe it will show me all the MIA comments...

Jeremiah Bergdale said...

@Ashley Brooke-
So sorry to hear about Kansas. Does this mean Texas State?

Jeremiah Bergdale said...

Whoops~was under my husband's acct. This is Abbie.

Ashley Brooke said...

Abbie,
I'm most likely going to FAU, where I was accepted earlier today with funding. I don't think all of my comments are showing up!

Ashley Brooke said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

@Ashley Brooke-
Congrats! I am so sorry again! I just re-read your posts! CON-Freaking-Gratulations to FAU! :) Funded! :) WooooooT! Buh-bye TSU.

sh said...

I just found out I was at the top of the ASU poetry waitlist. Too bad all five of the first offers accepted. Doh!

Anonymous said...

Oh, one more P.S. and then I'm done. Maybe. Oregon rejection via email tonight. Coulda taken that sooner.

Brad Smith said...

Come on, now.. Leave Franco alone on the, "black gaping gap," etc.

Anyone who read the story can clearly see that he's purposely writing in a dumbed-down-stoner-kind-of voice. Whether or not it's well done is up for debate... but pulling quotes and saying he writes *that poorly* is cheap.

kaybay said...

Before I email NC State, I was wondering if anyone here knows the answer to my question. The website says that they accept applications for the Spring semester by November 1st *with or without aid*. Does that mean that they offer assistantships or fellowships for Spring semester? I've never heard of that before. They also have a later deadline for Fall admissions without aid. Is there anyway to get accepted and then defer admissions for a later semester where funding is available? Any help is appreciated :)

Corey Haydu said...

don't remember who asked and too lazy to look it up but YES, this means i'll probably go to TNS. Still waiting to hear from Columbia, but I really love TNS. God. What a day. Don't give up hope everyone!

Ashley Brooke said...

NO, SERIOUSLY - where are all my comments going?

Kitty in a Cathouse said...

Ashley

I see all of your comments, girl, so maybe it's just your browser? Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

Ashley Brooke said...

Kitty in a Cathouse,
haha, thank you. I can still see the last one but several from before that have disappeared (several of them contained phrases like "I swear I already posted this") but the other comments are still there. It is pretty strange!

Laura said...

Comments keep disappearing for me too.

many many birdies said...

@ Ashley and Amanda

OMG *huge* congratulations to both of you!!! What a great day - such great news!

Ali Haider said...

RE: James Franco story
It's really not terrible. There are moments where the writing gets to be a little too "writing for the sake of writing" and he starts thought-rambling, but then there are moments that really shine. There are places where he should just do some cutting, and then its a pretty decent story. I enjoyed parts of it. However, I do believe that a lot of his success will be because of the fact that he is James Franco and an against-the-grain celebrity.

ceruleanblue said...

@shannono

Thanks so much for posting that about Virginia. I am waiting to hear from them before accepting another offer, so I'll call them tomorrow. It will be a great and glorious day (either way).

Sarah said...

@Coreyann

Congrats! That's so awesome! I did a dual application in those two genres too and am anxiously awaiting news. If you don't mind sharing, when you spoke to them the second time was it because they didn't tell you everything the first time or because they were calling people who were accepted? Did they say when you should expect a letter? I've called them a couple times already and on Monday they said to check back Friday so I feel like I should wait to call again.

Good luck with your decision! And congrats again!

foe said...

Does anyone know anything about U San Fran? I was technically accepted for poetry, but professors I've spoken with say I can change genres. Does anyone have any general info about the program's reputation? I love the city, but I'm not sure about the school. Thanks!

Corey Haydu said...

@SarahL

when I spoke to them the second time I made clear that I had a deposit due on April 1st (The Queens low res program starts in MAY so it was really getting down to the wire for me). I left a voice mail after getting transferred around a few times, and eventually got a call back hours later with the good news. She'd said they'd just recieved my file-- they being the admission people, not the people who make decisions I think. So it sounds like things are still moving around there. They said I'd get a packet in the mail in about a week. I'd wait and call Friday (if you can). I only felt comfortable calling again because i was about to put a 300 dollar check in the mail.

Sarah said...

@Coreyann

Thanks so much for the info! Will hold out till Friday (hopefully Emerson merit letters will come between now and then and keep me occupied!)

Congrats again, and hope your decision process goes well! Maybe I'll see you in NYC. :)

Morgan said...

so many congrats, coreyann!! also, why don't I have an e-mail from oregon?!

Nadiya said...

Congrats to Coreyann, Amanda and Ashley B!! Yayy!

skiptomylou said...

@ phillywriter-

a belated "woot woot" for #1 on the LSU waitlist! I was offered a spot for fiction there and am just waiting for deathblows from ASU and UF before officially accepting... though I've made it pretty clear to them that they can expect me there in the fall.

so hope hope hope and i will also hope hope hope for you which will make six hopes, which my personal fortune teller informed me is just the right number of hopes.

also, i don't have a personal teller and luckily for my reputation i don't think i've actually ever "wooted" out loud before. but if you get in, i'll almost definitely woot loud and clear.

Book_Moth said...

Is anyone else still waiting to hear from Rutgers-Newark? I've sent a couple of emails (no response) and tried calling (only an answering machine). No change in online status. I'm assuming silence = no, but an official rejection would be nice...

s. said...

subscribing

Elly said...

my boyfriend dYlJ got accepted into Irvine for poetry by e-mail on 3/29 :) For some reason, his phone number wasn't listed in his application...

Anonymous said...

People who got email rejections for Univ. of Florida from Carla Blount, did you write to her at: crw@english.ufl.edu

as listed on the main MFA page, or:

cblount@english.ufl.edu

which you can find when you search the entire U of F site for her name?

Congrats and conciliations to all,
Daniel

capped tooth said...

@ BookMoth -

I'm in the same boat, I've heard nothing from them. Looking forward to getting closure soon, one way or another... *Ack!*

Unknown said...

@bookmoth and cappedtooth

I'm still waiting too. I've called many times and always get the away message for that Ortiz lady. I've emailed in the past about other things and didn't get a response till several weeks later. Maybe the graduate school would be a better bet.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
GlobalGothicGirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael said...

@inkli-11 & Other People Trying To Decide If They Should Just Go W/Out Funding-

I just wanted to drop a note and say that this was my situation last year. I had acceptances from two schools I was excited about and thought very seriously about both of them. A number of things swayed me into waiting a year, perhaps the biggest being a mentor of mine (one of the people who wrote me an LOR) advising me to do so. She told me that, in her 20+ years of experience writing letters for MFAs, she's seen a vast majority of people have to apply a second time. She also said that everyone does better the second time around, and she's never had someone get roundly rejected if they had some offers their first year.

I think it almost takes a year to get a handle on the application process. In my second year I just did everything so much better. My SOP was drastically stronger, I picked a better range of schools, and I proceeded through the many (many[many]) steps in a smoother, more logical manner. And, of course, my writing had another year to improve. All of this paid off - this year I've been accepted to four programs and offered full funding at three of them.

If you're in a situation where you really feel you need to go, or you see a clear way it will work financially, or you've already applied a few times without finding funding, then by all means you should go for it. But if not, I think there's a lot to be said for waiting a year. I'm so, so happy that I did, and so glad that someone steered me in that direction.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Michael said...

@inkli-11 & Other People Trying To Decide If They Should Just Go W/Out Funding-

I just wanted to drop a note and say that this was my situation last year. I had acceptances from two schools I was excited about and thought very seriously about both of them. A number of things swayed me into waiting a year, perhaps the biggest being a mentor of mine (one of the people who wrote me an LOR) advising me to do so. She told me that, in her 20+ years of experience writing letters for MFAs, she's seen a vast majority of people have to apply a second time. She also said that everyone does better the second time around, and she's never had someone get roundly rejected if they had some offers their first year.

I think it almost takes a year to get a handle on the application process. In my second year I just did everything so much better. My SOP was drastically stronger, I picked a better range of schools, and I proceeded through the many (many[many]) steps in a smoother, more logical manner. And, of course, my writing had another year to improve. All of this paid off - this year I've been accepted to four programs and offered full funding at three of them.

If you're in a situation where you really feel you need to go, or you see a clear way it will work financially, or you've already applied a few times without finding funding, then by all means you should go for it. But if not, I think there's a lot to be said for waiting a year. I'm so, so happy that I did, and so glad that someone steered me in that direction.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

Jeff said...

@Globalgothicgirl

As a poetry applicant at ASU who has yet to hear anything, I would love to hear what they tell you. Please do let us know!

Jasmine Sawers said...

I just accepted my offer of admission from Indiana. Now I can start worrying about something else, like an apartment and whether or not I'm going to buy my brother's car off him.

Leslie said...

Bookmoth, et al--I'm in the same boat re Rutgers Newark. I was going to call today, but given all your experiences, I guess I won't. It's perplexing because I know they've accepted some people, and at least one rejection has been recorded here, so it's hard to know where we stand. I have assumed rejection, but maybe it's a big, unofficial waitlist pool. (let's assume that!)

Michael James Gossett said...

Rejected from Purdue in poetry via mass-email.

Still waiting on the University of Washington (Seattle), but I can almost say with certainty that I will be at the University of Maryland next year.

Anyone else?

Leslie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Austin said...

@ Micheal Bear

I'm sitting on a Maryland offer in poetry, but I didn't get any funding. Did you? I figured out that, with tuition, it'll cost me 30K for one year. Stan Plumly= Not worth it, unfortunately.

quincy said...

@ bookmoth

still waiting to hear from rutgers-newark as well. additionally, i've yet to receive any kind of word from:

nyu
florida state
bu
virginia
ole miss

all in fiction. though i'm assuming a bunch of rejections, I'd still die to hear one way or another so i can make a decision and get on with my life! i was all set to phone the schools tonight, but, of course, the microphone on my computer broke down just as the lady from florida (the first place i called) asked for my name. @#$%!

good luck to anyone else still waiting to hear from programs!

Laura said...

@ Rutgers-Newark people,

I know that all the poetry acceptances have gone out. I was accepted but turned down my offer. They only took 8 poets this year, and none of the poets were offered funding because this has been a really awful year for Rutgers funding-wise.

Just speculation: they might have a big waitlist because they expect accepted students to turn down the offer because of the lack of funding. The deadline to accept an offer at Rutgers-Newark is today, so maybe waitlisters will hear soon.

Unfortunately I don't know anything about what is going on with fiction, just poetry. But I hope that helps a little.

Laura said...

Mail just came. Annnd still no merit aid letter from Emerson. @(*$(&)@$)&@$)&&!

Emily J. Griffin said...

I've been following for weeks in a panic.

Finally (!) recieved first response--

Accepted:
Kennesaw MAPW in Fiction - now awaiting TA decision in mid-April.

Waiting on:
New School
Simmons
Lesley U (Low Res)
Vermont CoFA (Low Res)

Laura said...

Congratulations on your acceptance, Emily!

Emily J. Griffin said...

@LauraT

Thanks!

Morgan said...

I didn't realize Irvine was still accepting for poetry! AHhhh

Lake said...

@Emily J Griffin

Congrats on Kennesaw! I got accepted a couple weeks ago and got a chance to visit a class last night.

I'm deciding between GCSU and KSU - and it will mostly come down to funding (I'm on a waitlist at GCSU and also waiting on the TA decision at KSU).

Feel free to e-mail me if you'd like to chat about the Kennesaw program- emilylakehansen (at) gmail (dot) com.

M. M. said...

Rejected from NYU (poetry) via email. I'm kind of relieved because I've been expecting this for about a week now.

Brooks Sherman said...

Rejected from NYU (fiction) via email. Ah, closure.

Rosanna said...

Rejected from NYU, via email.

Surprise, surprise.

Unknown said...

Just got a rejection email from the graduate office at NYU. Bummer. Didn't know how I would have afforded it, but it still would have been awesome to end up there. Whatevs.

Unknown said...

Just got a rejection email from the graduate office at NYU. Bummer. Didn't know how I would have afforded it, but it still would have been awesome to end up there. Whatevs.

Unknown said...

Just got a rejection email from the graduate office at NYU. Bummer. Didn't know how I would have afforded it, but it still would have been awesome to end up there. Whatevs.

Unknown said...

Just got a rejection email from the graduate office at NYU. Bummer. Didn't know how I would have afforded it, but it still would have been awesome to end up there. Whatevs.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
inkli__11 said...

Michael,

Thanks for your post. This is good advice and at this point I am pretty set on reapplying next year if no funding opens up for me. Good to hear from someone who's already been through the whole (2-year) process..

TR said...

Has anyone received an official rejection from Penn State?

sok said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
red said...

@ Tara

I haven't received a rejection yet, and I don't recall anyone reporting one.

Grace said...

Belated, belated, kind of elated?

Waitlisted at NYU for poetry (on the 18th.)

Got an e-mail yesterday (30th) from New School titled "Admitted Student Receptions."

Which is weird because I haven't received any other news from them yet.

Megan said...

I'm in the NYU rejection via email (fiction) boat too. At least it's good to have a response, right?

Laura said...

@ Emerson people,

I talked to the admissions office again about merit aid. They said all the "first round" creative writing merit aid letters have been sent, and that "first round" means that if someone turns down merit aid or decides to go somewhere else, then that aid will go to someone else.

The person I spoke with wasn't able to give out merit aid decisions, but said to email the admissions office to ask for an official decision and it would be passed on to administrators who could tell me the decision.

*sigh*

Laura said...

Oh, and: Letters were not sent to people who didn't get merit aid. SO I guess no letter means no aid and we just have to wait in agony. :P

WreckingLight said...

I will be likewise turning down my Rutgers-Newark offer (in poetry).

Not terribly good communication from them actually - not returning phone calls from early March from admitted students like myself (or, as for others, returning e-mails) is not good policy - had I a comparable school that I had been weighing against Newark, not calling me back would have made my decision easier.

GlobalGothicGirl said...

@ Jeff and all other ASU poetry waitlisters

Although I was high on the wait list, Pete Turchi (ASU) emailed me back this morning to say that they weren't going to offer me a spot this year -- so -- rejection -- and I'm glad I emailed because how long would the torture have lasted?

So, I have an offer at UNH without funding -- do I go through the stress of trying to figure out how I can work my guts out while trying to do an MFA full-time? I can't really afford to put things off for a year, but I also can't afford any more loans. I just don't want to be "the one who came without funding" person -- it is a blow to the ego -- in the sense that I wasn't worth their money. I know UNH doesn't full fund all of their students, but do they (or any school) honestly expect students to pay out in full for their programs? Esp. non-Ivy schools?

Anyway, best of luck to the rest of you.

GlobalGothicGirl said...

UNH people -- when is the deadline to accept/decline our offers? I'd really appreciate knowing if there is an absolute date for me to respond to my offer.

Woon said...

@GlobalGothicGirl - I guess I can't understand your post. What do you mean you "can't really afford to put things off for a year"? I've never actually heard this before. This statement is particularly confusing with your next statement that you "can't afford any more loans."

If you go to an unfunded school, you will have to get loans (or use up whatever savings you have). If you don't go, you can get a job and raise $$$. The MFA has no deadline.

herglands said...

Going to Iowa!

Thanks to everyone on this blog for being as neurotic about MFA applications as I have been.

Morgan said...

congrats on the decision, umlrenic! I wish you the best at Iowa!

Woon said...

@umlrenic - take pictures! Send us a postcard!

GlobalGothicGirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chrissy Widmayer said...

@Laura T -- I just emailed the admissions office to ask if they could tell me via email. Let's hope they do. I just need to be put out of my misery.

And I wish my other schools would give me some closure. Anyone gotten rejection letters from Hollins? I know I didn't get in because I haven't gotten a call or email, but I'd like to be acknowledged! We're down to the wire here!

Chrissy Widmayer said...

@umlrenic--enjoy and good luck! Whatever you do, don't tip any cows while you're there. It's a terrible practice.

amanda said...

Hello all! I posted a thank you to many of you guys yesterday, and it didn't show up! Anyway, thanks again for all the congratulations. I slept more than 4 hours last night for the first time in a long time, and it was absolutely wonderful to have some peace of mind. I plan to accept Vandy's offer and will be giving up my spots at U Memphis, U Colorado, and U Washington.

Woon, my offer includes a tuition remission university scholarship, a $10,500 stipend for each year, in addition to a $3,500 salary for working 10 hrs a week in the Writing Center the first year, and the same for teaching a creative writing class during the first semester of the second year. They also offer health insurance and are working to get funding for summers.

Unknown said...

SO I got a fake-out acceptance email from George Mason. Since I hadn't received anything else and didn't send in the app fee, I called and was told that it was sent to me by error. WHAT ASSHOLES!

Nadiya said...

oh great umlrenic! the more the merrier :-) congratulations!

herglands said...

Thanks Chrissy, Morgon, Woon.

Re cow tipping: I hope the writers block never gets that bad.

Nadiya said...

Does it feel (good) weird that some of from the blog are actually going to meet?

Sister Ray said...

Got my NYU (fiction) rejection email today too. Those bastards...I've been rejected from there twice now - once for undergrad, once for grad. I always kind of thought I would end up there...I love the area and it seemed to be an ideal place for me...but alas, they never wanted me. *sniff* Haha it's okay though...no way I could've afforded it. Will just move there after I get my MFA from Naropa in a few years!

Still nothing from Penn State, Columbia, Florida, or UVA. Bah. Whatevs.

GlobalGothicGirl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
herglands said...

@ Nadiya

Def goodweird.

I'll be the one wearing the bright red ascot.

JK! I'm just watching a robin in the yard.

Jillian Liota said...

Hi Seth, I was wondering if you would provide me with some of your expert advice.

While I DO want to be published, my ultimate goal is to teach. I applied to schools that offered TAships, however the only acceptance I received was from the one school without any TAships, the University of Baltimore. They are pretty lacking in funding too.

Part of me is feeling snooty and thinking "I should just wait and reapply and try to get a TAship somewhere else next year." But another part of me thinks "Just take it and run with it. What if you don't get in ANYwhere next year and you have to wait even longer to get your degree."

Because ultimately, my most important end game is to teach, which I can do with an MFA from anywhere. Do you think it is important for me to wait and reapply so I can get TA experience? Or should I take the acceptance? Do you have any thoughts on UB's program?

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

Thanks!!! JILLIAN

Woon said...

@Jillian Lauren - I'm not Seth, obviously. Here's a discussion I once had with an MFA prof re. teaching. If you're looking to teach high school English or creative writing, one can do that without an MFA. In fact, many many teachers end up leaving their jobs to pursue MFAs. However, competition for high school teaching jobs vary from region to region. The more competitive, the more the MFA can help.

If you want to teach college (or community college) English or creative writing, the MFA is no longer the holy grail. A good publishing record will trump all. Nowadays, teaching jobs are scarce and whatever job openings there are, the competition is so stiff that the original reason for getting an MFA (i.e., teaching) is no longer valid. It's looking more and more like a Ph.D (in CW) and a publishing record are what employers are looking for.

The only reason to get an MFA is to improve your writing so that you can get to the next level via knowledgeable professors and willing readers among your cohorts. That's the only reason why I'm getting my MFA.

I don't know the above for a fact. This is just a conversation I had with an MFA prof.

A. Astur A. said...

subscribing

Jillian Liota said...

@Woon

Thanks for your thoughts Woon. I'm just a super impatient person, who enjoys planning. So it was natural for me to select the quickest path to the job I want. It's just frustrating thinking it might be years and years and years before I get to teach :(

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