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:

«Oldest   ‹Older   1001 – 1200 of 2268   Newer›   Newest»
Courtney said...

I've been away for so long!
So happy for Ashley Brooke! Woo!

For anyone on the waitlists, today I turned down spots in the following programs:

Southern Illinois
Montana
Colorado @ Boulder


--Fiction Courtney

Woon said...

It's 11:11 AM. It's freezing cold outside in California. Wearing longjohns. Might take an early lunch with my $2.00 OFF coupon at Baja Fresh. Maybe write a couple of flash fiction stories while munching on a burrito. Hold the salsa.

Perpetua said...

Amanda - Congratulations. Vandy is a brilliant school.

You've written that you are turning down Colorado, was that a funded spot? And I'm sorry I forgot what you applied for, fiction or poetry?

Congratulations to everyone else whose heard good news!

Austin said...

I just received a TA-ship at Maryland!!!

Julia said...

Congratulations Austin!

Unknown said...

Bennington? Anyone else heard anything recently?

Ratliff said...

@Sarah - Nada, but I did call last Friday and was told they haven't heard back from all readers yet so final decisions were not complete.

Unknown said...

@Ratliff - thanks! There is still a small glimmer of hope then? :\

Ratliff said...

@Sarah - As much for you as for me. I'm harboring a LOT of hope. You never know.

I'm especially concerned because it seems reapplying helps if you have previous acceptances or at least a waitlist - anyone apply again after getting a full round of rejections? That's what a negative response from Bennington would make for me...

miss manton said...

@rc

also emailed carla blount and no reply--which is harmoniously in step with the complete silence from uflorida so far..

miss manton said...

@rc

also emailed carla blount and no reply--which is harmoniously in step with the complete silence from uflorida so far..

Otkuda said...

@Those waiting on Brooklyn: anyone have luck with contacting them? I tried calling yesterday- no luck. Emailed and got this message AGAIN:

"Decisions are still being made by the department. Please check the my enrollment website for updates"

Very fed up with them at this point.

Emily J. Griffin said...

I emailed admissions at NEW SCHOOL and told them I was waiting to hear back and that I would need to make decisions about other schools within the coming weeks.

Just got a response saying that a timeline on decisions would be hard to give, as the dept is very thorough with its reviews, but that my email would be forwarded to the dept so that they may be aware of my need.

At least it was a cut and paste response.

Emily J. Griffin said...

*wasn't

Unknown said...

@Otkuda,

I got this:

Thank you for your email.

Please forgive any delay in response time; I will be out of the office until March 31.

If you are emailing to inquire about the status of your application to our MFA program, please note that all accepted and waitlisted applicants have been notified. All others should be receiving letters in the next few weeks.

I e-mailed helen phillips directly, i don't want to post her address here but it's on the site. So now they are sending out letters isntead of the online status? i'm so confused. i've given up on them, but it's rude not to even send anything out, or to tell applicants one thing (if you haven't been called, you've been rejected) when that hasn't actually been true for everyone. lame.

@ TNS ppl, i was also told to call Anita Christian b/c my app is still under review, and i left a msg. i did not get the e-mail welcoming admitted students to an orientation some on here were mentioning before they got an admittance notification. meh. i've given up.

@ Columbia ppl--i really, really want to go to columbia. i love this program so much. it's unique and rigorous and demanding. ppl who don't get it just don't get it. i called yesterday, and they said if i hadn't been called, i "probably" didn't get accepted, but could still be waitlisted, and letters either go out or should arrive next week.

Anonymous said...

I sent an email late asking about my application status last night to Carla Blount, sending it to both of those 2 email addresses I mentioned in my post last night. I got a response today that my application had been denied (her words). She also said an official letter either had just or was about to go out. Hopefully that bit about the letter is good-ish news for all y'all.

M. M. said...

Re: Bennington. I was notified for poetry by phone on Monday and given until next Monday to decide. I've decided not to accept, so maybe there's hope for someone else here!

Coughka said...

You guys! We need to pay better attention! All this time we've spent arguing about James Franco being a terrible writer, and the REAL terrible writer of our time, Nicholas Sparks, has gotten away with calling Cormac McCarthy a bad writer. UGH!

From the USA TODAY article:

"Horrible," [Nicholas Sparks] says, looking at Blood Meridian. "This is probably the most pulpy, overwrought, melodramatic cowboy vs. Indians story ever written."

Nicholas Sparks compares himself to Aeschylus, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Hemingway too. I take it all back, James Franco. You can have your shadow-color buildings.

Jasmine Sawers said...

M. Swann:

I was discussing that very article with a friend of mine the other day. Her immortal quote: "Nicholas Sparks shouldn't be allowed to buy pens in case he writes a story with them."

Coughka said...

Jasmine,

Good one! I like what Roger Ebert has to say too:

I resent the sacrilege Nicholas Sparks commits by even mentioning himself in the same sentence as Cormac McCarthy. I would not even allow him to say “Hello, bookstore? This is Nicholas Sparks. Could you send over the new Cormac McCarthy novel?” He should show respect by ordering anonymously.

Constance Culver said...

For anyone on the wait list at Brooklyn- I am 99% sure I am going to give up my spot for poetry.

I wish someone would do the same for Michener! Or give up their TA at Amherst...

Jasmine Sawers said...

M. Swann,

He may be a laughingstock, but he's rolling in the dough. I however have a future full of living in boxes, clutching various degrees while periodically shouting "I write literary fiction!"

Jasmine Sawers said...

I can't even respect him a little bit though.

Andrea said...

@ Jasmine

I'd rather have that existence than be like the guy who wrote a movie for Miley Cyrus to star in and then wrote a book to go with it. :)

I fucking HATE Nicholas Sparks. Okay, I'm done now.

Chrissy Widmayer said...

Okay okay okay....I'm dying! I emailed Emerson's Grad Admissions today to ask if they could put me out of my misery and tell me whether I got any merit aid, and I just got the response that, though they can't tell me the details, they can tell me I GOT MERIT AID! OMG!

I'm seriously freaking out because this means I will actually probably really truly be going to grad school in the fall. The awards start at $5000/semester, so it's a reality for me now! I'm dying!

They said that letters were put in the mail on Friday 3/26, and that awarded students will be getting them. So fingers crossed for all my fellow Emersonians on here!!!

Seriously, the only thing that would make today a better day is if the rest of you find out you got aid, too.

AHHH!

Nadiya said...

@umlrenic: red ascot? no skiving, i shall hold you to that promise.

Chrissy Widmayer said...

P.S. to my earlier comment....sorry about all the excitement and any bad grammar/lack of commas. I'm just really excited. I've already done a little dance and called all my family members. Haha.

Nadiya said...

Chrissy, that's marvelous news! So excited for you!

Ratliff said...

I'm hoping for a rejection letter someday that reads something along the lines of:
"At first, we thought your SOP laughable, a prank from some rival institution. Good sport! Once we examined your manuscript, however, we realized your work was that of some sick evil unmentionable in even common company. We've burned it and exorcised the threshold of even the post office it passed through. Give up and stop writing now."
At least then, you know.

Re: Sparks vs. McCarthy

WHAT?! Has he even READ Blood Meridian? I read it this December. It was difficult to read and far from my favorite McCarthy novel. Horrible? Yes. Horrible for horrible actions. Who exactly were the cowboys, Nick? The "good guys" who mimicked vividly depicted Apache methods of war? I didn't like Blood Meridian, but it was not a "cowboys vs. Indians story." All the Pretty Horses is still the best I've read from McCarthy (I've read 4 of his novels to date.)

Where is McCarthy now? Oh, right. Chilling with geniuses at the Santa Fe Institute.

frankish said...

Who is Nicholas Sparks?

LAswede said...

the sound and the fury and blood meridian are the reasons i'm here

frankish said...

And I think Blood Meridian is McCarthy's best novel. Of course, it's not like the papers and lit journals are clamoring for my opinion. But it's actually one of the best books I've read in a few years.

Cheers!

Perpetua said...

Congratulations Chrissy!

And I do hope the rest of us get some good news!

many many birdies said...

CONGRATULATIONS Chrissy!

I just got my merit aid letter from Emerson today - so hopefully everyone else's has arrived or will arrive shortly.

I gotta say, damn, I was not expecting that kind of.... generosity. This will make my decision harder, I'm not going to lie.

Good luck to everyone who's still waiting!

Ratliff said...

@LAswede - "I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools." -pg 76

@Chrissy - Yay for funding! Congrats!

Laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LAswede said...

gnarly

Laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LAswede said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura said...

Confirmed: I did not get any merit aid from Emerson. It kind of hurts just because it makes me feel like the faculty didn't like my work enough to give me something, but they liked it enough not to reject me, so meh. I can manage it financially without aid, with my parents' help, savings, and my weird super-cheap housing situation in Boston.

I do kind of wish I could go to Sarah Lawrence, because I feel more welcomed by the faculty there, who have told me how much they liked my work and that I was their top choice, etc. But SLC is not manageable financially, unless I want $50k in debt!

And there are lots of things I like about Emerson, and it will probably be great. I can get teaching experience there, which is really important to me, and I can't get that at SLC. That call to Sarah Lawrence is going to hurt though.

But I am soooooooo happy for Chrissy who got a merit award. I would rather she get one than I get one, if they had to choose between us. :)

Laura said...

megan, yay, I'm glad you got merit aid!

Lucas said...

@Raitliff and LAswede:

I stood on the porch of the house that Faulkner used as a model for the Compson house while my grad school prof recited that to himself with tears in his eyes. Dorky, but a good time.

Also, I thought Blood Meridian was the best book ever until I read Suttree. I've also read every one of dude's novels, some more than once (the Road twice, Blood Meridian three times). And I've read his plays. I was a little obsessed for a while, but I've moved on to new things.

many many birdies said...

@ Laura T:

I have several friends at Emerson in other programs, and I spoke to the fin. aid office extensively while applying, and my understanding is that merit aid is NOT about the quality of your writing. I was told it's about GPA and GRE scores - and has nothing to do with how much the faculty like you/want you.

I've read your poetry and frankly it is amazing. I know you don't know me at all, but I do not give out compliments lightly about writing - in fact, my writer friends often complain I'm way too critical and hard on them. :) Not that my opinion really matters, I know that, but I hate to see you thinking of merit aid as a marker of your writing ability, or a marker of how the faculty perceive your writing.

the duchess said...

Got a GSI offer from Columbia College Chicago. The 20k tuition remains a formidable obstacle, however.

Congrats to recent good news ppl!

Coughka said...

Just another Ebert zing on Nicholas Sparks:

Sparks also said his novels are like Greek Tragedies. This may actually be true. I can't check it out because, tragically, no really bad Greek tragedies have survived.

Ratliff said...

@Lucas - Let's be friends.

Lucas said...

@Raitliff

Sure thing.

And I just remembered that I wasn't actually on the porch, as someone lives there and that would have been weird. We were on the sidewalk, looking at the porch. Funny how memory does that.

And I also wanted to clarify that I intended, in my previous post, to note that I love Cormac McCarthy. I wasn't trying to win the Cormac McCarthy super fan contest, if that is how it came off.

Laura said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura said...

@ megan,

Thank you, that makes me feel better. And thank you so much for your kind words about my poetry. I really appreciate that.

I was told earlier that merit aid decisions were made by the creative writing faculty and that they weighed "creative potential" as part of their decision process, which made me feel like it came down to whose writing they liked the best.

Now I'm going to worry that my not-so-amazing GRE scores killed it. I thought my high GPA would matter more when it came to merit aid. Maybe everybody else had a 4.0 and knocked my 3.86 out of the running? :P I guess I should've just studied more for the damn GRE!

Chelsea said...

@Laura T

Don't worry about the GREs. I'm pretty sure I would've done better if I had just skipped test day and saved myself the headache.

And that 3.86 GPA is nothing to cast aside. You kicked ass at school. The End [:

Ratliff said...

@Lucas
I am far from a super-McCarthy fan, however, I thoroughly enjoy what he brings to the table, whether I have a taste for it or not.

I've always wanted to go Faulkner sight seeing! If anyone ever wants to geek out with me off blog asilva[fiveohnine] at gmail

Timothy Marshall said...

Make it a trifecta of grad school rejections. NYU got back to me today: "Dear Mr. Griffiths - It has come to our attention that you think you can write fiction. That's adorable, really. Sadly, you have been misinformed. We burned your fiction in the Lillian Vernon Creative Writing Incinerator. Better luck next time, loser. Sincerely, NYEffU."

I can't blame them. What can I say? My writing sucked. I submitted sucky writing to everyone. I didn't realize I was making that mistake when I made it, but, there it is.

I think I'm going to move out of NYC. How do people live here? Really? I think I'll apply again later this year to a lot more places and hopefully get in at Iowa, Michigan, or somewhere else that doesn't require Faustian deals to get by month-to-month. Then again, maybe I'll just publish my masterpiece next year and skip grad school altogether.

Either way, I'm tired of waiting tables. Is anyone else tired of waiting tables? What do I do?

Megan said...

Someone asked a question about reapplying that I've been wondering myself -- seeing as I've gotten my fifth rejection today, with only two more schools to hear from, does anyone know how previous rejections affect future chances of getting in somewhere? Don't remember who mentioned it, but someone said that having previous waitlistings would help, but rejections (unsurprisingly) wouldn't. I know I'm a good writer and will definitely be reapplying next fall (take that, NYU!) but I can't help but wonder, for those of us who aren't getting good news right now, what are y'all planning on doing?

Julia said...

@Megan

In my opinion, the real benefit to reapplying is you now know what the process entails. You probably have an idea of what you wish you did differently. Or you will by the time you're ready to apply again. Waiting and reapplying also gives the most important thing: time to work on your writing. If no one says yes (and I truly hope someone does!), then you have 6-8 mos. to really polish your writing sample. Obviously there are the folks at DH who can help with that, but also friends, mentors, even the folks on here.

I don't think there's any magic formula of waitlists or unfunded acceptances in the first round that makes you more successful the next time around. I think it's the practice.

(This is my second year applying. I got accepted to one school without money last year and decided to give it another go, with a fair amount of success.)

Coughka said...

Hey Megan,

Columbia rejected me last year, accepted me this year. I don't know if previous rejections reflect poorly on your most recent application. I can imagine them helping: "Wow, this writer has come a long way in one year. Imagine what she could do in our program in two or three years!" That is what the programs are saying. Probably.

NB: NYU is the only program I know of that limits the number of times you can apply. After three (rejected) application cycles, NYU tosses your app straight into the rubbish bin. Reading that pisses me off. They come across like a bunch of jerks there.

Ratliff said...

@Megan
I *might* be who you meant? I said something about how I was wondering if people with ZERO acceptances, waitlists in previous years were having a better run the second go. From what I've seen from this blog, it appears that plenty of people reapplied after getting at least one waitlist or acceptance the previous application cycle. I was wondering if assuming no positive response, my chances were slim of ever getting in?

Re: NYU limitations

Wow.

T said...

@ Fiction Courtney
I know I've already asked you this but did you have funding to Montana? I am still waiting for it...
I looked all over the blog but I couldn't find where I'd asked you.

Law school looks mighty appealing right now, sigh.

-Fiction Sutpen

Megan said...

@Ratliff

I think you were! I'm in the same boat basically. No positive response at all, planning on applying again and wondering what to expect. Like, is there anyone out there who got rejected everywhere last year and now has something more inspirational to tell us?

kaybay said...

Megan - I will be reapplying next year too, barring an MFA miracle. It's kind of shitty though, because I thought I had done a good amount of quality research and that my list was pretty solid, but I realized yesterday when I was compiling my list for next year that I overlooked a ton of quality, funded schools in great locations (well, great for me, I'm not a NYC kind of gal :D ).

I've talked to a lot of people with GREAT samples that were either completely rejected their first try or were wait listed without any acceptances. One person, rejected last year, was accepted Alabama. Another, accepted to pretty much every school she applied to, (Courtney ;) ). Another got accepted to Notre Dame and Southern Illinois. My "mentor" was rejected her first try and accepted at three places the next year. Getting rejected your first year really has no bearing on your writing. Applying to this thing is an art, from what I can tell.

Also, keep in mind how subjective and, well, ridiculous this is. Example: I was rejected from Alabama and wait listed at McNeese. Someone I talked to was accepted at Alabama and rejected at McNeese. I was wait listed at ND, someone who was also wait listed at McNeese with me was not accepted to ND. This person was accepted at some amazing programs and got a note on her Iowa letter saying she was a finalist. IT MAKES NO SENSE, LOL. It truly is about "fit," and what the hell is that anyway?? It's like dating. Haven't you ever known someone who's a gorgeous, nice person who is dating a slob? Your rejection is "what?". That's kind of how this whole thing is, sometimes I'm confused at how good writing is overlooked. It just happens, for whatever reason.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I've been thinking about this for a while (can you tell??). I'm really excited and cautiously confident about next year, key word there is "cautious." I have my list compiled already and I'm really happy with it. Just think about next year and try not to let this year get me down. The only thing that really bothers me about this year is that I now dislike my list and spent close to $1000 on it. Bah. Oh well, I just lost 1/30 of my yearly income basically *shudders* I'm not a big spender and that number is making me cringe...

Good luck :)

miss manton said...

i'm sorry, i meant @rs earlier

miss manton said...

i'm sorry, i meant @rs earlier

kaybay said...

Ummmm, that should say "reaction" and not "rejection." Wonder what I have on my mind right now ;)

kaybay said...

And I haven't received my Florida rejection email yet. Seriously??? Why give me false hope, that's torture. On with it already!

katie booms said...

@kaybay

There's so much "McNeese" and "Alabama" in that post that I feel like you're reading my mind. Any chance all your Alabama examples were poets and respectfully declined? haha

(I'm another set of strange acceptances, waitlists, and "unranked" waitlist-waitlists so thanks for the post!)

kaybay said...

Heh, fiction, sorry :(

Ratliff said...

@Megan - Yeah, well I'm glad we're together on this at least :) I WISH it didn't involve questioning whether I just plain suckaroonskies as a writer or not. Doubting talent is a pretty shady neck of the woods I don't want to travel. I don't know about you, but I could use a little validation...and a cupcake.

@kaybay - Thank you VERY much for the informative post. It's good to hear that some people survived a sweep of rejections and rebounded.

See, the thing that concerns me most about applying to bigger programs is my undergrad GPA. It was pretty awful. Under a 3.0, not by a lot, but by enough. I don't like it - it does not reflect my abilities by any stretch, and a lot of factors went into it being so low. My writing classes, however, were all As. Of course, my college only offered 2 classes in writing at the time, and one I set up for myself independently.

I know I've read over and over that grades don't really matter as much as the sample, but if you look at the websites, most of them have minimum GPAs. It's disheartening to see the situation I've put myself in.

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

Ratliff, one thing you might want to consider is taking some undergraduate courses as a non-degree seeking student to raise your overall GPA. Two more A's could put your GPA over the 3.0 threshold a lot schools have. It'll cost ya though, non-degree seeking students receive zero assistance typically. Yeah.

Ratliff said...

@kaybay - I know :( and that <3.0 cost me $100,000 that I've started paying back. Cannot afford to be alive, basically. Rough, rough, rough.

lisa said...

@ratliff

if it makes you feel better, my sister had shy of a 3.0 as a bio sci major (pre-med), which basically rules out acceptance to med school in california regardless of mcat scores. so instead, she did a second bachelor's in nursing (where she had just shy of a 4.0) & is now an RN working in the ER - great hours, no weekends, great salary, gets to work on amazing cases, and she bought a house within a year of her hire date.

the point of my anecdote being: if you want something badly enough, you'll find a way to make it work--even if it isn't exactly what you had in mind in the beginning.

Ratliff said...

Sorry, that sounds so negative. I mean, it is, but I'm not. :)

I think there are other ways to offset crappy GPAs: great GRE scores, impressive publishing history, waiting 40 years to apply again...?

@lisa - That's what I've been thinking. A bad undergrad GPA isn't going to prevent me from being a writer. I'm optimistic most days, I swear!

Rosie said...

UMMM so yeah, Emerson sent me a merit award letter. The $5,000 a semester thingy. I am in shock, etc.. I was all set on going to EWU, and now I DON'T KNOW, MAN. My friend got into Brandeis, so we could live together. I could still be poised for tremendous debt, but maybe I could get a TA position or a job...or maybe I'll ride a pig to the moon. I dunno. !!!

ceruleanblue said...

I just want to let you all know that I've accepted Florida's offer. I'm absolutely thrilled, and can't wait for August. Here's my final tally:

UF (attending)

Accepted:
Sarah Lawrence
Hunter
Montana
UNCG

Waitlist:
Iowa

Rejections:
Michener
Alabama
Virginia

Heads up Iowa waitlist people, I just removed myself from the list. And for those of you who are reapplying next year, this is my second try. Good luck to those still waiting, and congrats to those who've made their decisions.

Unknown said...

Hi all, new to this blog and not actually an MFA applicant (I'm at PhD status) BUT I was wondering if anyone has heard from Florida State? I was told via email that decisions would be posted on their status check in mid-March, and have heard nada. A few others noted silence coming from their end, but I was wondering if anyone had heard anything, good or bad. Cheers.

Woon said...

Well, good news to all you Notre Dame waitlisters. I've given up my coveted #7 waitlist spot at ND so that one of you lucky ones can take it. Jeez, please, no applause is necessary. I called their office with this critical decision and even they were stunned speechless by my gesture.

Ashley Brooke said...

Yesterday I e-mailed UNLV and GCSU to make sure I was rejected by them, and they were quick to reply and let me know that I had not gotten in. This means Penn State is the only school I haven't heard from, and since they already had admitted student day or something, I can assume it's a big old no.

So... it's the end for me. I've accepted a spot at Florida Atlantic University. I'll be turning down Texas State just as soon as FAU gets back to confirmed that I did not hallucinate the original acceptance. If there is a waitlist at Texas, hopefully that will give somebody a spot.

@Rising Yellow Rose,
Have you decided if you will be attending FAU yet? You can e-mail me at orthetige(at)gmail(dot)com if you want to chat about the program.

kaybay said...

Congrats, Emma and Ashley for making a decision!! Emma, put in a good word for me at UF ;)

kaybay said...

Woon, where are you going instead? Thanks for your gesture, now I'm 17th on the wait list :D Actually, I don't know my number, just that I'm "very low." Maybe I'm just "low" now! Woo hoo!

Brittany said...

@Joe: I emailed Tara Stamm to check on my FSU status (for an MFA, not PhD, but I guess this could apply to you too) and she said "The committee is still deliberating over the wait list and deny list.  I will send an email as soon as I have any news at all.  No need to log in to any site.  Just keep your email active." So, there's hope yet!

@Emma: Congrats again on UF, and enjoy! As a Montana acceptee I'm sad we won't be studying together--but now I'm hoping I can steal your TAship...haha :) I know it's their spring break so I suppose Montana will be slow to notify whatever lucky person gets it!

Woon said...

@kaybay - don't know yet. It will go down to the wire. I'm happy with what I have now, but wondering if there will be options.

LAswede said...

anyone heard anything about boise state yet? i sent an email to dr. corless-smith and have received no response as of yet...they have great funding (w/ a t.a.ship) and a good faculty too...just wondering

Ashley Brooke said...

Thanks guys!

Kaybay, do you mind sharing your list for next year (if ND and McNeese don't pan out, of course)?

Good luck, everybody.

kaybay said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Laura said...

@ Ashley, Congratulations on going to FAU!

@ Rosie, Congratulations on your Emerson merit aid!

kaybay said...

Sure! It could change though, seeing as how I have 6 months until the deadlines hit :) I plan on reapplying to some of my schools from last year. I'd totally apply to FAU, by the way, but it's even hotter down there than it is here and I don't want to deal with that :D


-Ohio State (retaking the GRE just for them)

-NC State
-South Carolina
-Bowling Green State
-West Virginia
-Purdue
-Penn State
-Washington University-St. Louis
-Iowa
-Alabama
-Florida State
-Florida
-Notre Dame

Woon said...

Well, I'm taking a nap.

kaybay said...

Oh, and possibly Michigan :)

Chrissy Widmayer said...

@Laura T -- you have no idea how bummed I am that you didn't get merit aid. I agree with megan that I'm sure it has nothing to do with your writing ability because your poems are incredible! Who knows what criteria they used to decide? To be honest, I think they're crazy for not giving you merit aid.

@megan -- Congratulations on your merit aid! Even if it's making your decision harder, it's something to be excited about! Do you mind my asking how much aid you got? I'm just curious. If you prefer not to tell me, that's okay, or if you'd rather email me off blog, go ahead: cjwid87(at)hotmail(dot)com.

@Rosie -- Congratulations to you, too! How absolutely exciting! I can't wait to get my actual letter. I'll probably still be jumping up and down!

Thanks to everyone who congratulated me. I'm so pleased. This means I'm likely going to be able to afford this whole grad school thing. I can't believe it. Just yesterday I was having a break down about what I would do if I didn't get aid. I can't believe today was such a turn-around!

Justin Bendell said...

Turned down my Montana CNF spot (unfunded). Hope that helps.

kaybay said...

Hmmmm, maybe Western Michigan too... I'm also considering nixing Washington University-St. Louis and trying for Cornell again (I need a super reach, 'cause hey, why not?). But, I don't know, .86% chance of admission is like getting hit by lightening. 1.98%, now that's what I'm talking about :P

Woon said...

re. Montana

I've read so many people turn down Montana seats, both funded and unfunded. What gives? It's a supposed to be a fantastic program!

(In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't apply to Montana because, well, I didn't have the stamina and patience to apply everywhere.)

Woon said...

@kaybay - This is not a contract. You're not bound by the list of schools you list here. You can always change your mind and run off to Venice with an Italian suitor. We won't hold it against you.

Violet_Mai said...

@Megan

I definitely think things can really turn around with a second year of applying. Last year, I applied to 13 programs. I was rejected from 12, waitlisted at 1, and really dejected about the whole process. This year, I applied to 17 programs, which seemed totally crazy, but I'd done so poorly last year I wanted to apply to as many programs as I could afford. This year I've gotten into a bunch of my top choices--UVA, Vandy, JHU, Columbia and some others. I know my first sample wasn't my strongest, but I also don't think the difference between my samples was huge enough to account for getting rejected so resoundingly the first time and accepted by several programs the second time.

I think that with so many teeny programs, it really is possible to be unusually unlucky one year and then unusually lucky the next. Some of the difference is obviously due to improved writing, but I also think luck accounts for a lot of it. Which is why I think it makes so much sense to give it another shot.

Jennifer said...

@ MSwann

Thanks for posting the link to that Sparks interview. I haven't laughed that hard in years! Almost wet my pants when he compared himself to Hemingway.

kaybay said...

Woon, I thought you were taking a nap.

Andrea said...

@ LAswede

I posted about Boise State quite a while ago, but I think it got lost in the shuffle. :)

I emailed them a few weeks ago to see what was up, and Dr. Corless-Smith forwarded my email to Prof. Weiland because I'm fiction. Weiland responded to me pretty quickly. So, if you're fiction, send him an email. If poetry, wait for Corless to respond. They're on Spring Break right now so you might not hear back for a while. Also, if you're in fiction, Prof Weiland told me that they were only able to accept two fiction students this year and have a waitlist of six. Don't know about poetry. Good luck!

Woon said...

re. Nicky Sparks vs. Cormac McCarthy

In some ways, I respect John Grisham. In almost every interview I've seen (or read) of him, he's very modest and almost self-deprecating. In craft discussions, he doesn't come off as a know-it-all. He simply says, and I paraphrase, just learn how to put words together to form sentences and then sentences together to form paragraphs.

p.s. I read "The Firm" while riding the Metro in Washington, DC. Once, I missed my stop because I got too caught up in the action. But this was when I was young and reading trash novels.

Woon said...

@kaybay - I tried to sleep. Can't.

Andrea said...

Here's another article in which Nicholas Sparks reveals himself to be an egotistical d-bag. Enjoy! And sorry, I'm not cool enough to know how to do the linky thing. (M Swann, you've revealed yourself to NOT be 95!)

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20230339,00.html

My favorite example is when he blatantly describes the formula he uses to come up with the subject matter for his books:

"'Okay,' he says, getting excited, 'I just wrote The Lucky One. So the next one won't be a military story. I know that right off the bat. These characters were in their 20s, okay, so the characters are not in their 20s. Okay, so if you're in your 40s, what are the dilemmas? Oh, wait, I've got Nights in Rodanthe coming out, and that's a love story with characters in their 40s, so if I come out with a book just like that, people will think I'm not original.'"

LAswede said...

thank you digapony...i will do that...damn! only 2 though!! i probably would not have bothered if i'd known that!

Ashley Brooke said...

Kaybay,
Sounds like a pretty good list! You know, I can take the heat in south Florida (I was prepared to move to Vegas), but the humidity is another story... We have it here in Cleveland, but not as bad... I'll have to get used to it, I guess. I need a pool in my apartment complex.

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

I'm still trying to decide between University of Idaho and George Mason. I'm eager to swap samples with any poets who are considering these programs or who have already committed to them. I know there are a few of you out there!

lauramariepizzo at gmail dot com




Also, if you use instant messenger, I'd be happy to chat there too. Just email me your screen name.


These decisions are so difficult to make!

Ashley Brooke said...

Well, I called that one. Further on in the article... Mr. Sparks coaches his son in track. Yup.

Jason R Jimenez said...

re: Nicholas Sparks

I'm coming back to the blog for this. I've never read Sparks and don't plan to, and these articles and quotes make him seem like a total idiot. However, I would just like to say that Sparks has done some cool things in regards to high school track and field, etc.

He went to a high school here in Nor Cal (has the school record for the 800m). Actually one that is in my district, one that as a high school track athlete I competed against. He gave that school a ton of a money to rebuild their stadium and put in an all weather track... the ONLY all weather track in our district. Also, after Katrina, a very talented 800 meter athlete who had been displaced to North Carolina was taken in by Sparks and Sparks coached this kid to some nation leading type times. In this area of his life, I've got to give him props.

But, you guys can swing away on his delusions of being even close to Hemingway. Ok.

kaybay said...

RE: Sparks - he's also donated a ton to the Notre Dame program (he's an alum of the school). I don't read his work, but thought I'd add that.

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

I think it's great that old Nicky has used his money and other abilities to help various schools/students out- glad to know that about him. It just sickens me when people think of him as great "literature." Come on! (Unfortunately, my best friend is one of those people. Luckily she has many other good qualities.)

I like Jasmine's suggestion, though- we can all hang out and show off our degrees and periodically scream, "I write literary fiction!" while Sparky cleans up at the bank. Props, Jasmine.

Jasmine Sawers said...

DigAPony

We can have our own corrugated box village, degrees laminated and pinned to our "walls."

Chrissy Widmayer said...

I understand if people think I'm silly, but I just wanted to say: my friend has been making the absolute cutest corduroy stuffed elephants, and I think everyone getting an MFA should buy one to keep them company during all the low points. Mine, Ichabod, has kept me company during the highs and lows of this process. He's just wonderful. They're also wonderful presents for babies, toddlers, and kids-at-heart (like me).

I guess this can be considered a plug. But I'm really just hanging out with Ichabod, and he made me want to post.

red said...

@ Chrissy

Those elephants are adorable! We need a mascot anyway.

Nadiya said...

re: red ascot

@umlrenic: I just said red ascot. Who says you have to wear anything else?

re: gpa scores

When I was a student - and I studied in Bangladesh - we were still operating on a 1st class/2nd class system. My department (Eng Lit) was notorious for not handing out 1st classes. In my year, no one got a 1st class. And I wasn't one of the top five either. When I was applying to the MFA, I asked all the schools what to do. A couple offered a conversion equivalent, simply based on the score I had. It came to 2.something. Not at all good. Yet even schools whose requirement said a minimum of 3 encouraged me to apply.

The people I contacted/talked to said, that's a grad school requirement, which can be flexible. My impression was, it depended on how influential the CW department is, and how much pull they could exert.

But anyway: my dismal academic scores didn't turn out to be an impediment.

Regarding acceptances and rejections - I truly believe that it isn't necessarily a direct reflection of whether you're a good or a bad writer in that way.

We all know how ridiculously subjective this whole writing business is. A story I wrote was rejected by a Bangladeshi editor as being below par. That story has so far won a prize, been reprinted at least five times in five different countries. It's also one of the stories that got me into Iowa and Michigan and VTech.

I heard that the Stegner this year had more than 1300 applications. I friend of mine just got her rejection and I was thinking, they take five people in fiction, right? How do you select five writers from among a thousand? Does that mean the thousand people who didn't get selected weren't good? I've read my friend's stuff - she's very very good. And this is her third or fourth time applying for the Stegner.

Myself - I think (combined with all the hard work I put in like everyone here did) I just got lucky this year. I might not have last year (when I was first planning to apply). It doesn't make me better or worse as a writer than anyone else here.

So please, don't let this thing - whether you got in this year or not - effect how you perceive your quality as a writer.

red said...

@ Nadiya

Thanks for the words of encouragement! This month didn't turn into March radness for me, but I'm looking toward next year already.

Good luck making your decision - you have some fantastic choices!

Nadiya said...

"Well, I'm taking a nap. "

@Woon: you must have such a fascinating facebook life :P

Courtney said...

@Sutpen--it was an unfunded spot. (Hence the turn-down!)

Nadiya said...

@red: I made mine this week - I'm going to Iowa :-)

Best wishes for next year. I'm sure it'll be cream!

Oh and I should add - the same writing sample earned me rejections from Wisconsin Madison and Irvine.

Rosie said...

OMG, my boss and I were just making fun of Nicholas Sparks the other day! She looked up quotes from his books, and this one was by far my favorite:

"Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it."

Read more hilarious quotes right here!

foe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Zoulou said...

@Jason J - you came back! I wanted to say, good night Jason J (unless you come back again). Good luck to you!

@Ashley Brooks - a belated congratulations on FAU! I've seen some pictures of the campus, and it looks GORGEOUS. What a great place to write and teach :)

Zoulou said...

One time I took a Nicholas Sparks book into the bath with me - you know, to see what's the buzz - and I got SO SAD. Haha. And I totally love pulpy, trashy books! I just don't get Nicholas Sparks.

It's nice to know he's being so generous, though!

Andrea said...

Jasmine, I think we should use several boxes to make hobo apartments. More room to hang up our PhDs later. On the "walls." (I dig that.)

Summer said...

@Kaybay and all other FSU applicants - My information search is pretty much fruitless. I emailed 3 people, all of whom directed me somewhere else, and the person I finally ended up emailing for the situation on notifications looks like she might not reply. Bureaucracy is fun!

Summer said...

Any Michigan POETS take a cue from Nadiya and choose Iowa? Maybe? There are waitlisters pacing over here. :D

amanda said...

@ Perpetua: Nope, definitely not funded. Vandy is the first of my four schools that has offered me anything! I've been holding out hoping that I might get funding from Boulder, but at this point, the communication from the school is such that I'm not that enthused about it anyway.

In other news, I came home to an LSU waitlist. sigh.

bbartok said...

Re: Nicholas Sparks

I'm not familiar with him, but I read a bunch of quotes from his stuff on a link another poster provided. To a literary writer, they are obviously laughable. But I sense that they are heartfelt in the Oprah sense. I feel like he might have been better as a lyricist or song writer, where that kind of stuff is considered usable material. But, apparently, he's not hurting, so whatever.

But, yeah, bashing Cormac McCarthy is not something he's allowed to do. Time out for him. No handball for a week.

Caitlin said...

Hi all. Just an FYI post: I got an email last night from Peter Turchi at ASU. I'm on a two-person waitlist for fiction (five were already accepted). I accepted another offer this week, so the sort-of-spot will go to someone else(!?).

Unknown said...

Decision-making question:

I'm torn between two programs, one of which is UNCG. All else being equal (and it never is, of course), should I be worried about UNCG's funding situation?

I've seen situations second-hand where graduate funding deals get changed because of budget crisis, after students have been in the program for a year or two. Is that a fluke, or a worry I should pay attention to?

And even if my funding (if it ever comes through) doesn't change, what happens if next year's class only has four people, or has four funded people and ten unfunded (whatever the numbers might be)? How does that change the environment of the program, as compared to a smaller program with solid funding and great support from the department and the school?

Any thoughts?

(For what it's worth, I'm likely to ask these same questions of UNCG at some point; just wanted to tap your wisdom first.)

Unknown said...

Also, just so I don't seem ungrateful, I'll be busy most of today and tonight. Let me thank you in advance for your advice!

Chelsea said...

@chrissy

Loving those wee elephants! Total kid at heart. I've got a collection of 100+ Eeyore that my mother has been telling me to get rid of for years. I think they would take it personally. And I might cry.

I think the corduroy elephant would make a great mascot! You've got a talented friend!

Henry, wag said...

Low vs. full res schools:

I am deciding between two schools for poetry -- one low res and one full res. All other factors being equal, it seems to me that students do more reading and writing in low res schools. From what I understand, monthly packets require 5-6 pages of poetry and about the same of critical essays. Also, during the residency students and advisors arrive at reading lists that seem more individually tailored. Lastly, the lecture topics at residencies seem incredibly interesting and expose one to a broad range of topics across all literature genres.

Of course, on the flip side, full residency programs provide a much more immediate, permanent (for the length of the program) sense of literary community, which is clearly important. Also, my full residency program is near the city where I live so it's likely that many of the people and faculty that I meet will remain geographically close by in the years after my MFA is completed.

Wondering if anyone else has thoughts on this or is struggling with a similar decision. I think both formats are strong. It's a tough decision.

the duchess said...

Hello April! No fooling please. I have a delicate constitution.

Although it's not quite endgame for me (clinging to an expensive waitlist hope), it's not looking good.

I'm sending an update email to my recommenders and wanted to get your collective thoughts -

I'm several years out of undergrad and had to do the awkward "hey remember me" emails to 2 of my college professors who are poets. They both did remember me and asked to see my sample - I sent it to them and they wrote LORs (I used an Interfolio type service so they only had to do minimal work), but neither of them gave me any sort of feedback or positive affirmation.

Although I think they would have declined to write the letters if they didn't feel comfortable doing so, I still having a burning desire to know what they think of my work and what I can improve upon but I feel awkward about asking them to critique my work and take time out of their busy schedules. Did anyone else have a similar "strictly business" situation with their recommenders and press for more feedback?

Argh - basically I want to read those letters.

Courtney said...

@Henry, Wag

You've been accepted to SLC for poetry right? While I don't know specifically what you want out of a program, my personal preference would be a full residency program. I don't know THAT much about low res programs, but I believe they tend to be a better option for people who don't want to give up too much of their current situation (meaning their profession, relocating their family, etc). I have more of a dive in head first or not at all mentality (of course, only after I seriously contemplate pros and cons), so, for me, I want to feel fully immersed in my program, which makes a full residency program the clear option. Those are just my thoughts. Also, have you looked at this article? It may help you judge the specific low res program you are considering.

http://www.awpwriter.org/pdf/loreshallmarks.pdf

-nonfiction Courtney

Courtney said...

a spot should open up in nonfiction at Saint Mary's, hopefully today

Laura said...

@ Chrissy,

Those elephants are SO CUTE! I really really want one. I think they would make an excellent mascot.

Jennifer said...

@Henry, wag

I'm full res, and my first semester I read the equivalent of three novels a week, and had writing assignments each week in addition to final projects for each of my three classes (two of which were full length stories and one of which was an academic paper). So I'm not sure you would do more reading and writing in a low res. Maybe. . . but I'm not convinced.

Justin Bendell said...

@ woon

I turned down an unfunded spot at Montana because I've been offered funding at two schools, one of which is full funding (FIU). I really wanted to work with Judy Blunt at MT, but I can't see getting $30K in debt when I have the opportunity not only to not go in debt, but to make $ TAing for three years. The teaching experience alone will be invaluable.

Justin Bendell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Justin Bendell said...

Oh, and to continue beating a bloodied horse, I am a huge fan of Blood Meridian, The Road, and the Border Trilogy. Suttree is on my bookshelf, waiting.

w/r/t our celebrity MFAer discission, I enjoyed Freaks and Geeks; therefore, James Franco must be an amazing writer.

It's great fun watching people whittle down their lists. Spots are opening up for waitlisters this week and next. Best of luck.

Justin Bendell said...

Just opened up a CNF spot at UNH, partially funded and TA wait listed. Hope a well-deserving MFA blogger is offered the space.

Perpetua said...

I was wondering if anyone is turning down a spot at Bowling Green for fiction?

Unknown said...

For anyone who's still waiting to hear from Rutgers Newark, I just got off the phone with them and the woman on the other end said that final decisions won't be handed out till April 15th. Don't know who they expect to get into the program with that kind of procrastination. I asked about a waitlist and she said there wasn't one. Again... who's gonna go? Though, I think she was just jerking me off and probably wanted to hang up on me the second I mentioned that I was an applicant to the fiction program. I mean she's probably sick of hearing from people like me. Anyway, I tried. Stupid Rutgers Newark.

Leslie said...

Thanks, Spencer. This is certainly confusing. They've already made a round of acceptances,some reportedly in fiction, so I'm assuming they mean new acceptances to replace those turned down? Or they just fillled some spots and not others?

Who knows?

thanks for the report, though. I had dialed up to the last number the other day, but chickened out. Looks like I won't learn any more by calling.

Still'd like to go there! (If you're listening, Jayne Anne Phillips!)

golightly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
golightly said...

FYI for any who may be waiting to hear from UVA... this is on the UVA website:

"IMPORTANT NOTE: On March 29, 2010, we finalized admission decisions for our next class of MFAs. We have notified all writers accepted to our program by phone or e-mail, and have also notified those writers we currently have on a waiting list. If you have not heard from us yet, we regret to tell you that you were not among our final selections in a very large and competitive pool. Many of you have offers pending from other schools, and we post this text so you can move forward with those decisions. Thank you for applying, and please look for an official and personalized notification by mail in the next few days."

Sorry if I'm re-posting, but I noticed Virginia's still only got one poetry notification listed at Driftless...

red said...

@ go lightly

Thanks for the update... even if it stings.

Good luck with the rest of your schools.

Courtney said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michael James Gossett said...

@Austin

Congratulations on the TA-ship. Michael Collier told me I was no. 6 in line for 4 positions. Do you know where you were in that list? I just need two of the top five to decline their offer.

And, if you don't mind my asking, where did you come up with the $30K estimate? I haven't done the legwork yet, but am curious about costs, etc.

Austin said...

@ Michael Bear

I came up with that estimate by looking at out of state tuition (roughly 15,000 per year taking 9 credits a semester) plus the cost of living (a one bedroom apt is between 600-900 dollars a month) and the statistic that rent should account for roughly 1/2 or less of your total living costs.

I'm very excited about this position. I'm hoping that my GF gets a similar offer so that we can go together. Good luck to you!

Austin said...

@ Michael Bear

I came up with that estimate by looking at out of state tuition (roughly 15,000 per year taking 9 credits a semester) plus the cost of living (a one bedroom apt is between 600-900 dollars a month) and the statistic that rent should account for roughly 1/2 or less of your total living costs.

I'm very excited about this position. I'm hoping that my GF gets a similar offer so that we can go together. Good luck to you!

Austin said...

@ Michael Bear

I came up with that estimate by looking at out of state tuition (roughly 15,000 per year taking 9 credits a semester) plus the cost of living (a one bedroom apt is between 600-900 dollars a month) and the statistic that rent should account for roughly 1/2 or less of your total living costs.

I'm very excited about this position. I'm hoping that my GF gets a similar offer so that we can go together. Good luck to you!

Austin said...

@ Michael Bear

I came up with that estimate by looking at out of state tuition (roughly 15,000 per year taking 9 credits a semester) plus the cost of living (a one bedroom apt is between 600-900 dollars a month) and the statistic that rent should account for roughly 1/2 or less of your total living costs.

I'm very excited about this position. I'm hoping that my GF gets a similar offer so that we can go together. Good luck to you!

Unknown said...

Hey all -

I am giving up a fully funded, TAship and a couple fellowships at CU Boulder. This is probably a stupid stupid move. I've made ammends with my own rationale in choosing programs, but I just wanted to give you guys a heads up on money that will likely trickle down to those of you waiting on Boulder funding.

gsolbrunne said...

haha man, I knew it was coming, but still, "ASU Deny Letter" from a "do not reply" email still made me wince. Oh well.

I hope all this shuffling around gets some deserving people out of waitlist purgatory!

Summer said...

@Austin - Is your GF Ena? If so, I hope she is ahead of me in the Maryland funding list - so I can move up at spot on the Michigan wailist! :D

It would be nice to get some damn funding from Maryland though. The suspense is not doing me any good.

Perpetua said...

Jojee - I know the process must have been hard for you but thanks for making a decision instead of waiting for the deadline. I am one of the people who might benefit from your decision.

What school have you finally picked?

Best of luck.

John Wilmes said...

@everyone

Does anyone have anything to say about the School of Art Institute Chicago fiction program? Anyone? Anything at all?

inkli__11 said...

is BU done notifying for poetry?

Pema D said...

after following this blog for the whole application season, i can't believe we've gotten to the phase where many of us have heard from all/most our schools...and for better or worse....aid is being awarded (congrats everyone who's getting TAships and merit aid!! WOOHOO).....spots are being turned down...waitlists are being worked through.....i can't believe how fast AND SLOW the time has passed.
(some kind of theme song is playing in my mind as i write this, a mix of bittersweet nostalgia and optimism)

just wanted to say i really appreciate this community and the info shared on it, even though i don't post all that often, and not very coherently when i do.
ok the sap has nearly all dripped out of my system.

My issue of the moment is whether or not to let go of attending GMU. they haven't offered me any funding yet and the program coordinator says it's looking very unlikely. now what i need is some final nails in the coffin. can anybody share their knowledge of the program? did anyone attend the recent open house and would you mind (on or off blog) sharing your impressions of it?? that would be so helpful. i am coming up empty and would love to let the spot go for those in waiting, but i feel like i need more info to make the decision.
thanks!!

also, nicholas sparks is an idiot and james franco can write his mediocre stories all over my body if he'd like.

M. M. said...

Just wanted to let Bennington waitlisters for poetry know that I turned down a spot this morning. Good luck!

Liz said...

Still haven't heard from Columbia or American. Columbia is for sure a rejection at this point, but I called American and the secretary knew who I was right away, saying my application was currently with the last reader and should hear within 2 weeks. Not sure if that's good or bad.......

Henry, wag said...

@Jennifer and @Courtney (Non-Fiction)

Thanks for your input on full vs. low res. I'm definitely leaning full res but want to play all the factors out in my mind (read obsess) before making a final decision.

inkli__11 said...

just found out via email that BU has finished notifying all accepted students, in case anyone was wondering..

Unknown said...

Just received my ASU rejection. I think I have to nominate them for the top rejection email.

The subject line said "ASU Deny Email"

No ambiguity there.

And the best line from the email itself was "we regret that we cannot act favorably on your application".

Ah, ASU you have such a way with words.

Seven schools down, one to go.

Morgan said...

golightly,

thanks for the info about UVA.

Unknown said...

Someone spank me silly!
Deborah Eisenberg AND Ann Beattie just made a conference call to my cell and told me in verbatim, "We saved the best for last, and we absolutely LOVED 'Superstitions,' it was the best manuscript we've received in years, so yes, you are in for fiction at Virginia!"
Can you believe this?!!!!
I thought they were done notifying?!WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO??!!!
I've imagined this scene for months and it's finally happened. Tears of joy are streaming down my face as I type this, my hands so shaky...























April Fools! Guess I'm the biggest fool, unless I've tricked anyone, in which case, Happy April Fools' Day! Surprised no one has pulled this yet. But maybe I've committed a taboo in our still-tense blogosphere here. Ah well, laughter is good medicine. And we all need some kind of medication (spiritual, over-the-counter, off the street) at this point in our (pre-MFA) lives.
At any rate, thanks for putting us (esp. me) out of our misery with the UVA update, golightly!

Mr. Hemlock said...

@ EE26

From my understanding UNCG only accepts 6 in fiction and 6 in poetry, so it's a small program already. I've been told that this year due to funding constraints they may admit even fewer students. This would worry me, and if you have a funded position some where else, I would take it. If not, then UNCG might be worth the risk. You should talk to some current students.

Julia said...

@Frogs

Priceless. Thank you.

Woon said...

I thought the following was a pretty funny April Fool's stunt:

U. of Nebraska adds fishing

Megan said...

@kaybay, Julia, M.Swann, and Ratliff

Thank you for the completely helpful/commiserating stuff on getting rejected. I was feeling pretty dejected about the whole process, and it's comforting to know that not everyone who gets rejected stays rejected. And also that it's more common than it initially seemed. I guess I was just overwhelmed by all these, "When is my aid coming?" questions, when I was wondering, "Um...when is my anything coming?"

Ratliff -- I second the cupcake. It should say, "Don't worry. You're still a good writer." or perhaps, "It's okay. You don't suck." It's hard not to self-doubt when it seems like random, vaguely official people holding your dreams in their bony little fingers have nothing but doubt to offer you. At least that's how I picture the people who read my stuff.

So I guess I soldier on. I hope other rejectees will too. I'm comforted by the fact that I'm pretty young to be applying (22), and that while my writing sample was strong, my applications may have been a bit patchy/not up to snuff because I did the whole process from a foreign country. France. Where MFAs don't exist and people just get confused when I tell them I want to go to grad school for writing. Apparently they think writers are just born with it or something.

To everybody who had awesome, reassuring, informative things to say, thank you so so much. I'm still reeling, but I feel better knowing that this doesn't have any bearing on what happens next time. And to everybody facing rejections and the impending reapplication process, I'm right there with you. If NYU's the only place that limits how many times you can apply, I plan to keep writing and sending in my writing samples to schools that interest me until someone says yes.

Still waiting on BU and Columbia, though, and if MFA miracles do happen, I would definitely still really like one.

Chrissy Widmayer said...

Okay, question: has anyone gotten officially rejected from Hollins yet?

I just gave them a call and they gave me the run around on telling me whether I was rejected or not. I asked if they could tell me a decision and they said that the initial offers had gone out but that didn't necessarily mean rejection. I asked if there was a wait-list, and she said yes, but that only some of the wait-list information had gone out (whatever that means). She's forwarding my information to the program director to see if she can give me some answers.

Really, I was just trying to get some closure. Hollins was my #2 choice, and if they were to accept me, I just might fall apart. I'm almost ready to accept another offer, so I hope they get a move on.

Gosh. This is all frustrating. I'm sure they're about to reject me, and the woman on the phone just didn't want to be the one to tell me. I'm not going to get my hopes up AT ALL. This is pretty ridiculous.

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

It's not all the school's fault. They're doing the best they can (some better than others). I think the biggest problem is that many applicants take forever to decide and THAT, I believe, is the bottleneck.

What is interesting to me is: what if there's a circular hold-up going on? For example, what if I'm on waitlist at School A and holding on to an offer at School B, while someone else is a waitlist at School B and holding on to an offer at School A? Well, I'm not moving because I'm waiting for someone to either take or decline School A's offer. And that someone else isn't moving until I make a decision on School B!

In reality, I think the causal chain may be long: I'm waiting for someone to make a decision on Florida, who is waiting for someone to make decision on Vanderbilt, who in turn is waiting for someone to make a decision on Michigan, who is waiting for someone to make a decision on Notre Dame, who is waiting for someone to make a decision on Arizona State, who is waiting for me to make a decision on Colorado State.

Leslie said...

Trying again: "John Hopkins" naming announcment:


http://webapps.jhu.edu/jhuniverse/featured/naming_announcement_april01/

Meg said...

@megan I felt like I was in the twilight zone when I read your comments -- we have the same name and are in a very similar situation (I live in France right now too, and have also had a rough go of the MFA process this time around.) I'd love to chat via email sometime if you're interested - about the process, France, etc. Just seems like we have an eerie amount in common! :)

Woon said...

@Leslie - Finally! John Hopkins was inevitable.

Leslie said...

Woon--it worked? when I view the post, half the address is missing every time I post it.

If I weren't 115, I'd know how to do those blue linky things.

Woon said...

@Leslie - Adult education classes are a great thing at your local senior center. I myself took a course on HTML. For your reference:

HTML quick tutorial

Megan said...

@Megan

If you tell me you're also working as an English teacher I will be thoroughly Twilight Zoned. Yeah, let's jump on the eerie. I'd love to chat anytime! Especially considering that you went through all of this in France as well. It's been a weird place to do it, for sure.

Rosanna said...

Has anyone heard anything at all on U of Missouri, St Louis? Anything????

I applied there in fiction. I saw on Driftless that they've started notifying poetry, but has anyone heard anything on fiction?

Leslie said...

Thanks, Woon. I'll get the great-grands too help me with that.

Unknown said...

@Mr. Hemlock -- thanks! I do have a good offer somewhere, and in fact, I'd probably rather go to the other school. But you're right -- talking to some students is probably a good way to go at this point.

Meg said...

@megan mscarborough13 at gmail dot com :)

M.B. Wells said...

Wow. I just committed. Holy crap.

Chrissy Widmayer said...

Congrats, M. B. Wells! How exciting! Where'd you end up?

Woon said...

@M.B. Wells - which school?

Leslie said...

Johns Hopkins name change

Let's see if that worked.

Jennifer said...

@Pema D

I'm a fiction student at GMU. You can email me with any questions if you want to. My email is on my profile.

Woon said...

@Leslie - that worked! Good to know Granny Leslie can still learn a few tricks!

Woon said...

It's 12:44 PM. Off to the Senior Center for our annual April Fool's Day Luncheon and "Swingin' to the Oldies" Social. Be back in three hours. Bye.

Kate said...

I am emailing back and forth with Heidi at UMASS regarding TO offers, and she let me know that offers may continue to be made after 4/15. Ugh. Currently I am in at Columbia and UW in Seattle (waiting on funding at both but pretty positive no funding will come up and I'll turn them down). Also waitlisted at NYU, UIUC, Minnesota, and OSU. Out of the waitlists, I want UIUC really bad b/c gf is in there for PhD. I'm poetry, btw.
Anyone else in this crappy funding limbo? It gives me a headache. Already requested off work for 4/15.

Kate said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
golightly said...

Alabama April Fools?

Or is their faculty/staff overview page always like that? I'm ashamed to say I never read that particular page before... But I'm beginning my research for next year.

M.B. Wells said...

Columbia College Chicago. I visited this week, got to sit in on a class, talked to students, the GDP, etc., and I just love the atmosphere too much to say no. And to top it off, I love Chicago!

Chrissy Widmayer said...

@M. B. Wells -- I'm sure you already know a lot about Chicago, but if you get the chance, go down to the Improv Olympics in Wrigleyville. I lived in Chi-town this summer, and while I was there, IO had this incredible improvised Shakespeare show. It was pretty much the best improv show I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of improv). I wished I had been able to go see it a second time.

I highly recommend any of their shows, though. Make sure you check them out!

Chrissy Widmayer said...

Oh gosh, the IO still does Improvised Shakespeare! Everyone should go to this link and watch the video there. So funny!!

koru said...

@Kate, I heard from U Wash this week that they only had funding for two poetry spots this year. So my own personal guess is that funding seems a "no" if you haven't been offered it yet.



also, funding limbo frustrations seem to take a lot of forms. the one I'm dealing with right now:

Accepted by a program, love the faculty, structure and length of the program, etc. Offered an incredibly nice package. BUT they cannot guarantee the package they've recommended me for, until the Grad School approves it, which could be beginning to mid-May. Am I trusting enough to assume they'll in fact have the money? Or, do I accept another offer that's almost 8k less, but is already guaranteed? ....

or do i change my criteria on how to decide? lol ... ugh.

Andrea said...

@ Chrissy

I haven't gotten a rejection from Hollins either, and it's driving me nuts. What's so hard about putting us out of our misery? Also, I admire the program so much that if I were wait-listed there it would make me feel all warm and mushy inside.

Speaking of which, where the eff is my Oregon rejection?

the duchess said...

@ M.B. Wells - Can you email me about CCC?

To avoid spambots - please click on my username for email - thanks.

MFAguy said...

Hey, glad people are doing well and starting to get offers. I think the end of the season in mid-April is going to be insane with programs contacting applicants and mad shifts in the waitlists! Good luck to all!

«Oldest ‹Older   1001 – 1200 of 2268   Newer› Newest»