I'm really happy to have found this blog. I've been out of school (have a creative writing undergraduate degree) for 6 years and have finally decided that all I really want to do with my life is write poetry! ha.
I will be applying next fall/winter, so I decided to go ahead and start obsessing over MFA programs now. It's really interesting to read everyone's posts. Good luck to you all!
And if anyone has any tidbits of wisdom for someone who is just starting to research all of this, I'd love to hear it!
1. narrow down what factors are most important to you: length of program, reputation, faculty, presence of a lit mag, program size, funding, etc. And keep those in mind as you look into schools.
2. Make sure you look at degree and admission requirements when you look at schools. There are some schools I eliminated because they want you to either take a foreign language or pass a proficiency test. Others I eliminated because application fees or materials were too much for me.
3. Tell your recommenders as early as possible that you're interested in applying and would like a letter from them.
4. Since you're at it early, start paying attention via this blog, speakeasy, etc. which programs are making things easier for students in the process and which ones are making things harder-- that might be a sign of how the program works. Also use these sources to see which good programs might be getting fewer applicants-- they might have less frightening acceptance rates.
5. You won't have to worry about this for awhile. but when you do, try to do as many electronic recs as possible. I opted for hard copy recs when I had the option. But I had no way of confirming that some of them arrived. Electronic recommendations you can always see when and if they'v been submitted, they're instant, and it seems like a lot of people prefer doing them.
6. Include as many finished and polished pieces as you can. Not having to worry about creating new work or editing recent work when you're close to deadlines is a HUGE advantage.
7. Don't stress about the GRE, but take it. Do it, get it out of the way and move on.
Thank you! This is great! I am printing this and putting it on my bulletin board now.
I am a bit worried about recommenders, as I've lost touch with a lot of people since undergrad, but I've signed up for some workshops and a poetry group here in Kansas City, plus joined our local writer's organization The Writer's Place. I'm hoping that if I just stay focused on my writing and doing as much as possible in the writing community here, that will fall into place.
Excited but nervous about all of this business starting up. Feels good to have my apps done, yet I'm still beating myself up! Thinking about applying to a couple of schools with later deadlines; I just can't seem to finish and make it all final. I guess I'm worried that I'll regret it later if I don't. I don't know. This process is a Kodiak bear that mauls and eats you from the feet up. You don't bleed to death until he gets to your thighs.
Is anyone interested in and/or willing to share their writing sample with me? I've spent many months perusing the blog and am very curious about everyone's writing samples. Let me know if you are and I'll give you my e-mail address.
P.S. I'm happy to comment or not. Just let me know what your preferences are. My primary interest is in becoming more familiar with what's out there. Thanks!
This waiting is killing me, but it's kinda exciting too. I've already been trying to think of how I'll change my application for next year (assuming I won't get accepted, which is a safe assumption). Can't wait to rejoice and cry with the rest of you guys as you get your letters and calls.
Anyone else having those acceptance/rejection notification dreams? Maybe it's a sign of stress, but I'm even having weird dreams that I get into a great, impossible-to-get-into program (that I didn't even apply to!) and then the Apocalypse and wolves' heads.
i'd love to swap! i'm always interested in reading what my fellow applications are submitting (and it's something to do besides wait and worry!). i'm fiction. my email is gekirby (at) gmail (dot) com.
@ beth--I'm also six years out and just finished up my app in fiction (to LSU only). i took a class with the stanford online writers studio this summer to get my behind back in gear and loved it--my instructor was great and wrote one of my refs, so i had at least one current letter. for my profs from undergrad, i sent my writing sample to give them an idea of where i was at, and one prof requested a current resume so he could have a clearer idea of what i'd done since graduating, so i'd recommend doing that when you ask.
I just received this in an email from Arkansas. I hope they are kidding about late April and that they are just saying that date to prevent applicants from calling/emailing and bugging them. :/
"Greetings from the University of Arkansas Programs in Creative Writing and Translation!
This email is to notify you that we have received your application. Thank you for your interest in our program.
Our application process takes several months, and you can expect a response in late April. We have received hundreds of aplications, and our MFA Application Committee carefully considers each application. It is this attention to each applicant that causes the process to be lengthy. Please remain patient. We will inform you of a decision as soon as possible. Again, we will arrive at final decisions regarding your admission in late April. Please do not email or call asking for status updates prior to the end of April.
Best of luck to all of our applicants! Have a wonderful winter. We will contact you in the spring."
Did you notice that Arkansas visibly CC'ed around a hundred and seventy email addresses? I have access to full names of other applicants. I mean is that even legal? I wonder if those 170 people constitute the entire applicant pool or only a section of it.
I have got to remember to go log in and change my posting name back to something less silly.
@Odile: I'd be happy to. Message me at adkarabinus AT ualr DOT edu instead, though, if you want.
This Arkansas thing is very weird. CCing everyone in a visible list (I mean, what, they couldn't use BCC?) is damned strange, but the late-April thing... I hesitate to use such strong words as "unacceptable," but that's what comes to mind.
No, I didn't notice that. Perhaps I should start hocking my line of good luck charms... :)
They received 250 apps last year, so 170 would go against the expected upward trend. Though I'll happily take 80 fewer apps!
March 20 is the latest 'first' documented acceptance since they started tracking, so I'm going to guess this is just a way for them to keep us out of their hair.
Thank you for the advice! I have been thinking about trying to find an online poetry workshop to do, so it's good to hear that you had a good experience with yours. Good luck with LSU!
It's smart of you to begin the MFA application process early.
To add to Blob's and Caitlin's good advice -- I'd say (1) start developing and perfecting your writing sample ASAP. As in, now. You will need to do extensive research, like Blob pointed out, but challenge yourself to spend more time writing and revising than you do browsing program websites and checking blogs. Unless of course you feel you already have already produced a wide variety of polished, publishable pieces that meet the schools' page length requirements (which vary).
(2) Contact human beings and speak with human beings about the program -- the higher up, the better. Ask thoughtful, genuine questions. It doesn't seem fair that applicants who reach out get a bonus, but, realistically, readers wake up when they recognize a name.
(3) Submit your applications as early as you can. A few schools, like Purdue, read on a rolling basis; you don't want your sample drowning at the bottom of a pile. Plus, you don't want to waste money on USPS Express Mail.
And, (4) in terms of your application list -- apply to many programs. I believe you should apply to at least 12, if you have the money and the time, because acceptance rates are mind-bogglingly low. See selectivity data on Seth Abramson's blog (I'd link it but don't know HTML). It's probably best to avoid having a list that is composed primarily of schools that accept <3% of applicants.
Mm, those are the first things that come to mind. Take care. =)
...so, not to state the obvious, but with only 170 applicants (maybe?), why would it take UArk that long to decide, when a lot of programs with a flood of apps take less time? Eesh. I didn't even app there and this thing has me in a tizzy. I'm sorry for everyone who did. :( I know you've got to be concerned.
I think names/email addresses visible in the CC field IS indeed illegal, violating the confidentiality of the application process. If I remember correctly, Penn State did this one or two app cycles ago, except worse: They sent out a mass rejection email, including everyone's email address in the CC field. Fail.
I just checked speakeasy posts from the 'I'm in' thread quickly. It seems like the most common notification day is Wednesday, followed by Friday, and then Monday and Thursday being about even.
@Blob: I've been trying to register at pw.org so i can use their speakyeasy forum, but it seems impossible. is there something wrong with their server, or do i need to switch off my firewall? this blog alone is not enough for my anxiety, i need more...
I didn't have any problem registering... hmm...maybe it's your email address that's causing an issue??
On the plus side you can still read the threads without signing up (i'm pretty sure) and the actual conversation/activity there is pretty low. It's mostly fun/maddening and obsessive to read old notification threads.
thanks. i just don't like being rejected like that :(! it'd be nice to be accepted somewhere before the final chapter in my application drama starts to unfold. plus there are some other features there i'd like to take advantage of. also, did anyone here apply to UT MA? there seems to be no data anywhere regarding that program. finally, did anyone ever receive any decent funding from UW Seattle?
You have to register on the main PW website, and then in your account somewhere there should be an option to link it to the speakeasy forum. I don't remember exactly how to do it, but it should only take a few minutes of poking around to figure out.
Michael That's what I did, several times, but after I fill out the form and click register, I would get an error page on IE, or a blank screen on Firefox. I even tried another comp, with the same result.
@mix.a.jlo - I'm encountering the same problem at P&W. I've been trying to sign up the past three days and it's not working. I like to think irrationally, and therefore take this as a sign that the writing community doesn't want me. And to think, I didn't even have to wait three months to hear it!
Ok, I'm at a loss then. I had thought that you must have been seeing what I was seeing. Intially I tried to register at the speakeasy forum, but when I clicked submit, it just brought me back to the main forum page like nothing had happened. Then I tried registering at PW.Org (not PW.org/speakeasy), and I was able to register, access my account, and link to the speakeasy forums. But it sounds like you might be experiencing something different.
I was really on the fence about applying to Arkansas: sounds like a good program, but I was happy with my list of seventeen and kind of feeling that seventeen was my power number. Now that I'm hearing all the aggravation over this stress-inducing email from them, definitely glad I decided not to apply!
I believe I had originally found this link on this very blog. It's a group of MFA alumni called Driftless House, and they have compiled data on past acceptance dates, organized by genre and format of acceptance (phone, email, etc).
Being the geek I am, I entered the approximate range of acceptance dates for each of the 13 schools I applied to into my iCal calendar: so far it has tempered my January waiting-anxiety quite a bit.
I posted this at the end of the last mailbag, but now that there's a new one I wanted to ask--for those female applicants to Wash U who DIDN'T initially apply for the Olin Fellowship, did you all receive emails encouraging you to apply to it *now*? Trying to figure out if this is just their policy, or if it's a good sign that they liked my sample or else they'd just throw me on the reject pile and not bother encouraging me to spam their fellowship committee with my useless application.
Overanalysis aside, good luck to all--we could be getting calls as soon as a few weeks from now!
@ K Wilson, Are you talking about Wash U in St Louis? I applied there but don't remember seeing anything about an Olin Fellowship. Perhaps it is a prose thing? If not, I think I might be in trouble at Washington, since I haven't received any e-mail like that. Panic.
@ BPM Thanks for the Starbucks suggestion! I'm in France and am not sure I can find a Starbuck's in my locale precisely, but perhaps I can scrounge up something similar to the gift card idea.
If I looked at housing in any of the cities where I've applied, that would be like rejecting myself, I just know it. So I definitely have not! Though I'm tempted to look at schools for my son.... ohgodijustwanttoknow.
@Minnow: the fellowship is open to applications from any female Wash U St. Louis applicants applying in creative writing (as well as a bunch of other areas...link here http://olinfellowship.wustl.edu/). But it's definitely possible that only the fiction readers sent out that email, and that the poetry readers handle their applications differently. I wouldn't freak out on your end, and I'm trying not to get my hopes up on my end--though, of course, I would love if everyone who applied to Wash U would speak up in case this IS a sign about where we stand, and it can set everyone's mind at ease one way or the other. So...come on, jerks.
I mentioned this in the other thread and on the fb group, but I applied to Wash U in fiction and did NOT get an e-mail, but I did apply for the Olin, so I hope they just noticed and don't hate me.
@she-ra since you applied to wustl, you probably don't have to worry about housing there. i was told that it is "super cheap". of course, for a reason. it's a very weird place. i'm not sure i would bring a kid there, not even for a short time.
@jesse forget about irrational. just a lousy website. makes me wanna emulate lionel essrog from lethem's "motherless bk": wantmewritingcommunity, thriving mutiny!
@Paul-check your status updates with them. Neither one was updated for my profile, so I contacted them to see what was going on. They later rectified the situation. They're at least responsive.
Why wouldn't you bring your kid to St. Louis? Unless you're talking about East St. Louis which is in Illinois...STL in MO is a decent city that still manages to be cheap living-expenses-wise.
I'm an MFA in Fiction at the University of Minnesota. I remember how crazy and stressful the application process was, so if you have any questions about this program or I guess general MFA stuff, feel free to email me --> hans4002 (at) umn (dot) edu.
Every applicant is different, but I was not an English major and had terrible GRE scores. I applied to fifteen programs, was accepted into eight, waitlisted at two (Virginia and Wyoming) and offered full rides at three.
PS: Rumor has it that UMN has or is about to start notifying accepted poets.
Thanks Rose! That makes me feel better (no English/CW degree for me and I have terrible GRE scores). I'm glad to see that notifications of any kind, even if they don't affect me, will be out soon! Hurrah!
@EGS i apologize if i sounded a bit harsh, but the fact is that i felt weird when i visited there in august. a person from the program showed me a map and said "don't go here under any circumstances"(north stl), and don't go here (say five or six blocks from the school), unless you're "packing heat". i loved the people, and food at papi's is beyond amazing, but... i would say that stl has all the same problems that most of the urban areas suffer from, except that, unlike nyc, nothing is hidden.
I wasn't offended, just curious. :) I'd say don't cross the bridge into IL to East STL and you should be fine. Never really heard about other areas being similarly dangerous (granted, I'm from MO but not STL so I guess a STL native might know better).
I sent an application to the fiction program at McNeese, but they didn't send me any e-mail of confirmation until sent another e-mail asking for one. I didn't want to take the chance that somehow they didn't receive my application :-)
I'm just weighing in on the WUSTL convo...I'm a female fiction applicant and did NOT receive an email about the Olin Fellowship, though I did know about it. I somehow didn't realize that I needed to go ahead and apply for that by what, tomorrow? Awesome.
As for bringing a kid to St. Louis...I have 4 kids and I live near STL and Wash U is probably my top choice simply because I wouldn't have to relocate. You don't have to live in the city, but even if you do, it's way overhyped as a dangerous place. There are terrible neighborhoods but there are awesome ones as well. I have never had any scary experiences while in the city, and I grew up going there for everything - shopping, movies, dining out, etc. It seems like any other city to me, but with a bad reputation.
I emailed Amy Fleury a couple of weeks ago. She replied that she was out of town, but that she will send confirmation when she has it "in hand" and that they have a rolling deadline, so "no worries about time."
(Of course, if they haven't received it, time will not be on our side.)
I mailed mine, and I got delivery confirmation, so I'm fairly certain it's somewhere in her office. *fingers crossed*
Frankly, I love STL and have no qualms taking my son there if I miraculously get accepted to Wash U. Every place will have its not-so-great areas, and personally, I've spent a lot of time in STL (though never lived there) and never had a bad experience. And I mean, hell, I'm applying to Memphis too, and with the teen pregnancy rate there, plus how adorable my son is, I should be much more worried about leaving Memphis, if I go there, as a grandma (even though he's only almost-three). :)
@ K Wilson Thanks! I looked it up, and I don't really think I would be eligible anyway, since I would be unable to travel to MO for the interview thingy and we should most likely already be receiving fellowships if we're accepted there. I did, however, receive an e-mail 12 days ago from the program which said that they had all my materials and that they will be notifying between Feb. 1 and Mar. 1.
It would be great to get into Wash U - I can't help but think of Twain and Eliot when I hear Missouri. How many states can boast that they have produced America's most famous novelist and most famous poet? That's right - one.
Ugh, now I feel like a total reject. I didn't get an email about the fellowship nor did I get an email confirming that my application was complete. I'm starting to think that maybe my application never totally made it or that I've been forgotten. FAIL.
@Blob, I'm in the same sad boat! I've talked to the WUSTL people a couple of times on the phone/email and they are so nice that it made me want to go there so much more. Let the crazed, every quarter hour email checking begin....
@Minnow--I initially didn't apply because I thought I couldn't make an interview, but when I called, they said they would require no more than a 3 day weekend and would work around my schedule rather than just saying bam, come here right now. I think I can swing calling into work sick for one day if it means $21K to attend a really awesome school. If this all isn't just an extremely cruel red herring, that is.
@ K Wilson Thanks! However, I don't think there's much need to worry about cruel red herrings! I'm in France, and am not willing to front $1000 for the possibility of a fellowship, and I'm thinking the school wouldn't want to either. Maybe I'm wrong, but taking this position on the issue makes me feel better about not applying for the Olin.
@ Blob I have concluded that there is more than one person sending stuff out from Wash U and that they send e-mails simply as they tally applications. They're probably just a bit behind in finding a document or two and want to be sure they have them before giving you the thumb's up. Then again that is only my interpretation. I could be entirely wrong.
I used this blog for important research when preparing for my own MFA, and when I started my program last January I started blogging the experience. I've attempted to write about it from an MFA student's perspective, the sort of information I wish I'd had to read when doing my own research. Feel free to check it out at http://stefonmears.com. I update it about every seven to ten days.
By the way, I'm a low-residency student at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. In affiliation with the Whidbey Writers Workshop, this is the only fully accredited MFA program operating independent of any college or university.
Hey guys, How have people been sending things that are kinda last minute? I need to send stuff to University of Mississippi by Feb. 1 and I'm wondering if priority mail has worked pretty well for people. The kind gentleman at the post office told me "2-3 days, but that's not guaranteed." Can anyone confirm priority mail getting where it should within that time span?
Why oh why doesn't the USPS have a special Neurotic Mail service???
@Alison: Nothing useful to say, but my immediate thought was, "omg, or for Halloween they could have a special necrotic mail service!" Uh, yeah, this is your brain. This is your brain while waiting for MFA acceptance decisions.
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, and other incoherent babblings. CONGRATULATIONS! I applied there in fiction so I'm a little freaked out. But YAY! for acceptances!
On the flip side, I had a call today from a mysterious number that I thought might be a grad school. It was the collections agency. Not really a big deal, but... sigh.
For those of you sweating the lack of an email from Washington University at St. Louis asking you to fill out an app for the Olin Fellowship, here is an email exchange I had with their admissions dept. this afternoon:
From me:
"Quick question for you: Was I supposed to receive an email with instructions to apply for the Olin Fellowship? I wasn't sure because I only heard about the fellowship through an MFA blog that I follow; I did not receive an email about it nor do I remember seeing it on the application for WUST. Maybe this is just something that accepted applicants are requested to fill out and my app didn't make the cut? Just wanted to ask to be sure, any info is appreciated."
From admissions dept (they were very quick to respond, BTW):
"I'm not at liberty, as yet, to inform anyone of the program's decisions. I can tell you that if you wish to apply for the Olin, go to this site: http://olinfellowship.wustl.edu and link through to the application. You'll need to be quick about it as today is the deadline."
Not sure what that means for applicants...part of me says, "Hey, maybe that means I'm so great I don't even need to apply for a fellowship!" but then the more rational side thinks it just means they don't want those applicants who are definitely not getting in to waste their (and their recommender's) time on yet another app.
In any case, best of luck to all who applied...maybe we all at least get in somewhere!
I got an email from Cornell that says thus: "Applications are currently being reviewed by the committees, and we expect decisions to be made and announced sometime in mid- to late-February. Please do not inquire about the status of your application. If we find that materials are missing, I will email you directly.
Michele Mannella, Graduate Programs Coordinator
Departmet of English"
Indeed, the dawn of acceptance and rejection is upon us. (From Cornell, probably rejection. Not being negative...just they only accept four people.)
Gosh, from that exchange with the WUSTL people, I wonder if we'll hear from them soon... I desperately want to get in there. My parents would be thrilled, as they are rabid Cardinals fans.
I'm in the exact same boat with Wash U. No email about Olin, no email about application received or upcoming decisions.
I just tried to search all my emails in gmail for any type of notifacation from WUStL and couldn't even find that automatic email you get after you submit the online application.... thoughts? Advice?
I received an email from WashU St Louis to confirm that they received my application, but this was after they emailed me to tell they they were missing my transcripts-- which they weren't, they just misplaced them because the transcripts had my maiden name and my application had my married name (same issue happened at UC-Boulder). I think the only reason they emailed me to tell me the app was complete was because initially there was something "missing." So, if you haven't heard from them, probably everything got there in one piece. I did not receive any email about the Olin Fellowship but see no reason to worry about it. WashU is fully funded if you get in, whether you get that fellowship or the other one. It's the getting in that's the issue. Best of luck to everyone!!
Chances are Alabama will be notifying today, for any prospective applicants there - apparently they've notified on Wednesdays in January for the past two years. I just got a heart attack-inducing call from a woman with an American accent (since I'm in the UK, this pretty much never happens), but she was calling for my parents.
Yes, i'm very nervous. Last year it seems like they emailed people, which I would prefer to a call because it's less stressful and less awkward when i'm at work. But i would happily take a good news call, of course.
But they've also notified (if you're looking at poetry) on a Sunday (2008) and a Monday (2007), not to mention they've let applicants know as late as March. Maybe when you go back a few years this information was less available and thus less reliable, but I wouldn't be surprised if, due to both an increase in the size of the applicant pool and the shitty weather the South has been getting this year, Alabama didn't notify of acceptances for another couple of weeks.
And I don't mean to be a downer--I'm a Crimson applicant too!
In all fairness the march acceptance and all the later date are for fiction applicants. mercedes is a poetry applicant, which do seem to get earlier notifications.
I think it's more than fair to assume acceptances might come out in the next week or so (and possibly as soon as today). The real question is how spread out they'll be.
@Michael - wait, programs notify on weekends as well? I figured I at least had two days a week when I wouldn't need to stare at my phone. (& yeah, I'm applying for poetry.) You might well be right, though - & according to the FB group, it looks like they did two rounds of acceptances last year, so we might have to wait even if they DO notify some people today-ish.
It's probably dumb of me to keep second-guessing programs like this, but I have pretty much nothing else to do with my time!
This is probably a stupid question but I have to ask.
I'm very bad with phones. What if a school calls to notify and the recipient isn't available to answer. They'll leave a voicemail right? or email? I'd much rather rely on those methods.
It's quite poppin'. I meander back and forth between here and there, but there tends to be way more activity at the FB group. I got an account just to be able to join!
Hang in there everyone! I promised myself that I would come back to this blog during the hectic waiting period and offer any sort of help that I can. I am currently at CSU for poetry, if any of you have questions on CSU, U. of Washington, or Alaska Fairbanks, please go ahead and ask: mickeyperformancepoetry (at) gmail (dot) com
I feel your pain. I have my phone set to the loudest most obnoxious ringtone so I won't miss it. I jump everytime it rings and am always disappointed by whoever calls.
Just sent my request to join the FB group (because I need another venue in which to obsess over the application process.)
Just sent in my final application.
I feel pretty good, except for that nagging feeling of impending failuredoom. Thankfully I'm going on vacation right in the middle of notification season, so that I can drown my sorrows/rejoice over 5 margaritas a day.
150 comments:
So... this week will definitely be the week, right?!?
-subscribing-
i hope this is the week! subscribing.
i just re-read the whole driftless house notification post, haha.
@Katie... yeah, I did that last Wednesday. I'm now reading over the Final Decisions topic at the Speakeasy. -_-.
Subscribing
@ Gena - I sure hope so. I feel like I haven't had a good night's sleep in months.
Wishing everyone the best during the beginning of notification season. May we all get into the schools we want. :)
I'm really happy to have found this blog. I've been out of school (have a creative writing undergraduate degree) for 6 years and have finally decided that all I really want to do with my life is write poetry! ha.
I will be applying next fall/winter, so I decided to go ahead and start obsessing over MFA programs now. It's really interesting to read everyone's posts. Good luck to you all!
And if anyone has any tidbits of wisdom for someone who is just starting to research all of this, I'd love to hear it!
@beth
A couple things that might help:
1. narrow down what factors are most important to you: length of program, reputation, faculty, presence of a lit mag, program size, funding, etc. And keep those in mind as you look into schools.
2. Make sure you look at degree and admission requirements when you look at schools. There are some schools I eliminated because they want you to either take a foreign language or pass a proficiency test. Others I eliminated because application fees or materials were too much for me.
3. Tell your recommenders as early as possible that you're interested in applying and would like a letter from them.
4. Since you're at it early, start paying attention via this blog, speakeasy, etc. which programs are making things easier for students in the process and which ones are making things harder-- that might be a sign of how the program works. Also use these sources to see which good programs might be getting fewer applicants-- they might have less frightening acceptance rates.
5. You won't have to worry about this for awhile. but when you do, try to do as many electronic recs as possible. I opted for hard copy recs when I had the option. But I had no way of confirming that some of them arrived. Electronic recommendations you can always see when and if they'v been submitted, they're instant, and it seems like a lot of people prefer doing them.
6. Include as many finished and polished pieces as you can. Not having to worry about creating new work or editing recent work when you're close to deadlines is a HUGE advantage.
7. Don't stress about the GRE, but take it. Do it, get it out of the way and move on.
hope that helps a bit!
@Blob
Thank you! This is great! I am printing this and putting it on my bulletin board now.
I am a bit worried about recommenders, as I've lost touch with a lot of people since undergrad, but I've signed up for some workshops and a poetry group here in Kansas City, plus joined our local writer's organization The Writer's Place. I'm hoping that if I just stay focused on my writing and doing as much as possible in the writing community here, that will fall into place.
Thanks again!
To all those anxious mailbox watchers (myself included): watch this thirty five second video and forget all your woes.
Cats...IN SPAAAACE: http://nerdapproved.com/misc-weirdness/cats-dont-belong-in-space-video/
Excited but nervous about all of this business starting up. Feels good to have my apps done, yet I'm still beating myself up! Thinking about applying to a couple of schools with later deadlines; I just can't seem to finish and make it all final. I guess I'm worried that I'll regret it later if I don't. I don't know. This process is a Kodiak bear that mauls and eats you from the feet up. You don't bleed to death until he gets to your thighs.
My fuck.
Is anyone interested in and/or willing to share their writing sample with me? I've spent many months perusing the blog and am very curious about everyone's writing samples. Let me know if you are and I'll give you my e-mail address.
P.S. I'm happy to comment or not. Just let me know what your preferences are. My primary interest is in becoming more familiar with what's out there. Thanks!
This waiting is killing me, but it's kinda exciting too. I've already been trying to think of how I'll change my application for next year (assuming I won't get accepted, which is a safe assumption). Can't wait to rejoice and cry with the rest of you guys as you get your letters and calls.
Anyone else having those acceptance/rejection notification dreams? Maybe it's a sign of stress, but I'm even having weird dreams that I get into a great, impossible-to-get-into program (that I didn't even apply to!) and then the Apocalypse and wolves' heads.
Subscribing. Here's hoping we hear something this week! C'mon Ohio State and Alabama. Mama wants an acceptance :D
@ Odile
i'd love to swap! i'm always interested in reading what my fellow applications are submitting (and it's something to do besides wait and worry!). i'm fiction. my email is gekirby (at) gmail (dot) com.
Subscribing. :)
@ beth--I'm also six years out and just finished up my app in fiction (to LSU only). i took a class with the stanford online writers studio this summer to get my behind back in gear and loved it--my instructor was great and wrote one of my refs, so i had at least one current letter. for my profs from undergrad, i sent my writing sample to give them an idea of where i was at, and one prof requested a current resume so he could have a clearer idea of what i'd done since graduating, so i'd recommend doing that when you ask.
I just received this in an email from Arkansas. I hope they are kidding about late April and that they are just saying that date to prevent applicants from calling/emailing and bugging them. :/
"Greetings from the University of Arkansas Programs in Creative Writing
and Translation!
This email is to notify you that we have received your application.
Thank you for your interest in our program.
Our application process takes several months, and you can expect a
response in late April. We have received hundreds of aplications, and
our MFA Application Committee carefully considers each application.
It is this attention to each applicant that causes the process to be
lengthy. Please remain patient. We will inform you of a decision as
soon as possible. Again, we will arrive at final decisions regarding
your admission in late April. Please do not email or call asking for
status updates prior to the end of April.
Best of luck to all of our applicants! Have a wonderful winter. We
will contact you in the spring."
@thereandbackagain
Did you notice that Arkansas visibly CC'ed around a hundred and seventy email addresses? I have access to full names of other applicants. I mean is that even legal? I wonder if those 170 people constitute the entire applicant pool or only a section of it.
I have got to remember to go log in and change my posting name back to something less silly.
@Odile: I'd be happy to. Message me at adkarabinus AT ualr DOT edu instead, though, if you want.
This Arkansas thing is very weird. CCing everyone in a visible list (I mean, what, they couldn't use BCC?) is damned strange, but the late-April thing... I hesitate to use such strong words as "unacceptable," but that's what comes to mind.
@She-Ra
Don't be ashamed of the Princess of Power! She-Ra is not a silly name -- I should know. Every time I meet people they ask me how He-Man is doing.
@ AlmondPunch
No, I didn't notice that. Perhaps I should start hocking my line of good luck charms... :)
They received 250 apps last year, so 170 would go against the expected upward trend. Though I'll happily take 80 fewer apps!
March 20 is the latest 'first' documented acceptance since they started tracking, so I'm going to guess this is just a way for them to keep us out of their hair.
Haha, maybe I'll keep it until I get all my responses. :)
subscribing
@Caitlin
Thank you for the advice! I have been thinking about trying to find an online poetry workshop to do, so it's good to hear that you had a good experience with yours. Good luck with LSU!
I just talked to a school pal and he apped there and got the e-mail from UArk, too. With all the CCs.
@beth
It's smart of you to begin the MFA application process early.
To add to Blob's and Caitlin's good advice -- I'd say (1) start developing and perfecting your writing sample ASAP. As in, now. You will need to do extensive research, like Blob pointed out, but challenge yourself to spend more time writing and revising than you do browsing program websites and checking blogs. Unless of course you feel you already have already produced a wide variety of polished, publishable pieces that meet the schools' page length requirements (which vary).
(2) Contact human beings and speak with human beings about the program -- the higher up, the better. Ask thoughtful, genuine questions. It doesn't seem fair that applicants who reach out get a bonus, but, realistically, readers wake up when they recognize a name.
(3) Submit your applications as early as you can. A few schools, like Purdue, read on a rolling basis; you don't want your sample drowning at the bottom of a pile. Plus, you don't want to waste money on USPS Express Mail.
And, (4) in terms of your application list -- apply to many programs. I believe you should apply to at least 12, if you have the money and the time, because acceptance rates are mind-bogglingly low. See selectivity data on Seth Abramson's blog (I'd link it but don't know HTML). It's probably best to avoid having a list that is composed primarily of schools that accept <3% of applicants.
Mm, those are the first things that come to mind. Take care. =)
@ beth
I can't recommend Interfolio enough. It made the recommendations process smooth and worry-free.
...so, not to state the obvious, but with only 170 applicants (maybe?), why would it take UArk that long to decide, when a lot of programs with a flood of apps take less time? Eesh. I didn't even app there and this thing has me in a tizzy. I'm sorry for everyone who did. :( I know you've got to be concerned.
Thanks for the space cat video XD
@Almond Punch
I think names/email addresses visible in the CC field IS indeed illegal, violating the confidentiality of the application process. If I remember correctly, Penn State did this one or two app cycles ago, except worse: They sent out a mass rejection email, including everyone's email address in the CC field. Fail.
http://creative-writing-mfa-handbook.blogspot.com/2006/05/rejection-at-penn-state.html
Yeeesh...*tugs at collar*
Further evidence of my anxiety/not having a life:
I just checked speakeasy posts from the 'I'm in' thread quickly. It seems like the most common notification day is Wednesday, followed by Friday, and then Monday and Thursday being about even.
i actually really appreciate that, blob!
however, now if i don't get calls by wednesday of each week, i will have a mini emotional break.
has anyone else started looking at apartments near the schools? i feel like that's the true mark of crazy. which i reached approximately a month ago.
@Blob:
I've been trying to register at pw.org so i can use their speakyeasy forum, but it seems impossible. is there something wrong with their server, or do i need to switch off my firewall? this blog alone is not enough for my anxiety, i need more...
@mix.a.jlo
I didn't have any problem registering... hmm...maybe it's your email address that's causing an issue??
On the plus side you can still read the threads without signing up (i'm pretty sure) and the actual conversation/activity there is pretty low. It's mostly fun/maddening and obsessive to read old notification threads.
@blob
thanks. i just don't like being rejected like that :(! it'd be nice to be accepted somewhere before the final chapter in my application drama starts to unfold. plus there are some other features there i'd like to take advantage of.
also, did anyone here apply to UT MA? there seems to be no data anywhere regarding that program.
finally, did anyone ever receive any decent funding from UW Seattle?
@Almond Punch
Thank you! Yes, I think researching could become all-consuming, but I am doing my best to focus on the writing.
Any suggestions on how to approach phone calls to programs? Timing? I'm thinking I'll probably want to wait to do this until summer or so?
BTW, I think Sheera (sp?) is a lovely name! Thank you again.
@ABC
I will definitely look into Interfolio. From glancing at their website, it looks like a cool service. Thanks for the advice!
mix.a.jlo,
You have to register on the main PW website, and then in your account somewhere there should be an option to link it to the speakeasy forum. I don't remember exactly how to do it, but it should only take a few minutes of poking around to figure out.
Michael
That's what I did, several times, but after I fill out the form and click register, I would get an error page on IE, or a blank screen on Firefox. I even tried another comp, with the same result.
@mix.a.jlo - I'm encountering the same problem at P&W. I've been trying to sign up the past three days and it's not working. I like to think irrationally, and therefore take this as a sign that the writing community doesn't want me. And to think, I didn't even have to wait three months to hear it!
Ok, I'm at a loss then. I had thought that you must have been seeing what I was seeing. Intially I tried to register at the speakeasy forum, but when I clicked submit, it just brought me back to the main forum page like nothing had happened. Then I tried registering at PW.Org (not PW.org/speakeasy), and I was able to register, access my account, and link to the speakeasy forums. But it sounds like you might be experiencing something different.
I was really on the fence about applying to Arkansas: sounds like a good program, but I was happy with my list of seventeen and kind of feeling that seventeen was my power number. Now that I'm hearing all the aggravation over this stress-inducing email from them, definitely glad I decided not to apply!
Subscribing.
just got an email from FSU. Looks like they're going to post admissions decisions online (but where?!?) starting mid march.
She said wait lists won't be posted but those spots will be filled up through the April 15th deadline.
She also said this: "While the competition is always stiff, the committee members commented at length about the exceptional caliber of applicants."
eep!
also the subject line of this email is 'application status'-- be warned and don't pass out, I almost did!
Did anyone applying to poetry at mcneese receive any sort of response to or confirmation of their submission?
I believe I had originally found this link on this very blog. It's a group of MFA alumni called Driftless House, and they have compiled data on past acceptance dates, organized by genre and format of acceptance (phone, email, etc).
Being the geek I am, I entered the approximate range of acceptance dates for each of the 13 schools I applied to into my iCal calendar: so far it has tempered my January waiting-anxiety quite a bit.
http://driftless-house.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-cw-mamfaphd-application-responses.html
I posted this at the end of the last mailbag, but now that there's a new one I wanted to ask--for those female applicants to Wash U who DIDN'T initially apply for the Olin Fellowship, did you all receive emails encouraging you to apply to it *now*? Trying to figure out if this is just their policy, or if it's a good sign that they liked my sample or else they'd just throw me on the reject pile and not bother encouraging me to spam their fellowship committee with my useless application.
Overanalysis aside, good luck to all--we could be getting calls as soon as a few weeks from now!
subscribing
@ K Wilson, Are you talking about Wash U in St Louis? I applied there but don't remember seeing anything about an Olin Fellowship. Perhaps it is a prose thing? If not, I think I might be in trouble at Washington, since I haven't received any e-mail like that. Panic.
@ BPM Thanks for the Starbucks suggestion! I'm in France and am not sure I can find a Starbuck's in my locale precisely, but perhaps I can scrounge up something similar to the gift card idea.
I'm always forgetting to subscribe.
If I looked at housing in any of the cities where I've applied, that would be like rejecting myself, I just know it. So I definitely have not! Though I'm tempted to look at schools for my son.... ohgodijustwanttoknow.
@Minnow: the fellowship is open to applications from any female Wash U St. Louis applicants applying in creative writing (as well as a bunch of other areas...link here http://olinfellowship.wustl.edu/). But it's definitely possible that only the fiction readers sent out that email, and that the poetry readers handle their applications differently. I wouldn't freak out on your end, and I'm trying not to get my hopes up on my end--though, of course, I would love if everyone who applied to Wash U would speak up in case this IS a sign about where we stand, and it can set everyone's mind at ease one way or the other. So...come on, jerks.
Anyone else apply to Columbia College or SAIC? I am just wondering if anyone has heard anything from either school.
I mentioned this in the other thread and on the fb group, but I applied to Wash U in fiction and did NOT get an e-mail, but I did apply for the Olin, so I hope they just noticed and don't hate me.
@she-ra
since you applied to wustl, you probably don't have to worry about housing there. i was told that it is "super cheap". of course, for a reason. it's a very weird place. i'm not sure i would bring a kid there, not even for a short time.
@jesse
forget about irrational. just a lousy website. makes me wanna emulate lionel essrog from lethem's "motherless bk": wantmewritingcommunity, thriving mutiny!
@Paul-check your status updates with them. Neither one was updated for my profile, so I contacted them to see what was going on. They later rectified the situation. They're at least responsive.
@mix.a.jlo
Why wouldn't you bring your kid to St. Louis? Unless you're talking about East St. Louis which is in Illinois...STL in MO is a decent city that still manages to be cheap living-expenses-wise.
Hi All,
I'm an MFA in Fiction at the University of Minnesota. I remember how crazy and stressful the application process was, so if you have any questions about this program or I guess general MFA stuff, feel free to email me --> hans4002 (at) umn (dot) edu.
Every applicant is different, but I was not an English major and had terrible GRE scores. I applied to fifteen programs, was accepted into eight, waitlisted at two (Virginia and Wyoming) and offered full rides at three.
PS: Rumor has it that UMN has or is about to start notifying accepted poets.
Thanks Rose! That makes me feel better (no English/CW degree for me and I have terrible GRE scores). I'm glad to see that notifications of any kind, even if they don't affect me, will be out soon! Hurrah!
@EGS
i apologize if i sounded a bit harsh, but the fact is that i felt weird when i visited there in august. a person from the program showed me a map and said "don't go here under any circumstances"(north stl), and don't go here (say five or six blocks from the school), unless you're "packing heat". i loved the people, and food at papi's is beyond amazing, but... i would say that stl has all the same problems that most of the urban areas suffer from, except that, unlike nyc, nothing is hidden.
@ Rose. Thanks for the info. I'm an MN fiction hopeful, myself, so keep an ear to the ground about fiction notifications, eh? :)
@mix.a.jlo
I wasn't offended, just curious. :) I'd say don't cross the bridge into IL to East STL and you should be fine. Never really heard about other areas being similarly dangerous (granted, I'm from MO but not STL so I guess a STL native might know better).
@Jooksak:
I sent an application to the fiction program at McNeese, but they didn't send me any e-mail of confirmation until sent another e-mail asking for one. I didn't want to take the chance that somehow they didn't receive my application :-)
I'm just weighing in on the WUSTL convo...I'm a female fiction applicant and did NOT receive an email about the Olin Fellowship, though I did know about it. I somehow didn't realize that I needed to go ahead and apply for that by what, tomorrow? Awesome.
As for bringing a kid to St. Louis...I have 4 kids and I live near STL and Wash U is probably my top choice simply because I wouldn't have to relocate. You don't have to live in the city, but even if you do, it's way overhyped as a dangerous place. There are terrible neighborhoods but there are awesome ones as well. I have never had any scary experiences while in the city, and I grew up going there for everything - shopping, movies, dining out, etc. It seems like any other city to me, but with a bad reputation.
@Jooksak
Re: McNeese poetry
I emailed Amy Fleury a couple of weeks ago. She replied that she was out of town, but that she will send confirmation when she has it "in hand" and that they have a rolling deadline, so "no worries about time."
(Of course, if they haven't received it, time will not be on our side.)
I mailed mine, and I got delivery confirmation, so I'm fairly certain it's somewhere in her office. *fingers crossed*
Thanks for the info on McNeese. And good luck to you!
Frankly, I love STL and have no qualms taking my son there if I miraculously get accepted to Wash U. Every place will have its not-so-great areas, and personally, I've spent a lot of time in STL (though never lived there) and never had a bad experience. And I mean, hell, I'm applying to Memphis too, and with the teen pregnancy rate there, plus how adorable my son is, I should be much more worried about leaving Memphis, if I go there, as a grandma (even though he's only almost-three). :)
woops... actually subscribing
@ K Wilson Thanks! I looked it up, and I don't really think I would be eligible anyway, since I would be unable to travel to MO for the interview thingy and we should most likely already be receiving fellowships if we're accepted there. I did, however, receive an e-mail 12 days ago from the program which said that they had all my materials and that they will be notifying between Feb. 1 and Mar. 1.
It would be great to get into Wash U - I can't help but think of Twain and Eliot when I hear Missouri. How many states can boast that they have produced America's most famous novelist and most famous poet? That's right - one.
re: WashU
Ugh, now I feel like a total reject. I didn't get an email about the fellowship nor did I get an email confirming that my application was complete. I'm starting to think that maybe my application never totally made it or that I've been forgotten. FAIL.
@Blob,
I'm in the same sad boat! I've talked to the WUSTL people a couple of times on the phone/email and they are so nice that it made me want to go there so much more. Let the crazed, every quarter hour email checking begin....
@Minnow--I initially didn't apply because I thought I couldn't make an interview, but when I called, they said they would require no more than a 3 day weekend and would work around my schedule rather than just saying bam, come here right now. I think I can swing calling into work sick for one day if it means $21K to attend a really awesome school. If this all isn't just an extremely cruel red herring, that is.
@ K Wilson Thanks! However, I don't think there's much need to worry about cruel red herrings! I'm in France, and am not willing to front $1000 for the possibility of a fellowship, and I'm thinking the school wouldn't want to either. Maybe I'm wrong, but taking this position on the issue makes me feel better about not applying for the Olin.
@ Blob I have concluded that there is more than one person sending stuff out from Wash U and that they send e-mails simply as they tally applications. They're probably just a bit behind in finding a document or two and want to be sure they have them before giving you the thumb's up. Then again that is only my interpretation. I could be entirely wrong.
Yeah, I'm not sleeping too well. That should read "thumbs up."
@minnow
I hope you're right, but considering i submitted my application a week before thanksgiving, I'd think mine would have been accounted for by now...
I used this blog for important research when preparing for my own MFA, and when I started my program last January I started blogging the experience. I've attempted to write about it from an MFA student's perspective, the sort of information I wish I'd had to read when doing my own research. Feel free to check it out at http://stefonmears.com. I update it about every seven to ten days.
By the way, I'm a low-residency student at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. In affiliation with the Whidbey Writers Workshop, this is the only fully accredited MFA program operating independent of any college or university.
RE: the relatively new banner on the MFA Blog
What exactly is that disembodied hand writing ON? Are those pages from a phone book?
Hey guys,
How have people been sending things that are kinda last minute? I need to send stuff to University of Mississippi by Feb. 1 and I'm wondering if priority mail has worked pretty well for people. The kind gentleman at the post office told me "2-3 days, but that's not guaranteed." Can anyone confirm priority mail getting where it should within that time span?
Why oh why doesn't the USPS have a special Neurotic Mail service???
@Alison: Nothing useful to say, but my immediate thought was, "omg, or for Halloween they could have a special necrotic mail service!" Uh, yeah, this is your brain. This is your brain while waiting for MFA acceptance decisions.
@Kat
Ha! I feel like the undead would be pretty cost effective mail carriers.
Just received an acceptance email from Univ. South Carolina in poetry!
@Jessica
Whoa, that's amazing! First acceptance! CONGRATS!
CONGRATS JESSICA! FIRST ACCEPTANCE!! (I think)
Now, let it rain on us all! I've broken through the barrier!
@Jessica: Congratu-friggin'-lations! Amazing!
Yay, congrats!!! this is exciting (and anxiety encouraging) news.
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, and other incoherent babblings. CONGRATULATIONS! I applied there in fiction so I'm a little freaked out. But YAY! for acceptances!
@Jessica: Thanks for sharing your awesome news! Congrats to you.
Woohoo Jessica!!!
@ jessica ~ congratulations!
@ Jessica - Congrats!!! :D
@Jessica - Congrats!
Thanks, everyone! I'm on cloud 9.
Congratulations, Jessica!
Congrats Jessica! Awesome news!
Yay Jessica! USC's a really cool program!
Wow Jessica! Congratulations!
On the flip side, I had a call today from a mysterious number that I thought might be a grad school. It was the collections agency. Not really a big deal, but... sigh.
But all the same, yay for acceptances!
For those of you sweating the lack of an email from Washington University at St. Louis asking you to fill out an app for the Olin Fellowship, here is an email exchange I had with their admissions dept. this afternoon:
From me:
"Quick question for you: Was I supposed to receive an email with instructions to apply for the Olin Fellowship? I wasn't sure because I only heard about the fellowship through an MFA blog that I follow; I did not receive an email about it nor do I remember seeing it on the application for WUST. Maybe this is just something that accepted applicants are requested to fill out and my app didn't make the cut? Just wanted to ask to be sure, any info is appreciated."
From admissions dept (they were very quick to respond, BTW):
"I'm not at liberty, as yet, to inform anyone of the program's decisions. I can tell you that if you wish to apply for the Olin, go to this site: http://olinfellowship.wustl.edu and link through to the application. You'll need to be quick about it as today is the deadline."
Not sure what that means for applicants...part of me says, "Hey, maybe that means I'm so great I don't even need to apply for a fellowship!" but then the more rational side thinks it just means they don't want those applicants who are definitely not getting in to waste their (and their recommender's) time on yet another app.
In any case, best of luck to all who applied...maybe we all at least get in somewhere!
I got an email from Cornell that says thus: "Applications are currently being reviewed by the committees, and we expect decisions to be made and announced sometime in mid- to late-February. Please do not inquire about the status of your application. If we find that materials are missing, I will email you directly.
Michele Mannella, Graduate Programs Coordinator
Departmet of English"
Indeed, the dawn of acceptance and rejection is upon us. (From Cornell, probably rejection. Not being negative...just they only accept four people.)
Congrats, Jessica, on that first acceptance!
Gosh, from that exchange with the WUSTL people, I wonder if we'll hear from them soon... I desperately want to get in there. My parents would be thrilled, as they are rabid Cardinals fans.
Congratulations Jessica! That's fantastic!
Congrats, Jessica!
Jessica, congratulations! My heart just quivered...I would die to get the same email from the fiction dept!!!
@Blob
I'm in the exact same boat with Wash U. No email about Olin, no email about application received or upcoming decisions.
I just tried to search all my emails in gmail for any type of notifacation from WUStL and couldn't even find that automatic email you get after you submit the online application.... thoughts? Advice?
subscribing
I received an email from WashU St Louis to confirm that they received my application, but this was after they emailed me to tell they they were missing my transcripts-- which they weren't, they just misplaced them because the transcripts had my maiden name and my application had my married name (same issue happened at UC-Boulder). I think the only reason they emailed me to tell me the app was complete was because initially there was something "missing." So, if you haven't heard from them, probably everything got there in one piece. I did not receive any email about the Olin Fellowship but see no reason to worry about it. WashU is fully funded if you get in, whether you get that fellowship or the other one. It's the getting in that's the issue. Best of luck to everyone!!
Chances are Alabama will be notifying today, for any prospective applicants there - apparently they've notified on Wednesdays in January for the past two years. I just got a heart attack-inducing call from a woman with an American accent (since I'm in the UK, this pretty much never happens), but she was calling for my parents.
also, subscribing.
@mercedes
Yes, i'm very nervous. Last year it seems like they emailed people, which I would prefer to a call because it's less stressful and less awkward when i'm at work. But i would happily take a good news call, of course.
EEEEEEE.
subscribing
Subscribing
P.S. When the mailbag is re-posted (as it seems to be every few days), do people have to re-subscribe? Anyone know? Guess I'll find out...
@Mercedes
But they've also notified (if you're looking at poetry) on a Sunday (2008) and a Monday (2007), not to mention they've let applicants know as late as March. Maybe when you go back a few years this information was less available and thus less reliable, but I wouldn't be surprised if, due to both an increase in the size of the applicant pool and the shitty weather the South has been getting this year, Alabama didn't notify of acceptances for another couple of weeks.
And I don't mean to be a downer--I'm a Crimson applicant too!
@Michael
In all fairness the march acceptance and all the later date are for fiction applicants. mercedes is a poetry applicant, which do seem to get earlier notifications.
I think it's more than fair to assume acceptances might come out in the next week or so (and possibly as soon as today). The real question is how spread out they'll be.
@Michael - wait, programs notify on weekends as well? I figured I at least had two days a week when I wouldn't need to stare at my phone. (& yeah, I'm applying for poetry.) You might well be right, though - & according to the FB group, it looks like they did two rounds of acceptances last year, so we might have to wait even if they DO notify some people today-ish.
It's probably dumb of me to keep second-guessing programs like this, but I have pretty much nothing else to do with my time!
Just got an email from Wisconsin, they're currently reviewing writing samples and will notify applicants in several weeks.
I'm so terribly nervous.
This is probably a stupid question but I have to ask.
I'm very bad with phones. What if a school calls to notify and the recipient isn't available to answer. They'll leave a voicemail right? or email? I'd much rather rely on those methods.
@Mercedes
Well, Sunday according to Driftless House, but who knows. What is the facebook group called?
MFA Draft '11.
It's quite poppin'. I meander back and forth between here and there, but there tends to be way more activity at the FB group. I got an account just to be able to join!
Hang in there everyone! I promised myself that I would come back to this blog during the hectic waiting period and offer any sort of help that I can. I am currently at CSU for poetry, if any of you have questions on CSU, U. of Washington, or Alaska Fairbanks, please go ahead and ask: mickeyperformancepoetry (at) gmail (dot) com
good luck to all, it is a crazy/crazy process
Oh god. I just died. I got a call from a 'private number.' I answered it with my heart in my throat and my stomach on the floor.
H-h-hello?!?
Oh, I must have the wrong number, sorry.
.
Oh, Fatima!
WHY OH WHY OH WHY OH WHY?????
I want to hear something so badly. I'm literally not going to classes today...like...that's where I am right now.
The solution to all this nervousness is to pretend it's fifteen years ago and snuggle up with a book. For hours. Read for pure enjoyment.
@Courtney--where is this other group? I would love to have another page to refresh obsessively while I wait for news.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_111211268949325&ap=1
or search for MFA Draft '11
It's nice :o)
@Blob
I feel your pain. I have my phone set to the loudest most obnoxious ringtone so I won't miss it. I jump everytime it rings and am always disappointed by whoever calls.
Just sent my request to join the FB group (because I need another venue in which to obsess over the application process.)
Just sent in my final application.
I feel pretty good, except for that nagging feeling of impending failuredoom. Thankfully I'm going on vacation right in the middle of notification season, so that I can drown my sorrows/rejoice over 5 margaritas a day.
Mail bag is BURIED. Start a new one?
@ Michael
"Like"
New mailbag
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