Could someone post or link to a list of all programmes that have notified applicants (acceptances or rejections)? Also, which usually comes first - acceptances or rejections, or do they come together? Is no news good news?
@kaushik Acceptances typically go out before rejections. UT, which rejects in rounds, seems to be the exception. The other schools, for the most part notify acceptances at least a week before rejections, but sometimes rejections go out even later than that, it all varies.
I had a friend who applied last year and never even got rejections from some of his schools. That could have just been a problem with a the mail, but either way, I'm taking the approach to assuming rejection if I don' hear good news, just so that I'm not waiting for letters that may never come :/
It just occurred to me that a big part of the rise in application #s is probably because people are applying to so many more schools than they used to. I only tried for 5, then McNeese at the last minute, which I would have thought was a normal number of applications if I had not (recently) become aware of the strafing approach prescribed by The Handbook.
I don't know if this epiphany comforts me or not--I still feel like I barely have a shot at getting picked out of the stacks and stacks of manuscripts.
Is anybody familiar with the Rainier Writing workshop (the low-residency program at Pacific Lutheran University)? It sounds great from the website, but I'm having trouble finding out what attendees or graduates think of it. If you'd rather not post here, email me at amveggie -- the "at" symbol -- gmail -- dot -- com.
Last week I had to unsubscribe before heart failure. Got my first rejectamenta note from UWashington. 2 down, 11 to go. I think I'm also rejected from Syracuse. But, I feel okay about it b/c USC finally sent me word of my funding. SO, I's happy about that.
did you get a rejection from U.Washingtion (Seattle) or WashU (st. louis)?
I applied to both and received a rejection email from WashU, but have not yet heard from U. Washington. but I'd be very curious to know if they're notifying.
I know Adam has been accepted by Cornell, but has anyone else heard from them either way. Surprised that the other three fiction acceptances haven't made themselves known. I guess I'm still holding out a small (very small) hope that I'm still in the running...
Ugh, my comments keep disappearing. Sorry for posting fifty times. But interesting that you're not having the same problem Quinn. Guess I'll email them...
Many congratulations, CKC. Mildly disappointed though I am to hear news that my writing sample was not not one of the favored three, I am glad that one fellow MFABlogger, at least, can claim that honor.
Perhaps this is for the best, as after all I have never been aesthetically particular to vast flat farmscapes. Though I had been very much looking forward to introducing myself to the local wranglers.
Thanks for the offer. I'm local to the area myself, so I'm familiar with the Northwest (though not as much with the City of Destiny as I ought to be!).
Best of luck with your application to Wyoming and wherever else you're applying.
Before I whine, let me say congrats on the amazing acceptances today! Really, seeing other people's acceptances does make me happy--especially when I haven't applied to the programs, hehe!
Now to whine. Why is it so disappointing to assume rejection at programs I don't even like all that much? I got into the program I think is my first choice but am glued to my computer 24 hours a day waiting for responses from my 11 other schools and am freaking out because I don't think I got into one.
Yesterday I got a rejection from Wash U and an acceptance from Northwestern. I really appreciate the universe for scheduling both these events on the same day...and please, universe, could you send some more acceptances my way? Thanks.
@ Lauren...I am right there with you! I'm in at the program that possibly makes the most sense for me given it's only an hour drive from family and is fully funded but, I'm also watching my email and phone like a crazy person!
Lol. Oh well, maybe my ego thinks that everyone should love me, but, that will never be the case especially with the public. Everything is subjective and based on taste as much as talent and craft, in my humble opinion.
@Lauren, if you are "crazy", then I guess I am as well. I think any rejection is still a rejection of your work. At least that's the way I think about it. Even if you will likely not go to the school, it's still nice to know how you rank.
Congrats also to everyone who has heard back from their schools so far. I feel especially happy for you all since none have been to my schools yet! :)
I am debating letting my calls (if and when they come) go to voice mail so I can at least listen to the hypothetical acceptance over and over to help with the anxiety of waiting for others. At this point, I'd just like to know either way so I can plan ahead.
So happy for everyone who's received an acceptance.
Beginning to feel a bit discouraged, myself, however. I applied to 17 schools and barring a rejection from Michener, I haven't heard anything yet. Since many of my schools have already started notifying (based on responses here), I'm assuming rejection at a number of places. It's becoming difficult to keep my hopes up, but I sure am trying to be optimistic!
Yep, I can certainly understand the sentiments of unexpected discouragement and disappointment that float around the blog at this time of year. I began the process relatively late, uncertain of whether or not I really wanted to pursue an MFA, and thus far only one of my schools has begun to notify in any serious way. And yet I still find myself anxious and feeling strangely rejected. I really do stare at my phone and I really do imagine myself after. You know, after I've been turned away from every program to which I applied, after my recommenders and my friends and my parents begin to ask about that whole MFA thing and those applications I was so obsessed with a few months ago.
It's a strange feeling and, for me, a completely unexpected one. But in a way it makes perfect sense. My writing is something deeply personal, something I hold close, something I guard and one of the few things that I really cherish. It might be the only thing I think of as a personal gift in the truest sense of those words. And so to put it out there, to share it with total strangers and to face the prospect of being told (without, of course, actually being told) that you're less than or different from or not quite as evolved as some other writer in some other place who has led some other, completely different life, well, just the thought of it takes a toll, doesn't it?
I mean, if I'm not my writing then who am I? And if we all weren't vulnerable enough to feel this way then would any of us be writing in the first place?
It's a hell of a process, but in the end at least we grow. Or keep the liquor companies in business. You know, one or the other.
I'm sort of confused, as a lot of the websites claim they don't start informing people of acceptances or rejections until early to late March. Are we expected to start hearing now? I knew Cornell was informing people in February, but Syracuse, Iowa, Michigan? Where are people getting the info that I'm not?
So, this conversation about sharing and being compared to other writers is interesting to me. I think there's a certain freedom that comes with letting your writing out for others to see and evaluate, over and over. How else to get the feedback...it's what workshops are all about, after all. And, even in workshop when you're finally sitting there 6 months from now, everyone who's made it there, though selected by the same committee, will write very differently when they bring their first drafts, and evolve differently, and you'll probably be sitting there thinking, "how the hell did that other person get into this program?!" and they might think the same thing about you...lol. Really, 10 poems or a book chapter, short story? It's so hard to determine what someone brings to the table with that limitied selection. Or, the arrangement of your poems...geez, I've thought, for Syracuse I should have flipped the entire arrangement around, or that pivitol poem at the center, I should have led with that one. Because, if you don't hook them with the first, will they even keep reading (as I was advised by a former professor)?
Ink and Beans, Congratulations -- your story is an inspiration. What steps did you take between last year and this year to improve your sample? In what ways do you think your sample or your writing generally has improved? And, finally, do you think you might share your sample with me? I'm already gearing up for making a new one. My email is thetancole@gmail.com . Thank you! And again, congratulations -- I am very happy for you.
@Ink and Beans: Congratulations! I remember you on here from last year. Talk about validation, eh? Let me know if you have any questions (gmail name: mandasue)or want to get hooked up with the fiction people. I'm a first-year poet at Vandy. The fiction writers in this program are incredibly talented and really great people.
Thanks so much everyone for the kind kudos! I'm swiftly remembering my impressions of this forum from last year, and how warm and generous everyone was in their praise and support. I honestly question whether I'd have even reapplied if I wasn't here sharing the experience with so many tenacious and sympathetic applicants. Talk about inspiration.
@ amanda - That is so sweet of you! I may very well take you up on that, and I'm so excited to make your acquaintance -- perhaps we'll be meeting in person soon!
@ Sheerah - Thanks so much for your interest! I actually wrote about my Round 2 Strategy last year here, and though I'm generally a flexible person it just so happens I ended up following this plan to a "T".
The short answer is that (1) I hired one of the consultants at Driftless House (Seth Abramson et al) to look over my sample, which wasn't cheap but worth EVERY penny. (2) Planned and had myself an adventure in Africa, which you could argue wasn't an integral part of my plan but I think it was. (3) Took my first writing workshop in nearly 10 years, with a renowned writer (Amy Hempel), and (4) used Driftless House again.
And with pleasure I will send you my sample. Thanks for your interest!
Not to put too fine a point on it, I fell head-over-heels for Amy. I admired her as a writer prior to the class, but she is so warm, generous, funny, and beautiful in person. The class was amazing, and much of that had to do with my incredibly talented classmates (who she picked from a pool of applications). She guided class discussions without dominating them, and fostered such a stimulating, collaborative environment.
@ The Hoot
You are literally the third Heather Petersen I've met personally. I don't know if they've notified the other acceptances at Vandy. I did let the faculty person I spoke with know about the chatter on the blog here, and hinted at how appreciative everyone would be if he had any info for them about notification progress. Perhaps if I'll prod him again in a few days if it's not clear by then.
@ Katie Oh - I am extremely lucky, because Amy teaches an Advanced fiction workshop at Harvard -- primarily for undergrads but there was a mix -- and because I happen to work at Harvard as a lowly staffer, I was eligible to apply for and take the class (at a substantially-reduced price, I might add). Harvard has terrific benefits for its employees!
Amy also teaches as part of the low-res MFA program at Bennington.
I considered applying to Bennington just because Amy Hempel was a prof. there and wanted the opportunity to work with her. Sounds amazing @Ink and Beans. She is fab!
I received an email from Colorado State saying they submitted my name for a background check for the GTA position. Everyone has encouraged me to interpret this as a "good news email" but I'm still not sure. Did any other CSU applicants receive this?
I'd be annoyed, too. According to the online status check Wyoming (alone among the schools I applied to) never received my GRE scores so my application is also "incomplete" despite the fact I received an email telling me they had everything they needed. My assumption is that if they were serious about wanting to accept me they would have contacted me to resolve the whole thing. So between that and the fact that their decisions seem to have already gone out I don't see much reason to blow more money on sending them another copy of my scores.
@ Clever Screen Name that's really bad that they lost your GREs! I just hope we really did get full consideration even though the whole time they were making decisions our files showed we were missing important items (GREs and fees.) I mean, we probably did. That's what the program told me. But you never really know. I can easily imagine them saying, ok, we have 350 applications but these ones are incomplete so MAYBE we'll look at them later... Oh well, that's why I spent $1000 applying to eleven programs!
Yeah, I guess there's no way to really know if you're getting a fair look. I've had a few of these logistical-type snafus and for what it's worth here's my quasi-zen approach to MFA apps: Either it's a well-run program and they'll work their way through these types of problems to find the best writers or it's bureaucratic and disorganized...and not the sort of place where I'd wanna spend the next two or three years.
Either way we're winners. :) I mean, not the kind of winners who got accepted or anything, but, uhm, still.
Clever & Lauren: my Florida status still says they don't have my transcripts, but I've decided to ignore it because I figure they'll get in touch if they want to see them. How have I managed to achieve this level of Zen-like detachment about it? No idea, since I seem to be losing my sh*t about everything else.
Thanks again for the kudos folks, and for the interest in my story. Excited to send it along, but it's worth noting that I just received a rejection from UT-Austin tonight -- my top choice :(.
Just goes to show that this is certainly not the story to end all stories, though I confess I was starting to feel a little invincible there. :) This remains a highly subjective process.
It's very disappointing, but I'm still in good spirits. And I'm grateful for the timing. Finding out this early will help clear my head for the great prospects that remain. The good news from Vanderbilt definitely cushions the blow, yet it wasn't so close that I didn't get to enjoy the high for at least a day.
@ Clever Screen Name and Urbanist, I like your approaches. I'm going to chill out about these missing items, and if I don't get in, I'm totally telling myself portfolios must be getting eaten by the committee members' pets and that I wouldn't want to be part of such disorganized programs! Cause yeah, we're all still winners :)
@ Ink and Beans, yes, these rejections are never fun no matter how many acceptances we get. Still, I'm in awe of your Vanderbilt acceptance. Huge congrats. I almost don't think I've participated in these discussions enough to deserve to read your sample, but if you'd be willing to let me I would be so happy. I love to read good writing from other new writers, and I've heard great reviews of it on the FB site!
I've been hesitant to join the chat because I'm not too optimistic about my chances this year. I'm halfway through my list of schools with actual and assumed rejections and no acceptances. But the stories of successfully reapplying have pushed me onto the scene.
It's been nice to read everyone's comments. I have been feeling the same way as most of you. I'm so happy for accepted applicants, and I hold out hope for all of you like me who have not received any good news... yet.
If anyone accepted to WashU, Indiana, Cornell or Vanderbilt would be willing to share their sample with me, I'd greatly appreciate it.
k.walters123 at gmail dot com
@ink and beans It seems like you've been extremely generous sending out your sample, and I'd love to read it. Your reapplication story gives me hope.
Ink and Beans, You should just post your sample online because everyone--including me--wants to read it. If you don't mind sending it to one more person, stol0138@umn.edu would loooove to take a peak at it.
Your reapplying story is so awesome, but now it's got my neurotic other half wondering, even though I've gotten in somewhere that has a lot of facets I love, what if...WHAT IF I gave it another year and reapplied? I think my sample this year has merit, but it's not quite at the level it should've been at, and a fully-funded program would be so amazing.
I've been officially rejected from Michener and I've assumed rejection from Cornell. 7 more to go. My parents, who were both only admitted to Northwestern medical school, met in class over a cadaver and they keep reminding me a.) that it only takes one, and b.) that it may be that a school you originally disregarded turns out to be the perfect fit. There are a lot of great writers out there who were rejected from MFA programs and still have had incredible success, in fact I've heard of one who was later invited to teach at a program which rejected them. so even if all that some of us end up with this time around is a maelstrom of dismissal, it's essential not to think of it as an actual pronouncement of worth, because it isn't. In the immortal words of tupac shakur: keep. ya. head. up.
I conclude with my favorite song from the ultimate OG, sinatra. the ending is a little harsh but the sentiment is right on track.
This week I have been rejected by WUSTL and Michener. Accepted by South Carolina. All for fiction.
I'm expecting rejections from Cornell and Vanderbilt.
For all Brown applicants, I have some news. I emailed them today, to tell them about how one of my stories I sent in with my application is being printed in a national anthology and I got this response:
"Congratulations of the story acceptance. Our faculty's review process has been completed. We're in the process of organizing the materials for the Graduate School to review. Decisions are expected to be released in mid to late March."
FlannO, thanks for the heads up regarding Brown. I'll stop thinking about them for the time being. Also officially rejected from Michener and assumed rejection from Cornell.
And, @Trystero, thank you, your post really cheered me up.
@Minnow, the assumption is that those who haven't heard are likely rejected, as at least one person who was accepted has gotten word. Rejections are generally sent out after acceptances.
@Blob Thanks! That's what I thought but then I saw so much Cornell-infused despair that I automatically began to despair, as well. I hope we both get in!
I have, unfortunately, fairly extensive experience with the waitlisting process, as I've tried two years in a row with many waitlists but no viable acceptances. Many programs are less than forthcoming about waitlist notifications - there were a few places that didn't tell me I was in the running until I contacted them, having found out others had heard. Florida and Iowa, however, are very communicative about it, something I greatly appreciated, even if I didn't end up with the result I'd have liked. Hope this helps.
Does anyone know what it means if I haven't been rejected from Michener? Does it mean I've made it through some "round of rejection"? Does it mean they haven't gotten to myapp yet? Is it worth contacting them and lobbying them? Any insights highly appreciated...
Ink and Beans, yet another congratulations! Your story is really encouraging. I like your blog post about taking control of the situation- definitely helped put things in perspective.
And please add me to the list of folks who'd like to see your sample - ellen(dot)scheuermann at gmail. Thanks.
I'm in your boat elio, haven't received any news yet, but it seems like tons of people received rejections. And the acceptances also went out? Well, shit. Let's hope for waitlist.
Sorry to ask this kind of question, but I'm getting overwhelmed with trying to keep up with comment threads and the facebook group: have there been any acceptances for Indiana poetry yet? Someone please help me out while I try to decide between biting my nails or into a Xanax.
@ Ink and Beans --Whoa! Congratulations on all the success! I'd love to read the sample: ctank08@gmail.com.
I've only receive one official rejection, from WashU. But I've heard nothing from any other schools. I was feeling pretty good about it all, but the more time goes by the more nervous I'm becoming . . .
God, you guys are SO nice. I will send my story to those of you so nice as to request it, hopefully by tonight (if I haven't already).
In the meantime, as per Tom Kealy's call today for Personal Statement examples, I've posted my personal statement over on my blog -- so far it's helped me get into Wash U. and Vanderbilt (not Austin, though).
There I also included a link to an early draft with edits from a Driftless House consultant (very helpful), and links to examples of my *academic* statement and my *teaching* statement, though as yet these are not "proven" in that they I haven't been accepted anywhere that I've used them -- hopefully that changes soon!
@Ink and Beans: My goodness, can I just say -- your kindness and positive attitude are absolutely overwhelming in the best of all possible ways. A few weeks ago, someone on the MFA facebook group linked to your posts from your last round of applications, and I found them incredibly useful in thinking about the idea of rejection and the cuticle-gnawing insecurities of this whole process. Can't tell you how much it warms me to see you: 1) kick so much ass this season; 2) being so gracious about sharing resources and insights with other MFA hopefuls. You're a class act, dude. I hope you get a dozen more acceptances.
I give up. Where is this FB (facebook, correct?) group?
I did find a group called "MFA in Creative Writing" that's about 1,500 people large, but there seems to have been no activity there whatsoever since January.
First of all... AGGGHH where is this facebook page???
Second: How sweet of you to say. And I must reiterate this every time, I am merely returning the generosity and encouragement that has been given me, online and off. Every day I appreciate more and more what a tough world it is for creative writers, or just artists in general. Individual passion and talent only gets you so far. We really need to help each other.
Since taking her class, what inspires me most about Amy Hempel, is not her brilliant writing but her generosity as a teacher (her time, attention, etc). It's really humbling, and I hope I can be as generous no matter what kind of success I'm fortunate enought to have in the future.
I haven't been rejected yet, either. My status says they have all the items, but it doesn't say anything about being forwarded for review yet. As far as I know, we could have made it through rounds, or there could be a technical reason that our apps are held up, in which case we won't know if we're rejected until March.
Remember that feeling you had when you completed a story in which you felt you truly broke new ground with your aesthetic? Think about that feeling when you receive a rejection.
And if you get rejected from every school, quell your cognitive dissonance by assuming that you're just too unique to be accepted by the mainstream. Go underground and build your lair. Come back screaming.
Hello all, I'm reposting what I just posted on Seth's acceptance page:
All first-round acceptances in both fiction and poetry have been notified for Vanderbilt. I'm not sure what the status is of the waitlist at this point, but I will ask one of the faculty about that today or tomorrow. I can say that our recruitment weekend isn't until a month away, so if anyone is waitlisted, you'll probably have to wait at least that long to find out (I started getting emails from the faculty right after the recruitment weekend when it became clear to them that some of the accepted students weren't super enthused). Will try to keep people posted
Congratulations to everyone who has been accepted, and good luck to everyone with notifications still to come!
A question-- My partner and I both applied to the same twelve MFA Poetry programs, and we hope that at least one school will accept both of us. So far, SIUC, UIUC, UWyo, and OSU have accepted me, and WashU has rejected both of us. My partner has heard nothing from the schools to which I've been accepted, and we still have seven with no news.
Would it be 'proper' for him to email the schools to which I've been accepted, letting them know that he's heard acceptances have gone out, he's very interested in the program, could they tell them where he is on the list (yes, waitlist, reject)? Would it be 'proper' for me to also send them an email, maybe even explaining our situation (both or neither)? I imagine transparency would be appreciated by all, because, if they don't want both of us, I want my spot to be given to someone else soon (so that someone else can have time to decide). Yet, I do not want to decline my spot, only to have it offered to him. >.<
If your partner doesn't get in this year, will you go to school anyway? If the answer is yes, I would not explain your situation and it's probably best not for him to email and ask his status, though if he really wants to, there's no real harm either.
If you will not go on to school if he is does not go in, then you can email the schools, cc him, list you both by name and explain the situation saying that the only reason you're asking for clarity is because if he is not on the wait-list then you'd like to give up your spot. But only send an email if you're willing to give up your spot right then and there pretty much. Otherwise, just sit tight, you have more schools to come.
Lucien...I hope you don't mind if I weigh in (as an agent of OSU hoping you'll come here...I will try not to be biased.)
This sort of thing happened the year I applied. I got into OSU and U Florida, along with another girl. She wanted to come here, but her partner was waitlisted at OSU (by the time of the campus visit, that information was known)...something about that person's GRE scores held them up, if I'm not mistaken, and they both, like me, got into Florida. She was really torn and decided to go there since she and her partner both got in there. I ran into her recently at AWP and she seemed pretty happy (though a little wistful about not having come here, truth be told.)
Now I am not sure how other programs might react...nor am I completely sure of how ours would either...but if it is an issue of at least knowing your partner is on the waitlist...I imagine obtaining that information could be doable. But yeah...I don't know how to broach the subject. In some ways it might be easier for your partner to do it on their behalf...and in some ways you might be the point person.
Sorry if that was a little free associative and unhelpful. I've probably had too much caffeine today :-P
Whoa-- are you The Tory? OSU's charming and helpful MFA Poet that I've corresponded with via email? 0.0 Amazing. (BTW, -of course- I lean toward OSU; it's a top choice since I learned of their program, and what I've learned from you and other Buckeyes confirms my interest!)
Well, I emailed UWyo's sweet and eager to help Director, asking when waitlist/rejected applicants will be notified, because my partner also applied, and "we hope to move through this process together," so "we eagerly await information on his status," etc. We will see. I'll hold off on [our] emailing any others until I see how she reacts. Send us positive energy, Tory. *crosses fingers*
in re concerns over uwyo apps: the mfa reads any and every file that includes a writing sample, and i have been assured by the program director that no one has ever been rejected due to technicalities like late GREs or transcripts. as long as the writing sample is received it is read (and read carefully). i'd say talk to the mfa program directly. they should have more current information than the admissions office as they are entirely different departments.
I am indeed that person, though I am hardly worthy of a capitalized article. Well, okay, I am probably a little deserving. Positive energy is being sent, and glad to hear we are among your top choices--we definitely want you hear, and I know Henri is very eager to meet you ;-)
Agreed, quite undignified, especially since they couldn't even send an email. I don't mind a stock rejection, but it just seemed a bit heartless. Better not to be too sensitive, I suppose.
Also, anyone gotten officially rejected from Cornell yet?
(@Tory- Probably? Pah. Definitely. I am also very interested in meeting Henri and the rest of the crew, and I sincerely hope I can during the Open House.)
Well, the UWyo experiment was very informative, if anyone else is in a similar situation:
Because my partner and I attended three undergrad schools, and transcript requirements were unclear at some programs, I (on advice of Blob and others) emailed schools, explained situation ("My partner and I are both applying...") and asked verification of requirements.
UWyo's Director said she had remembered that my partner and I applied together, but thought it "invasive" to mention his standing unless I asked, but, in any event, she worked to send his (alas, sad) news asap for she "understands what a long and anxious process this is for us both." Very classy, and yet another beautiful moment in UW correspondence.
re: waitlist questions at Wash U--I posted this on the facebook group a while ago, but I was contacted by them and told that I was the first on the waitlist for fiction. However, they didn't indicate that OTHER waitlist notifications had gone out, and they did say that members of the waitlist were "in the top seven percent of all applications", which implies that there's a substantial number of people on it. Because of how many people are on these blogs, I can't imagine that we wouldn't hear of at least a few other waitlist notifications if they'd gone out, so my suspicion is that they notified the first in each genre, and if you haven't gotten a rejection email, you may be further down on the list. But that said, it definitely doesn't hurt to ask what the status of your application is in case there was some sort of error--it's always better to know where you stand. Good luck!
@K Congrats again on first on the waitlist, that's awesome! I'm thinking they must have sent me that Olin fellowship email by mistake since I was outright rejected. Or else it is just not any kind of indication. Bizarre. I wanted to include this information here in case any future applicants get encouraged to apply for the Olin and are trying to interpret it!
What is the rule with waitlists? Do the universities send them out before rejections? Do they wait to notify until they have all the acceptances they're going to get?
Technically I've only gotten one rejection (Michener), but OSU still has me under review, so I'm just curious.
Has anyone gotten official rejections from OSU yet?
I think the confusion is that cornell offers a select few the opportunity to simultaneously get their MFA and their PhD. But that PhD is a traditional lit PhD.
Thanks for the comments, my concealed friends, but does anyone actually have a substantive answer? I mean I looked on the website and all... hmmm... I'm thinking no, because they'd likely want you completing coursework on campus.
The answer is no. Because they do not have a creative writing phd. It's possible some graduate lit courses could or would be able to transfer over, but it would only be a few credits, not like having an english MA.
Oh I see it now: "Cornell offers only the scholarly Ph.D., not the Ph.D. with creative dissertation." Sorry, thanks for checking. yeah, likely only grad-level lit classes.
Just curious: Is there a ready list floating in cyberspace somewhere that compares how long each of the top MFA programs has been around?
I was struck reading about Vanderbilt that it's only been around 5 years, considering how well-established it seems to be.
That realization, combined with my recent reading (finally) of the Slate article discussing the "explosion" of MFA culture, has made me curious how the top programs compare in terms of age.
Anyone? Is this a project that someone (not me! not me!) needs to take on?
Dream school just called to schedule an interview and beside being thrilled to the point of shaking, I'm worried that I sounded idiotically enthusiastic. How excited is too excited? I didn't yell. I just forgot how to say the letter "o" when giving out my email. I don't think she noticed. What do you think?
I hope my question is not too out of left field, but here goes: I am currently a masters student in the rhetoric/composition program at Purdue. While I was accepted to a few MFA programs in poetry last year, I ultimately decided to go to Purdue because of the funding and the recognition it has for its rhet/comp program. However, I do still want to go for the MFA in poetry at some point since I'm still passionate about writing. It appears that I have the opportunity to stay at Purdue after I finish my masters to pursue my PhD and I'm wondering if I would be able to pursue my MFA after my PhD? I know most people usually go the other way around, but I'm wondering if the MFA post PhD is possible as well....
I was/am in a similar situation. I've always been passionate about the field of Linguistics and I've considered a PhD but I feel equally strong about creative writing and definitely want to pursue an MFA degree. Everyone I have asked has told me that it would be far better to get the MFA first if you intend to continue professionally in the PhD field. Obtaining positions after the PhD depends on your network, research, and the momentum of that research. I think we'd be taking a step backwards to get an MFA after the PhD and while the lapse wouldn't be impossible to correct, we would need to spend time catching up. So for efficiency's sake, get the MFA first.
I know a couple of MFA holders finishing up their doctorates, and they seem to agree with me.
@K: I'm ABD (All But Dissertation) at Penn's PhD linguistics program. I left the program 8 years ago because I decided I didn't want to be an academic. I can tell you this: once you get off that train, you can't just hop back on. Unless it's for a research position at Bell Labs or similar, any gap between grad school and the academic job market will be regarded with extreme suspicion. In other words, do your MFA now if you want to do both.
A lot of "new" MFA programs - especially the ones that are new and in the top 50 or so - were established Creative Writing MA programs for decades. Then, in the past five years or so, they turned into MFA programs. I don't know if that's the case with Vanderbilt specifically, but it might be.
The thing with Vanderbilt, mainly, is they decided to build a great program right away and took the necessary steps to do so. So, they got a great faculty and they (and this is the big thing) decided not to charge an application fee. Not charging a fee meant they got a lot of applications from their first year - people would just add Vanderbilt to their list because why not? there was no fee. So, right away it was very selective, as well. They went into it with a plan and it worked, basically...
818 comments:
1 – 200 of 818 Newer› Newest»Hello? (echoes)
Is anybody here? (echoes still)
I'll come back later, I guess.
Well, here we go...
And I present:
The choir of subscribers in E-flat.
Subscribing!
Let's fill this mailbag with spectacular news, shall we? Subscribing.
good luck everyone (subscribing).
subscribing!
Wash U rejections went out by email today, for anyone that's keeping track.
This should be a busy week. Good luck to all.
new mailbag with hopefully better mojo for me and everyone else awaiting good news.
subscribing!
Let's hope this mailbag is filled with more acceptances than the last.
Obsessing. Also, subscribing.
subscribing. hopefully i'll get to share some good news this mailbag!
Subscribing.
Person accepted to South Carolina, where did you go?! What genre were in?! Help me, pleeeease! Congratulations, by the way :)
What Kay Bay said.
Subscribing. Good luck everyone!
Subscribing.
Subscribing. Here's hoping for good news!
Okay... subscribing again.
Subscribing
Subscribing for real.
subscribing
subscribing
Subscribing!
Could someone post or link to a list of all programmes that have notified applicants (acceptances or rejections)?
Also, which usually comes first - acceptances or rejections, or do they come together? Is no news good news?
Kaushik, it's in the middle of this page:
http://www.sethabramson.blogspot.com/
You can also subscribe to it and have the posts emailed to you (which is very convenient).
@kaushik
Acceptances typically go out before rejections. UT, which rejects in rounds, seems to be the exception. The other schools, for the most part notify acceptances at least a week before rejections, but sometimes rejections go out even later than that, it all varies.
I had a friend who applied last year and never even got rejections from some of his schools. That could have just been a problem with a the mail, but either way, I'm taking the approach to assuming rejection if I don' hear good news, just so that I'm not waiting for letters that may never come :/
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What schools are notifying this week? Besides Iowa and Michigan?
So now there is this, the TSE blog, the P&W forum AND the Facebook group to keep track of? Oh great...
It just occurred to me that a big part of the rise in application #s is probably because people are applying to so many more schools than they used to. I only tried for 5, then McNeese at the last minute, which I would have thought was a normal number of applications if I had not (recently) become aware of the strafing approach prescribed by The Handbook.
I don't know if this epiphany comforts me or not--I still feel like I barely have a shot at getting picked out of the stacks and stacks of manuscripts.
subscribing
Is anybody familiar with the Rainier Writing workshop (the low-residency program at Pacific Lutheran University)? It sounds great from the website, but I'm having trouble finding out what attendees or graduates think of it. If you'd rather not post here, email me at amveggie -- the "at" symbol -- gmail -- dot -- com.
@ Kaybay, do you mean me? USC poetry...
Last week I had to unsubscribe before heart failure. Got my first rejectamenta note from UWashington. 2 down, 11 to go. I think I'm also rejected from Syracuse. But, I feel okay about it b/c USC finally sent me word of my funding. SO, I's happy about that.
Good luck everyone :)
@Jessica
did you get a rejection from U.Washingtion (Seattle) or WashU (st. louis)?
I applied to both and received a rejection email from WashU, but have not yet heard from U. Washington. but I'd be very curious to know if they're notifying.
Oh right, St. Louis! Good luck with the other!
subscribing
Indiana poetry should be this week as well!
subscribing
I know Adam has been accepted by Cornell, but has anyone else heard from them either way. Surprised that the other three fiction acceptances haven't made themselves known. I guess I'm still holding out a small (very small) hope that I'm still in the running...
Accepted to Wyoming this afternoon--Fiction.
new mailbag? subscribing!
congrats to those who've gotten good news so far. :3
@ApplyingGraphite - Dunno much about the program, but I live in Tacoma if you have any questions.
ckc, congratulations! do you have any information about poetry acceptances to Wyoming?
@ckc - Congrats!! That's awesome. Is U-Wyo a top choice for you? Have you heard from any place else? (And have they chosen me?)
Congrats. And more selfishly, any indication if all accepted Wyoming fiction people have been notified?
Thanks for the congratulations Quinn and Zak.
@ Quinn, I was told that they made their fiction decisions this morning. I didn't ask about poetry, sorry.
@Zak, Wyoming is up there for me.I haven't heard from other schools yet, but (if i do) when they ask about you i'll let 'em know you're the ish!
congrats ckc!
just curious: anyone else's wyoming status say incomplete and say that they still need your application fee and "proof of bachelor's degree"?
maybe they just haven't updated the system? oh well.
How do I check my status?
Thanks, Lauren. I'm pending department review.
Ugh, my comments keep disappearing. Sorry for posting fifty times. But interesting that you're not having the same problem Quinn. Guess I'll email them...
Yeah, I would email them. They've been very helpful through this process. Very human too.
Many congratulations, CKC. Mildly disappointed though I am to hear news that my writing sample was not not one of the favored three, I am glad that one fellow MFABlogger, at least, can claim that honor.
Perhaps this is for the best, as after all I have never been aesthetically particular to vast flat farmscapes. Though I had been very much looking forward to introducing myself to the local wranglers.
@Zak
Thanks for the offer. I'm local to the area myself, so I'm familiar with the Northwest (though not as much with the City of Destiny as I ought to be!).
Best of luck with your application to Wyoming and wherever else you're applying.
Subscribing.
Subscribing
Poetry acceptance for U Wyoming, today :)
Accepted at Vanderbilt just now, by phone, for fiction. Hoo ah! I type with jittery fingers.
@Ink and Beans: Wow, that's INCREDIBLE! They're so selective and, by all accounts, an incredible program! Huge congratulations.
HOLY CRAP! Congrats, Ink and Beans! You had about a 1% chance of that -- you rock!
Congrats, Ink and Beans! Amazing!
Before I whine, let me say congrats on the amazing acceptances today! Really, seeing other people's acceptances does make me happy--especially when I haven't applied to the programs, hehe!
Now to whine. Why is it so disappointing to assume rejection at programs I don't even like all that much? I got into the program I think is my first choice but am glued to my computer 24 hours a day waiting for responses from my 11 other schools and am freaking out because I don't think I got into one.
Are we all this crazy, or is it just me?
Congrats, everyone!
Yesterday I got a rejection from Wash U and an acceptance from Northwestern. I really appreciate the universe for scheduling both these events on the same day...and please, universe, could you send some more acceptances my way? Thanks.
@ Lauren...I am right there with you! I'm in at the program that possibly makes the most sense for me given it's only an hour drive from family and is fully funded but, I'm also watching my email and phone like a crazy person!
Lol. Oh well, maybe my ego thinks that everyone should love me, but, that will never be the case especially with the public. Everything is subjective and based on taste as much as talent and craft, in my humble opinion.
subscribing
subscribing
@Lauren, if you are "crazy", then I guess I am as well. I think any rejection is still a rejection of your work. At least that's the way I think about it. Even if you will likely not go to the school, it's still nice to know how you rank.
Congrats also to everyone who has heard back from their schools so far. I feel especially happy for you all since none have been to my schools yet! :)
I am debating letting my calls (if and when they come) go to voice mail so I can at least listen to the hypothetical acceptance over and over to help with the anxiety of waiting for others. At this point, I'd just like to know either way so I can plan ahead.
Good luck to everyone out there still waiting....
So happy for everyone who's received an acceptance.
Beginning to feel a bit discouraged, myself, however. I applied to 17 schools and barring a rejection from Michener, I haven't heard anything yet. Since many of my schools have already started notifying (based on responses here), I'm assuming rejection at a number of places. It's becoming difficult to keep my hopes up, but I sure am trying to be optimistic!
Yeah. I've 5 schools left to hear from now. Officially rejected by WashU and assuming the same from Cornell and Vandy.
Yep, I can certainly understand the sentiments of unexpected discouragement and disappointment that float around the blog at this time of year. I began the process relatively late, uncertain of whether or not I really wanted to pursue an MFA, and thus far only one of my schools has begun to notify in any serious way. And yet I still find myself anxious and feeling strangely rejected. I really do stare at my phone and I really do imagine myself after. You know, after I've been turned away from every program to which I applied, after my recommenders and my friends and my parents begin to ask about that whole MFA thing and those applications I was so obsessed with a few months ago.
It's a strange feeling and, for me, a completely unexpected one. But in a way it makes perfect sense. My writing is something deeply personal, something I hold close, something I guard and one of the few things that I really cherish. It might be the only thing I think of as a personal gift in the truest sense of those words. And so to put it out there, to share it with total strangers and to face the prospect of being told (without, of course, actually being told) that you're less than or different from or not quite as evolved as some other writer in some other place who has led some other, completely different life, well, just the thought of it takes a toll, doesn't it?
I mean, if I'm not my writing then who am I? And if we all weren't vulnerable enough to feel this way then would any of us be writing in the first place?
It's a hell of a process, but in the end at least we grow. Or keep the liquor companies in business. You know, one or the other.
Good luck to all!
Well said, Clever Screen Name. Well said.
I'm sort of confused, as a lot of the websites claim they don't start informing people of acceptances or rejections until early to late March. Are we expected to start hearing now? I knew Cornell was informing people in February, but Syracuse, Iowa, Michigan? Where are people getting the info that I'm not?
So, this conversation about sharing and being compared to other writers is interesting to me. I think there's a certain freedom that comes with letting your writing out for others to see and evaluate, over and over. How else to get the feedback...it's what workshops are all about, after all. And, even in workshop when you're finally sitting there 6 months from now, everyone who's made it there, though selected by the same committee, will write very differently when they bring their first drafts, and evolve differently, and you'll probably be sitting there thinking, "how the hell did that other person get into this program?!" and they might think the same thing about you...lol. Really, 10 poems or a book chapter, short story? It's so hard to determine what someone brings to the table with that limitied selection. Or, the arrangement of your poems...geez, I've thought, for Syracuse I should have flipped the entire arrangement around, or that pivitol poem at the center, I should have led with that one. Because, if you don't hook them with the first, will they even keep reading (as I was advised by a former professor)?
Ink and Beans, Congratulations -- your story is an inspiration. What steps did you take between last year and this year to improve your sample? In what ways do you think your sample or your writing generally has improved? And, finally, do you think you might share your sample with me? I'm already gearing up for making a new one. My email is thetancole@gmail.com . Thank you! And again, congratulations -- I am very happy for you.
@Ink and Beans: Congratulations! I remember you on here from last year. Talk about validation, eh? Let me know if you have any questions (gmail name: mandasue)or want to get hooked up with the fiction people. I'm a first-year poet at Vandy. The fiction writers in this program are incredibly talented and really great people.
Ink and Beans - you are a rock-star. Congratulations on your success!!
Cleverscreename - well said. Couldn't have said it better. Love your screen name, by the way :)
Thanks so much everyone for the kind kudos! I'm swiftly remembering my impressions of this forum from last year, and how warm and generous everyone was in their praise and support. I honestly question whether I'd have even reapplied if I wasn't here sharing the experience with so many tenacious and sympathetic applicants. Talk about inspiration.
@ amanda - That is so sweet of you! I may very well take you up on that, and I'm so excited to make your acquaintance -- perhaps we'll be meeting in person soon!
@ Sheerah - Thanks so much for your interest! I actually wrote about my Round 2 Strategy last year here, and though I'm generally a flexible person it just so happens I ended up following this plan to a "T".
The short answer is that (1) I hired one of the consultants at Driftless House (Seth Abramson et al) to look over my sample, which wasn't cheap but worth EVERY penny. (2) Planned and had myself an adventure in Africa, which you could argue wasn't an integral part of my plan but I think it was. (3) Took my first writing workshop in nearly 10 years, with a renowned writer (Amy Hempel), and (4) used Driftless House again.
And with pleasure I will send you my sample. Thanks for your interest!
@Ink and Beans- how was a workshop with Amy Hempel? I just swooned a little thinking about it.
also, I'd like to read your sample as well, if you wouldn't mind! andsuddenly@gmail.com
congratulations! :D
Ooh, ooh, gimme some! I would loooove to read your sample, Ink and Beans, if only to talk more about how amazing you are ;)
kbritten @ yahoo . com
If interested :)
Ink and Beans,
Congratulations! Any news on if they've notified all other fiction acceptees today?
Would also love to read your sample. If you could email it to heatherwpeterson@gmail.com I would appreciate it.
Thanks and congrats again!
@ Katie Oh
Not to put too fine a point on it, I fell head-over-heels for Amy. I admired her as a writer prior to the class, but she is so warm, generous, funny, and beautiful in person. The class was amazing, and much of that had to do with my incredibly talented classmates (who she picked from a pool of applications). She guided class discussions without dominating them, and fostered such a stimulating, collaborative environment.
@ The Hoot
You are literally the third Heather Petersen I've met personally. I don't know if they've notified the other acceptances at Vandy. I did let the faculty person I spoke with know about the chatter on the blog here, and hinted at how appreciative everyone would be if he had any info for them about notification progress. Perhaps if I'll prod him again in a few days if it's not clear by then.
ink and beans,
i'd love to read your sample as well (if you don't mind) congrats again on your many prestigious acceptances.
j.todd.gray at gmail dot com
OOOH, I'd like to read too!
terryjassen 'at' yahoo dot com
@Ink and Beans- i'm now way, way more jealous. where did this workshop take place? does she still do them? i just want to be in her presence.
@ Katie Oh - I am extremely lucky, because Amy teaches an Advanced fiction workshop at Harvard -- primarily for undergrads but there was a mix -- and because I happen to work at Harvard as a lowly staffer, I was eligible to apply for and take the class (at a substantially-reduced price, I might add). Harvard has terrific benefits for its employees!
Amy also teaches as part of the low-res MFA program at Bennington.
Ink and Beans, congratulations! I'm very happy for you and very jealous of you at once.
I considered applying to Bennington just because Amy Hempel was a prof. there and wanted the opportunity to work with her. Sounds amazing @Ink and Beans. She is fab!
You guys are spoiling me. Will send the story. You honor me with your interest! I hope you enjoy it.
No funding from Chatham...I'm bummed. Now, one must decide whether one wants to pay serious money to move from San Francisco to Pittsburgh.
Subscribing...
@ Adam:
@ Ink and Beans:
Congratulations on your acceptances to Cornell and Vandy, respectively. I'd like to read your winning samples, if you don't mind.
venkataraghavan.srinivasan@gmail.com
Thanks in advance.
also interested in reading your sample, ink and beans. thanks for sharing.
seventyhorselapse@gmail.com
Congratulations, Ink and Beans.
I'd love to read your sample.
mr.damiller@gmail.com
Thanks!
I received an email from Colorado State saying they submitted my name for a background check for the GTA position. Everyone has encouraged me to interpret this as a "good news email" but I'm still not sure. Did any other CSU applicants receive this?
@Lauren
I'd be annoyed, too. According to the online status check Wyoming (alone among the schools I applied to) never received my GRE scores so my application is also "incomplete" despite the fact I received an email telling me they had everything they needed. My assumption is that if they were serious about wanting to accept me they would have contacted me to resolve the whole thing. So between that and the fact that their decisions seem to have already gone out I don't see much reason to blow more money on sending them another copy of my scores.
@ Clever Screen Name that's really bad that they lost your GREs! I just hope we really did get full consideration even though the whole time they were making decisions our files showed we were missing important items (GREs and fees.) I mean, we probably did. That's what the program told me. But you never really know. I can easily imagine them saying, ok, we have 350 applications but these ones are incomplete so MAYBE we'll look at them later... Oh well, that's why I spent $1000 applying to eleven programs!
@ Lauren
Yeah, I guess there's no way to really know if you're getting a fair look. I've had a few of these logistical-type snafus and for what it's worth here's my quasi-zen approach to MFA apps: Either it's a well-run program and they'll work their way through these types of problems to find the best writers or it's bureaucratic and disorganized...and not the sort of place where I'd wanna spend the next two or three years.
Either way we're winners. :) I mean, not the kind of winners who got accepted or anything, but, uhm, still.
Clever & Lauren: my Florida status still says they don't have my transcripts, but I've decided to ignore it because I figure they'll get in touch if they want to see them. How have I managed to achieve this level of Zen-like detachment about it? No idea, since I seem to be losing my sh*t about everything else.
ink and beans,
if you don't mind, I'd also like to read your sample.
My email is stopthesunshine@yahoo.com, if you care to send.
Thanks again for the kudos folks, and for the interest in my story. Excited to send it along, but it's worth noting that I just received a rejection from UT-Austin tonight -- my top choice :(.
Just goes to show that this is certainly not the story to end all stories, though I confess I was starting to feel a little invincible there. :) This remains a highly subjective process.
It's very disappointing, but I'm still in good spirits. And I'm grateful for the timing. Finding out this early will help clear my head for the great prospects that remain. The good news from Vanderbilt definitely cushions the
blow, yet it wasn't so close that I didn't get to enjoy the high for at least a day.
Onward!
Ink and Beans,
That's pretty crazy man. I remember you from last year too--big congrats. If you're open to sharing, I'd love to read your sample as well:
shredordie@aol.com
@ink and beans, I'd love to read your sample, as well. Thanks so much.
silverhair999@yahoo.com
@ Clever Screen Name and Urbanist, I like your approaches. I'm going to chill out about these missing items, and if I don't get in, I'm totally telling myself portfolios must be getting eaten by the committee members' pets and that I wouldn't want to be part of such disorganized programs! Cause yeah, we're all still winners :)
It's true. Any adcom interested in your writing isn't going to exclude you by what is most likely an oversight.
@ Ink and Beans, yes, these rejections are never fun no matter how many acceptances we get. Still, I'm in awe of your Vanderbilt acceptance. Huge congrats. I almost don't think I've participated in these discussions enough to deserve to read your sample, but if you'd be willing to let me I would be so happy. I love to read good writing from other new writers, and I've heard great reviews of it on the FB site!
lrjames04@gmail.com...
Wow, Ink and Beans, you deserve your very own stat line:
Player: Ink and Beans
Position: Fiction
Season:
At Missouri - W
At Tennessee - W
At Texas - L
Shooting 2 for 3 there, man. Not bad- around 66%... those are like hall of fame numbers...
So it seems like WashU rejections are going out in a big way--has anyone else who applied there not received any news yet?
Hi Everyone,
I've been hesitant to join the chat because I'm not too optimistic about my chances this year. I'm halfway through my list of schools with actual and assumed rejections and no acceptances. But the stories of successfully reapplying have pushed me onto the scene.
It's been nice to read everyone's comments. I have been feeling the same way as most of you. I'm so happy for accepted applicants, and I hold out hope for all of you like me who have not received any good news... yet.
If anyone accepted to WashU, Indiana, Cornell or Vanderbilt would be willing to share their sample with me, I'd greatly appreciate it.
k.walters123 at gmail dot com
@ink and beans
It seems like you've been extremely generous sending out your sample, and I'd love to read it. Your reapplication story gives me hope.
Ink and Beans,
You should just post your sample online because everyone--including me--wants to read it. If you don't mind sending it to one more person, stol0138@umn.edu would loooove to take a peak at it.
Your reapplying story is so awesome, but now it's got my neurotic other half wondering, even though I've gotten in somewhere that has a lot of facets I love, what if...WHAT IF I gave it another year and reapplied? I think my sample this year has merit, but it's not quite at the level it should've been at, and a fully-funded program would be so amazing.
Congrats to everyone on their acceptances!
I've been officially rejected from Michener and I've assumed rejection from Cornell. 7 more to go. My parents, who were both only admitted to Northwestern medical school, met in class over a cadaver and they keep reminding me a.) that it only takes one, and b.) that it may be that a school you originally disregarded turns out to be the perfect fit. There are a lot of great writers out there who were rejected from MFA programs and still have had incredible success, in fact I've heard of one who was later invited to teach at a program which rejected them. so even if all that some of us end up with this time around is a maelstrom of dismissal, it's essential not to think of it as an actual pronouncement of worth, because it isn't. In the immortal words of tupac shakur: keep. ya. head. up.
I conclude with my favorite song from the ultimate OG, sinatra. the ending is a little harsh but the sentiment is right on track.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OId8ByO4jg
good luck to everyone!
Hey there, posted earlier.
This week I have been rejected by WUSTL and Michener. Accepted by South Carolina. All for fiction.
I'm expecting rejections from Cornell and Vanderbilt.
For all Brown applicants, I have some news. I emailed them today, to tell them about how one of my stories I sent in with my application is being printed in a national anthology and I got this response:
"Congratulations of the story acceptance. Our faculty's review process has been completed. We're in the process of organizing the materials
for the Graduate School to review. Decisions are expected to be released in mid to late March."
FlannO, thanks for the heads up regarding Brown. I'll stop thinking about them for the time being. Also officially rejected from Michener and assumed rejection from Cornell.
And, @Trystero, thank you, your post really cheered me up.
Can someone explain why there are so many posts for "assumed rejection" for Cornell? Did they notify yesterday/today? I haven't heard anything.
@Minnow, the assumption is that those who haven't heard are likely rejected, as at least one person who was accepted has gotten word. Rejections are generally sent out after acceptances.
@Gil Thanks! I forgot that Adam was accepted to Cornell. It was in fiction though, right? Have you heard of anyone from poetry yet?
@minnow
No news of poetry folks yet. In the past poetry notifications have come after fiction ones for Cornell.
Usually about a week after.
Fingers crossed!
@Blob Thanks! That's what I thought but then I saw so much Cornell-infused despair that I automatically began to despair, as well. I hope we both get in!
i haven't heard anything from Wash U St. Louis. (i applied in fiction.) has everyone else heard something?
@Elio
I received a rejection days ago, and since they have notified accepted applicants, maybe you're on the waitlist.
Do schools ever tell you you're on the waitlist?
A woman named Tiffany Tsai just posted on facebook that she'd received a phone acceptance at UC Riverside. Anyone else have any news from them?
Ink and Beans, I too would love to read your sample. omshertok@hotmail.com. Thanks.
@ K and elio:
I have, unfortunately, fairly extensive experience with the waitlisting process, as I've tried two years in a row with many waitlists but no viable acceptances. Many programs are less than forthcoming about waitlist notifications - there were a few places that didn't tell me I was in the running until I contacted them, having found out others had heard. Florida and Iowa, however, are very communicative about it, something I greatly appreciated, even if I didn't end up with the result I'd have liked.
Hope this helps.
I'm assuming rejection at Vanderbilt, but has anyone else heard from them? Just trying to keep hope alive...
Does anyone know what it means if I haven't been rejected from Michener? Does it mean I've made it through some "round of rejection"? Does it mean they haven't gotten to myapp yet? Is it worth contacting them and lobbying them? Any insights highly appreciated...
Ink and Beans, yet another congratulations! Your story is really encouraging. I like your blog post about taking control of the situation- definitely helped put things in perspective.
And please add me to the list of folks who'd like to see your sample - ellen(dot)scheuermann at gmail. Thanks.
@Matthew, go to https://utdirect.utexas.edu/admissions/status_check.WBX and type in your info, it should say your application status there.
In terms of waitlists etc, thanks. Maybe i'll email them to check.
Also, big congrats to Ink and Beans! (I'd love to see the sample too: elio00921@gmail.com)
Congrats to ckc, adam, and everyone else i'm forgetting who has gotten good news.
I'm in your boat elio, haven't received any news yet, but it seems like tons of people received rejections. And the acceptances also went out? Well, shit. Let's hope for waitlist.
@ Eli Lindert: I just emailed Wash U. (Better to know than to not know, right?)
If they tell me anything about a waitlist (or any other useful information) I'll be sure to post.
Sorry to ask this kind of question, but I'm getting overwhelmed with trying to keep up with comment threads and the facebook group: have there been any acceptances for Indiana poetry yet? Someone please help me out while I try to decide between biting my nails or into a Xanax.
@ Ink and Beans --Whoa! Congratulations on all the success! I'd love to read the sample: ctank08@gmail.com.
I've only receive one official rejection, from WashU. But I've heard nothing from any other schools. I was feeling pretty good about it all, but the more time goes by the more nervous I'm becoming . . .
Hi all,
God, you guys are SO nice. I will send my story to those of you so nice as to request it, hopefully by tonight (if I haven't already).
In the meantime, as per Tom Kealy's call today for Personal Statement examples, I've posted my personal statement over on my blog -- so far it's helped me get into Wash U. and Vanderbilt (not Austin, though).
There I also included a link to an early draft with edits from a Driftless House consultant (very helpful), and links to examples of my *academic* statement and my *teaching* statement, though as yet these are not "proven" in that they I haven't been accepted anywhere that I've used them -- hopefully that changes soon!
@Ink and Beans: My goodness, can I just say -- your kindness and positive attitude are absolutely overwhelming in the best of all possible ways. A few weeks ago, someone on the MFA facebook group linked to your posts from your last round of applications, and I found them incredibly useful in thinking about the idea of rejection and the cuticle-gnawing insecurities of this whole process. Can't tell you how much it warms me to see you: 1) kick so much ass this season; 2) being so gracious about sharing resources and insights with other MFA hopefuls. You're a class act, dude. I hope you get a dozen more acceptances.
@ Lauren (or anyone)
I give up. Where is this FB (facebook, correct?) group?
I did find a group called "MFA in Creative Writing" that's about 1,500 people large, but there seems to have been no activity there whatsoever since January.
I swear I'm not that old.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_111211268949325&ap=1
or search for MFA Draft '11
It's poppin'!
Please come join us!
@ Kat
First of all... AGGGHH where is this facebook page???
Second: How sweet of you to say. And I must reiterate this every time, I am merely returning the generosity and encouragement that has been given me, online and off. Every day I appreciate more and more what a tough world it is for creative writers, or just artists in general. Individual passion and talent only gets you so far. We really need to help each other.
Since taking her class, what inspires me most about Amy Hempel, is not her brilliant writing but her generosity as a teacher (her time, attention, etc). It's really humbling, and I hope I can be as generous no matter what kind of success I'm fortunate enought to have in the future.
Ah, now I've got it. Phew! Thanks Courtney!
Matthew--
I haven't been rejected yet, either. My status says they have all the items, but it doesn't say anything about being forwarded for review yet. As far as I know, we could have made it through rounds, or there could be a technical reason that our apps are held up, in which case we won't know if we're rejected until March.
Remember that feeling you had when you completed a story in which you felt you truly broke new ground with your aesthetic? Think about that feeling when you receive a rejection.
And if you get rejected from every school, quell your cognitive dissonance by assuming that you're just too unique to be accepted by the mainstream. Go underground and build your lair. Come back screaming.
So nothing from Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program yet? Seems like they've usually notified by now....
Hello all, I'm reposting what I just posted on Seth's acceptance page:
All first-round acceptances in both fiction and poetry have been notified for Vanderbilt. I'm not sure what the status is of the waitlist at this point, but I will ask one of the faculty about that today or tomorrow. I can say that our recruitment weekend isn't until a month away, so if anyone is waitlisted, you'll probably have to wait at least that long to find out (I started getting emails from the faculty right after the recruitment weekend when it became clear to them that some of the accepted students weren't super enthused). Will try to keep people posted
Congratulations to everyone who has been accepted, and good luck to everyone with notifications still to come!
A question-- My partner and I both applied to the same twelve MFA Poetry programs, and we hope that at least one school will accept both of us. So far, SIUC, UIUC, UWyo, and OSU have accepted me, and WashU has rejected both of us. My partner has heard nothing from the schools to which I've been accepted, and we still have seven with no news.
Would it be 'proper' for him to email the schools to which I've been accepted, letting them know that he's heard acceptances have gone out, he's very interested in the program, could they tell them where he is on the list (yes, waitlist, reject)? Would it be 'proper' for me to also send them an email, maybe even explaining our situation (both or neither)? I imagine transparency would be appreciated by all, because, if they don't want both of us, I want my spot to be given to someone else soon (so that someone else can have time to decide). Yet, I do not want to decline my spot, only to have it offered to him. >.<
Help, please! (And thank you!)
@Lucien
If your partner doesn't get in this year, will you go to school anyway? If the answer is yes, I would not explain your situation and it's probably best not for him to email and ask his status, though if he really wants to, there's no real harm either.
If you will not go on to school if he is does not go in, then you can email the schools, cc him, list you both by name and explain the situation saying that the only reason you're asking for clarity is because if he is not on the wait-list then you'd like to give up your spot. But only send an email if you're willing to give up your spot right then and there pretty much. Otherwise, just sit tight, you have more schools to come.
I know there is one fiction acceptance from Minnesota (posted on TSE, I think); has anyone heard about CNF? Any idea if all acceptances are out?
Lucien...I hope you don't mind if I weigh in (as an agent of OSU hoping you'll come here...I will try not to be biased.)
This sort of thing happened the year I applied. I got into OSU and U Florida, along with another girl. She wanted to come here, but her partner was waitlisted at OSU (by the time of the campus visit, that information was known)...something about that person's GRE scores held them up, if I'm not mistaken, and they both, like me, got into Florida. She was really torn and decided to go there since she and her partner both got in there. I ran into her recently at AWP and she seemed pretty happy (though a little wistful about not having come here, truth be told.)
Now I am not sure how other programs might react...nor am I completely sure of how ours would either...but if it is an issue of at least knowing your partner is on the waitlist...I imagine obtaining that information could be doable. But yeah...I don't know how to broach the subject. In some ways it might be easier for your partner to do it on their behalf...and in some ways you might be the point person.
Sorry if that was a little free associative and unhelpful. I've probably had too much caffeine today :-P
Whoa-- are you The Tory? OSU's charming and helpful MFA Poet that I've corresponded with via email? 0.0 Amazing. (BTW, -of course- I lean toward OSU; it's a top choice since I learned of their program, and what I've learned from you and other Buckeyes confirms my interest!)
Well, I emailed UWyo's sweet and eager to help Director, asking when waitlist/rejected applicants will be notified, because my partner also applied, and "we hope to move through this process together," so "we eagerly await information on his status," etc. We will see. I'll hold off on [our] emailing any others until I see how she reacts. Send us positive energy, Tory. *crosses fingers*
in re concerns over uwyo apps: the mfa reads any and every file that includes a writing sample, and i have been assured by the program director that no one has ever been rejected due to technicalities like late GREs or transcripts. as long as the writing sample is received it is read (and read carefully). i'd say talk to the mfa program directly. they should have more current information than the admissions office as they are entirely different departments.
Lucien,
I am indeed that person, though I am hardly worthy of a capitalized article. Well, okay, I am probably a little deserving. Positive energy is being sent, and glad to hear we are among your top choices--we definitely want you hear, and I know Henri is very eager to meet you ;-)
accepted @ SIUC in poetry. :)
Congratulations Jessica!
Well, Texas rejected me. That was very undignified...even while being rejected, I'd have hoped for a touch more respect. Anyone else?
@Eric.
Agreed, quite undignified, especially since they couldn't even send an email. I don't mind a stock rejection, but it just seemed a bit heartless. Better not to be too sensitive, I suppose.
Also, anyone gotten officially rejected from Cornell yet?
(@Tory- Probably? Pah. Definitely. I am also very interested in meeting Henri and the rest of the crew, and I sincerely hope I can during the Open House.)
Well, the UWyo experiment was very informative, if anyone else is in a similar situation:
Because my partner and I attended three undergrad schools, and transcript requirements were unclear at some programs, I (on advice of Blob and others) emailed schools, explained situation ("My partner and I are both applying...") and asked verification of requirements.
UWyo's Director said she had remembered that my partner and I applied together, but thought it "invasive" to mention his standing unless I asked, but, in any event, she worked to send his (alas, sad) news asap for she "understands what a long and anxious process this is for us both." Very classy, and yet another beautiful moment in UW correspondence.
So. That's that. Thanks for the input, all!
re: waitlist questions at Wash U--I posted this on the facebook group a while ago, but I was contacted by them and told that I was the first on the waitlist for fiction. However, they didn't indicate that OTHER waitlist notifications had gone out, and they did say that members of the waitlist were "in the top seven percent of all applications", which implies that there's a substantial number of people on it. Because of how many people are on these blogs, I can't imagine that we wouldn't hear of at least a few other waitlist notifications if they'd gone out, so my suspicion is that they notified the first in each genre, and if you haven't gotten a rejection email, you may be further down on the list. But that said, it definitely doesn't hurt to ask what the status of your application is in case there was some sort of error--it's always better to know where you stand. Good luck!
@K Congrats again on first on the waitlist, that's awesome! I'm thinking they must have sent me that Olin fellowship email by mistake since I was outright rejected. Or else it is just not any kind of indication. Bizarre. I wanted to include this information here in case any future applicants get encouraged to apply for the Olin and are trying to interpret it!
What is the rule with waitlists? Do the universities send them out before rejections? Do they wait to notify until they have all the acceptances they're going to get?
Technically I've only gotten one rejection (Michener), but OSU still has me under review, so I'm just curious.
Has anyone gotten official rejections from OSU yet?
By the way, my genre is fiction.
Hey - does anyone know whether Cornell's creative writing PhD gives transfer credit for a prior MFA??????
@ DisplayedName
As far as I know, Cornell only has a literature PhD.
I'm not sure where y'all are getting that Cornell offers a CW PhD.
From Cornell's website:
"Cornell offers only the scholarly Ph.D., not the Ph.D. with creative dissertation."
Maybe someone can clarify? Am I reading that wrong?
@thereandback
you're not wrong. That is correct.
I think the confusion is that cornell offers a select few the opportunity to simultaneously get their MFA and their PhD. But that PhD is a traditional lit PhD.
Thanks for the comments, my concealed friends, but does anyone actually have a substantive answer? I mean I looked on the website and all... hmmm... I'm thinking no, because they'd likely want you completing coursework on campus.
@displayedname
The answer is no. Because they do not have a creative writing phd. It's possible some graduate lit courses could or would be able to transfer over, but it would only be a few credits, not like having an english MA.
Isn't there a creative dissertation option? I know it's technically a lit phd, but all of these categories are so foggy.
Oh I see it now: "Cornell offers only the scholarly Ph.D., not the Ph.D. with creative dissertation." Sorry, thanks for checking. yeah, likely only grad-level lit classes.
Hi folks.
Just curious: Is there a ready list floating in cyberspace somewhere that compares how long each of the top MFA programs has been around?
I was struck reading about Vanderbilt that it's only been around 5 years, considering how well-established it seems to be.
That realization, combined with my recent reading (finally) of the Slate article discussing the "explosion" of MFA culture, has made me curious how the top programs compare in terms of age.
Anyone? Is this a project that someone (not me! not me!) needs to take on?
Dream school just called to schedule an interview and beside being thrilled to the point of shaking, I'm worried that I sounded idiotically enthusiastic. How excited is too excited? I didn't yell. I just forgot how to say the letter "o" when giving out my email. I don't think she noticed. What do you think?
Congrats! Which "dream school"?
Indeed Quinn! How could you broadcast such exciting news and not tell us the school!
Then again, I suppose the ability to build anticipation is a useful skill for a writer to have.
Hello everyone,
I hope my question is not too out of left field, but here goes: I am currently a masters student in the rhetoric/composition program at Purdue. While I was accepted to a few MFA programs in poetry last year, I ultimately decided to go to Purdue because of the funding and the recognition it has for its rhet/comp program. However, I do still want to go for the MFA in poetry at some point since I'm still passionate about writing. It appears that I have the opportunity to stay at Purdue after I finish my masters to pursue my PhD and I'm wondering if I would be able to pursue my MFA after my PhD? I know most people usually go the other way around, but I'm wondering if the MFA post PhD is possible as well....
@Mary
I was/am in a similar situation. I've always been passionate about the field of Linguistics and I've considered a PhD but I feel equally strong about creative writing and definitely want to pursue an MFA degree.
Everyone I have asked has told me that it would be far better to get the MFA first if you intend to continue professionally in the PhD field. Obtaining positions after the PhD depends on your network, research, and the momentum of that research. I think we'd be taking a step backwards to get an MFA after the PhD and while the lapse wouldn't be impossible to correct, we would need to spend time catching up. So for efficiency's sake, get the MFA first.
I know a couple of MFA holders finishing up their doctorates, and they seem to agree with me.
@K: I'm ABD (All But Dissertation) at Penn's PhD linguistics program. I left the program 8 years ago because I decided I didn't want to be an academic. I can tell you this: once you get off that train, you can't just hop back on. Unless it's for a research position at Bell Labs or similar, any gap between grad school and the academic job market will be regarded with extreme suspicion. In other words, do your MFA now if you want to do both.
No word from the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program yet? Anyone heard anything?
Ohio State rejection today. Check your statuseses, y'all. Good luck!
@ Ink and Beans:
A lot of "new" MFA programs - especially the ones that are new and in the top 50 or so - were established Creative Writing MA programs for decades. Then, in the past five years or so, they turned into MFA programs. I don't know if that's the case with Vanderbilt specifically, but it might be.
@ many many birdies
Ah, re-inventing themselves. Now I get it, I think.
Great username.
@Ink and Beans:
The thing with Vanderbilt, mainly, is they decided to build a great program right away and took the necessary steps to do so. So, they got a great faculty and they (and this is the big thing) decided not to charge an application fee. Not charging a fee meant they got a lot of applications from their first year - people would just add Vanderbilt to their list because why not? there was no fee. So, right away it was very selective, as well.
They went into it with a plan and it worked, basically...
@ Hoot
That's really interesting! Thank you. An MFA program with substance and savvy. I like them more everyday.
How'd you come to know all this? Are you an insider?
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