I've just been following the different incarnations of Seth's CW blogs for a while, and when he did the rankings a couple years ago he commented on Vanderbilt's meteoric rise, giving the information I just gave you. That's as 'insider' as I can claim to be, unfortunately...
Anyone heard anything more about fiction acceptances? I know someone on the facebook page said they'd heard yesterday, but they got an e-mail (Syracuse has always called) and George Saunders had recently communicated that we shouldn't be expecting word until at least the 20th... am I crazy not to give up hope at this point?
I have a friend who lived overseas when she applied for her MFAs. When she got into schools that traditionally called, they e-mailed her instead due to time difference and (probably) not wanting to make a long, international phone call.
So, the Syracuse acceptance is probably real, especially if the person isn't in the US. And just because someone else got in shouldn't preclude you. Don't give up hope until you get a rejection letter.
C-lo, no, Adam was the only one. There is a general consensus that they're done notifying, based on last year acceptance dates and what Adam told us. What we can all hope for now is that we're in the waitlist and someone will be crazy enough to turn Cornell down.
Hey guys--re: a few questions I've seen floating around, the Cornell open house for accepted applicants has already been set and is not long from now. I'm 99.99% sure they're done offering. Not wanting to crush any lingering hopes, but I'd personally rather know one way or another. Just my $.02. GL everyone.
@Adam I think everyone is aware that they're done notifying for fiction. But I do think it's possible that they haven't notified poetry yet, since we have no signs of any notifications and poetry notifications are typically a week or so after fiction notifications. I don't know when the open house is, but it's possible that they have separate ones for fiction and poetry folks.
Either way, I'm smart enough not to hold my breath for cornell. But I haven't given up on them yet. (I'm poetry)
I was responding to C-Lo's comment plus a few I thought I'd seen on SA's blog where it seemed that people weren't sure if Cornell was done notifying for fiction. But yes, I haven't heard/seen anything regarding acceptances to Cornell poetry, nor do I have a clue if there's the same open house, etc.
I spoke with someone at Cornell on Tuesday. He said that they had not sent all fiction offers out as of then, but that he expected that they would go out "very soon".
I mean congrats ON your acceptance. But, I suppose I can give congrats to your application, too... I'm not against making friends with inanimate objects. =)
Well, these past days I've found the perfect distraction from MFA uncertainties and this blog addiction: be a public school teacher in a state with a governor trying to bust every union in sight and gut education! I've been a teacher delegate to the Wisconsin state capitol--packed with 30,000 people protesting--and am deeply involved in organizing local resistance. Little time to even think about where I might or might not get accepted.
And then I got home tonight to find a voice mail from Northern Michigan's MFA program for CNF! Called them back, and they want me. Said I was one of their top two candidates in the strongest applicant pool they've ever had, which was a much needed boost after rejections from UT and (presumed) Wyoming. Offered me a 3-year TA position (1 class per semester) and full tuition remission.
Of course, I had to tell him if our union is busted and our teaching contract is nullified, I won't have educational leave to attend the program anyway. But I can still quit my job and go!
Think about us in Wisconsin while you wait to hear MFA news; we need all the support we can get right now. For Madison MFA applicants, our governor wants to remove UW Madison from the state university system. Not sure what that would mean, but nothing good, I fear.
Anway, an acceptance! I'm going to be in an MFA somewhere! A 3-year slot! And as a sailor and climber, I love the Upper Peninsula!
@CharlieGordon - I think they are done notifying and he was just trying to be nice. Unless he is a professor who is IN the deciding committee, in whiich case we would have to take his word a little more seriously. How connected to the prograam is he?
I'm not sure how connected this guy is with the program. He was the person who answered the phone and when I asked him about notifications, he said that they had not all gone out. Then he said "Let me make sure" and I could hear him ask someone else in the room, after which he confirmed what he had said earlier.
Again, I don't know if this is truly representative Cornell's fiction situation or not.
thanks for the congratulations. To put the "strongest applicant pool" into perspective, I think in 2009 that Northern Michigan had 40 applicants.
I suspect NMU may be more of a "lock yourself in a cabin and write for three years" MFA than a "meet with fancy editors and big-name writers" kind of program. Which sounds very appealing to me, actually.
Where/in what genre have you applied? Cool website, by the way. I love the bookshelf picture--my idea of a living room!
no kidding about the "nice to see some other NF'ers." I was starting to think I was the only one.
Where are you hoping for? Did you apply at the Iowa NWP?
@Amy,
congrats on your GM acceptance. What kind of things did you use in your writing sample? Personal essays? Book excerpt? Other? Crazy that in fiction you write novels or stories, but NF is such a broader genre.
And I think I'm addicted to this blog again now that I've had good news for a change!
Getting accepted into GMU first is a bit of a curse as it was the only school that I submitted a "safe" writing sample to.
For all the others, I included a third, experimental piece that was completely different from the other two in voice, style, and subject. It was the make or break piece, in my opinion.
And of course, the first school that accepts me is the school that I didn't send it to... Great. Especially since I'm assuming a rejection from Alabama, the most experimental of all the CNF programs I applied to.
@CharlieGordone - Maybe he meant poetry as well. Poetry notifications hadn't gone out. They have now, yesterday someone from the FB group got a call. But I still hold on to some tiny tiny hope. But I am not counting on it, definetely not. Is just that not hearing ANY good news for SO long has started to make me a little bit too anxious. LOL Good luck to us!
Thanks, Tom! I am nonfiction as well and happy to see other CNFers on here. I applied to eight schools, including Iowa NWP, which I’m surprised no one has heard from yet—although maybe they have notified, just not anyone on this board?
@ Emily and Amy Congrats on GMU! I wish I had applied there.
@ monthtomonth Congrats also! Let’s keep these acceptances going…
Great news on Iowa State. That's the school I'm hoping for, but I think this year's a bust for all the ones I applied to. Though I found it hilarious to receive financial aid info from Iowa State and not get in (though I haven't officially been rejected yet).
@Tom I've definitely been thinking about Wisconsin. I work in the non-profit sector at an organization that has a lot of interest and strong feelings about what's happening in Wisconsin. We're definitely all rooting for you guys.
I was speculating the other day, in fact, that U. Wisconsin might be late to notify this year because funding is so uncertain, they might also have to cut some spots, though I hope not.
Hey, all...I'm new to posting but I've been lurking. I guess the stress of waiting for app results is bringing me out of the woodwork.
First: congratulations to those who have received acceptances! Woo!
Next: anyone know if GMU has sent out acceptances for anything other than fiction?
And last: for those of us who are taking these rejections on the jaw, I'm going to share the advice a friend gave me from her grad school application process. We do a lot of reading and research to figure out where to apply, but ultimately it's going to come down to what our reader/teachers see. They might think what we sent in shows tons of talents and potential but feel that their particular abilities would better serve a different student. Sometimes it's not that we're hearing "no" so much as someone else heard "yes."
I wish you all (and me too) lots of luck and the very best results!
thanks for the good thoughts on the Wisconsin situation; it's amazing how much it helps to know others are with us in thoughts & spirit. Let's hope we win here so the attack doesn't spread to other states and university systems!
and thanks even more for the solidarity rally! Man, we're seeing folks from other states in Madison--does your heart good to see Indiana and Iowa folks in there with you.
This is a fight all of us must engage in...complacency on our part has led to this fuck-all mess, not only in Wisconsin, but across the US. I'm working with the rally here in Iowa on Tuesday, and also attempting to cooordinate a contingent of people to come to Madison on Monday, so if you have got any info, send me a message...I'm on the Facebook group(MFA draft '11--Christopher Marnach). Solidarity, to you all.
And Tom---you're what we need right now in non-fiction writing...a voice for those that have been voiceless...whatever the outcome of these protests, write about what's going on, tell the story, right/write now. From earlier posts about your acceptances, I know you have the talent...now use it, man.
thanks for the support. I've been doing nothing BUT writing about it--mostly letters to editors and senators and all that, but I'll be submitting some CNF about the whole thing this week, too. It's been a truly moving experience.
Hey, if you come to Madison tomorrow, you should know it's pretty blizzardy right now. Be careful.
If anyone wants info on doings in Wisconsin (this will affect education everywhere, and a lot of you will probably end up teaching), email me: my Gmail user name is tpamperin. I'll be glad to tell you what I know.
I'm just randomly (or maybe not so randomly) thinking of a question now that probably would have been more useful to ask long ago, but do any of you guys (or anyone else) remember anything about that analytical sample they required for the TA application? Did you really submit something that was 1,000 words?
I kept thinking I was misreading and that they wanted 10,000, but I re-read the number a few times and finally just submitted this piece of cr* essay I wrote my freshman year, because I hadn't written anything so short since then....
Couldn't help myself--I e-mailed Ellenora Lordan to see if I'd been accepted or rejected to SIUC and found out I was waitlisted! She sent me a nice e-mail, which I've copied below:
Dear Ashley,
You're on our waitlist, and it doesn't seem the least bit neurotic to me that you'd want to know where you stand. We have six on our accepted list, six on our waitlist -- and, as usual, we have no idea what's going to happen. Last year, our acceptees almost all said yes, so we never went to the waitlist; two years ago, it was half and half; three years ago, only one acceptee said yes and we took almost everybody on the waitlist. I don't know whether this indicates an authentic trend -- that we're more people's first choice, or that everybody's applying to grad school so acceptance is harder to get -- or a series of anomalies. I hope you'll hang with us for a while, but not so long that other options slip away. Necromancers are not usually my cup of tea, but I read the whole story and admired its energy; I liked Furniture a lot, and was intrigued by the longer piece. You'll clearly blossom wherever you end up.
-Beth
So...I still have yet to hear back from my other twelve, but is it unreasonable to be cautiously optimistic? This is the first news I've heard and I can't help but feel this is a good first sign!
Well, in my correspondence with the University of Wyoming, I was just broken the bad news that all of their candidates had been notified as of last week, so the rest of us who were waiting for word can take that as an official rejection. It's of course a disappointing blow considering how hopeful and helpful their correspondence had been, and how appealing their program is, but I guess it's better to keep rolling along, better to know with certainty.
I'm assuming that this goes the same for all of the other schools that have notified, that if we haven't yet heard from them, we're presumably rejected? My list is as follows:
Iowa Texas (officially rejected) Wyoming (above) LSU Michigan Indiana Oregon Chatham (accepted, but without funding) Cornell SFSU Syracuse
So it looks like Indiana, Syracuse, and Cornell have all notified by now, as well, and probably a few others. I guess despite my complaints of the undignified rejection by Texas, I should be appreciative that they at least sent a rejection as soon as they'd decided. I'm starting to gird myself up for artistic-based debt in Pittsburgh's frigid winters.
Is it just me, or does it seem as though schools are a bit slower than usual in notifying fiction applicants?
Bu this time last year, we'd already heard from Minnesota (only one, late January acceptance I've seen so far this year--not sure if that means they're done notifying or what) Michigan, Syracuse, George Mason and Iowa Writers Workshop.
@ gellyfish: Yeah, I got that feeling too about Fiction programs. I called GMU today and found out that while they've already notified CNF and Poetry applications, they don't even know when the decision will be made about Fiction. However, I don't think it will be too long: the person on the phone said that things were "coming together." Whatever that means.
SMITF, though, until this is all over, and I know what state I'm living in come August.
(MinnesotaMFA U of Minnesota) Rest easy, MFA applicants -- decisions are still being made. You will be notified when we are ready to notify!
Which annoys me a little, actually, seeing as they told us they'd be done by mid-February! There's only 28 days in February, guys, this definitely qualifies as LATE.
Just accepted at UA in nonfiction (financial aid/TAs will be decided in a couple of weeks, apparently). Got the nicest email from Fenton Johnson (just heard him on NPR talking about his time spent in monastic communities) with some specific comments on my sample. One evaluator wrote: "This guy has what so many lack--a moral imagination!"
Best compliment my writing has received yet. My NMU acceptane was not a fluke, then! Good luck to everyone else.
Congrats on yet another acceptance! Wasn't expecting Arizona to notify this soon. They were one of the 4 schools applied to... and since they haven't notified me, I am assuming a rejection. Sigh.
At least this gives me something fun to post on my blog...
@ Tom Congrats, that's wonderful! Btw, thought of y'all in Wisconsin yesterday when I read this: http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/02/someone_in_egypt_ordered_a_piz.html :)
Congrats on the acceptances! I'm just around gathering info for applying this Fall to CNF programs, so it's great to hear some NF voices in the crowd.
I saw you asking Amy about writing samples. I'd love to know what kind of writing samples ANYONE in CNF sent out, and I'd especially be interested in what you sent since you've gotten such a great response!
Good luck everyone, it's exciting to watch this unfold since I'll be in your place come this time next year!
I think it means I can imagine that I'm the Graham Greene of the Blog.
@Elizabeth,
I'll be glad to share writing samples and statements now that I know they've had some success (too scary before...) Email me; I'm on gmail with tpamperin as my user name.
There have been a couple FSU acceptances on TSE (one fiction for PhD and one poetry for MFA). I've been told that they are still notifying, but I was curious, has anyone else heard?
Just trying to figure out how far along they are in the process.
Also, for those of you keeping track of timelines, Wisconsin rejection via email this morning and UMass rejection via status change Monday morning at 3am.
Looks like all Michigan acceptances/wait-lists went out today in both poetry and fiction. At least ten people had some sort of notification today that we know of in the Facebook group, which suggests that Michigan is done notifying accepted or wait-listed students.
Congrats, Emily and Lindsay! I'm really happy for both of you.
I myself have official rejections (fiction) from UT/Michener and UMass Amherst so far, and am assuming rejection at Wyoming, Cornell, Michigan, and probably Syracuse.
As of today, I'm still waiting on Iowa, Montana, Minnesota, Brown, Johns Hopkins, Irvine and Oregon.
Okay, so I just got an e-mail from South Carolina, one of the MFA programs in Fiction that I applied to. It's a pretty cryptic e-mail in response to my question of when I should expect an admissions decision. If anyone may be able to translate the language or if anyone has ever had a similar situation, guidance would be more than appreciated. My guess is either they haven't sent their rejection letter yet, or I'm on some kind of wait list. Anyway, here's what they said.
"Dear _____,
We sent out our initial offer letters a couple of weeks ago. Your file is complete and remains pending.
Noreen Doughty Graduate Student Service Coordinator Department of English University of South Carolina"
W Spencer - I got the same response from them when I called EXCEPT that they told me they do NOT notify waitlists. So, essentially what they're saying is not to count them out until you receive a rejection. They're just going to be continually making notifications as space comes available. Limbo, I know! But not a rejection either!
@kaybay Thanks a lot. I was hoping they didn't notify the waitlisters. I'm thinking that if we were out, they would have just said so. Anyway, a waitlist is kind of a nice validation that what I sent it wasn't awful and at least someone liked it enough not to use it for timber. Good luck with your apps. Are you fiction, btw?
Yes, I'm fiction. They've been super nice, but I do kind of hate not knowing what's going on with my application. I have a feeling with them that we're not going to hear anything until April :/
Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you know that someone else got a call from IWW for fiction today. Word is they spread out notices and plan to be done notifying those accepted by the end of next week. Wishing you all peace of mind!
i just got my first acceptance letter, to University of Pittsburgh, for fiction.
Pitt. is the only school i applied to that didn't show up on most of the big top-ranking lists. it's also the only school i applied to that doesn't offer full funding...
i don't have a specific question so much as i'm just broadly searching for any thoughts/feelings about the fiction program at pittsburgh. anyone got anything for me?
@Jessica - Apparently not. And someone in the FAcebook group pointed out that someone on this very blog went by the name "Honey Vadger/Badger" last year... (?). So, be mindful when you come across someone whose tone or diction seems slightly off. Don't jump on them: it could very well be a legitimate MFA-applicant. And I don't mean to stir anything up. Just be mindful that these folks are out there. And by "there" I mean "here."
According to all sources, they notify in a slow trickle over a long period, and in different media (e-mail, phone, letter). Apparently it's because of the different funding opportunities, etc. Someone called and was told that all notifications will be out by the end of next week. So no need to give up hope yet.
Hey, we're in the same boat, don't worry about it. Basically I'm giving you info from the facebook group, which people have culled from looking at years past. The funding aspect I'm the least sure of - it just makes sense as an explanation for why they would contact some people much sooner than others, meaning they want to nail down who's getting what funding, etc. The 'slow trickle' of acceptances has happened every year since people have been paying attention to these things, so it seems very likely it will happen again. The info that everyone will know by the end of next week comes from the program itself, so should be trustworthy, although we all know that the info we get from the programs isn't always completely accurate. Sorry I don't know more - believe me, I wish I did.
now that I'm no longer on the fb page (thank goodness, it was eating my soul) I am updating here, but only to say I got email rejections from Brown and Cornell today and a rejection letter from UMass in the mail.
Well, 4 official rejections now from Syracuse, Cornell, Wisconsin and Michener.
Assumed rejections at Wyoming and Michigan.
Waiting on: Indiana, Purdue, LSU, Minnesota, MN State Mankato, UC Irvine, Arkansas, IWW, Virginia, Oregon and Washington. (Some of those are, perhaps, assumed rejections as well. Have any of these schools notified in Poetry? I've been trying--for my own mental health--to not follow too closely.)
With not even a waitlist under my belt, I'm feeling disheartened. When I first started applying, one of my recommenders said not to pay attention to statistics about MFA admissions, because they'd only matter if I can't stand behind my work. So I've tried so hard to remain optimistic and not give much attention to acceptance rates and even this mailbag. But now I'm beginning to think I could really go 0 for 17, and I'm afraid of what that would mean for me. I don't know if I can (financially, maybe emotionally) afford to apply again.
Heartfelt contratulations to everyone out there with an acceptance! I envy the relief you must feel :)
For those in the same boat as me, hang in there and stay optimistic! I feel for you :)
Well said. I'm looking at the possibility of going 0 for 12, and it's strange. I certainly stand behind my work, and I did NOT apply to MFA programs for validation of my abilities as a writer. That said, not getting accepted anywhere has unleashed an emotional onslaught that I just did not see coming.
I've got 5 rejections, 2 assumed. Waiting to hear from Montana, CU Boulder, Washington, Utah (phd), and SUNY Albany (phd).
I know everyone says it's not worth enrolling in an unfunded MFA, but is it worth enrolling in one where you get partial funding? It looks like I'll have 80% of my tuition covered and an assistantship that could, in theory, handle the rest, but I also need the assistantship to survive and pay rent and things. So I'll still have to come up with a couple of thousand dollars.
I don't really mind the thought of that so much, but everyone makes it sound like it's a Very Bad Idea. What are your thoughts?
A pretty long day. I must say, it is so weird knowing we probably didn't get into Iowa, lowering expectations, but not knowing for sure. I feel like if I only knew for sure already I'd be able to handle it alot better.
Any info, tips, stories of people who got in 4 or 5 days after everyone, and possible logical speculations as to why they notify this way, though perhaps obsessive and impractical, would also be much appreciated.
I looked through the posts from past years…maybe I am missing something, but it seems that everyone who posted at least, posted on the same day or the day after, saying they heard the day before.
A bit confused though. I thought they always e-mailed a short list and then did phone interviews over the next week? Did you already have your interview?
@ffffuuuu I think coming out of an MFA program with a few thousand in debt is a lot different than coming out with tens of thousands in debt. So long as you're excited about the program, I say 80% is pretty good. Make sure you check what second and third year funding is like as well.
Peter and AJW, let's commiserate. Peter you took the words out my mouth. This is my second year applying and after last year, I wasn't that upset about not getting in anywhere. This year, I'm beginning to get worried and knowing that I've put so much into my sample and like you, stand by my work, it's been a little tough. Let's just say I've been whiny ;) Here are my stats:
Official rejection:
Ohio State
Assumed Rejections:
Michigan Syracuse Vanderbilt Penn State (although I don't know about waitlists or anything South Carolina (see above) Iowa (I have no problem assuming rejection there)
Left to Hear From:
Florida Notre Dame Bowling Green Virginia Commonwealth North Carolina State
Syracuse University, for Poetry, emailed on Thursday-- I'm waitlisted. They accepted six and waitlisted eight, and they had 150 applications.
ARG, my partner was rejected by Syracuse (via email) and Ohio State (paper mail) this weekend, and I begin to wonder about the rationale behind admissions... He is a brilliant writer, and I feel I must stretch to keep up with him-- and, so far, he has four No's and I have four Yes's and two Maybe's. WT...?
So, I'm experiencing this from both sides, and I will be so, so happy once he gets his first Yes and we have our first "double-Yes" school. Until then, back to heavy-duty chamomile and Star Trek reruns.
Hey Lucien, I might be making this up, but you were accepted to Illinois and are high on the waitlist at Michigan? I'm also high on the waitlist at Michigan, and waitlisted at Illinois. I wonder if we have similar aesthetics.
Anyway, do you know which way you're leaning at this point?
Also, Syracuse and OSU? Wherever you go, you're gonna be studying with some amazing poets next year.
@jdubs, lucien, do you mean southern illinois? If so, I was accepted there and that's where I'm thinking I'll end up, for now...wouldn't mind trading info if anyone else is thinking of going there? I'm also poetry.
Strange and very intriguing. Yes, I'm accepted to SIUC, UIUC, OSU, Wyoming & waitlisted at Michigan and Syracuse. I'd love to trade a few poems, if you'd be interested. Email me at marsindigo (at) yahoo. I'm leaning toward (hoping for!) attending a program my partner and I are both accepted into. If that doesn't happen, I don't know... OSU is awesome in every way, UIUC and UW have had amazing communications, fabulous Judy Jordan is at SIUC... Ag!
@Jessica-
Yes, SUIC (or UIUC, lol), and, from what I've encountered and heard, Southern Illinois has a great program. Email me if you'd like to discuss/share info!
Alot of people say we should not assume rejection, but when I looked at last year's posts, they all said they were called on the same day,except for one person who was emailed a few days later, because there was a problem with her phone....
...so unless there is a problem with our phones we are utterly unaware of?
There are waitlists coming in the mail, or so it seems from my browsing last year's comments.
Leitmotifish, I'm with you on Iowa. The past few weeks have been horrible and I don't think it'll get any better. But it just seems too weird this year that we can't count ourselves out yet. I think it's so odd how the reactions to the Iowa acceptances have been so quiet. My gut tells me they are not done notifying.
By the way, where are you reading last year's posts? I know I probably shouldn't do that, but I'm too anxious not to.
@C-- I know, I know. I feel like we are both feeling the exact same thing. I want to know already. It looks very unlikely:) I got some nice acceptances, so that got my expectations WAY up there. That was DUMB.
I feel like an enabler, but ok--I am reading the posts by pressing on the mailbag tag, and then reading the mailbags of last year's February.
I spent last night doing it, at five in the morning, after pulling yet another all nighter for my HUGE writing project that is due in a week.
@C and.... you mention that the responses from Iowa have been so quiet this year and that's why we may still hope, but from what I gather it seems pretty similar to how quiet it was last year. Which is a bad sign:)
On the facebook group, there have been three reported IWW acceptances for fiction. Two on Thursday, and one on Friday. Also, an acceptance from an international student was posted on TSE blog late Wednesday. So four total? Judging by the large percentage of Michigan acceptances on the FB group, and absolutely no correlation with the IWW acceptances, things do feel a bit strange. I dont know, my gut still says they haven't finished notifying. And every year, a few people never get calls, and only get the letter in the mail, right?
there are three people in fiction who received Iowa acceptances this past week and reported so on Facebook. One was last night the other two were earlier in the week. There have been no reported Poetry acceptances yet. But in general, I imagine that there are more fiction acceptances to come, especially since one was as recently as yesterday and they have a fairly large class size.
1. We do not know the acceptance from last night was given to HER last night. She said she didn't have time to post before....
2. Many people do no report their acceptances. A similar number of reported acceptances happened last year, as there is now...and then there were no more, if this makes sense...? So, basically, if the narrative of this year were to continue in the same trend of last year's, the only new thing we should expect to hear (online) is a couple of people reporting being waitlisted by mail. I have yet to find a past post of a person saying HE was accepted by mail. Find me that post!
3. I am so procrastinating by doing this. In a way, it is better to do this than my regular online procrastinations which include reading articles of all the weird things that happened in the world...I always find something when I approach a deadline, haha:)
p.s I am speaking only about fiction...I have not been obsessively collecting info on poetry at all....sorry, lovely poets.
The lovely lady who posted last night about her acceptance was in fact accepted yesterday, just not as late into the evening as her post was made.
I am a poetry person, so I've been looking out closely on that front, nothing so far.
You're definitely right that not everyone posts, but it's hard to tell. Some schools stagger more than others. I've experienced this stagger. But I understand wanting to assume no and move on, I've done that for several schools to give myself peace.
On the flip side, we do know that IWW notifies for wait-lists. This may not not mean anyone gets in off the wait-list but it might help us gauge where they are in their notifying process.
Also, a wait-list feels mighty wonderful even when they don't pan out.
The kind lady on the phone told someone that they'd send out notifications in early March, so I assume at least next week and a half are still 'alive.' But really, who knows.
I'm a total pessimist/fatalist/cynic. So when I say this, you can assume I'm not a glass half full type of person: Iowa is known to trickle acceptances. Yes, people only announced it at certain times on the blog. But if you ask people who have been IWW acceptees over the past five years, they will all say that some got phone calls early on, some got e-mails later on, and some even got letters like... in April. All as acceptances.
Now, I know the technology has changed over the past five years - e-mails will be more prevalent. But look at that spread! And insiders say they won't be done notifying until the end of next week.
Plus, when I got waitlisted last time, I got a letter in the mail in late March.
All this is to say - yes, keep a healthy skepticism, but do. not. give. up. hope. Seriously. It's not that time yet!
ANOTHER Iowa notification. This one is for poetry.
Syracuse and Michigan are great schools, and I am lucky I got in.
Plus, there are other 8 schools I applied to who are all wonderful, and have yet to notify, and I need to not get fixated until I heard from all schools and visited.
Iowa is not the end all, be all, or whatever Americans say.
But I have to say. Ouch.
Now really, no more of this. It was lovely spending my two hour work break with you kind people. Good luck and thanks.
C, Hoot, Louise—who knows, maybe we will be classmates. Somewhere. Thanks for being so nice. This internet info is hard to figure out, and sometimes does more harm than good, at least to one’s heart….
You should be absolutely incredibly happy with your acceptances so far and I do hope we all end up at Iowa. If we don't, screw it. Wherever we go we will make awesome.
I have no idea what the process was at Hunter this year - sorry I don't have more info. I got an acceptance over the phone (no interview), and that's about all I know.
@Magnolia Avenue: Hunter is famous for wanting a quick answer... did they give you a deadline? I only ask because I'm hoping maybe there will be another offer or two coming up.
Hey hoot and all....Update! (because y'all love me so much and are dying to hear what's up with me:)
So...facebook said Chang said she will notify everyone by the end of today and it is now 2AM.
So that means no Iowa for me. Right now, I think I will to go to Michigan, or Syracuse (accepted) or, if I get in somehow into Irvine or Florida or UVA (yet to hear from all 3...and I know all are long shots) I will think of those too. And maybe if there is a school I am forgetting about that I applied to and will admit me, I will think of that one too....haahah, now I am going to have a hard decision to make. Any advice on any of these programs (particularly Syracuse and Michigan) is much appreciated. I'll think about it during spring break when work is not so crazy and I have time to think/visit, so you all have a week or so to give me advice. Start thinking! (lol:)
I guess this is for the best---alot of the people that got into Iowa fiction seemed MUCH older than me, which is no problem at all, but maybe the comfort is I will have a more normal social life at another school? sounds lame, I know (particularly since I have no social life now, and I am in college), but hey, I take my comforts where I can find them. Maybe this is the universe's way of helping me make friends in this country:):) or another lame thing like that...
Hoot, C, Louise--- I am dying to know just for the fun of it--did you get in? hoot, I really want to know about you because you said you were waitlisted last year, right? do they do that? waitlist someone one year and accept him on the next? If I get waitlisted the situation will be even wilder than it is now:)
I took some time off from school work to watch a movie tonight like we talked about....I watched Ajami, which is a lovely Israeli/Palestinian movie that I very much enjoyed and gave me much to think about. I really recommend it to anyone else who had a rough night/will have a rough night. Think "The Wire" meets "The Syrian Bride" if you ever watched those...
man, I applied to college early action, so never had to deal with rejection before! (aside from one from men/boys...lol) this sucks, but I guess it is part of becoming a grown woman and a writer...I am having new feelings and growing, which is also a comfort, right? right?
Good night all:)Thanks for being the internet and helping me.
No, no news from Iowa, although I am international and supposedly Samantha Chang had international people left to call... but I'm not holding out hope. I was waitlisted last year, and I have a sneaking suspicion I will be again this year, for some reason. The thing about Iowa is... no one really says no to it. So a waitlist doesn't really mean much.
I'm still waiting to hear from six schools, so I'm nowhere close to despairing, luckily!
As far as Michigan vs. Syracuse - everyone I've ever talked to has said you should choose a program first for their faculty and second for their funding. So look at the faculty: whose writing, over all, do you like more? If you can't decide then, look at the funding you got. They're both cold, cold places so it's not like climate/location need come into it...
Anyways, Leit, you should be very very happy with those two acceptances. Good luck!
Thanks. I am international also, though currently residing in the US. Urgh!
Facebook said Chang also said she will be calling the last 2-3 people yesterday, so I guess we're out :) I feel bad for both of us:) She DID say there is a guy she hasn't been able to reach also....are you male? if so, there is still hope! Gosh darn it. Male supremacy wins AGAIN. (Just kidding:)
Thanks for the advice. I think I will spend spring break reading alot of what the faculty at the ultimate schools I am considering writes, and emailing current students asking them about their workshop experiences with their faculty. That's the most important factor I thought I should consider, so I am glad to hear someone as experienced in the process as you thinks the same way. I am a finalist for a huge arts fellowship that gives MFA students full funding to live off and pay tuition, so if I win it I may not be able to use funding as a factor in making my final decision....that would be a nice problem to have though, if I win it:)
Random question (really random, since I have yet to hear from this school) but do you know if Irvine has good weather? I think it must, right? my other school that has good weather is Florida, but I have yet to hear. This is not a big factor, but if I happen to have a PERFECT tie after considering all the big things I think I will be tempted to use weather to break it.....I grew up in the Middle East:)
Are you going to wait another year, if we assume it is a no on Iowa? why did you wait last year, if you don't mind me asking? I think any sample I could send them next year would be like 1000000 times stronger, because I sent them the three stories that are currently the weakest of the seventeen stories I polished this year. But my mentor says saying no to a place like Michigan or Syracuse and waiting a year would be VERY stupid, because he feels I am at a stage in my writing and life where I need to go now. I want to believe he is true (though I lack the objectivity to make such an assessment), because my only 2 job offers for next year are soul crushing corporate offers....like the two companies my friends say are this nation's most evil companies...(though I like them, deep down:)
Anyways. This is ALL to say I would love to hear more about how things went down for you last time, if you are willing to share. And all because I just finished a big writing project and feel a little empty so I decided to hang around the internet:)
I decided to wait a year because I felt that the options I was left with weren't good enough. So I left the country and tried again.
Irvine has great weather (it's southern California!) but not that great funding, although it sounds like that might not be a problem for you.
I have to say, I agree with your professor. The admissions process for MFAs is so unpredictable and the applications keep going up, that it would be very silly, I'm sorry to say, to turn down schools as absolutely wonderful as Syracuse and Michigan just for the off-chance that you get into Iowa next year. Especially since you might have a scholarship on the way which you aren't guaranteed to have next year.
As far as soul-crushing jobs... I would recommend against them. Nothing sucks your desire to write out of you like long hours and stress. I can speak from experience.
My e-mail is heatherwpeterson@gmail.com if you have any more questions - I'm happy to help.
But seriously. Go to one of the two (or possibly more) GREAT schools that admitted you this year. Iowa isn't the be all and end all. And Iowa City is COLD in the winter, so there's that.
Rutgers Camden-Accepted (no assistantship but some funding and a possibly adjunct positions at local community colleges) Syracuse-Rejected Rutgers Newark Un of FLA Un of Mich Un of Tx-Austin Un of Memphis Virginia Tech
I think, as Hoot said, that it's not a smart idea to devote yourself to gaining admission at Iowa just because you have this overwhelming sense that it's somehow fundamentally the king of all MFA programs. I have heard of people declining Iowa's offer in favor of smaller or three-year programs with less competitive funding. In fact, believe it or not, I would personally take Michigan or Syracuse over Iowa. This is because I seek a smaller cohort (which Michigan would offer), non-competitive financial aid (which both schools, I think, would offer), and an opportunity to write for three years (which Syracuse would offer). Iowa is a big name, but it is not the only big name; Iowa is a great school, but it is not necessarily the greatest school for everyone.
Guys! I just got a waitlist at Southern Illinois- Carbondale through the mail.
Wow. After being rejected from umass, brown, cornell, syracuse, and wyoming, I had pretty much given up hope. Now at least I feel like there was something redeemable about my application.
Does anyone know how much later the notifications to *unsuccessful* applicants go out? Four of the schools I applied to appear to have sent out notifications (some almost a month ago), but I haven't heard a peep from anyone. Any thoughts?
July? Yikes! Meanwhile, I'm waivering between despair, hope, and apathy.
Does anyone think it's worth contacting the schools to solidify any of these feelings, or does is just come across as pushy or desperate? It looks like some people seem to have had some success with this approach. Is it worth it?
and am waiting on: NYU Columbia Brooklyn UVA Boston U
i don't know what i want by telling you all this. I just hate sitting here in the dark. The anxiety is getting in the way of my writing. Does anyone know when I'll find out from the rest of my schools? Or just how to make myself stop freaking out?
This is a great community. It makes me so much more hopeful that I'm not alone -- I don't know anyone else applying for fiction. The occupational hazard of having all poet friends. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Some alabama wait-lists have gone out. But they've made it pretty clear not to count yourself out until you get a rejection, many of which have gone out.
I'm on Bama's wait list for poetry right now and I'm keeping my fingers extra crossed it works out.
Just accepted to North Carolina Wilmington for Nonfiction! And I was accepted at Saint Mary's yesterday, same genre.
This morning I talked for over half an hour with Marilyn Abildskov, the director of the MFA program at SMC, who was incredibly sweet, with personal responses to my writing sample and personal statement.
Unfortunately no funding at either so far... which is of course the main factor for me. But still, a great start to the month after a February with no responses at all except for a rejection from Wyoming.
This is my first time posting... Big congrats to all those holding acceptance letters, and also to all fellow applicants for taking what felt (to me) like a big risk by engaging in this process.
Just called Iowa out of desperation to see if all poetry acceptances had already been made, and the lady on the phone said they were mailing them out at the end of this week. I was so nervous I forgot to ask if they'd called everyone on the phone or if they were only doing letters.
Letters only seems strange to me... Unfortunately I'm more confused now than I was before...
Haven't heard much about poetry acceptances though--has anyone heard something I haven't?
I was also accepted yesterday at St. Mary's, for nonfiction. If only the funding situation were better. Marilyn is so incredibly nice, I plan on calling her tomorrow. I've been funded at OSU, so that will probably factor heavily into my decision. Still, California sounds like a dream...
Thought I'd put up what's happened for me so far. Applied in fiction to all these.
Syracuse (rejected via email) Vanderbilt (rejected via email today) Wyoming (rejected via snail mail)
Waiting on:
Iowa (that's a lost hope at this point, right?) Virginia West Virginia LSU Fresno State Univ. of Florida (anybody heard anything...?) Portland State Oregon
Okay, everybody, steady breaths and fingers crossed...
no news from a lot of those places in fiction yet, although I believe MN has notified at least one acceptance, and I was accepted to GMU last Friday.
wait on, my friend. sending you good luck!
also, a note to those of you feeling down due to rejections: i'm another second-time-applier and am finding more luck in my second attempt. it happens to a lot of us, that first year of sad news, and there's really no way to make you feel better because it sucks. you're a good writer, you've been told you're talented, and for some reason these programs aren't validating your gift. a lot of us have been there, we're rooting for you, and trust me when i say an acceptance will happen for you at some point.
@extra medium: The Colorado schools should be notifying in the next week or so. Johns Hopkins has started notifying but is rumored not to be done yet. George Mason may or may not be done notifying acceptances, but I'm pretty sure I've seen a waitlist or two already...
How do I know all this? Because I spend my life on the FB MFA Draft: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_111211268949325
Been reading the blog for a week or so. Waitlisted at Vandy. Best news so far.
It appears South Carolina does not have an official waitlist and have made all their offers. They don't expect to dip into the waitlist very much. Maybe the oddball offer post-April 15th. So, there you have it.
818 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 400 of 818 Newer› Newest»@ Ink and Beans:
I've just been following the different incarnations of Seth's CW blogs for a while, and when he did the rankings a couple years ago he commented on Vanderbilt's meteoric rise, giving the information I just gave you. That's as 'insider' as I can claim to be, unfortunately...
SYRACUSE
Anyone heard anything more about fiction acceptances? I know someone on the facebook page said they'd heard yesterday, but they got an e-mail (Syracuse has always called) and George Saunders had recently communicated that we shouldn't be expecting word until at least the 20th... am I crazy not to give up hope at this point?
@The Hoot
I have a friend who lived overseas when she applied for her MFAs. When she got into schools that traditionally called, they e-mailed her instead due to time difference and (probably) not wanting to make a long, international phone call.
So, the Syracuse acceptance is probably real, especially if the person isn't in the US. And just because someone else got in shouldn't preclude you. Don't give up hope until you get a rejection letter.
I really wish Iowa or Michigan were notifying today!
Anyone besides Adam hear from Cornell for fiction?
C-lo, no, Adam was the only one. There is a general consensus that they're done notifying, based on last year acceptance dates and what Adam told us. What we can all hope for now is that we're in the waitlist and someone will be crazy enough to turn Cornell down.
Accepted today at George Mason via phone for nonfiction.
Hey guys--re: a few questions I've seen floating around, the Cornell open house for accepted applicants has already been set and is not long from now. I'm 99.99% sure they're done offering. Not wanting to crush any lingering hopes, but I'd personally rather know one way or another. Just my $.02. GL everyone.
@Adam
I think everyone is aware that they're done notifying for fiction. But I do think it's possible that they haven't notified poetry yet, since we have no signs of any notifications and poetry notifications are typically a week or so after fiction notifications. I don't know when the open house is, but it's possible that they have separate ones for fiction and poetry folks.
Either way, I'm smart enough not to hold my breath for cornell. But I haven't given up on them yet. (I'm poetry)
Blob,
I was responding to C-Lo's comment plus a few I thought I'd seen on SA's blog where it seemed that people weren't sure if Cornell was done notifying for fiction. But yes, I haven't heard/seen anything regarding acceptances to Cornell poetry, nor do I have a clue if there's the same open house, etc.
I spoke with someone at Cornell on Tuesday. He said that they had not sent all fiction offers out as of then, but that he expected that they would go out "very soon".
Perhaps he was just being nice. :)
@ Tom
Based on their past notification dates, I'd say that Iowa (NWP) will notify THIS WEEKEND, so hang on to your hat. Here's luck to both of us.
@ Amy
Congrats to your acceptance!
Nice to see some nonfictioneers on here...
@Amy
I mean congrats ON your acceptance. But, I suppose I can give congrats to your application, too... I'm not against making friends with inanimate objects. =)
@CharlieGordon,
Well, that goes to show what I know, i.e. nothing.
@ Adam
The gentleman with whom I spoke was incredibly friendly and I'm quite sure he could tell that I was still holding on some tiny, tiny bit of hope.
You, however, are far more likely to know what is the more probable of truths.
Well, these past days I've found the perfect distraction from MFA uncertainties and this blog addiction: be a public school teacher in a state with a governor trying to bust every union in sight and gut education! I've been a teacher delegate to the Wisconsin state capitol--packed with 30,000 people protesting--and am deeply involved in organizing local resistance. Little time to even think about where I might or might not get accepted.
And then I got home tonight to find a voice mail from Northern Michigan's MFA program for CNF! Called them back, and they want me. Said I was one of their top two candidates in the strongest applicant pool they've ever had, which was a much needed boost after rejections from UT and (presumed) Wyoming. Offered me a 3-year TA position (1 class per semester) and full tuition remission.
Of course, I had to tell him if our union is busted and our teaching contract is nullified, I won't have educational leave to attend the program anyway. But I can still quit my job and go!
Think about us in Wisconsin while you wait to hear MFA news; we need all the support we can get right now. For Madison MFA applicants, our governor wants to remove UW Madison from the state university system. Not sure what that would mean, but nothing good, I fear.
Anway, an acceptance! I'm going to be in an MFA somewhere! A 3-year slot! And as a sailor and climber, I love the Upper Peninsula!
Good luck to everyone else.
@CharlieGordon - I think they are done notifying and he was just trying to be nice. Unless he is a professor who is IN the deciding committee, in whiich case we would have to take his word a little more seriously. How connected to the prograam is he?
@ Tom Congrats—especially considering it was their strongest applicant pool ever. Anyhow, nice job!
@ Pedro
I'm not sure how connected this guy is with the program. He was the person who answered the phone and when I asked him about notifications, he said that they had not all gone out. Then he said "Let me make sure" and I could hear him ask someone else in the room, after which he confirmed what he had said earlier.
Again, I don't know if this is truly representative Cornell's fiction situation or not.
@Marti,
thanks for the congratulations. To put the "strongest applicant pool" into perspective, I think in 2009 that Northern Michigan had 40 applicants.
I suspect NMU may be more of a "lock yourself in a cabin and write for three years" MFA than a "meet with fancy editors and big-name writers" kind of program. Which sounds very appealing to me, actually.
Where/in what genre have you applied? Cool website, by the way. I love the bookshelf picture--my idea of a living room!
@'11 MFA Draft,
no kidding about the "nice to see some other NF'ers." I was starting to think I was the only one.
Where are you hoping for? Did you apply at the Iowa NWP?
@Amy,
congrats on your GM acceptance. What kind of things did you use in your writing sample? Personal essays? Book excerpt? Other? Crazy that in fiction you write novels or stories, but NF is such a broader genre.
And I think I'm addicted to this blog again now that I've had good news for a change!
Received an acceptance from George Mason CNF today and scheduled a phone interview for a TA position!
Still holding out for Iowa and Columbia though. Fingers crossed. Good luck everyone!
Getting accepted into GMU first is a bit of a curse as it was the only school that I submitted a "safe" writing sample to.
For all the others, I included a third, experimental piece that was completely different from the other two in voice, style, and subject. It was the make or break piece, in my opinion.
And of course, the first school that accepts me is the school that I didn't send it to... Great. Especially since I'm assuming a rejection from Alabama, the most experimental of all the CNF programs I applied to.
@Tom,
I used two personal essays in my sample. So far I'm in at George Mason and OSU, so we'll see what happens. Congrats on your acceptance, by the way!
@CharlieGordone - Maybe he meant poetry as well. Poetry notifications hadn't gone out. They have now, yesterday someone from the FB group got a call. But I still hold on to some tiny tiny hope. But I am not counting on it, definetely not. Is just that not hearing ANY good news for SO long has started to make me a little bit too anxious. LOL Good luck to us!
Some of these comments seem to be disappearing for me, but I could swear someone wrote that they got into Cornell here last night.
Anyway, I am also in for poetry!!
@Month2month, yes! I saw that, too. Someone named Corey got a call from Cornell & is in for Poetry. How exciting!
Congrats, Corey!
Thanks, Tom! I am nonfiction as well and happy to see other CNFers on here. I applied to eight schools, including Iowa NWP, which I’m surprised no one has heard from yet—although maybe they have notified, just not anyone on this board?
@ Emily and Amy Congrats on GMU! I wish I had applied there.
@ monthtomonth Congrats also! Let’s keep these acceptances going…
How does affirmative action work at MFA programs? I've always wondered. Maybe it doesn't exist.
Has anyone heard anything about Iowa Writers' Workshop acceptances for fiction?
I was accepted to Iowa State today buy phone. So excited!
I was so excited I can't spell *by
oh, and it was for Fiction.
@L
Great news on Iowa State. That's the school I'm hoping for, but I think this year's a bust for all the ones I applied to. Though I found it hilarious to receive financial aid info from Iowa State and not get in (though I haven't officially been rejected yet).
@Tom
I applied to 4 schools (they are listed on my "blog"), and yup, Iowa's NWP was one of them.
I also think there is a broader range to NF but, IMHO, I believe the best NF is CNF, which often "reads" like fiction.
Congrats on everybody's acceptances so far! My schools haven't notified yet (most won't until mid-March).
@Tom
Stay strong up there in Wisconsin, man! We're organizing a solidarity rally here in Iowa for Tuesday. You guys are an inspiration to us all!
@Tom
I've definitely been thinking about Wisconsin. I work in the non-profit sector at an organization that has a lot of interest and strong feelings about what's happening in Wisconsin. We're definitely all rooting for you guys.
I was speculating the other day, in fact, that U. Wisconsin might be late to notify this year because funding is so uncertain, they might also have to cut some spots, though I hope not.
Hey, all...I'm new to posting but I've been lurking. I guess the stress of waiting for app results is bringing me out of the woodwork.
First: congratulations to those who have received acceptances! Woo!
Next: anyone know if GMU has sent out acceptances for anything other than fiction?
And last: for those of us who are taking these rejections on the jaw, I'm going to share the advice a friend gave me from her grad school application process. We do a lot of reading and research to figure out where to apply, but ultimately it's going to come down to what our reader/teachers see. They might think what we sent in shows tons of talents and potential but feel that their particular abilities would better serve a different student. Sometimes it's not that we're hearing "no" so much as someone else heard "yes."
I wish you all (and me too) lots of luck and the very best results!
@Murph and Blob,
thanks for the good thoughts on the Wisconsin situation; it's amazing how much it helps to know others are with us in thoughts & spirit. Let's hope we win here so the attack doesn't spread to other states and university systems!
@Murph,
and thanks even more for the solidarity rally! Man, we're seeing folks from other states in Madison--does your heart good to see Indiana and Iowa folks in there with you.
@Tom
This is a fight all of us must engage in...complacency on our part has led to this fuck-all mess, not only in Wisconsin, but across the US. I'm working with the rally here in Iowa on Tuesday, and also attempting to cooordinate a contingent of people to come to Madison on Monday, so if you have got any info, send me a message...I'm on the Facebook group(MFA draft '11--Christopher Marnach). Solidarity, to you all.
And Tom---you're what we need right now in non-fiction writing...a voice for those that have been voiceless...whatever the outcome of these protests, write about what's going on, tell the story, right/write now. From earlier posts about your acceptances, I know you have the talent...now use it, man.
@ joy
I thought the GMU acceptances were for nonfiction?
@joy & @gellyfish
all the GMU acceptances posted so far have been for CNF
@Murph,
thanks for the support. I've been doing nothing BUT writing about it--mostly letters to editors and senators and all that, but I'll be submitting some CNF about the whole thing this week, too. It's been a truly moving experience.
Hey, if you come to Madison tomorrow, you should know it's pretty blizzardy right now. Be careful.
If anyone wants info on doings in Wisconsin (this will affect education everywhere, and a lot of you will probably end up teaching), email me: my Gmail user name is tpamperin. I'll be glad to tell you what I know.
Wow, congrats to all you GMU acceptees!!!
I'm just randomly (or maybe not so randomly) thinking of a question now that probably would have been more useful to ask long ago, but do any of you guys (or anyone else) remember anything about that analytical sample they required for the TA application? Did you really submit something that was 1,000 words?
I kept thinking I was misreading and that they wanted 10,000, but I re-read the number a few times and finally just submitted this piece of cr* essay I wrote my freshman year, because I hadn't written anything so short since then....
http://theminaretonline.com/2011/02/16/article16547
A new low-res MFA program at the University of Tampa will begin Jan 2012. (I'm completely unaffiliated, etc)
Couldn't help myself--I e-mailed Ellenora Lordan to see if I'd been accepted or rejected to SIUC and found out I was waitlisted! She sent me a nice e-mail, which I've copied below:
Dear Ashley,
You're on our waitlist, and it doesn't seem the least bit neurotic to me that you'd want to know where you stand. We have six on our accepted list, six on our waitlist -- and, as usual, we have no idea what's going to happen. Last year, our acceptees almost all said yes, so we never went to the waitlist; two years ago, it was half and half; three years ago, only one acceptee said yes and we took almost everybody on the waitlist. I don't know whether this indicates an authentic trend -- that we're more people's first choice, or that everybody's applying to grad school so acceptance is harder to get -- or a series of anomalies. I hope you'll hang with us for a while, but not so long that other options slip away. Necromancers are not usually my cup of tea, but I read the whole story and admired its energy; I liked Furniture a lot, and was intrigued by the longer piece. You'll clearly blossom wherever you end up.
-Beth
So...I still have yet to hear back from my other twelve, but is it unreasonable to be cautiously optimistic? This is the first news I've heard and I can't help but feel this is a good first sign!
Well, in my correspondence with the University of Wyoming, I was just broken the bad news that all of their candidates had been notified as of last week, so the rest of us who were waiting for word can take that as an official rejection. It's of course a disappointing blow considering how hopeful and helpful their correspondence had been, and how appealing their program is, but I guess it's better to keep rolling along, better to know with certainty.
I'm assuming that this goes the same for all of the other schools that have notified, that if we haven't yet heard from them, we're presumably rejected? My list is as follows:
Iowa
Texas (officially rejected)
Wyoming (above)
LSU
Michigan
Indiana
Oregon
Chatham (accepted, but without funding)
Cornell
SFSU
Syracuse
So it looks like Indiana, Syracuse, and Cornell have all notified by now, as well, and probably a few others. I guess despite my complaints of the undignified rejection by Texas, I should be appreciative that they at least sent a rejection as soon as they'd decided. I'm starting to gird myself up for artistic-based debt in Pittsburgh's frigid winters.
Is it just me, or does it seem as though schools are a bit slower than usual in notifying fiction applicants?
Bu this time last year, we'd already heard from Minnesota (only one, late January acceptance I've seen so far this year--not sure if that means they're done notifying or what) Michigan, Syracuse, George Mason and Iowa Writers Workshop.
It makes me wonder if application numbers are up?
@ gellyfish:
Yeah, I got that feeling too about Fiction programs. I called GMU today and found out that while they've already notified CNF and Poetry applications, they don't even know when the decision will be made about Fiction. However, I don't think it will be too long: the person on the phone said that things were "coming together." Whatever that means.
SMITF, though, until this is all over, and I know what state I'm living in come August.
@Leitmotifish: CONGRATULATIONS! What exceptionally wonderful news!
Sounds like MN is still in the process:
(MinnesotaMFA U of Minnesota)
Rest easy, MFA applicants -- decisions are still being made. You will be notified when we are ready to notify!
Which annoys me a little, actually, seeing as they told us they'd be done by mid-February! There's only 28 days in February, guys, this definitely qualifies as LATE.
Just accepted at UA in nonfiction (financial aid/TAs will be decided in a couple of weeks, apparently). Got the nicest email from Fenton Johnson (just heard him on NPR talking about his time spent in monastic communities) with some specific comments on my sample. One evaluator wrote: "This guy has what so many lack--a moral imagination!"
Best compliment my writing has received yet. My NMU acceptane was not a fluke, then! Good luck to everyone else.
@Tom
Congrats on yet another acceptance! Wasn't expecting Arizona to notify this soon. They were one of the 4 schools applied to... and since they haven't notified me, I am assuming a rejection. Sigh.
At least this gives me something fun to post on my blog...
@ Tom Congrats, that's wonderful! Btw, thought of y'all in Wisconsin yesterday when I read this: http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/02/someone_in_egypt_ordered_a_piz.html :)
Congrats to all who are getting in!
Tom, that "moral imagination" comment is really cool. Does that mean you're like the Graham Greene of the MFA blog?
@Tom
Congrats on the acceptances! I'm just around gathering info for applying this Fall to CNF programs, so it's great to hear some NF voices in the crowd.
I saw you asking Amy about writing samples. I'd love to know what kind of writing samples ANYONE in CNF sent out, and I'd especially be interested in what you sent since you've gotten such a great response!
Good luck everyone, it's exciting to watch this unfold since I'll be in your place come this time next year!
@Alison,
I think it means I can imagine that I'm the Graham Greene of the Blog.
@Elizabeth,
I'll be glad to share writing samples and statements now that I know they've had some success (too scary before...) Email me; I'm on gmail with tpamperin as my user name.
There have been a couple FSU acceptances on TSE (one fiction for PhD and one poetry for MFA). I've been told that they are still notifying, but I was curious, has anyone else heard?
Just trying to figure out how far along they are in the process.
Also, for those of you keeping track of timelines, Wisconsin rejection via email this morning and UMass rejection via status change Monday morning at 3am.
Heard that Boise State has contacted its accepted people--anyone heard any news?
TONS of Michigan acceptances/waitlists made today, just thought anyone checking here would like to know.
Kaybay, how do you know?
Oh, I see now.
wait how do you know about michigan? for fiction and poetry?
Looks like all Michigan acceptances/wait-lists went out today in both poetry and fiction. At least ten people had some sort of notification today that we know of in the Facebook group, which suggests that Michigan is done notifying accepted or wait-listed students.
Recap of Acceptances for the last week
(Names left out, but available on the MFA Draft '11 Facebook group document)
February 14th - Vanderbilt (poetry)- 2 phone acceptances [MFA blog]
February 14th - Wyoming (poetry): 2 phone acceptances [TSE]
February 14th - Sewanee School of Letters: 1 email acceptance [TSE]
February 14th - Converse College: 1 email acceptance [TSE]
February 14th - Penn State (fiction): 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 14th - Hunter (CNF): 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 15th - Wyoming (CNF): 1 phone acceptance [TSE]
February 15th - Southern Illinois @ Carbondale(fiction): 1 email acceptance [FB group]
February 15th - Wyoming (nonfiction) 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 15th - UCR (fiction): 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 18th - Cornell (poetry): 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 19th - Iowa State (fiction) phone: 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 19th - University of Arizona (nonfiction): 1 phone acceptance [FB group]
February 22nd - University of Michigan: Several email acceptances and waitlist notifications [FB group]
Accepted to Montana CNF today by phone.
I'm getting like I might puke nervous at this point...
So, not to be annoying, but anyone heard anything about UNC Wilmington in fiction?
Emily,
congratulations on Montana! I applied there too so apparently I'll know soon if I don't know already by NOT getting a call...
Thanks Tom! And congrats on your acceptances!
Did anyone who applied NOT get an email from Wisconsin yesterday?
Congrats, Tom. Congrats, Emily.
Accepted to Pittsburgh. Via e-mail. I'm fiction. It looks like some people may get funding, but I was accepted without funding.
Congrats, Emily and Lindsay! I'm really happy for both of you.
I myself have official rejections (fiction) from UT/Michener and UMass Amherst so far, and am assuming rejection at Wyoming, Cornell, Michigan, and probably Syracuse.
As of today, I'm still waiting on Iowa, Montana, Minnesota, Brown, Johns Hopkins, Irvine and Oregon.
@ elio - I applied to Wisconsin (poetry) and have yet to receive any word.
@ The Hoot - I am also puke nervous.
Congrats to all acceptances!
Okay, so I just got an e-mail from South Carolina, one of the MFA programs in Fiction that I applied to. It's a pretty cryptic e-mail in response to my question of when I should expect an admissions decision. If anyone may be able to translate the language or if anyone has ever had a similar situation, guidance would be more than appreciated. My guess is either they haven't sent their rejection letter yet, or I'm on some kind of wait list. Anyway, here's what they said.
"Dear _____,
We sent out our initial offer letters a couple of weeks ago. Your file is complete and remains pending.
Noreen Doughty
Graduate Student Service Coordinator
Department of English
University of South Carolina"
Hey all,
I'm a current Michigan fiction MFA student - if anyone here (or on the facebook page, feel free to pass this on) wants to chat, drop me a line:
kendra (dot) shaw (at) gmail (dot) com
I am happy to field questions!
W. Spencer Deck: I'd say it means they haven't made a decision about you yet.
W Spencer - I got the same response from them when I called EXCEPT that they told me they do NOT notify waitlists. So, essentially what they're saying is not to count them out until you receive a rejection. They're just going to be continually making notifications as space comes available. Limbo, I know! But not a rejection either!
@kaybay
Thanks a lot. I was hoping they didn't notify the waitlisters. I'm thinking that if we were out, they would have just said so. Anyway, a waitlist is kind of a nice validation that what I sent it wasn't awful and at least someone liked it enough not to use it for timber. Good luck with your apps. Are you fiction, btw?
Yes, I'm fiction. They've been super nice, but I do kind of hate not knowing what's going on with my application. I have a feeling with them that we're not going to hear anything until April :/
Hi everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that someone else got a call from IWW for fiction today.
Word is they spread out notices and plan to be done notifying those accepted by the end of next week.
Wishing you all peace of mind!
first time poster, long time lurker.
i just got my first acceptance letter, to University of Pittsburgh, for fiction.
Pitt. is the only school i applied to that didn't show up on most of the big top-ranking lists. it's also the only school i applied to that doesn't offer full funding...
i don't have a specific question so much as i'm just broadly searching for any thoughts/feelings about the fiction program at pittsburgh. anyone got anything for me?
Beware of trolls posting false acceptance info under different names. Lesley Xu/Ron Ben/Honey Badger was just outed on the Facebook group.
@Zak...What? That is the strangest thing ever! Don't people have anything better to do?!
@Jessica - Apparently not. And someone in the FAcebook group pointed out that someone on this very blog went by the name "Honey Vadger/Badger" last year... (?). So, be mindful when you come across someone whose tone or diction seems slightly off. Don't jump on them: it could very well be a legitimate MFA-applicant. And I don't mean to stir anything up. Just be mindful that these folks are out there. And by "there" I mean "here."
Do you think Iowa will still be calling today? how many people do you think they notified already? (considering not all people post online...)
@Leit...
According to all sources, they notify in a slow trickle over a long period, and in different media (e-mail, phone, letter). Apparently it's because of the different funding opportunities, etc. Someone called and was told that all notifications will be out by the end of next week.
So no need to give up hope yet.
Hoot,
Thanks for this. Does that mean those called first get the best funding? Or not necessarily? Also, how sure are you of this info?
I am so so sorry I am so obsessive, as you must know this is a stressful time.
Thanks for your input.
Leit:
Hey, we're in the same boat, don't worry about it. Basically I'm giving you info from the facebook group, which people have culled from looking at years past. The funding aspect I'm the least sure of - it just makes sense as an explanation for why they would contact some people much sooner than others, meaning they want to nail down who's getting what funding, etc.
The 'slow trickle' of acceptances has happened every year since people have been paying attention to these things, so it seems very likely it will happen again. The info that everyone will know by the end of next week comes from the program itself, so should be trustworthy, although we all know that the info we get from the programs isn't always completely accurate.
Sorry I don't know more - believe me, I wish I did.
Email rejection from UCSD today (poetry).
Has anyone heard anything about Florida or Ole Miss yet? Past years say its coming sometime in early March. Has anyone contacted either of them?
Just got a call from George Mason. In for fiction, with an interview for a TA position!
Could hardly function on the phone. Made a fool of myself, but that's okay!!
Just got a call from Peter Carey @ Hunter -- I'm in!!
@Magnolia - Congrats!!!! WoHOO!!
Thanks, Zak! :)
Congratulations gellyfish and magnolia! Whoohoo!
now that I'm no longer on the fb page (thank goodness, it was eating my soul) I am updating here, but only to say I got email rejections from Brown and Cornell today and a rejection letter from UMass in the mail.
Ditto Cornell, Renee, yr not alone!
Well, 4 official rejections now from Syracuse, Cornell, Wisconsin and Michener.
Assumed rejections at Wyoming and Michigan.
Waiting on:
Indiana, Purdue, LSU, Minnesota, MN State Mankato, UC Irvine, Arkansas, IWW, Virginia, Oregon and Washington. (Some of those are, perhaps, assumed rejections as well. Have any of these schools notified in Poetry? I've been trying--for my own mental health--to not follow too closely.)
With not even a waitlist under my belt, I'm feeling disheartened. When I first started applying, one of my recommenders said not to pay attention to statistics about MFA admissions, because they'd only matter if I can't stand behind my work. So I've tried so hard to remain optimistic and not give much attention to acceptance rates and even this mailbag. But now I'm beginning to think I could really go 0 for 17, and I'm afraid of what that would mean for me. I don't know if I can (financially, maybe emotionally) afford to apply again.
Heartfelt contratulations to everyone out there with an acceptance! I envy the relief you must feel :)
For those in the same boat as me, hang in there and stay optimistic! I feel for you :)
AJW,
Well said. I'm looking at the possibility of going 0 for 12, and it's strange. I certainly stand behind my work, and I did NOT apply to MFA programs for validation of my abilities as a writer. That said, not getting accepted anywhere has unleashed an emotional onslaught that I just did not see coming.
I've got 5 rejections, 2 assumed. Waiting to hear from Montana, CU Boulder, Washington, Utah (phd), and SUNY Albany (phd).
I know everyone says it's not worth enrolling in an unfunded MFA, but is it worth enrolling in one where you get partial funding? It looks like I'll have 80% of my tuition covered and an assistantship that could, in theory, handle the rest, but I also need the assistantship to survive and pay rent and things. So I'll still have to come up with a couple of thousand dollars.
I don't really mind the thought of that so much, but everyone makes it sound like it's a Very Bad Idea. What are your thoughts?
A pretty long day. I must say, it is so weird knowing we probably didn't get into Iowa, lowering expectations, but not knowing for sure. I feel like if I only knew for sure already I'd be able to handle it alot better.
Any info, tips, stories of people who got in 4 or 5 days after everyone, and possible logical speculations as to why they notify this way, though perhaps obsessive and impractical, would also be much appreciated.
I looked through the posts from past years…maybe I am missing something, but it seems that everyone who posted at least, posted on the same day or the day after, saying they heard the day before.
@ magnolia avenue -
Congrats on your acceptance to Hunter.
A bit confused though. I thought they always e-mailed a short list and then did phone interviews over the next week? Did you already have your interview?
@gellyfish
I'm a current fiction student at George Mason. I love the program. Feel free to email me with any questions. My email is on my blogger profile.
@ffffuuuu I think coming out of an MFA program with a few thousand in debt is a lot different than coming out with tens of thousands in debt. So long as you're excited about the program, I say 80% is pretty good. Make sure you check what second and third year funding is like as well.
Recvd email rejections from brown this a.m. Boo!
Peter and AJW, let's commiserate. Peter you took the words out my mouth. This is my second year applying and after last year, I wasn't that upset about not getting in anywhere. This year, I'm beginning to get worried and knowing that I've put so much into my sample and like you, stand by my work, it's been a little tough. Let's just say I've been whiny ;) Here are my stats:
Official rejection:
Ohio State
Assumed Rejections:
Michigan
Syracuse
Vanderbilt
Penn State (although I don't know about waitlists or anything
South Carolina (see above)
Iowa (I have no problem assuming rejection there)
Left to Hear From:
Florida
Notre Dame
Bowling Green
Virginia Commonwealth
North Carolina State
Here's to hoping for everyone here!
Oh, and McNeese! I forgot about them. Still waiting on their response.
Has anyone heard from IOWA, non-fiction?
Syracuse University, for Poetry, emailed on Thursday-- I'm waitlisted. They accepted six and waitlisted eight, and they had 150 applications.
ARG, my partner was rejected by Syracuse (via email) and Ohio State (paper mail) this weekend, and I begin to wonder about the rationale behind admissions... He is a brilliant writer, and I feel I must stretch to keep up with him-- and, so far, he has four No's and I have four Yes's and two Maybe's. WT...?
So, I'm experiencing this from both sides, and I will be so, so happy once he gets his first Yes and we have our first "double-Yes" school. Until then, back to heavy-duty chamomile and Star Trek reruns.
Ink and Beans. I'd love to read you winning submission. My email is vonrosen2000@yahoo.com.
Hey Lucien, I might be making this up, but you were accepted to Illinois and are high on the waitlist at Michigan? I'm also high on the waitlist at Michigan, and waitlisted at Illinois. I wonder if we have similar aesthetics.
Anyway, do you know which way you're leaning at this point?
Also, Syracuse and OSU? Wherever you go, you're gonna be studying with some amazing poets next year.
@jdubs, lucien, do you mean southern illinois? If so, I was accepted there and that's where I'm thinking I'll end up, for now...wouldn't mind trading info if anyone else is thinking of going there? I'm also poetry.
Hey Jessica, I was talking about University of Illinois, although I applied to Southern Illinois as well. Congrats on your acceptance!
@jdubs--
Strange and very intriguing. Yes, I'm accepted to SIUC, UIUC, OSU, Wyoming & waitlisted at Michigan and Syracuse. I'd love to trade a few poems, if you'd be interested. Email me at marsindigo (at) yahoo. I'm leaning toward (hoping for!) attending a program my partner and I are both accepted into. If that doesn't happen, I don't know... OSU is awesome in every way, UIUC and UW have had amazing communications, fabulous Judy Jordan is at SIUC... Ag!
@Jessica-
Yes, SUIC (or UIUC, lol), and, from what I've encountered and heard, Southern Illinois has a great program. Email me if you'd like to discuss/share info!
@kay bay
You're assuming rejection from SC now? The fact that they don't notify waitlists is keeping my hopes up. Have you hear anything new?
W Spencer - I might as well. If I get an acceptance, I'll be happily surprised :)
Are you guys assuming rejection from IWW?
@Louise--that's what I want to know. (Re:IWW)
Alot of people say we should not assume rejection, but when I looked at last year's posts, they all said they were called on the same day,except for one person who was emailed a few days later, because there was a problem with her phone....
...so unless there is a problem with our phones we are utterly unaware of?
There are waitlists coming in the mail, or so it seems from my browsing last year's comments.
Leitmotifish, I'm with you on Iowa. The past few weeks have been horrible and I don't think it'll get any better. But it just seems too weird this year that we can't count ourselves out yet. I think it's so odd how the reactions to the Iowa acceptances have been so quiet. My gut tells me they are not done notifying.
By the way, where are you reading last year's posts? I know I probably shouldn't do that, but I'm too anxious not to.
@C--
I know, I know. I feel like we are both feeling the exact same thing. I want to know already. It looks very unlikely:) I got some nice acceptances, so that got my expectations WAY up there. That was DUMB.
I feel like an enabler, but ok--I am reading the posts by pressing on the mailbag tag, and then reading the mailbags of last year's February.
I spent last night doing it, at five in the morning, after pulling yet another all nighter for my HUGE writing project that is due in a week.
Yep.
Welcome to the dark side:)
And thanks for replying to me:)
@C
and.... you mention that the responses from Iowa have been so quiet this year and that's why we may still hope, but from what I gather it seems pretty similar to how quiet it was last year. Which is a bad sign:)
..saving you some dark calculations:)
@ Leitmotifish: I'm totally with you, too.
Are the only acceptances to IWW word of mouth? Is there anyone on this blog, or facebook, etc. that has personally received an acceptance?
I should really relax...:)
On the facebook group, there have been three reported IWW acceptances for fiction. Two on Thursday, and one on Friday. Also, an acceptance from an international student was posted on TSE blog late Wednesday. So four total? Judging by the large percentage of Michigan acceptances on the FB group, and absolutely no correlation with the IWW acceptances, things do feel a bit strange. I dont know, my gut still says they haven't finished notifying. And every year, a few people never get calls, and only get the letter in the mail, right?
@louise
there are three people in fiction who received Iowa acceptances this past week and reported so on Facebook. One was last night the other two were earlier in the week. There have been no reported Poetry acceptances yet. But in general, I imagine that there are more fiction acceptances to come, especially since one was as recently as yesterday and they have a fairly large class size.
Good luck to all!
Not to bring you guys (or me!) down, but...
1. We do not know the acceptance from last night was given to HER last night. She said she didn't have time to post before....
2. Many people do no report their acceptances. A similar number of reported acceptances happened last year, as there is now...and then there were no more, if this makes sense...? So, basically, if the narrative of this year were to continue in the same trend of last year's, the only new thing we should expect to hear (online) is a couple of people reporting being waitlisted by mail. I have yet to find a past post of a person saying HE was accepted by mail. Find me that post!
3. I am so procrastinating by doing this. In a way, it is better to do this than my regular online procrastinations which include reading articles of all the weird things that happened in the world...I always find something when I approach a deadline, haha:)
p.s
I am speaking only about fiction...I have not been obsessively collecting info on poetry at all....sorry, lovely poets.
@Leitmotifish
The lovely lady who posted last night about her acceptance was in fact accepted yesterday, just not as late into the evening as her post was made.
I am a poetry person, so I've been looking out closely on that front, nothing so far.
You're definitely right that not everyone posts, but it's hard to tell. Some schools stagger more than others. I've experienced this stagger. But I understand wanting to assume no and move on, I've done that for several schools to give myself peace.
On the flip side, we do know that IWW notifies for wait-lists. This may not not mean anyone gets in off the wait-list but it might help us gauge where they are in their notifying process.
Also, a wait-list feels mighty wonderful even when they don't pan out.
The kind lady on the phone told someone that they'd send out notifications in early March, so I assume at least next week and a half are still 'alive.' But really, who knows.
Here's the thing about IWW:
I'm a total pessimist/fatalist/cynic. So when I say this, you can assume I'm not a glass half full type of person: Iowa is known to trickle acceptances. Yes, people only announced it at certain times on the blog. But if you ask people who have been IWW acceptees over the past five years, they will all say that some got phone calls early on, some got e-mails later on, and some even got letters like... in April. All as acceptances.
Now, I know the technology has changed over the past five years - e-mails will be more prevalent. But look at that spread! And insiders say they won't be done notifying until the end of next week.
Plus, when I got waitlisted last time, I got a letter in the mail in late March.
All this is to say - yes, keep a healthy skepticism, but do. not. give. up. hope. Seriously. It's not that time yet!
Good luck to all of you!!
@Hoot.
Wow. That totally helped. Thanks.
Ok. No more of this, back to my work. Getting upset is just a waste of time either way before we really know... I guess.
Next time I want to procrastinate I'll watch a movie or something.
Thanks!
@Leitmotifish,
a movie sounds good. I think I'll make a pizza run and watch James Franco in Howl. Good luck!
ANOTHER Iowa notification. This one is for poetry.
Syracuse and Michigan are great schools, and I am lucky I got in.
Plus, there are other 8 schools I applied to who are all wonderful, and have yet to notify, and I need to not get fixated until I heard from all schools and visited.
Iowa is not the end all, be all, or whatever Americans say.
But I have to say. Ouch.
Now really, no more of this. It was lovely spending my two hour work break with you kind people. Good luck and thanks.
C, Hoot, Louise—who knows, maybe we will be classmates. Somewhere. Thanks for being so nice. This internet info is hard to figure out, and sometimes does more harm than good, at least to one’s heart….
@ Leit:
You should be absolutely incredibly happy with your acceptances so far and I do hope we all end up at Iowa. If we don't, screw it. Wherever we go we will make awesome.
Or so I keep telling myself...
@ Hoot -
I have no idea what the process was at Hunter this year - sorry I don't have more info. I got an acceptance over the phone (no interview), and that's about all I know.
(Thanks for the congrats!)
@Magnolia Avenue: Hunter is famous for wanting a quick answer... did they give you a deadline? I only ask because I'm hoping maybe there will be another offer or two coming up.
Does anyone know how many people McNeese takes for each genre?
Hey hoot and all....Update! (because y'all love me so much and are dying to hear what's up with me:)
So...facebook said Chang said she will notify everyone by the end of today and it is now 2AM.
So that means no Iowa for me. Right now, I think I will to go to Michigan, or Syracuse (accepted) or, if I get in somehow into Irvine or Florida or UVA (yet to hear from all 3...and I know all are long shots) I will think of those too. And maybe if there is a school I am forgetting about that I applied to and will admit me, I will think of that one too....haahah, now I am going to have a hard decision to make. Any advice on any of these programs (particularly Syracuse and Michigan) is much appreciated. I'll think about it during spring break when work is not so crazy and I have time to think/visit, so you all have a week or so to give me advice. Start thinking! (lol:)
I guess this is for the best---alot of the people that got into Iowa fiction seemed MUCH older than me, which is no problem at all, but maybe the comfort is I will have a more normal social life at another school? sounds lame, I know (particularly since I have no social life now, and I am in college), but hey, I take my comforts where I can find them. Maybe this is the universe's way of helping me make friends in this country:):) or another lame thing like that...
Hoot, C, Louise--- I am dying to know just for the fun of it--did you get in? hoot, I really want to know about you because you said you were waitlisted last year, right? do they do that? waitlist someone one year and accept him on the next? If I get waitlisted the situation will be even wilder than it is now:)
Best,
L
p.s
I took some time off from school work to watch a movie tonight like we talked about....I watched Ajami, which is a lovely Israeli/Palestinian movie that I very much enjoyed and gave me much to think about. I really recommend it to anyone else who had a rough night/will have a rough night. Think "The Wire" meets "The Syrian Bride" if you ever watched those...
man, I applied to college early action, so never had to deal with rejection before! (aside from one from men/boys...lol) this sucks, but I guess it is part of becoming a grown woman and a writer...I am having new feelings and growing, which is also a comfort, right? right?
Good night all:)Thanks for being the internet and helping me.
@ Leit:
No, no news from Iowa, although I am international and supposedly Samantha Chang had international people left to call... but I'm not holding out hope.
I was waitlisted last year, and I have a sneaking suspicion I will be again this year, for some reason. The thing about Iowa is... no one really says no to it. So a waitlist doesn't really mean much.
I'm still waiting to hear from six schools, so I'm nowhere close to despairing, luckily!
As far as Michigan vs. Syracuse - everyone I've ever talked to has said you should choose a program first for their faculty and second for their funding. So look at the faculty: whose writing, over all, do you like more? If you can't decide then, look at the funding you got. They're both cold, cold places so it's not like climate/location need come into it...
Anyways, Leit, you should be very very happy with those two acceptances. Good luck!
@Hoot,
Thanks. I am international also, though currently residing in the US. Urgh!
Facebook said Chang also said she will be calling the last 2-3 people yesterday, so I guess we're out :) I feel bad for both of us:)
She DID say there is a guy she hasn't been able to reach also....are you male? if so, there is still hope! Gosh darn it. Male supremacy wins AGAIN. (Just kidding:)
Thanks for the advice. I think I will spend spring break reading alot of what the faculty at the ultimate schools I am considering writes, and emailing current students asking them about their workshop experiences with their faculty. That's the most important factor I thought I should consider, so I am glad to hear someone as experienced in the process as you thinks the same way. I am a finalist for a huge arts fellowship that gives MFA students full funding to live off and pay tuition, so if I win it I may not be able to use funding as a factor in making my final decision....that would be a nice problem to have though, if I win it:)
Random question (really random, since I have yet to hear from this school) but do you know if Irvine has good weather? I think it must, right? my other school that has good weather is Florida, but I have yet to hear. This is not a big factor, but if I happen to have a PERFECT tie after considering all the big things I think I will be tempted to use weather to break it.....I grew up in the Middle East:)
Are you going to wait another year, if we assume it is a no on Iowa? why did you wait last year, if you don't mind me asking? I think any sample I could send them next year would be like 1000000 times stronger, because I sent them the three stories that are currently the weakest of the seventeen stories I polished this year. But my mentor says saying no to a place like Michigan or Syracuse and waiting a year would be VERY stupid, because he feels I am at a stage in my writing and life where I need to go now. I want to believe he is true (though I lack the objectivity to make such an assessment), because my only 2 job offers for next year are soul crushing corporate offers....like the two companies my friends say are this nation's most evil companies...(though I like them, deep down:)
Anyways. This is ALL to say I would love to hear more about how things went down for you last time, if you are willing to share. And all because I just finished a big writing project and feel a little empty so I decided to hang around the internet:)
@ Leit:
I decided to wait a year because I felt that the options I was left with weren't good enough. So I left the country and tried again.
Irvine has great weather (it's southern California!) but not that great funding, although it sounds like that might not be a problem for you.
I have to say, I agree with your professor. The admissions process for MFAs is so unpredictable and the applications keep going up, that it would be very silly, I'm sorry to say, to turn down schools as absolutely wonderful as Syracuse and Michigan just for the off-chance that you get into Iowa next year. Especially since you might have a scholarship on the way which you aren't guaranteed to have next year.
As far as soul-crushing jobs... I would recommend against them. Nothing sucks your desire to write out of you like long hours and stress. I can speak from experience.
My e-mail is heatherwpeterson@gmail.com if you have any more questions - I'm happy to help.
But seriously. Go to one of the two (or possibly more) GREAT schools that admitted you this year. Iowa isn't the be all and end all. And Iowa City is COLD in the winter, so there's that.
Applied to eight schools:
Rutgers Camden-Accepted (no assistantship but some funding and a possibly adjunct positions at local community colleges)
Syracuse-Rejected
Rutgers Newark
Un of FLA
Un of Mich
Un of Tx-Austin
Un of Memphis
Virginia Tech
Accepted at St. Mary's College of California for nonfiction, via phone, today
Email rejection from Syracuse today (fiction). I wasn't certain if people had already heard good or bad news from them, but just an FYI.
@Leit
I think, as Hoot said, that it's not a smart idea to devote yourself to gaining admission at Iowa just because you have this overwhelming sense that it's somehow fundamentally the king of all MFA programs. I have heard of people declining Iowa's offer in favor of smaller or three-year programs with less competitive funding. In fact, believe it or not, I would personally take Michigan or Syracuse over Iowa. This is because I seek a smaller cohort (which Michigan would offer), non-competitive financial aid (which both schools, I think, would offer), and an opportunity to write for three years (which Syracuse would offer). Iowa is a big name, but it is not the only big name; Iowa is a great school, but it is not necessarily the greatest school for everyone.
In, nonfiction, Iowa. John D'Agata called me at 4pm today. Dying.
Olivia,
congatulations! That must have been a great phone call to get.
I'm also hoping for a call from Iowa in nonfiction; we'll see...
Iowa CNF!
@Tom, Good Luck! I was shaking too hard to remember to ask how long they'd be making calls.
Wow, congrats to all you Iowa CNF folks! I'll keep hoping; at least I have a couple of other acceptances if not Iowa.
Guys! I just got a waitlist at Southern Illinois- Carbondale through the mail.
Wow. After being rejected from umass, brown, cornell, syracuse, and wyoming, I had pretty much given up hope. Now at least I feel like there was something redeemable about my application.
Does anyone know how much later the notifications to *unsuccessful* applicants go out? Four of the schools I applied to appear to have sent out notifications (some almost a month ago), but I haven't heard a peep from anyone. Any thoughts?
Congrats, Renee! What genre?
See-- and this is something for all to remember-- there is still hope.
Waitlisted at SIUC for poetry via postal mail. Hoping that some people are going to turn down their spots. :)
@ Maryse
You could be in for a long wait, or not. My Ole Miss rejection letter didn't show up until July 3 last year. It was dated June 24.
Lucien, thanks! I applied in fiction
@writerrunner
July? Yikes! Meanwhile, I'm waivering between despair, hope, and apathy.
Does anyone think it's worth contacting the schools to solidify any of these feelings, or does is just come across as pushy or desperate? It looks like some people seem to have had some success with this approach. Is it worth it?
Accepted to Montana for Fiction today! Incomplete application, for some reason, so I gotta get on that. Just thought I'd let people know. Woot!!
Wow, this is a lovely blog.
I'm a first-time MFA applicant, a senior in college and a fiction writer.
I applied to:
UMass Amherst: rejected!
Cornell: rejected!
Brown: rejected!
Michigan: assumed rejection
Iowa: assumed rejection
and am waiting on:
NYU
Columbia
Brooklyn
UVA
Boston U
i don't know what i want by telling you all this. I just hate sitting here in the dark. The anxiety is getting in the way of my writing. Does anyone know when I'll find out from the rest of my schools? Or just how to make myself stop freaking out?
This is a great community. It makes me so much more hopeful that I'm not alone -- I don't know anyone else applying for fiction. The occupational hazard of having all poet friends. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Has anyone heard anything about the following?
Acceptances to AK-Fairbanks
Waitlists at Alabama
Thanks,
Mike
@Mike
Some alabama wait-lists have gone out. But they've made it pretty clear not to count yourself out until you get a rejection, many of which have gone out.
I'm on Bama's wait list for poetry right now and I'm keeping my fingers extra crossed it works out.
Good luck to you!
resubscribing
Has anyone actually gotten a rejection letter from Alabama? In any genre?
@K
yes some people have. They are sent via snail mail.
Just accepted to North Carolina Wilmington for Nonfiction! And I was accepted at Saint Mary's yesterday, same genre.
This morning I talked for over half an hour with Marilyn Abildskov, the director of the MFA program at SMC, who was incredibly sweet, with personal responses to my writing sample and personal statement.
Unfortunately no funding at either so far... which is of course the main factor for me. But still, a great start to the month after a February with no responses at all except for a rejection from Wyoming.
Congratulations!
February kind of destroyed my hope with 8 actual and assumed rejections. But maybe March will be better for me... or maybe 2012 will be.
Good luck to everyone still waiting!
Hi all,
This is my first time posting... Big congrats to all those holding acceptance letters, and also to all fellow applicants for taking what felt (to me) like a big risk by engaging in this process.
Just called Iowa out of desperation to see if all poetry acceptances had already been made, and the lady on the phone said they were mailing them out at the end of this week. I was so nervous I forgot to ask if they'd called everyone on the phone or if they were only doing letters.
Letters only seems strange to me... Unfortunately I'm more confused now than I was before...
Haven't heard much about poetry acceptances though--has anyone heard something I haven't?
Cheers and good luck!
I got into SAIC today. In form of letter, dated 2/24 and arrived in New York on March 1st. Will post on TSE also. Hang in there, everybody!
Anyone hear from Boise State?
@Open Spaces
I received a wait-list e-mail from Boise State today...and withdrew my name from the list, so maybe someone else will move up the line.
Hey all,
scrolled this whole thing and didn't see any relevant info so I thought I'd ask. Applied in fiction to:
Virginia
Iowa
Hopkins
Maryland
Minnesota
'Rado@Boulder
'Rado State
George Mason
American
anyone had word about fiction for any of these schools or know anything?
Would be greatly appreciated because I'm in the dark here. Thanks!
@Nicola,
I was also accepted yesterday at St. Mary's, for nonfiction. If only the funding situation were better. Marilyn is so incredibly nice, I plan on calling her tomorrow. I've been funded at OSU, so that will probably factor heavily into my decision. Still, California sounds like a dream...
Thought I'd put up what's happened for me so far.
Applied in fiction to all these.
Syracuse (rejected via email)
Vanderbilt (rejected via email today)
Wyoming (rejected via snail mail)
Waiting on:
Iowa (that's a lost hope at this point, right?)
Virginia
West Virginia
LSU
Fresno State
Univ. of Florida (anybody heard anything...?)
Portland State
Oregon
Okay, everybody, steady breaths and fingers crossed...
Subscribing...
@ Amy and Nicola - curious if Marilyn said anything about Fiction notifications? She is lovely, isn't she?
Congrats on the acceptances, btw!!
@Anna,
I haven't talked to her yet, but if I remember I can ask her tomorrow. Good luck to you!
@ extra medium
no news from a lot of those places in fiction yet, although I believe MN has notified at least one acceptance, and I was accepted to GMU last Friday.
wait on, my friend. sending you good luck!
also, a note to those of you feeling down due to rejections: i'm another second-time-applier and am finding more luck in my second attempt. it happens to a lot of us, that first year of sad news, and there's really no way to make you feel better because it sucks. you're a good writer, you've been told you're talented, and for some reason these programs aren't validating your gift. a lot of us have been there, we're rooting for you, and trust me when i say an acceptance will happen for you at some point.
ps-- any fiction applicants heard from brooklyn?
Any news regarding Rutgers-Newark fiction?
@extra medium: The Colorado schools should be notifying in the next week or so. Johns Hopkins has started notifying but is rumored not to be done yet. George Mason may or may not be done notifying acceptances, but I'm pretty sure I've seen a waitlist or two already...
How do I know all this? Because I spend my life on the FB MFA Draft: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_111211268949325
Bunch of us got Vanderbilt rejections today. Hey, at least it's free.
In at UNC Wilmington for nonfiction!
Is the information that Johns Hopkins has sent out fiction acceptances on the facebook page? I've only read about poetry acceptances here.
Roundup of acceptances from the Facebook doc.
People have not been named, but their names are available in the Facebook group doc.
February 24th - Johns Hopkins (poetry) phone- 1 person
February 24th - Iowa Writers' Workshop (fiction) phone: 2 people
February 25th - FSU (poetry MFA) online status change: 1 person
February 25th - University of Wisconsin-Madison (poetry) email: 1 person
February 25th - Eastern Washington (poetry): 1 person on TSE [phone]
February 25th - Oregon State (poetry) phone- 1 person
February 26th - Iowa (poetry) phone: 1 person
February 26th - School of the Art Institute of Chicago (fiction): 1 person (mail)
February 27th- Penn State (CNF) phone: 1 person
February 27th - Iowa (fiction) phone: 1 person
February 27th - Iowa (fiction) phone: 1 other person
February 27th - Iowa (poetry) phone: 1 person
February 28th- Miami of Ohio (CNF- MA) phone: 1 person
February 28th- Portland State (CNF) phone: 2 people
February 28th - Oregon (poetry) phone: 1 person
February 28th - Texas State (fiction) phone - 1 person
February 28th - Texas State (fiction) phone - 1 person
February 28th - Iowa (nonfiction) phone - 1 person
March 1: Stony Brook (fiction) e-mail - 1 person
March 1st - UNCW (poetry) phone - 1 person
March 1st - SUNY Stony Brook Southampton (fiction) e-mail - 1 person
March 1st - W. Virginia (fiction) phone - 1 person
March 1st - UNCW (fiction) phone - 1 person
Been reading the blog for a week or so. Waitlisted at Vandy. Best news so far.
It appears South Carolina does not have an official waitlist and have made all their offers. They don't expect to dip into the waitlist very much. Maybe the oddball offer post-April 15th. So, there you have it.
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