Posted this at the end of the last mailbag, not realizing there was a new one; reposting because I would like people's input!
I'm thinking the waiting season is pretty much over for me -- just haven't heard from Brooklyn and Temple so assuming rejection. Counting those as rejections, I'm coming out of this craziness with seven rejections and five acceptances, which is such an amazing shock. If anyone remembers reading my posts around January-February, I was convinced I wouldn't get in anywhere.
Now that the acceptances have come in, I'm being bombarded by advice from all directions! My parents say, "Save money!" and also "Go to Boston, it's only an hour away from home!" My professors say, "Go to Sarah Lawrence! The amazing faculty! The connections!" Yesterday a pretty famous writer came to give a reading at my school, I went over to get my book signed and chatted with him, talked about grad school and he said "Go to Sarah Lawrence!"
Eep!
Sarah Lawrence is my first choice for faculty. So many of my favorite poets are there. But it costs so friggin' much. I got my financial aid letter and got a little scholarship, and a pile of loans! To all the people who are telling me to go to SLC, I want to say, "Sure! Do you want to pay for it?"
Emerson is my first choice for teaching, interdisciplinary work, multi-genre work, and location. The faculty is great but I haven't been obsessively reading their work for years, like I have with the SLC faculty. I would have a cheap place to live in Boston because my boyfriend and a bunch of friends share a house there. (And also, would not have to struggle through long-distance with the boyfriend.) And I actually would like to be only an hour train ride away from my family and friends at home. It's cheaper than SLC and I haven't got my fin aid letter yet, but they allegedly give more merit aid, and assistantships, which I'm really hoping I got.
Or, I could get a TAship from Rutgers (Maybe? little chance?) and that would throw another wrench in the decision-making process.
But, give up the amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at SLC to work with my favorite poets ever? It'd probably be worth it not to disappear under a mountain of debt as soon as I graduate. *sigh* Decisions.
That's a really tough decision. It's something I haven't had to think about yet, though I've thought about it hypothetically quite a bit.
From day one, I told myself I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't REALLY want me; it's not worth it to me to go into debt getting an MFA. I mean, a little bit of debt is okay, but a whole lot of debt? I think not. But, at the same time, I have one of my top schools still in the running (haven't heard from them yet), and if I get in, without funding, I think I'd still want to go. It would be heartbreaking to have to turn them down.
But, here's the thing: my top school isn't in New York. When it comes to SLC, that would be it's biggest drawback in the "going into debt for school" department. Not only would you be going into debt for tuition and school fees, but also for living expenses. That, for me, would tip it over into the heartbreaking "No thank you" category.
But, I'm not you. I can't make this decision for you (and selfishly, I'd like you to go to Emerson so we could be classmates :)). And I hope you take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm saying what I would do, and most of my decisions are made by my limited finances, so money is an absolute huge deal to me. What you really need to do is follow your gut. If your gut is rooted in the money (like mine), then maybe you won't end up at SLC. But if it's rooted in the faculty, the community, everything that you'd be entering into there...follow it to SLC.
Best of luck! Maybe you can call SLC and explain to them your predicament and ask if there's any more funding they can dig up for you? Longshot, I know, but worth the effort?
I see that Emerson is first on your list for teaching. Can I ask why? I too am looking to teach after completing the MFA and got into Emerson as well (along with Lesley and UMASS Boston) and finding the decision making process so difficult. I am wondering if you could share your Emerson teaching notes/thoughts/reasonings with me.
Please feel free to email: christinaboling@gmail.com
If you have been admitted into NYU (or end up admitted into NYU) and you haven't contacted me already, please feel free to drop me a line to join our NYU email thread!
smilingdropsofrain [at] gmail [dot] com
@ everyone else
I've discovered that even though I've already been accepted into my two top choices, I still can't help lurking and watching this blog feverishly to see who gets in where. I'm rooting so hard for all of you! But this blog has just become such a significant part of my life that it's seriously preventing me from being productive. So this is me saying goodbye. It's been fun hanging here with everyone and suspensefully watching for updates on schools! I wish you all the best of luck.
Hi Guys! I got accepted to Sarah Lawrence yesterday via snail mail for CNF!!! I posted on DH too, but if any CNFers are waiting to hear, I live in NYC and the letter was dated 3/15, so sit tight!
Good luck to everyone today! Before I got the Sarah Lawrence acceptance, I received rejections both from University of Arizona and The New School.
How can I not subscribe? We're in the thick of it!
Good luck to everyone this week. I'm actually going to Oregon for spring break (to visit a friend and *maybe* peak at the University of Oregon, just in case). I didn't realize that this is the week I'll be away from my mailbox until just now. Eep! Might have to get a friend to open my mail each day and call me with updates.
I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this, but I was wondering if others were planning on visiting campuses of the schools where they were accepted? I am... 3 in fact. One school has offered to have me sit in on a grad school workshop, and the other two have been perfectly ammenable to my visiting.... but I'm sort of uncertain about how these things go? Will I sit in on classes? Be introduced to current grad students and faculty? What do you guys think should be on my agenda? This process is all so bewildering... (and, no, i'm not complaining... it's very excited and I'm thrilled to have choices... I'm just uncertain about protocol).
Question: Do you need to apply for FAFSA to be considered for, or actually receive, departmental/institutional funding, i.e. TA-ships, etc.? Does it vary by school?
i remembered that last year this time was when i was obsessively checking this blog, so i thought i'd drop in and see if there were any potentials joining for next year :) i go to sarah lawrence right now for fiction, so if there's anyone out there considering SLC and has questions, feel free to email me at angelle527 (at) gmail (dot) com!
Soooo a funny thing happened between me and Purdue just after I woke up this morning. I was quite groggy and bleary-eyed. Naturally, though, the first thing I do is sit at the computer and bring up gmail. The sender in bold "Purdue English Department" caught my eye. I remember thinking, "Wha'? Purdue . . . ? Why're you sending me spam stuff? I don't know you." I started reading the e-mail and, slowly, my brain processed the kind words that were totalling to a rejection. Then I was like: "Wait? I don't underst . . . Is this a rejection? Wha'? But I don't know these people." And then, finally, like epiphanies tend to do, it hit me like an Acme anvil: "OH JESUS! I had applied! OK. Thank god cuz . . . wait. shit." Good morning, folks! Here's to a fruitful Tuesday to many of you on here.
@smilingraindrops Congrats, and I'm still holding out hope that I might join you for fiction at NYU!
@all One of my writing group buddies got accepted to SLC in fiction yesterday, via a big packet in the mail. Hooray for him, but now I've lost my "oh-my-god-we-might-not-get-into-any-MFA-programs" drinking buddy.
For me, out of my 24 schoools, it's still just the one waitlist (Indiana) and 10 official rejections. Which means 13 are still out there, but most of those are presumed rejections at this point.
I've completely lost my ability to focus at work. I think being on a waitlist has made it even worse than being rejected everywhere, because now I hold out real hope that Indiana will call or e-mail me at any moment.
i'm waiting on: (all poetry) sarah lawrence new school nyu brooklyn
sarah lawrence and new school confirmed to me on thursday that all letters and decisions should be out in the mail this week.
i think nyu is in process; they may have notified all, but others have send that notifications continue over time. (not sure if the break affects that.)
i think brooklyn hasn't notified yet. is that right?
I visited a school. The students and faculty I spoke to really helped out. I met up with a student for dinner when I arrived, and the next morning, I met the creative writing director, and we spoke for a long time. I met up with another student after that, who guided me through the rest of my visit. He introduced me to a bunch of other students, then we went to the lecture where he and some of the others are TAs. After that, they had a meeting with the professor of that class, so I met him. Then we had lunch and hung around for another few hours before he and the others had to go be productive.
The next day spent time with him again, sat in on a workshop, had dinner, and then we went to a benefit poetry reading.
When I wasn't with the current students, I used my time to check out the campus and the town. Luckily it was a series of very nice days.
I was really pleased with my visit. Faculty and students were incredibly warm and enthusiastic about me. There is so much i could not have known without visiting. I had a very positive experience, which does not always happen. I had lots of visits for undergrad that did not have me feeling this way. Visits can truly make or break decisions.
For that reason, I really recommend visiting if you can afford it. You can get the atmosphere of the program and feel how you'd fit in in a way you can't just by checking them out on the internet. However, this cost me a lot of money because of travel, time off and lodgings. I'm not in anywhere else, so I didn't have to consider sparing the expense mutliple times. Now, even if I get into another school, I can't visit because I'm getting my tonsils out and have to take two weeks off work the last half of April, so I couldn't bear to ask for my time. That's a lot of time to ask off and a lot of money I won't be earning. But if circumstances were different - if I got into another school and could afford the time off, I'd definitely try to visit there too.
I really, really recommend that you visit. But you just might not be able to visit all three, especially with April 15th coming towards us pretty quick.
Hi Guys I got into Spalding low residency some good news after a long long silence...good luck to everyone waiting good news is just around the corner:))
Still waiting on responses from the following schools in fiction: Columbia, UVA, NYU, Brooklyn, Hunter, Oregon, Alabama, Minnesota, LSU, Univ. of Florida, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State. Except for UVA and Columbia, all of these schools have notified someone in fiction at this point.
Rejected from: Purdue, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, UT-Austin, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Brown, WUSTL, and Syracuse (still in mourning over not getting to work with George Saunders).
I'm still waiting on LSU, Univ. of Miami, UNCG, Old Dominion, and York U (Screenwriting). I really picked some laggards, since as far as I can tell, of the five, only LSU has started notifying.
I haven't heard from any schools for an entire month - a delay I never anticipated. Every week I think, 'okay, this is it, I'll hear from at least one school', and then nothing. It's seriously crazy-making. I am getting very bored of myself and my one-track mind!!
Hopefully venting about this will help. Good luck to all those in purgatory with me - the way I look at it, we can't be stuck in here forever (or can we?)!
Thanks so much for the info and insight on your experience! I'm sure it will all come together, and, luckily, i have friends or family to stay with in each of the schools I'm visiting, so that cuts down on costs (a bit).
phillywriter - you're right. One acceptance at Colorado and waitlisted at BGSU.
cecil peoples - called Columbia like two minutes ago, according to the admissions office the writing department has made no decisions as far as Fiction is concerned.
Congratulations, Arna - I hope Iowa is wonderful. I'm not in fiction, but I still appreciate the helpful input and transparency you've put forth for all of us throughout this process. Cheers!
@phillywriter - don't lose hope. I think at least two seats in fiction will open up at Indiana. But I don't know your ranking in the waitlist. Ultimately, I don't really know how it'll shake out. I mean, it's not like I'm God.
My prospects for this year are dimming oh-so slowly. With Irvine’s rejection I’m now up to six official, two likely, and UVA, from which there probably won’t be any indication until April. Rather than post my sad, updated list of schools, here’s a cheerier list.
My Top 10 Ways To Kill Time while awaiting grad school decisions.
Anyone care to follow my lead? I’m curious what the rest of y’all are doing (besides chattering on the MFA blog, of course). Feel free to shorten the list if you must, but something tells me 10 items is do-able for a roomful of windy writers.
1. Smoking an obscene number of Cigarettes. 2. Drinking way too much red wine. 3. Playing Connect-4 on my phone like a loser, and clearing the score anytime I lose.
Got a call from Bennington just now! In for fiction!
I also got in at Lesley University last week. I think I'm leaning toward that program...
I'm on such a high! Especially considering that exactly seven years ago, I was rejected from every place I applied. Would have been nice to have this blog back in that day, but I've so appreciated stalking all your comments this time!
You're not God? All this time I really thought you were. This is like finding out that the milk and cookies I'd thoughtfully left for Santa for years were actually just being consumed by my less-than-honest parents. My world is shattered.
Indiana won't tell me where I am on the waitlist. I'm not sure if that's better or worse for my psyche. If I knew I were #2, then I'd probably be going crazy with hope - and might end up devastatingly disappointed. But if I knew I were #10 (I don't even know if the waitlist is that long), I could probably calm down a bit more and be better prepared for the reality of not getting in. Since I'm in the dark, I'm trying to stay cautiously hopeful.
@K: did your status change on Brooklyn's myenrollment page at the same time? Every time I inquired about my status, they told me to keep checking that.
Oh I just noticed, There are two Ks! All right, one is a very productive and positive member of this blog and the other is a weirdo lurker who only just started piping up.
I'm the weirdo!
@Oktada NO application status change online.
And for anyone else holding out for Brooklyn, I was told that it's not a shortlist (there are 18 people on it, dang) and they are not yet numbered (can this really be true?) until they decide to use the list, but that I am "closer to the top of the list than the bottom".
So I'm number 7? Who knows what that means, seriously. But really nice email back and super-quick response time and they probably brush their teeth with holy water over there because they're all so fantastic...
So does that mean id we're heard nothing we should assume its a rejection? Who did you email? I would love to get some sort of actual response out of them...
subscribing. Got an acceptance in the mail from Sarah Lawrence yesterday right along with rejection letters from Georgia and Johns Hopkins. No word about financial aid yet.
Thank you everyone for replying to my decision-making post this morning. The more I think about it, the more I am leaning toward Emerson. It was my first choice from the beginning. When I visited (in November), I got a really good feeling about the program. The pros of Emerson outweigh the pros of SLC. (I will probably make pro-con lists for all my offers, haha.)
I am not 100% sure... Still have to get my financial aid from Emerson. And talk to more people about my decision. Get in touch with students in the programs. But I know where I am leaning!
about your slc vs emerson dilemma. i actually may have passed on slc last year. i was waitlisted then got a letter in june saying "hey...respond as soon as possible if you're interested in being on the waitlist still..."
my thing was- i decided 3 years was very important to me. only reason i passed.
i adore their faculty, and i know their funding is tight, but in the end, it comes down to where you think you'll be happiest and the most productive. in 2 years are you going to think, "i'm glad i have some money in my pocket," or are you gonna think back on the amazing experience you had?
that's not to say you won't have an amazing time at emerson. but i don't know...faculty wise, slc is pretty glorious.
don't know if that helps, but it's how i'd think about it.
I asked Jennifer Stone via e-mail where I was on the TA/ship interview list. I found out I was on the alternate list and not very high. I'm pretty bummed, but glad they were honest. Just e-mail and ask, they are very helpful. GOOD LUCK :)
@Christina, my understanding is BU will be notifying acceptances by phone over the next two weeks or so - two or three people have already been notified, I think only in poetry.
Just checked the mail and STILL nothing. Why can't every school just email their decisions once they make them? Then depending on what they say in the email, you might be more than ok with not getting the "official" notice of their decision right away.
And Ink_and_Beans, I vote that you post the soda bread recipe!
@The Mountain King: Pardon my ability to READ your question before answering (typical BlackBerry user cherking blogs during lunch). I assumed since I was accepted a full-month ago (2/16) that I would be one of the ones called first for the elusive TA/ship interview. Alas, I was wrong.
I too was killing myself after hearing nothing from Brooklyn and broke down and emailed the program coordinator listed asking when I might hear as I was getting a bit of pressure elsewhere. She very nicely and responsibly got back to me within a week and told me that the school that had extended an offer to me and was making me decide before April 15th was acting unethically (true, dat Seth) and that ALL Waitlisters and notifications would hear back by the end of this week at the latest.
Then I heard from a different coordinator just this afternoon that I was on the waitlist. So I would say, wait (if you can bear it) until the end of the week before assuming ANYTHING (I was sure I was out when I got the first email response telling me notifications were coming still, I mean, why wouldn't they tell me right then and there, I thought). Who knows why some of us hear immediately (I heard way early from a school no one else seems to have heard a peep from) and others at a later time. I truly think there is no reason to it. At all.
I am wishing hard for you to hear great news from Brooklyn and others soon!!
PS. If you hear and you are in, I will give you my apartment and maybe even my mother to get the spot. Just sayin' :)
Did you get funding information through yet on Iowa? Or have you made that decision on the smallest award their website states?
It's just that I was accepted there (in poetry) last month, but am living in Ireland, so if they are notifying funding by mail it'll take a little while longer. It'd be nice to know that information was on its way.
Thanks for all your input and congrats on your decision. What was it that sealed your decision for Iowa? Faculty? Reputation? You had to pass up a lot more money from Cornell and Mitchner. I know it's not about money but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
i'm also in cal state long beach limbo. given that their application deadline is more than a month after most MFA programs, i assume they probably won't start notifying until late march/early april at the earliest. and based on previous years/other programs, looks like it could be more like may.
Just called SFSU, as it is the last school on which I am waiting, and was told they will be calling and emailing about final decisions in poetry by the end of this week.
I think the physical university of Iowa will deteriorate in due time because of the flooding, one Iowa professor told me. But I'm just being selfish. Arna choosing any school other than Iowa would have, through a chain of causation, ultimately benefitted me. But really, I think Texas would've been great for Arna, don't you?
@ Laura T: follow the money. I actually am trying to choose out of my three unfunded acceptances right now and I expect I will choose wherever will lead to money the quickest and is cheapest to live in the meantime (i.e. Memphis) unless something changes.
@ jojee: It's really common for prospies to sit in on classes. When I got accepted to NYU several years ago, I went and sat in on one of their classes (it was amazing!) The MA program I finished last year let me sit in on a class, I got a tour of campus by the student advisor, and I went to coffee with two of the students, toured the darkroom (I came for photography) and also was invited to a student bonfire. It was instrumental in helping me choose.
I've already communicated with two programs to which I was accepted about sitting in on classes. I will be going to a class at CU the week of AWP in April, and I'll be Memphis the last week in March. Where are you planning to visit?
@ Chelsea: someone posted that we wouldn't hear from UNCG til next week. I called LSU this morning to ask if they were done notifying and got voicemail.
aghhh, sorry, I thought you were the "k" I took a workshop with, whom I have been cheering for so fervently! Nevertheless, I am very happy for your acceptance!
But to answer your question, so far I have been accepted to Bath Spa University in the UK, USF, Sarah Lawrence, high on the waitlist at George Mason, waitlist at UNCW, and I have 4rejections/presumed rejections, and am waiting to hear from 5 others. If I get rejected from the remaining schools, I will still be a happy camper. Behind one of the schools that rejected me, Sarah Lawrence was my top choice. Now I just need to figure out how to pay for this MFA!
Did George Mason explicitly say you weren't going to get funded? Or you just extrapolated that from their general situation of limited funding and others getting it/already having TA interviews?
All of the above, plus this from the email: "At this point I can tell you that you will not receive funding from Mason."
Even if I did get a TAship, the cost of living in Fairfax is definitely a lot higher than another school that I'm considering right now, with both positions offering roughly the same stipend amount.
Have not heard anything from Bennington or anywhere else...troubling. I would be happy (at this point) just getting one acceptance under my belt so I would not necessarily stress about if I am going, but where I am going...
Ink and Beans--Thank you, thank you. I will make this tomorrow morning while my phone lays unringing and my heart still not singing. Or, the luck that should be mine (I'm 100% Irish) will finally wake up from its slumber!
Wow, who'd have guessed such a high demand for a good soda bread recipe? Mom would be proud. Grandma even prouder.
Irish "MFA Consolation" Soda Bread
3 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 TBSP baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 TBSP caraway seeds 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup raisins (pre-soak in hot tap water 10-15 minutes to plump them) 1 1/4 cups buttermilk 2 eggs 2 TBSP melted butter (keep separate)
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Add eggs and buttermilk and mix thoroughly. Form into a greased, 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove bread and brush the top with melted butter. Return to oven for 3 more minutes. Serve. Encourage guests to slather their bread in butter.
I use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients, and a stiff fork after adding the wet. The dough gets stiff and gummy and you may even need to use your (clean) hands. These proportions are perfect for a round 9-inch loaf – if you want to use a different shape or sized pan you’ll have to make your own best guess. This bread is not as dry as some traditional recipes, but I assure you it disappears quickly any time I make it. Happy St. Pat’s tomorrow!
I applied to VCFA, Bennington, Pacific, UAA, Warren Wilson, UCR, UNO, CSULB, Chapman, and Antioch (deferred to Fall consideration since materials were late)...
Ali--oh yes, sorry, I think you told me this yesterday. Have you looked into Fairfield University? There may still be time to apply. you can email me: susandaniels1 at yaoo
@Dime - I contacted ASU, and they hope to have the fiction finalists ranked by the end of the week. My guess is that they will then notify over the weekend or at the beginning of next week.
@Ink and Beans - My mom made Irish soda bread this morning. Yum! :D
My thoughts on your SLC vs. Emerson decision. Studying with teachers that inspire you is a valid reason for choosing a school. And if I had the chance to study with a dream team of writers, I might be willing to go into debt for it. But if you want connections, i.e., agent referrals, book contracts, teaching gigs at other universities, etc. you most likely won’t find that in a MFA program. The most you can hope to get in terms of connections is a few letters of recommendation.
I have a couple friends who graduated from SLC in fiction, if you want I can put you in touch with them (sublissimes at yahoo). They didn’t receive teaching experience, though I’m not sure that was their goal. I know they didn’t get any help from the faculty in terms of publishing or agents.
I will also second the opinion about not going into major debt for a MFA. I’ve known too many artists who struggle for years to pay off that debt.
Sometimes writers expect too much from a MFA program. I used to think that the right degree from a top school would almost guarantee success, until I met writers from Iowa, Columbia, NYU and other schools who were still struggling to publish their first book or had given up entirely.
The most I think you can expect from a MFA is time to work on your craft, instruction to improve your writing, and maybe some teaching experience. I would choose the school that helps you do that in the most comfortable way possible.
Just wanted to let you know that I just received an email from Brooklyn College letting me know that I'm on the waitlist. Don't know much else. They said I will likely be waiting till after April 15th, that some years they've gone to the waitlist and others they haven't. Good luck to everyone.
i think receiving your MFA will help you find a job teaching, other than that...not much. if you can find a handful (even two or three) readers who you feel are helping you improve as a writer, that's basically what you need.
yes, at big time programs you get to take classes with big time profs and make big time connections. but imagine if your favorite writer in the world universe tells you that you're an awful writer and should just stop. dream crushers.
@ Woon: I am absolutely trying to make decisions as soon as possible. Unfortunately, certain schools wait until the last minute to notify. I have yet to hear from my top choice (Virginia)... and I'm dying to make a decision!
I'm very keen on Montana and Florida for different reasons. I'm not holding my breath re: Iowa waitlist. I think they're on spring break right now, too, so I wouldn't expect to hear from them.
I have, so far, turned down spots at Hunter and Sarah Lawrence. So I'm not totally indecisive. And I hope people on here got those spots!
Congrats to all the acceptances and waitlists so far this week. There's still quite a bit of time, and I'm rooting for everyone on here.
I'm reasonably certain that Houston has notified all accepted and waitlisted. The director of the program made that reasonably clear in an email to me.
Haha, guess that made it pretty clear. Thanks! GMU's been a little unclear about the possibility of funding (though overall very nice and responsive). But since I was accepted only last week I'm thinking it's unlikely.
Rejected from Colorado State (fiction). Can you hear my cries of despair through the interwebs?
If anyone else is waiting to hear from them, just email Marnie and she'll put you out of your misery. I totally appreciate this program, and wish I could attend, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.
Still waiting to hear from Boise State and Hollins.
Congrats to all of those still hearing good news! I love that there are just too many to keep track of.
I would really call them. Specifically, I would speak to Connie Brothers in the office. I think my situation was different because they called me with a financial offer at the same time as the acceptance. But I do think they have the funding figured out, and Connie is really helpful slash knows everything over there.
For any further proof that this is a great program who really cares about its students, and students in general- I replied to Marnie thanking her for telling me the news of my rejection instead of giving me the run around, and she replied with this:
Thanks for your kind words. Anyone with the talent and courage—it takes both, right? –to apply to graduate school deserves to be treated well. - Marnie
Are you listening, schools that aren't so nice? :)
@Alyson Greene I hear you on the 'hope' front. I know people have already been admitted to Notre Dame for prose, but I haven't heard anything, so my fingers are still crossed (and my toes) haha.
Are you referring to the cover letter that said that if you applied for a TAship, that they're going through the rounds? I was trying to be patient for a while...but after reading so many posts about people being interviewed for spots, I had to cave in and email them. Jennifer was really nice about it by not beating around the bush, and said that if I've already been offered funded positions elsewhere, to accept those since it's unlikely that I'd receive funding from Mason.
what a rude rejection letter. The subject is "deny letter". WTF!
ASU Deny Letter From: donotreply@asu.edu
March 15, 2010
ID Number: 1203184510
Dear Ms. martin:
Your application for admission to Arizona State University to study in the Creative Writing (MFA) program has been carefully reviewed by your department. Based on their recommendation, I regret to inform you that we cannot act favorably on your application.
If you wish further information regarding this action, please feel free to contact the Creative Writing (MFA) program at:
You may wish to consider other degree/certificate programs at Arizona State University. Information and web links are available at http://www.asu.edu/colleges.
We thank you for your interest in Arizona State University and wish you success in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Graduate College Arizona State University PO Box 871003, INTDSB B170 Tempe, AZ 85287-1003 (480) 965-6113 http://graduate.asu.edu/
*crushed* ASU was my 2nd choice. brown was my first. Both rejected me. *sigh* And I turned down USF yesterday. Vtech is the last school for me to here from. I dont even care if I here from them or not. It was fun you guys. Good luck! Congrats to all that were accepted!
Hi I saw you guys talking about this I got accepted to Columbia University in NY for play writing. It's in the theater department so I don't think me hearing back is any kind of sign that the fiction department is informing.
Although probably most people will disagree with me, I think you have to go with your heart. Play that song "Listen to your Heart" over and over, sing it to yourself in the mirror every day until April 15th, and then make your decision.
Saving money is a good thing, yes. But you're not talking about a fully-funded program vs. an expensive program. You're talking about deciding between two relatively expensive programs. It sounds like you're going to have to take out loans no matter what. If you've crunched the numbers and decided you can afford both loans, then it seems like if one is a little more than the other it might not tip the scales enough if you're talking about a program you love.
I don't know what the difference is in cost between Emerson and SL, and maybe the difference is enough that SL seems impossible. If you really can't pay for SL then you can't pay for it, but if you think you can manage.... well, I don't think you should rule it out. Go visit both schools and don't listen to your parents and your boyfriend - they are totally biased. Instead, talk it over with some of your writer friends, or with friends who have no desire to keep you in Boston.
If I was deciding between, say, going to a school that I knew was best for me, and pissing off my family and being in debt for five years, vs. going to a school that I also loved but knew I didn't love as much as the first, and making everyone happy and being in debt for three years, I personally would go for the first option. If you're going to go into debt, you might as well get exactly what you want, right?
@ megan: Just a quick response to following your heart vs. following the money. You have to remember that the debt isn't for three years. The debt is likely for at least 10 years. And it sounded like Laura T has a much cheaper living situation in Boston, which can make a huge difference. I went about $10K more into debt for my MA than I would have somewhere else based solely on the fact that I went to school in Santa Cruz and cheap rent is almost impossible to find (my first apartment cost me $1250 for 270 square feet). That extra $10K will likely take me years longer to pay off (someday when I have gainful employment again). The amount of stress that debt can add to your life shouldn't be overlooked.
It's been a while since I've posted but it seems judgments have come and left me pretty much only hoping for UVA and UNC G...fat chance.
I've gotten pretty excited about options for next year though, maybe getting a job at a ranch or on a beach--taking time off after undergrad like so many people had told me to anyways! Reading what I want to read, when I want to read it!
The one thing that really annoys me, though, is the programs that send out all the acceptances but just haven't gotten around to rejections. At this point I'm pretty sure VTech accepted people at the beginning of March, and Houston did last week...so why haven't they cut the cords yet? Why ya gotta keep that hope going? Come on and let me down already! Cue The Decemberists, "The Engine Driver": "and if you don't love me let me go!"
@ Laura T: I also just wanted to add that Marie Howe is a goddess to me. But I couldn't bring myself to apply there because I really didn't want to chance getting accepted and then choosing not to go based on the money.
Also never underestimate the power of networking by going to conferences and giving visiting writers rides from the airport (very common grad student role) and such to readings at your school. A good friend of mine has met and kept in touch with many poets that way. Just the other day, she was squealing at how bizarre it was that she can gchat with Olena Kalytiak Davis now.
@UNCW waitlisters: Any of you that emailed the MFA director a couple weeks ago hear back yet? I'm also waitlisted and, of course, curious about any news.
Maybe I'm getting too optimistic, but if I haven't heard acceptances or rejections from Irvine, can I assume they're still looking at my application, at least for a waitlist spot?
I live about an hour away from Irvine, so I don't get why a rejection letter, signed March 1 according to those who have gotten it, would not have reached me by the 16th.
I'm just writing this out here so I can cling onto that last thread of hope before it is, probably, taken away...
And then there's this thing called the Internet. Don't underestimate it. Seeing that writers are caught in front of a computer for much of the day, it's not surprising that blogs, social networking sites, and online writer's communities are home not only to aspiring writers but also those that have a mantle full of awards and shelves full of books they've written.
Been stalking all of you forever but I hardly ever post. I thought I should share...I'm in at
Notre Dame (tuition remission plus 12,500 stipend) UCSD (nominated for fellowship, waiting to hear) UC Davis (no funding news) and USC MPW (nominated for tuition remission plus $20,000 stipend that comes with a TAship)
Still waiting to hear from NYU, UNCG, U of Arizona and Purdue. Unless I get into NYU with full funding (which, like, yeah right...do they even do that?) If funding for USC comes through, that's where I'm going! So spots will open up at the other schools.
Also wanted to add...I know USC kind of gets short shrift on these blogs and in the MFA handbook, but I sat in on some classes and talked to some students, and from what I can tell, the program is what you make it. There are ways of getting funding if you ask, and the staff is pretty stellar (Brighde Mullen who used to head up Harvard's creative writing program and taught at Brown, Dana Goodyear, Sandra Tsing-Loh, Janet Fitch among others). I've also lived in LA for three years and I love it, though I know it isn't for everyone.
2,525 comments:
1 – 200 of 2525 Newer› Newest»Dear Tuesday,
Bring good things for all!
Subscribing :)
Accepted to Louisville's MA program.
Waiting to hear about the funding situation.
So now I'm subscribing for real real. Not for play play!
Onward!
Accepted to GCSU for Fiction (via e-mail) yesterday.
I'm waiting to hear about funding (although it seems plausible).
Accepted:
George Mason (funding not likely)
Georgia College & State U.
Waiting:
Florida
Virginia
Houston
Arkansas
(the ones who "passed" on me, don't deserve being mentioned)
GOOD LUCK today!
~~J
Subscribinggggg!
subscribed.
Woooo, new day!!
Subscribing
Posted this at the end of the last mailbag, not realizing there was a new one; reposting because I would like people's input!
I'm thinking the waiting season is pretty much over for me -- just haven't heard from Brooklyn and Temple so assuming rejection. Counting those as rejections, I'm coming out of this craziness with seven rejections and five acceptances, which is such an amazing shock. If anyone remembers reading my posts around January-February, I was convinced I wouldn't get in anywhere.
Now that the acceptances have come in, I'm being bombarded by advice from all directions! My parents say, "Save money!" and also "Go to Boston, it's only an hour away from home!" My professors say, "Go to Sarah Lawrence! The amazing faculty! The connections!" Yesterday a pretty famous writer came to give a reading at my school, I went over to get my book signed and chatted with him, talked about grad school and he said "Go to Sarah Lawrence!"
Eep!
Sarah Lawrence is my first choice for faculty. So many of my favorite poets are there. But it costs so friggin' much. I got my financial aid letter and got a little scholarship, and a pile of loans! To all the people who are telling me to go to SLC, I want to say, "Sure! Do you want to pay for it?"
Emerson is my first choice for teaching, interdisciplinary work, multi-genre work, and location. The faculty is great but I haven't been obsessively reading their work for years, like I have with the SLC faculty. I would have a cheap place to live in Boston because my boyfriend and a bunch of friends share a house there. (And also, would not have to struggle through long-distance with the boyfriend.) And I actually would like to be only an hour train ride away from my family and friends at home. It's cheaper than SLC and I haven't got my fin aid letter yet, but they allegedly give more merit aid, and assistantships, which I'm really hoping I got.
Or, I could get a TAship from Rutgers (Maybe? little chance?) and that would throw another wrench in the decision-making process.
But, give up the amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at SLC to work with my favorite poets ever? It'd probably be worth it not to disappear under a mountain of debt as soon as I graduate. *sigh* Decisions.
Ha, Chelsea, I did the same thing as you- jk, NOW I am subscribing :)
update: accepted to calarts, waitlisted a notre dame, for poetry :) no word on funding from calarts though
rejected from u of arizona, iowa, and maryland. waiting on 8 more...I just want to know!
congrats on all recent acceptances/waitlists, and for those still waiting, hang on! I didn't hear a word until the end of last week
Has anyone heard anything from Hunter College about being shortlisted yet today?
Hi Laura T,
That's a really tough decision. It's something I haven't had to think about yet, though I've thought about it hypothetically quite a bit.
From day one, I told myself I wouldn't go anywhere that didn't REALLY want me; it's not worth it to me to go into debt getting an MFA. I mean, a little bit of debt is okay, but a whole lot of debt? I think not. But, at the same time, I have one of my top schools still in the running (haven't heard from them yet), and if I get in, without funding, I think I'd still want to go. It would be heartbreaking to have to turn them down.
But, here's the thing: my top school isn't in New York. When it comes to SLC, that would be it's biggest drawback in the "going into debt for school" department. Not only would you be going into debt for tuition and school fees, but also for living expenses. That, for me, would tip it over into the heartbreaking "No thank you" category.
But, I'm not you. I can't make this decision for you (and selfishly, I'd like you to go to Emerson so we could be classmates :)). And I hope you take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm saying what I would do, and most of my decisions are made by my limited finances, so money is an absolute huge deal to me. What you really need to do is follow your gut. If your gut is rooted in the money (like mine), then maybe you won't end up at SLC. But if it's rooted in the faculty, the community, everything that you'd be entering into there...follow it to SLC.
Best of luck! Maybe you can call SLC and explain to them your predicament and ask if there's any more funding they can dig up for you? Longshot, I know, but worth the effort?
still nothing but negative. only two schools left...
great find for wasting time:
http://backwhenweweregrownups-lynn.blogspot.com/
@ Laura T (and Chrissy)
I see that Emerson is first on your list for teaching. Can I ask why? I too am looking to teach after completing the MFA and got into Emerson as well (along with Lesley and UMASS Boston) and finding the decision making process so difficult. I am wondering if you could share your Emerson teaching notes/thoughts/reasonings with me.
Please feel free to email:
christinaboling@gmail.com
Super unfriendly "ASU DENY LETTER" from Arizona State via email last night. Wow. How nice.
@Christina, Laura T -- I'm up for sharing delicious Emerson goodness, too. CJWid87 at hotmail dot com.
@ NYU fiction acceptees,
If you have been admitted into NYU (or end up admitted into NYU) and you haven't contacted me already, please feel free to drop me a line to join our NYU email thread!
smilingdropsofrain [at] gmail [dot] com
@ everyone else
I've discovered that even though I've already been accepted into my two top choices, I still can't help lurking and watching this blog feverishly to see who gets in where. I'm rooting so hard for all of you! But this blog has just become such a significant part of my life that it's seriously preventing me from being productive. So this is me saying goodbye. It's been fun hanging here with everyone and suspensefully watching for updates on schools! I wish you all the best of luck.
Hi Guys! I got accepted to Sarah Lawrence yesterday via snail mail for CNF!!! I posted on DH too, but if any CNFers are waiting to hear, I live in NYC and the letter was dated 3/15, so sit tight!
Good luck to everyone today! Before I got the Sarah Lawrence acceptance, I received rejections both from University of Arizona and The New School.
Subscribing. :)
subscribing
subscribing
Subscribing.
How can I not subscribe? We're in the thick of it!
Good luck to everyone this week. I'm actually going to Oregon for spring break (to visit a friend and *maybe* peak at the University of Oregon, just in case). I didn't realize that this is the week I'll be away from my mailbox until just now. Eep! Might have to get a friend to open my mail each day and call me with updates.
Subscribing. Good luck this week.
I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place to post this, but I was wondering if others were planning on visiting campuses of the schools where they were accepted? I am... 3 in fact. One school has offered to have me sit in on a grad school workshop, and the other two have been perfectly ammenable to my visiting.... but I'm sort of uncertain about how these things go? Will I sit in on classes? Be introduced to current grad students and faculty? What do you guys think should be on my agenda? This process is all so bewildering... (and, no, i'm not complaining... it's very excited and I'm thrilled to have choices... I'm just uncertain about protocol).
@Jojee--I think the best use of your time on a visit is probably to sit in on a class.
subscribing! let's go acceptances!!
@all acceptees/waitlisters...CONGRATS!
@all those waiting for news...GOOD LUCK!
Question: Do you need to apply for FAFSA to be considered for, or actually receive, departmental/institutional funding, i.e. TA-ships, etc.? Does it vary by school?
i remembered that last year this time was when i was obsessively checking this blog, so i thought i'd drop in and see if there were any potentials joining for next year :) i go to sarah lawrence right now for fiction, so if there's anyone out there considering SLC and has questions, feel free to email me at angelle527 (at) gmail (dot) com!
Soooo a funny thing happened between me and Purdue just after I woke up this morning. I was quite groggy and bleary-eyed. Naturally, though, the first thing I do is sit at the computer and bring up gmail. The sender in bold "Purdue English Department" caught my eye. I remember thinking, "Wha'? Purdue . . . ? Why're you sending me spam stuff? I don't know you."
I started reading the e-mail and, slowly, my brain processed the kind words that were totalling to a rejection. Then I was like: "Wait? I don't underst . . . Is this a rejection? Wha'? But I don't know these people."
And then, finally, like epiphanies tend to do, it hit me like an Acme anvil: "OH JESUS! I had applied! OK. Thank god cuz . . . wait. shit."
Good morning, folks! Here's to a fruitful Tuesday to many of you on here.
Cratty, you make me smile.
@smiling raindrops, we'll miss you! Enjoy NYU :)
Subscribing. Good luck to all!
I want to strangle UNCG. And every other school that hasn't informed jet. NOTHING CAN HAPPEN UNTIL THEY ALL DO.
@Cratty
Good to see you back here again!
@smilingraindrops
Congrats, and I'm still holding out hope that I might join you for fiction at NYU!
@all
One of my writing group buddies got accepted to SLC in fiction yesterday, via a big packet in the mail. Hooray for him, but now I've lost my "oh-my-god-we-might-not-get-into-any-MFA-programs" drinking buddy.
For me, out of my 24 schoools, it's still just the one waitlist (Indiana) and 10 official rejections. Which means 13 are still out there, but most of those are presumed rejections at this point.
I've completely lost my ability to focus at work. I think being on a waitlist has made it even worse than being rejected everywhere, because now I hold out real hope that Indiana will call or e-mail me at any moment.
subscribing. so depressed. no one wants me :(
Damn, that's cold Houston. Instead of sending me a denial, you just up and revoke my authorization to review the status check page?
That's like changing your phone number instead of breaking up with me. Bad form.
Accepted:
City College NY
Waitlisted:
New School
No word yet from:
NYU
Brooklyn College
Hunter
Queens
Very happy about CC. Anyone else leaning towards CC? Lets se where else we get in.
I still have not heard from UNH and my online status has not changed...
I also got a letter in the mail yesterday requesting a transcript be sent to Brooklyn College (for a single summer course, no less).
@ Burly Bird - I got accepted to City College. Still waiting on Hunter. Hoping to hear soon!
subscribing
I want to peer pressue UNCG. Real bad.
Are we assuming all those who were accepted @ TNS have been notified? I applied in poetry.
Subscribing...
...and cursing the slowness of mail-forwarding as the reason why I still haven't heard from a couple of places.
rejected:
hunter (poetry) by email.
i'm waiting on:
(all poetry)
sarah lawrence
new school
nyu
brooklyn
sarah lawrence and new school confirmed to me on thursday that all letters and decisions should be out in the mail this week.
i think nyu is in process; they may have notified all, but others have send that notifications continue over time. (not sure if the break affects that.)
i think brooklyn hasn't notified yet. is that right?
Which schools are you guys still waiting on?
For me it's Notre Dame, NYU and UCR.
@Alyssa
Still waiting on:
UNCG (oy)
TNS
SLC
LSU (strangely quiet)
GL to you!
@ daddy-o
Brooklyn has already responded for poetry.
My tally for Fiction so far:
Accepted: City College, Adelphi Univ, Univ New Orleans - Low Res
Denied: L.I.U.
Waiting: NYU, Hunter, Brooklyn, Sarah Lawrence, TNS, Queens College(CUNY), Rutgers, Univ Central Oklahoma
I'm now leaning heavily toward New Orleans for their summer month-long workshop in San Miguel, Mexico.
@burly bird: I'm in for CC, too. So pleased I got into at least one affordable program!
Waiting on: Hunter & Brooklyn. The latter has been especially mum. What's going on over there??
@lexie
are you fiction?
Congrats on CCNY.
What are your thoughts on their program? Great price, that's for sure.
I'm applying for fiction.
going to mexico right now is like going to afghanistan. just saying.
@umIrenic
thank you for letting me know! acceptances? rejections? both?
when i spoke with them, the feeling i got was that notification was not all out. that it was a more rolling process. is that true? not true?
Jojee:
I visited a school. The students and faculty I spoke to really helped out. I met up with a student for dinner when I arrived, and the next morning, I met the creative writing director, and we spoke for a long time. I met up with another student after that, who guided me through the rest of my visit. He introduced me to a bunch of other students, then we went to the lecture where he and some of the others are TAs. After that, they had a meeting with the professor of that class, so I met him. Then we had lunch and hung around for another few hours before he and the others had to go be productive.
The next day spent time with him again, sat in on a workshop, had dinner, and then we went to a benefit poetry reading.
When I wasn't with the current students, I used my time to check out the campus and the town. Luckily it was a series of very nice days.
I was really pleased with my visit. Faculty and students were incredibly warm and enthusiastic about me. There is so much i could not have known without visiting. I had a very positive experience, which does not always happen. I had lots of visits for undergrad that did not have me feeling this way. Visits can truly make or break decisions.
For that reason, I really recommend visiting if you can afford it. You can get the atmosphere of the program and feel how you'd fit in in a way you can't just by checking them out on the internet. However, this cost me a lot of money because of travel, time off and lodgings. I'm not in anywhere else, so I didn't have to consider sparing the expense mutliple times. Now, even if I get into another school, I can't visit because I'm getting my tonsils out and have to take two weeks off work the last half of April, so I couldn't bear to ask for my time. That's a lot of time to ask off and a lot of money I won't be earning. But if circumstances were different - if I got into another school and could afford the time off, I'd definitely try to visit there too.
I really, really recommend that you visit. But you just might not be able to visit all three, especially with April 15th coming towards us pretty quick.
Am I the only one who hasn't heard anything from Iowa- Like I know I obviously havn't been accepted, but I'd still like a letter telling me!
Would love a bit of NYU!
Hi Guys I got into Spalding low residency some good news after a long long silence...good luck to everyone waiting good news is just around the corner:))
@Alyssa:
Still waiting on responses from the following schools in fiction: Columbia, UVA, NYU, Brooklyn, Hunter, Oregon, Alabama, Minnesota, LSU, Univ. of Florida, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, and Ohio State. Except for UVA and Columbia, all of these schools have notified someone in fiction at this point.
Rejected from: Purdue, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, UT-Austin, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Brown, WUSTL, and Syracuse (still in mourning over not getting to work with George Saunders).
Accepted nowhere (so far...).
Waitlisted at Indiana.
Whoa, a lot of new admits! Congrats! @those waiting: hang in there, you guys. :)
I'm still waiting for my SAIC rejection letter. Geez, how hard can it be to just type one up and send it? :/
But on the upside, I'm going to visit Columbia College at the end of month. I'm pretty excited...
Waiting for something to happen. Fingers and toes crossed!
Hope, Hope, Hope, Hope, Hope!
@ daddy-o
Yeaaaah I'm wondering what's going on with Brooklyn, too. It would really be nice just to know where you stand at this point.
My comment actually should've been @ both daddy-o and Otkuda. Hope you both hear something soon!
I'm still waiting on LSU, Univ. of Miami, UNCG, Old Dominion, and York U (Screenwriting). I really picked some laggards, since as far as I can tell, of the five, only LSU has started notifying.
I haven't heard from any schools for an entire month - a delay I never anticipated. Every week I think, 'okay, this is it, I'll hear from at least one school', and then nothing. It's seriously crazy-making. I am getting very bored of myself and my one-track mind!!
Hopefully venting about this will help. Good luck to all those in purgatory with me - the way I look at it, we can't be stuck in here forever (or can we?)!
Still waiting to hear from -
Ohio State
University of California Irvine
Florida State University
Columbia University
University of Iowa
University of New Orleans
UNLV
My son has pink eye, and he keeps whacking my face. In other news...just got the call, I'm in at Bennington, fiction.
Bliss, pure bliss!
Jasmine -
Thanks so much for the info and insight on your experience! I'm sure it will all come together, and, luckily, i have friends or family to stay with in each of the schools I'm visiting, so that cuts down on costs (a bit).
@K
CONGRATS!! I'm waiting on Bennington... ahhh!!
@Perpetua
You have at least one acceptance at this point, right? (Colorado, I think?)
someone was accepted to columbia for playwriting yesterday, so at least columbia has made some noise (even if it's a tiny bird peep).
To whomever it may concern:
I've just accepted the offer of acceptance made to me by the Iowa Writers' Workshop in Fiction.
I've emailed the other programs I was accepted in to let them know.
So a spot in fiction should be opening up soon at:
Cornell
Texas
and
Brooklyn
And a wait list slot should be disappearing from Wisconsin
My final list looked like this:
Iowa-Accepted
Cornell-Accepted
Texas-Accepted
Brooklyn-Accepted
Hunter-Accepted
Wisconsin- wait listed
Heard nothing / Assumed rejections:
Flordia
Florida State
Houston
Stegners
Virginia
Boston
NYU
Columbia
Thanks to everyone who has been so encouraging / congratulatory on this blog.
I was so excited to receive mail from George Mason considering I am on their waitlist - but it just turned out to be information regarding my FAFSA.
I haven't even been admitted yet. I don't want to get any teaser mail! Come on! lol
phillywriter - you're right. One acceptance at Colorado and waitlisted at BGSU.
cecil peoples - called Columbia like two minutes ago, according to the admissions office the writing department has made no decisions as far as Fiction is concerned.
@ K
Yesssssssss! I'm so so happy for you! I've been trying to send out some good vibes for you!
Well done!
- nonfiction Courtney (from Sackett St.)
Arna
Good for you, and good luck at Iowa!
arna, you are my hero. will look forward to reading about your pulitzer.
Congratulations, Arna - I hope Iowa is wonderful. I'm not in fiction, but I still appreciate the helpful input and transparency you've put forth for all of us throughout this process. Cheers!
Damn. I was hoping Arna would take any school BUT Iowa.
@ cecil peoples
think that person meant columbia chicago. columbia in nyc does not offer playwriting
Way to go Arna!
@phillywriter - don't lose hope. I think at least two seats in fiction will open up at Indiana. But I don't know your ranking in the waitlist. Ultimately, I don't really know how it'll shake out. I mean, it's not like I'm God.
My prospects for this year are dimming oh-so slowly. With Irvine’s rejection I’m now up to six official, two likely, and UVA, from which there probably won’t be any indication until April.
Rather than post my sad, updated list of schools, here’s a cheerier list.
My Top 10 Ways To Kill Time while awaiting grad school decisions.
10. Master 5-square ninja Sudoku puzzle
9. Attend lesbian engagement party
8. Flash-blast broccoli
7. Be overly self-disclosing on personal blog
6. Have sex (when possible)
5. Bleed for fellow man
4. Play “Plants vs. Zombies” for iPhone
3. Read “A History of Rome” by Cyril Robinson
2. Re-watch HBO’s “Rome” Season 1
1. Bake Irish soda bread (contact me for recipe)
Anyone care to follow my lead? I’m curious what the rest of y’all are doing (besides chattering on the MFA blog, of course). Feel free to shorten the list if you must, but something tells me 10 items is do-able for a roomful of windy writers.
Somebody keep it going!
@Arna
Congrats on making a decision! And kudos to you for making your choice well before the deadline - I'm sure many waitlisters will be thankful.
Best wishes for a great experience at Iowa. I know several IWW grads; it's a fabulous program.
I've lost all interest in sex during this MFA app season.
@ Ink and Beans:
The Moron Test and Angry Bird apps for my iPhone helped pass some time in that week of total insanity I experienced at the end of February.
1. Smoking an obscene number of Cigarettes.
2. Drinking way too much red wine.
3. Playing Connect-4 on my phone like a loser, and clearing the score anytime I lose.
Shit am very late for work!
gotta go.!
Yay, accepted UArk by phone today for poetry!
@ Arna: Congratulations. That's amazing. May I ask: how/when did you hear from Hunter College?
Got a call from Bennington just now! In for fiction!
I also got in at Lesley University last week. I think I'm leaning toward that program...
I'm on such a high! Especially considering that exactly seven years ago, I was rejected from every place I applied. Would have been nice to have this blog back in that day, but I've so appreciated stalking all your comments this time!
Good luck and much good karma, everyone!
Waitlist at Brooklyn College in Fiction by email today, 3/16.
GAH! My first choice. They were very vague in whether they'd get to the waitlist or not, but I am a-praying.
That makes IN at SF State with funding
Waitlist at Brooklyn
And a whole lot of silence.
Good luck everyone, I am rooting for you (as I continue to lurk).
K-congratulations! Perhaps we'll all know soon. Here's hoping!
@LacyLee-Congrats on Bennington!
@Woon
You're not God? All this time I really thought you were. This is like finding out that the milk and cookies I'd thoughtfully left for Santa for years were actually just being consumed by my less-than-honest parents. My world is shattered.
Indiana won't tell me where I am on the waitlist. I'm not sure if that's better or worse for my psyche. If I knew I were #2, then I'd probably be going crazy with hope - and might end up devastatingly disappointed. But if I knew I were #10 (I don't even know if the waitlist is that long), I could probably calm down a bit more and be better prepared for the reality of not getting in. Since I'm in the dark, I'm trying to stay cautiously hopeful.
@Ali
@Sarah
Have you gotten a call from Bennington?
@K: did your status change on Brooklyn's myenrollment page at the same time? Every time I inquired about my status, they told me to keep checking that.
@ daddy-o
um, my comment disappeared. Anyway, I was accepted in February. Not sure what's up with the waiting list, though.
@Sarah
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
@Courtney
Thank you!!!! You got into San Fran, right? Congrats! Any other good news to date?
@LacyLee
Congrats on Bennington!!!!
-Other K
@Arna--Wishing you the best!
@Arna - You're the man! Best of luck!
@K - I've got my fingers crossed for you! Come on, Brooklyn, send me one of those emails..
@Sud
No call :(
I'm sitting here at my desk at work trying not to get emotional.
I'll just be staring at my phone for the rest of the day :(
@Ink and Beans
I loved the HBO series Rome! I hear Vorenus is now on Greys Anatomy, which seems like a weird transition.
On one of those shitty, dot matrix-printed letters with tearable tractor-hole borders:
Dear Michener Center:
Your acceptance of me has been reviewed, and the Graduate School of Myself and I, representing the Department of Moi, has determined you are denied.
Sincerely,
Arna Bontemps
Sarah Lawrence, New School and Brooklyn... how have I still heard NOTHING from any of you???
Any updates on Columbia: re: when we will be hearing?
awesome swann. arna should definitely sent emails like that.
Oh I just noticed,
There are two Ks! All right, one is a very productive and positive member of this blog and the other is a weirdo lurker who only just started piping up.
I'm the weirdo!
@Oktada
NO application status change online.
And for anyone else holding out for Brooklyn, I was told that it's not a shortlist (there are 18 people on it, dang) and they are not yet numbered (can this really be true?) until they decide to use the list, but that I am "closer to the top of the list than the bottom".
So I'm number 7? Who knows what that means, seriously. But really nice email back and super-quick response time and they probably brush their teeth with holy water over there because they're all so fantastic...
*sighs meaningfully*
@K:
So does that mean id we're heard nothing we should assume its a rejection? Who did you email? I would love to get some sort of actual response out of them...
subscribing. Got an acceptance in the mail from Sarah Lawrence yesterday right along with rejection letters from Georgia and Johns Hopkins. No word about financial aid yet.
Janet -
congrats on your acceptances.
i had a question - even as accepted, george mason said funding wasn't likely?
just curious because i was waitlisted, and thought maybe when it said a ta-ship was unlikely may have been on account of being a waitlister...
Thank you everyone for replying to my decision-making post this morning. The more I think about it, the more I am leaning toward Emerson. It was my first choice from the beginning. When I visited (in November), I got a really good feeling about the program. The pros of Emerson outweigh the pros of SLC. (I will probably make pro-con lists for all my offers, haha.)
I am not 100% sure... Still have to get my financial aid from Emerson. And talk to more people about my decision. Get in touch with students in the programs. But I know where I am leaning!
@arna,
congrats on making your decision! i hope you have a great time at iowa!
@ ink & beans, care to post the Irish Soda bread recipe? please?
re: moron test. i have that damned app on my iphone ... and i still can't make it through the moron test! argh.
@ everyone, congrats on the acceptanes (too many of y'all having good luck to list), and here's to those last few schools letting us know soon!
xx koru
Laura -
about your slc vs emerson dilemma. i actually may have passed on slc last year. i was waitlisted then got a letter in june saying "hey...respond as soon as possible if you're interested in being on the waitlist still..."
my thing was- i decided 3 years was very important to me. only reason i passed.
i adore their faculty, and i know their funding is tight, but in the end, it comes down to where you think you'll be happiest and the most productive. in 2 years are you going to think, "i'm glad i have some money in my pocket," or are you gonna think back on the amazing experience you had?
that's not to say you won't have an amazing time at emerson. but i don't know...faculty wise, slc is pretty glorious.
don't know if that helps, but it's how i'd think about it.
@Ink and Beans
I would love that soda bread recipe!
scholarseeker at yahoo dot com.
Thanks!
@inks & beans-ditto on the soda bread recipe...can you just post it on the blog? Pretty please?
@ The Mountain King:
I asked Jennifer Stone via e-mail where I was on the TA/ship interview list. I found out I was on the alternate list and not very high. I'm pretty bummed, but glad they were honest. Just e-mail and ask, they are very helpful. GOOD LUCK :)
@Ali,
I wish you luck as well! And uh...yeah...maybe it's because I submitted my application in December! hehehe
@George Mason Poetry Waitlisters
I just had to decline an unfunded spot in the program, so someone will be moving on up!! =D
has anyone heard anything about BU acceptances??? are they out yet? are they email, on website, snail mail???
@Christina, my understanding is BU will be notifying acceptances by phone over the next two weeks or so - two or three people have already been notified, I think only in poetry.
Just checked the mail and STILL nothing. Why can't every school just email their decisions once they make them? Then depending on what they say in the email, you might be more than ok with not getting the "official" notice of their decision right away.
And Ink_and_Beans, I vote that you post the soda bread recipe!
@The Mountain King: Pardon my ability to READ your question before answering (typical BlackBerry user cherking blogs during lunch).
I assumed since I was accepted a full-month ago (2/16) that I would be one of the ones called first for the elusive TA/ship interview. Alas, I was wrong.
@ CoreyAnn
I too was killing myself after hearing nothing from Brooklyn and broke down and emailed the program coordinator listed asking when I might hear as I was getting a bit of pressure elsewhere. She very nicely and responsibly got back to me within a week and told me that the school that had extended an offer to me and was making me decide before April 15th was acting unethically (true, dat Seth) and that ALL Waitlisters and notifications would hear back by the end of this week at the latest.
Then I heard from a different coordinator just this afternoon that I was on the waitlist. So I would say, wait (if you can bear it) until the end of the week before assuming ANYTHING (I was sure I was out when I got the first email response telling me notifications were coming still, I mean, why wouldn't they tell me right then and there, I thought). Who knows why some of us hear immediately (I heard way early from a school no one else seems to have heard a peep from) and others at a later time. I truly think there is no reason to it. At all.
I am wishing hard for you to hear great news from Brooklyn and others soon!!
PS. If you hear and you are in, I will give you my apartment and maybe even my mother to get the spot. Just sayin' :)
@Arna.
Did you get funding information through yet on Iowa? Or have you made that decision on the smallest award their website states?
It's just that I was accepted there (in poetry) last month, but am living in Ireland, so if they are notifying funding by mail it'll take a little while longer. It'd be nice to know that information was on its way.
@ Arna
Thanks for all your input and congrats on your decision. What was it that sealed your decision for Iowa? Faculty? Reputation? You had to pass up a lot more money from Cornell and Mitchner. I know it's not about money but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
@espy, Ali, LA Falcon, Kevin...
i'm also in cal state long beach limbo. given that their application deadline is more than a month after most MFA programs, i assume they probably won't start notifying until late march/early april at the earliest. and based on previous years/other programs, looks like it could be more like may.
oy gevalt.
i think arna lives next door to the dey house. that might have something to do with his decision.
Just called SFSU, as it is the last school on which I am waiting, and was told they will be calling and emailing about final decisions in poetry by the end of this week.
Hope this helps anyone else who is waiting.
Also, if anyone has an insider info/opinions about SFSU's poetry program, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks!
@Laura T
Good luck with your decision regarding SLC! I stayed up until 4am last night obsessively discussing my own Sarah Lawrence acceptance with my fiancée and am still no closer to making any decision. I'm afraid that it'd be stupid to turn down SLC for one of the Minnesota States, given the strength of the program and faculty.
Angelle, I look forward to contacting you! Thank you for being so generous as to offer help.
I think the physical university of Iowa will deteriorate in due time because of the flooding, one Iowa professor told me. But I'm just being selfish. Arna choosing any school other than Iowa would have, through a chain of causation, ultimately benefitted me. But really, I think Texas would've been great for Arna, don't you?
@ Laura T: follow the money. I actually am trying to choose out of my three unfunded acceptances right now and I expect I will choose wherever will lead to money the quickest and is cheapest to live in the meantime (i.e. Memphis) unless something changes.
@ jojee: It's really common for prospies to sit in on classes. When I got accepted to NYU several years ago, I went and sat in on one of their classes (it was amazing!) The MA program I finished last year let me sit in on a class, I got a tour of campus by the student advisor, and I went to coffee with two of the students, toured the darkroom (I came for photography) and also was invited to a student bonfire. It was instrumental in helping me choose.
I've already communicated with two programs to which I was accepted about sitting in on classes. I will be going to a class at CU the week of AWP in April, and I'll be Memphis the last week in March. Where are you planning to visit?
@ Chelsea: someone posted that we wouldn't hear from UNCG til next week. I called LSU this morning to ask if they were done notifying and got voicemail.
@K
aghhh, sorry, I thought you were the "k" I took a workshop with, whom I have been cheering for so fervently! Nevertheless, I am very happy for your acceptance!
But to answer your question, so far I have been accepted to Bath Spa University in the UK, USF, Sarah Lawrence, high on the waitlist at George Mason, waitlist at UNCW, and I have 4rejections/presumed rejections, and am waiting to hear from 5 others. If I get rejected from the remaining schools, I will still be a happy camper. Behind one of the schools that rejected me, Sarah Lawrence was my top choice. Now I just need to figure out how to pay for this MFA!
@amanda
Really? Harumph.
I could've sworn someone had called and that notifications would start this week and continue thru early April...
I wouldn't be surprised if I were delusional, haha.
@ janet, vanni (and other GMUers)
Did George Mason explicitly say you weren't going to get funded? Or you just extrapolated that from their general situation of limited funding and others getting it/already having TA interviews?
@ Ink and Beans: I love your list. How did I decide to kill time? It's not too long of a list:
I enrolled in an online course to help me get motivated to make some changes last week.
I put in notice on my job yesterday and am moving back to Texas in a month after I go to AWP and visit a couple of schools.
Might sell my car too. w00t!
@threes
All of the above, plus this from the email: "At this point I can tell you that you will not receive funding from Mason."
Even if I did get a TAship, the cost of living in Fairfax is definitely a lot higher than another school that I'm considering right now, with both positions offering roughly the same stipend amount.
@ Sud
@ Sarah
Have not heard anything from Bennington or anywhere else...troubling. I would be happy (at this point) just getting one acceptance under my belt so I would not necessarily stress about if I am going, but where I am going...
Ali-where else did you apply?
@Ink and Beans - so there's no yeast?
@Arna,
Wow. That's a pretty pimp list. You are the mackdaddiest of all!
CONGRATS!
Ink and Beans--Thank you, thank you. I will make this tomorrow morning while my phone lays unringing and my heart still not singing. Or, the luck that should be mine (I'm 100% Irish) will finally wake up from its slumber!
Wow, who'd have guessed such a high demand for a good soda bread recipe? Mom would be proud. Grandma even prouder.
Irish "MFA Consolation" Soda Bread
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP caraway seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup raisins (pre-soak in hot tap water 10-15 minutes to plump them)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 eggs
2 TBSP melted butter (keep separate)
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients. Add eggs and buttermilk and mix thoroughly. Form into a greased, 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove bread and brush the top with melted butter. Return to oven for 3 more minutes. Serve. Encourage guests to slather their bread in butter.
I use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients, and a stiff fork after adding the wet. The dough gets stiff and gummy and you may even need to use your (clean) hands. These proportions are perfect for a round 9-inch loaf – if you want to use a different shape or sized pan you’ll have to make your own best guess. This bread is not as dry as some traditional recipes, but I assure you it disappears quickly any time I make it. Happy St. Pat’s tomorrow!
@ Sud
I applied to VCFA, Bennington, Pacific, UAA, Warren Wilson, UCR, UNO, CSULB, Chapman, and Antioch (deferred to Fall consideration since materials were late)...
Not a word from anyone.
Ali--oh yes, sorry, I think you told me this yesterday. Have you looked into Fairfield University? There may still be time to apply. you can email me: susandaniels1 at yaoo
Anyone heard from ASU? My buddy was rejected today but I haven't heard anything
I spoke with Terry Kennedy of UNCG and he assures me they will be notifying THIS week.
@Austin
I'm blowing you a kiss for that information. I'm aware it sounds creepy. But that's about where I'm about re: waiting UNCG.
Lordy!
@Dime - I contacted ASU, and they hope to have the fiction finalists ranked by the end of the week. My guess is that they will then notify over the weekend or at the beginning of next week.
@Ink and Beans - My mom made Irish soda bread this morning. Yum! :D
Cheers!
@ LauraT
My thoughts on your SLC vs. Emerson decision. Studying with teachers that inspire you is a valid reason for choosing a school. And if I had the chance to study with a dream team of writers, I might be willing to go into debt for it. But if you want connections, i.e., agent referrals, book contracts, teaching gigs at other universities, etc. you most likely won’t find that in a MFA program. The most you can hope to get in terms of connections is a few letters of recommendation.
I have a couple friends who graduated from SLC in fiction, if you want I can put you in touch with them (sublissimes at yahoo). They didn’t receive teaching experience, though I’m not sure that was their goal. I know they didn’t get any help from the faculty in terms of publishing or agents.
I will also second the opinion about not going into major debt for a MFA. I’ve known too many artists who struggle for years to pay off that debt.
Sometimes writers expect too much from a MFA program. I used to think that the right degree from a top school would almost guarantee success, until I met writers from Iowa, Columbia, NYU and other schools who were still struggling to publish their first book or had given up entirely.
The most I think you can expect from a MFA is time to work on your craft, instruction to improve your writing, and maybe some teaching experience. I would choose the school that helps you do that in the most comfortable way possible.
@ Austin: Nice investigative skills!
Anyone who applied to SIUC have as their application status: "Decision Made." Decision: "Please Contact Admissions Office."
?!
Hey guys,
Just wanted to let you know that I just received an email from Brooklyn College letting me know that I'm on the waitlist. Don't know much else. They said I will likely be waiting till after April 15th, that some years they've gone to the waitlist and others they haven't. Good luck to everyone.
I don't know about anyone else but I'm rooting for Emma to either get into Iowa or answer the call to Montana. Selfish reasons, of course.
i think receiving your MFA will help you find a job teaching, other than that...not much. if you can find a handful (even two or three) readers who you feel are helping you improve as a writer, that's basically what you need.
yes, at big time programs you get to take classes with big time profs and make big time connections. but imagine if your favorite writer in the world universe tells you that you're an awful writer and should just stop. dream crushers.
@ Woon: I am absolutely trying to make decisions as soon as possible. Unfortunately, certain schools wait until the last minute to notify. I have yet to hear from my top choice (Virginia)... and I'm dying to make a decision!
I'm very keen on Montana and Florida for different reasons. I'm not holding my breath re: Iowa waitlist. I think they're on spring break right now, too, so I wouldn't expect to hear from them.
I have, so far, turned down spots at Hunter and Sarah Lawrence. So I'm not totally indecisive. And I hope people on here got those spots!
Congrats to all the acceptances and waitlists so far this week. There's still quite a bit of time, and I'm rooting for everyone on here.
Has anyone heard of a rejection from Florida State University?
Hope is such a pesky thing in this whole process. I keep trying to shake off my hope for Houston, but it keeps clinging on, digging in its nails.
I'm reasonably certain that Houston has notified all accepted and waitlisted. The director of the program made that reasonably clear in an email to me.
@ Alison - when did you hear from Hunter about poetry?
Thanks @Austin, that's what I needed to hear. Unfortunately, my closure won't be complete until I read that rejection notice.
@ Jacqueline:
My SIUC status just says "Complete." I'm in for fiction.
@Vanni
Haha, guess that made it pretty clear. Thanks! GMU's been a little unclear about the possibility of funding (though overall very nice and responsive). But since I was accepted only last week I'm thinking it's unlikely.
Wow, Alison! That's such an impressive list of acceptances. Congratulations and good luck on making a decision.
Rejected from Colorado State (fiction). Can you hear my cries of despair through the interwebs?
If anyone else is waiting to hear from them, just email Marnie and she'll put you out of your misery. I totally appreciate this program, and wish I could attend, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.
Still waiting to hear from Boise State and Hollins.
Congrats to all of those still hearing good news! I love that there are just too many to keep track of.
@WreckingLight
I would really call them. Specifically, I would speak to Connie Brothers in the office. I think my situation was different because they called me with a financial offer at the same time as the acceptance. But I do think they have the funding figured out, and Connie is really helpful slash knows everything over there.
A Colorado State addendum:
For any further proof that this is a great program who really cares about its students, and students in general- I replied to Marnie thanking her for telling me the news of my rejection instead of giving me the run around, and she replied with this:
Thanks for your kind words. Anyone with the talent and courage—it takes both, right? –to apply to graduate school deserves to be treated well. - Marnie
Are you listening, schools that aren't so nice? :)
CSU is a great school, but Marnie is nice to begin with.
@Alyson Greene
I hear you on the 'hope' front. I know people have already been admitted to Notre Dame for prose, but I haven't heard anything, so my fingers are still crossed (and my toes) haha.
@Threes,
Are you referring to the cover letter that said that if you applied for a TAship, that they're going through the rounds? I was trying to be patient for a while...but after reading so many posts about people being interviewed for spots, I had to cave in and email them. Jennifer was really nice about it by not beating around the bush, and said that if I've already been offered funded positions elsewhere, to accept those since it's unlikely that I'd receive funding from Mason.
Good luck to you! Where else have you applied?
@threes,
Oh yeah, and they also extended an offer to me on 2/25 & made no mention of funding then, either.
Well, I'm going for a run.
what a rude rejection letter. The subject is "deny letter". WTF!
ASU Deny Letter
From: donotreply@asu.edu
March 15, 2010
ID Number: 1203184510
Dear Ms. martin:
Your application for admission to Arizona State University to study in the Creative Writing (MFA) program has been carefully reviewed by your department. Based on their recommendation, I regret to inform you that we cannot act favorably on your application.
If you wish further information regarding this action, please feel free to contact the Creative Writing (MFA) program at:
Creative Writing (MFA)
Telephone: (480) 965-3528
Email: karla.elling@asu.edu
URL: http://english.clas.asu.edu/cw-admission
You may wish to consider other degree/certificate programs at Arizona State University. Information and web links are available at http://www.asu.edu/colleges.
We thank you for your interest in Arizona State University and wish you success in your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Graduate College
Arizona State University
PO Box 871003, INTDSB B170
Tempe, AZ 85287-1003
(480) 965-6113
http://graduate.asu.edu/
*crushed* ASU was my 2nd choice. brown was my first. Both rejected me. *sigh* And I turned down USF yesterday. Vtech is the last school for me to here from. I dont even care if I here from them or not. It was fun you guys. Good luck! Congrats to all that were accepted!
@Dee
"You may wish to consider other degree/certificate programs at Arizona State University."
Psht... ya right. Because EVERYONE wants to see "DENY LETTER" in their inbox, and then go back for more.
@LaceyLee
How did Lesley notify you?
In snail mail today a rejection letter from St Mary's College.
They actually wrote my name on the envelop and the program director signed her name. Made the rejection easier to accept.
SF State? USF? What's the deal? Let's go.
Hi I saw you guys talking about this I got accepted to Columbia University in NY for play writing. It's in the theater department so I don't think me hearing back is any kind of sign that the fiction department is informing.
@Jillian Lauren,
It was like I was even worth emailing. Like geesh. What a waste of an application fee.
@ Laura T,
Although probably most people will disagree with me, I think you have to go with your heart. Play that song "Listen to your Heart" over and over, sing it to yourself in the mirror every day until April 15th, and then make your decision.
Saving money is a good thing, yes. But you're not talking about a fully-funded program vs. an expensive program. You're talking about deciding between two relatively expensive programs. It sounds like you're going to have to take out loans no matter what. If you've crunched the numbers and decided you can afford both loans, then it seems like if one is a little more than the other it might not tip the scales enough if you're talking about a program you love.
I don't know what the difference is in cost between Emerson and SL, and maybe the difference is enough that SL seems impossible. If you really can't pay for SL then you can't pay for it, but if you think you can manage.... well, I don't think you should rule it out. Go visit both schools and don't listen to your parents and your boyfriend - they are totally biased. Instead, talk it over with some of your writer friends, or with friends who have no desire to keep you in Boston.
If I was deciding between, say, going to a school that I knew was best for me, and pissing off my family and being in debt for five years, vs. going to a school that I also loved but knew I didn't love as much as the first, and making everyone happy and being in debt for three years, I personally would go for the first option. If you're going to go into debt, you might as well get exactly what you want, right?
Virginia! Virginia! Virginia!
(Maybe if we all start chanting they'll get really enthused and send out acceptances this week.)
@ Le Tigre,
My UNH status hasn't changed yet, either.
@ megan: Just a quick response to following your heart vs. following the money. You have to remember that the debt isn't for three years. The debt is likely for at least 10 years. And it sounded like Laura T has a much cheaper living situation in Boston, which can make a huge difference. I went about $10K more into debt for my MA than I would have somewhere else based solely on the fact that I went to school in Santa Cruz and cheap rent is almost impossible to find (my first apartment cost me $1250 for 270 square feet). That extra $10K will likely take me years longer to pay off (someday when I have gainful employment again). The amount of stress that debt can add to your life shouldn't be overlooked.
@Sarah: they called me last week. But the guy on the phone said that they were still reviewing applications and wouldn't finish until end of March.
What's your genre?? I'm almost certain I will accept there, though part of me wonders if that's just because I idealize Boston...
It's been a while since I've posted but it seems judgments have come and left me pretty much only hoping for UVA and UNC G...fat chance.
I've gotten pretty excited about options for next year though, maybe getting a job at a ranch or on a beach--taking time off after undergrad like so many people had told me to anyways! Reading what I want to read, when I want to read it!
The one thing that really annoys me, though, is the programs that send out all the acceptances but just haven't gotten around to rejections. At this point I'm pretty sure VTech accepted people at the beginning of March, and Houston did last week...so why haven't they cut the cords yet? Why ya gotta keep that hope going? Come on and let me down already! Cue The Decemberists, "The Engine Driver": "and if you don't love me let me go!"
@ Laura T: I also just wanted to add that Marie Howe is a goddess to me. But I couldn't bring myself to apply there because I really didn't want to chance getting accepted and then choosing not to go based on the money.
Also never underestimate the power of networking by going to conferences and giving visiting writers rides from the airport (very common grad student role) and such to readings at your school. A good friend of mine has met and kept in touch with many poets that way. Just the other day, she was squealing at how bizarre it was that she can gchat with Olena Kalytiak Davis now.
@UNCW waitlisters: Any of you that emailed the MFA director a couple weeks ago hear back yet? I'm also waitlisted and, of course, curious about any news.
Thanks a bunch.
Maybe I'm getting too optimistic, but if I haven't heard acceptances or rejections from Irvine, can I assume they're still looking at my application, at least for a waitlist spot?
I live about an hour away from Irvine, so I don't get why a rejection letter, signed March 1 according to those who have gotten it, would not have reached me by the 16th.
I'm just writing this out here so I can cling onto that last thread of hope before it is, probably, taken away...
Amanda/Laura T.
And then there's this thing called the Internet. Don't underestimate it. Seeing that writers are caught in front of a computer for much of the day, it's not surprising that blogs, social networking sites, and online writer's communities are home not only to aspiring writers but also those that have a mantle full of awards and shelves full of books they've written.
What's going on with ASU?! I want to make a decision already!
@ Courtney
Two K's, very confusing. First big congrats to the other K for awesome Brooklyn news.
Bennington "k" is your pal from workshop and thanks for keeping your fingers crossed for me! (Now if only someone would give me a bag of money...)
Seriously, that's so many great schools! Go you! Keep me posted on your final decision!
@Kevin
I got my Irvine rejection letter via snail mail last night. I live in Brooklyn. Good luck!
Hey guys!
Been stalking all of you forever but I hardly ever post. I thought I should share...I'm in at
Notre Dame (tuition remission plus 12,500 stipend)
UCSD (nominated for fellowship, waiting to hear)
UC Davis (no funding news)
and USC MPW (nominated for tuition remission plus $20,000 stipend that comes with a TAship)
Still waiting to hear from NYU, UNCG, U of Arizona and Purdue. Unless I get into NYU with full funding (which, like, yeah right...do they even do that?) If funding for USC comes through, that's where I'm going! So spots will open up at the other schools.
Also wanted to add...I know USC kind of gets short shrift on these blogs and in the MFA handbook, but I sat in on some classes and talked to some students, and from what I can tell, the program is what you make it. There are ways of getting funding if you ask, and the staff is pretty stellar (Brighde Mullen who used to head up Harvard's creative writing program and taught at Brown, Dana Goodyear, Sandra Tsing-Loh, Janet Fitch among others). I've also lived in LA for three years and I love it, though I know it isn't for everyone.
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