unfortunately, i received a rejection from hunter online today. they sent an email that said my notification was available. :(
@laura, does that mean that sarah lawrence has notified as well?
i definitely was hopeful this year, but i think i didn't really know how hard it would be to get in. it's disappointing, for sure, but also good to see so many people having success, and to know that i can try to work harder and improve.
I was the mysterious early phone call acceptance from Sarah Lawrence on 3/2. I don't think there have been any other posted acceptances since then. According to DH, they usually notify by snail mail in the middle of March. I just got my official acceptance letter today (stuck in the mailbox next to the Emerson letter -- what an exciting day :D). But I wouldn't worry if you haven't gotten a phone call. My phone call acceptance was an early one.
So here's the dumb thing I did. I wasn't sure who at ASU to email, so I clicked through the staff list and sent three people the same email asking about my status.
They have all forwarded that email to the same person, so now I look like an obsessive moron.
Chelsea, yeah it's pretty exciting! :D I already knew about the Sarah Lawrence acceptance though, so it wasn't a shock! I did tear that envelope open to see if my financial aid letter was in there, though.
gracious. 9 am and already acceptances rolling in, rejections popping up...this is madness!
HUGE congrats to all who have gotten good news already this morning! Laura! Aah! fan freakin' tastic news, chica!
Likewise, HUGE hugs and condolences for those getting some disappointing news. Sigh. Such is the game, huh? Hang in.
I still haven't heard anything from U of A, and I'm relatively close to their program (Colorado), so maybe I just have a slow mail carrier...I expect I'll get back from classes this afternoon to at least one big fat 'no, f u.' letter.
Let the obsessive worry and small, continuous implosions of the heart/gut commence!
soooo if my understanding of whats been coming in the mail is correct, I could be getting rejections from Brooklyn, Arizona, Oregon and PSU today??? that sounds.... awful.
p.s not to be obsessive (whatever. why the pretense? we all are), but have any of the University of Arizona acceptees (specifically the non-fiction crew) seen updates to their online status? I've been checking their website for any changes to my status in their system, but have seen nothing. I'm sure this means nothing--just that the CW program hasn't communicated with the Grad School that I've been coldhard Deeeenied. Just curious. And torturing myself with false hope.
Happy Ides of March, people! :) today I'm sending out all Kinds of amazing vibes for mass acceptances! :) congrats to Laura T on landing her dream school today! I'd love to try the Bahston area! :) kudos 2u
I haven't heard from anyone else in the Iowa waiting line on the poetry side... and am feeling a little bit, um, stressed out about it. Like, it's not quite good news. Not that I'm complaining!!!!!!
Can I ask what ASU said about notifying? I'm still "in review" and I've been antsy all weekend. Are they still actually reviewing or have they just not notified yet? eeeeeps!
what's the link to the application status for university of arizona? thanks.
and imrenic, yes, by your posts from the past few weeks, you seem to be freaking out about iowa! calm, breathe, people have turned down iowa for not enough funding or smaller programs.
fiction! what about you, Chelsea? I know I have practically zero shot at getting in, but UNCG is one of my favorites!! So it's hard not to get all excited... siiiigh....
I seem to remember the UNCG post mentioning that decisions could come anytime between 3/15 and 4/15. Here's to hoping they all come through today! It would be nice to just know, one way or the other.
My roommate is moving out April 1st. I have a huge apartment share in a townhouse in Brooklyn, two blocks from Prospect Park, 4 subway stops from Manhattan. Very reasonable. Email me for details: sublissimes(at)yahoo.com.
It would be great to share with another writer. I'll be going to Brooklyn College.
Thanks UNCG friends! Hoping that they don't take their time letting us know..... I just want to KNOW already. How did I manage to choose a handful of programs that don't notify until so late? WHYYYYY?!?
Also - COREYANN! OREGON!? That's crazy-awesome!!!!!!
I have a question- most of the classes at CUNY start so late (6:30 p.m), is there a minimum of courses you have to take each semester? What if I just take two (6 credits total) that would be part-time and still okay, or no?
I'd so hate having to commute late from one side of Manhattan all the way back to Coney Island (where I live.)
Lots of good news already! Congrats Laura T, Chelsea, Coreyann, Miss Parker, and everyone who has and will receive good news!
Waiting sucks, but to those who haven't heard anything good yet (or anything at all), don't let it get you down! Whether mfa-related or not, something good will come your way :)
Sometimes, when I'm visiting my family in Boston, I sit in Emerson's bookstore cafe and pretend to be a student there. It makes me happy that no one can tell I'm public school trash, hahaha. :)
yippee for everyone who got into emerson! i got my big acceptance envelope in the mail today too! for poetry!
i am super torn though between emerson and umass boston program (found out i am one of the 5-6 accepted in their poetry mfa program). anyone have any good insight about both programs??? i really want to go to a program that will best prepare me to teach--umass boston was at the top, but now emerson has thrown a wrench in the works--thoughts???
those who got into emerson and are thinking about going--what is driving your thought process to go there over other schools...
ugh! who knew making a MFA program decision would be so difficult!
thanks to all and congrats to everyone who has gotten in somewhere and has made a decision!!
Like Christina, I'm curious about people's thoughts on Emerson, only I'm in for fiction. Have other fiction people who have been accepted by Emerson and other places already decided on Emerson? Or have you chosen another program? If so, why?
I just called, and the very helpful people at the Grad Admission office said that merit award notifications would be sent out by mail this week and next week. They said if we do not receive anything in the mail, we can call after two weeks from today to ask about our financial aid status.
Tara called NYU on Friday, and they told her that they were still going through applications and will be notifying over the next few weeks (?!?!?!). That's for fiction, anyway...
I've been working the phones the past week or so to try to resolve the outstanding CGSR-compliance issues you all have been dealing with. Here are the updates:
Houston: Houston has confirmed its commitment to the CGSR and says that all admittees have until April 15th to make a decision -- and that there is absolutely no negative repercussion for requiring that much time to respond to its offer of admission (though for the sake of its wait-listers, it would appreciate the quickest response possible). I am hopeful that UH will be amending its acceptance-letter language in the future. Dr. Kastely says this clarification will also be made in follow-up phone calls to all admittees.
UNCW: UNCW has confirmed that the entire University has backed out of the CGSR and will not be complying with the CGSR going forward. The program says that it will add a notice to this effect on its website shortly. I will be following up to make sure this is done.
Johns Hopkins: JHU says that there was a miscommunication regarding how its acceptance notices were worded and that it has always complied and will continue to comply with the CGSR. All admitted students have until April 15th to render a matriculation decision.
Non-CGSR Signatories: Those of you who've looked at the Overall, Poetry, and Five-Year rankings recently will note that I've now highlighted all non-CGSR-compliant programs in red. TSE officially advises applicants not to apply to these programs because the result of getting an "exploding" or "poison pill" offer of admission is almost universally the same (and can be predicted in advance): heartache, confusion, anxiety, resentment, and -- not for nothing -- possibly hundreds or even more than a thousand dollars in wasted application fees (as an "exploding" or "poison pill" offer requires one to withdraw all outstanding offers of admission to accept the non-CGSR-signatory's offer; while an alternative option is simply lying to the programs, that's not something I'm ever going to advise that someone do nor will I structure the rankings to promulgate that sort of trust deficit between applicants and the faculties of programs they may well attend).
In the 2011 national MFA rankings, due out in late August, programs that do not comply with the CGSR will be noted and applicants will be warned about applying to them. I will also address this issue in the essay that accompanies the rankings. And these programs will continue to be "red-listed" in all TSE rankings until CGSR compliance is confirmed. (It's worth saying that, because of how the rankings are used by many applicants in forming long-lists, many if not all non-CGSR-compliant programs can expect to see a substantial drop in their rankings in 2012.)
I think applicants should note that only 6 of the top 64 programs are not signatories to the CGSR -- and only four programs overall which have any kind of decent funding whatsoever are not signatories. This should tell you something about what CGSR compliance indicates about a program. Funded programs and/or programs with strong national reputations among applicants are, almost to a one, CGSR signatories.
P.S. Some might wonder whether I'm going to contact every non-CGSR-compliant program in advance to give them notice of how their non-compliance is going to affect their future rankings. The answer is no. Not only because I don't have the time, not only because doing work absolutely for free has to have its reasonable limits, but because MFA programs have to be treated as the grown-ups -- often with billion-dollar endowments behind them -- that they are. If programs are not paying attention to the things applicants care about, and if that results in a drop in ranking, that's probably how it should be (and will either right itself over time or not). But the old system -- in which faculty members assessed peer institutions blissfully ignorant (or worse, dismissive) of any of the considerations applicants care about in choosing a program (funding, selectivity, location, transparency, a student-oriented culture, teaching load, et. al.) was a thousand times worse. The reality is that some programs will probably be briefly hurt by their good-faith tone-deafness re: the CGSR issue -- and, once they realize their error, will fix it immediately. Those schools will hopefully be un-red-listed prior to the 2012 rankings coming out (certainly, that gives a program months to fix the issue, when it only take a single phone call to the CGS). Other schools will, as I said, take a dive. But that's what program oversight is all about -- accountability. The long-standing AWP policy against ever ranking programs is what's made this sort of accountability possible. Because there should be absolutely no doubt about it: The primary reason I always get my calls taken by MFA directors is not because I'm special, but because the rankings provide a necessary leverage on programs to ensure they act ethically and as good citizens. Anyone who thinks this would have happened on its own has never tried to negotiate a policy change with a billion-dollar-plus-endowed institution of higher learning.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but earlier on this blog people said that all Vandy acceptees and waitlistees have been officially notified.
Hopefully someone else can tell you more about Ole Miss - also, if the waiting is getting to you, you could always call them and ask when they're going to notify.
I got accepted to Columbia College poetry!!! My first YES!
It was very odd, because I received a financial info email saying offhand that I had been accepted. I called to make sure it wasn't a mistake mass email, because I hadn't received a call, but the administrator informed me that the timing was off and that I would receive a mailed letter with information about my official acceptance, along with any financial aid award info.
I'm figuring this is not a good sign re: funding since they would have called me if I won some amazing fellowship, right?
But regardless of whether or not I go, I'm just so happy to get some good news!
Wow - congratulations Chrissy, Laura T., Chelsea, and Coreyann! Laura T, are you the one who posted a day or two back, hoping and waiting on Emerson? It's so great to hear you got in!
I'm sure I've missed somebody... congratulations to all this morning's (!!!) acceptees!
As a biased applicant, I too would like to see more schools notify early, say, the first week of Februaray (LOL!). But this is too much to ask. I guess if I were in Virginia's shoes, for example, I'd wait till late March or early April. Why work so hard to read hundreds of writing samples, hold meetings with readers and fellow faculty, and quickly contact my top candidates for offers and waitlist spots, if these same applicants are going to take their sweet old time to make a decision? Why give myself an ulcer in the process?
No.
I, too, will take my time. I will send out offers as close to the April 15 deadline (while giving candidates plenty of time to mull it over).
I like certainty. I like knowing that, after making offers, I will hear back from them within a couple of weeks, if not days.
If I'm going to bust my butt to make a decision on offers/waitlists, I want you to bust your butts to make a decision.
Well, that would be my mindset, that is, if I were a school like Virginia.
So, um... just got accepted to Stony Brook Southampton (in poetry). Email. Eep!
Thank you everyone for the congratulations!!! Yes, I was the one who posted a couple days ago, after the Emerson fiction acceptances were notified, pretty much saying "OMG EMERSON PLEEEASE." hehe.
One problem with waiting forever to notify is that some applicants will have choices, and should evaluate them as best they can. To make an informed decision, they may want to visit one or more programs. Schools notifying into April virtually preclude a visit, and if all schools did as you say they should, there would be almost no time for a well-reasoned, informed decision.
I'm not sure January/early February notifications are totally necessary, but I do believe a month or at least 3 weeks would be a courtesy that would alleviate stress on the behalf of both the students, who would know once and for all around mid-March, and program staff, who would no longer have to field the panicked inquiries of tortured applicants.
Also, all fellow Emerson acceptances!!! I emailed the financial aid office after I got my acceptance, and got a response a little while ago.
Emerson has its own financial aid form that you have to send by April 1, in addition to the FAFSA. The form is on the graduate financial aid website. I didn't know that it was required so I'm really glad the lady who answered the email told me!!
She said if you send that form by April 1, you should have a financial aid decision by April 10. Late :/ I wish I had sent that form sooner.
In this process, I TOTALLY missed the boat on financial info. I had never heard of this FAFSA thing until I started reading this blog, and I often didn't realize that I had to apply to a school's financial aid office AND the department's financial aid or TA programs. I'm not sure why I didn't understand this, but I thought it was all departmental. Which was a big mistake.
@Jasmine - true and well-reasoned, Jasmine. But I wonder how many actually go on visits? I personally never visited a single campus for undergrad, law school, and now, MFA. I will allow for the possibility that I'm not a representative sample of all MFA applicants though.
I think two weeks is a good enough time. If I were an MFA program, I guess I'd notify people around the end of March. If you want to visit, come and visit. If not, make up your mind pronto!
Mind you, I'm not advocating this practice. I was just trying to place myself in their shoes. As I said, I'd love to be notified in February, just so I can move on with my life. LOL!
Another BIG advantage that programs notifying early have is that applicants will begin to fall in love with/become attached to a program. It's sort of unavoidable. While an applicant is waiting to hear back from other programs, he/she is no doubt talking to current students/professors, browsing craigslist, checking out meal plans, figuring out where the nearest organic grocery store is etc. etc.
For undergrad I did a lot of visiting. And if I hadn't I would have made a huge mistake, twice over. I know visiting is difficult financially and in terms of time, but it's something some people still do, and frankly, we need more than two weeks' notice on it. And - it's not all about visiting. Sometimes contacting current students and parsing out insider aspects of the program takes a little time too.
We will just have to agree to disagree on the subject of late notifications.
OMG thanks for that info, Laura! I'm pretty sure they sent that form in the acceptance packet. I looked at it and was like, "WTF is this?" *flings it behind me* Now I'll send it out ASAP!
Going to chime in here to say that late notifications are a drag. And by late, I mean anything past today. It only gives us a month. I realize the process is what it is, but sometimes I think there's got to be a better way.
I know that I already said it earlier, but that was before you got yet another acceptance! Congrats, Laura T!!! You're rakin' 'em in :)
Congrats to all of you Emerson and NYU admits as well! I actually have a friend in Fiction @ Emerson right now and she loves it. And NYU is... NYU lol. Awesome news, everybody.
I can't wait to make a decision. The problem is that I can't make a decision until someone else makes a decision. There is also someone else who can't make a decision unless I make a decision. MFA Ouroboros!
@Jasmine - I actually think you won't know how your life would've turned out had you NOT visited and picked some other school than the one you did. One can't know. It's the whole parallel universe thing.
@WanderingTree -- good point about the meal plan. Why waste brain cells on cooking/grocery shopping when your food will be ready and waiting for you every day? Woo Hoo!
BGSU - Fiction, high on the waitlist. Broke down and called the office, spoke to the director who was really nice. Now if only people would back out so I can get in! Hehe... seriously.
Not to hijack the thread or anything, but yes, I can know. I had made my decision before visiting. I didn't want to visit, I just wanted to go. My dad forced me to do the whole acceptance circuit, and while I was visiting choice #1, I found out it was a miserable place where I wouldn't have fit in. I'm glad I visited, so I could know.
This time around, I don't have choices. But I still visited, just in case I found out the school was a disaster. I learned my lesson the first time.
Emerson's accepted poetry students should be able to see their acceptance on the website today... I checked this morning and I got in! So excited and relieved.
Hunter rejections have been through email, notifying applicants to check their online application, where there is a link to a letter explaining the rejection.
Has anyone contacted financial aid at TNS regarding other funding options?
I just spoke to a not-so-kind woman who basically told me I should just expect to take out private student loans. Yikes. I don't know if it's because I'm from Hawaii and I'm used to lots of aloha, but I was very turned off by her attitude.
I don't know anything at all about TNS, but did you speak with someone at the Graduate School office or someone at your Department's office? Sometimes it can make a big difference which office you call. The general graduate school office, for example, might not realize that the MFA isn't the kind of program one usually takes out lots of loans for (vs., say, an MBA, where that practice is expected). Conversely, the department office might offer one kind of financial assistance (like a TA), but the general graduate school might offer other forms of financial assistance.
I received a rejection from the New School but also an acceptance in fiction to Sarah Lawrence College!
I'm completely floored by it. They're expensive, but is it worth it? I still need to round up the last of my financial aid info, so we'll see if I get any funding.
This is a great case-in-point -- TNS is upset about their plummeting rankings and then they set up that woman as a virtual greeting-station. Not to mention that the "just take out loans" meme was played out, I dunno, like four decades ago. These days it seems many applicants who don't get funding simply don't go and apply again next year (which is the advice I've always given, personally). And those who do go sometimes come to this board after matriculation and say, "Wow, I wish I'd known about this board when I was applying!" One guy just posted on DH that when he paid $100,000 for his Columbia MFA he didn't even know there were such things as fully-funded programs...
Wait a minute...
{feigned shock}
...you mean Columbia isn't informing its admitted students of this?
I just saw today that TNS is adopting Federal Direct Loans, applicable next Fall. This means that every grad student applying, as I understand it, will be eligible for $20,500 per year dependent on need. Any surplus left over after your tuition bill is paid gets reimbursed to you on a semester-by-semester basis. Hope that helps..
I do think we have to be careful not to confuse the TNS stance on funding -- now or going forward -- with any kind of generosity. That TNS will allow admittees to go into a minimum of $41,000 in debt to attend the program is no kindness. Especially not when that amount leaves virtually nothing to live on. In New York City. For two years. While one is supposed to be writing full-time.
I admire the faculty at TNS, but I do want to emphasize that many of the NYC programs have for years advertised themselves in a way which tries to make the fact that these programs are largely barren funding-wise some kind of semi-virtue. E.g., we don't have any money (except for our faculty and administrators, who are compensated just fine thank you) but we warmly invite you to consider our generous menu of crippling-debt scenarios...
I called today to follow up on being "midway" on the waitlist. The woman I spoke with said that there has been no change to the waitlist because they were on spring break last week, but if I call on Friday I should be able to get an update.
George Mason people have been so friendly. It has really put their school in a positive light with me.
Yeah, when I talked to the director at Montana, who used to teach at TNS and who's from Brooklyn, she talked about how she left because she was constantly having to fight for students to get them ANY kind of money, and how everyone was constantly really tense about it, and how that just took a chunk out of concentrating on the writing, etc.
@Seth
Thank you so much for all of the work you're doing. It's so helpful!
@Everyone
CONGRATULATIONS! to anyone accepted and waitlisted, and waitlisters--it's not over until the end!
Seriously! Where IS Dreux? Guy's been missing for like 50 blog years already.
Additionally, received a FOL from Brooklyn today. A letter I think many others received like 1-2 weeks ago, saying "thanks for applying, your application has been forwarded..."
So I know that Arkansas and UNCG are still mum on notifying for poetry, but I was curious if anyone had heard whether LSU and Ole Miss are finished notifying? I know it's been a while since the first acceptances went out, so I'm not expecting miracles, but would like some peace of mind one way or the other.
I totally agree with you: TNS making $41,000 a year available through Federal Loans is by no means a generosity. I wouldn't present it as such, and I certainly didn't. I'm fully aware of the cost of living, the difficulties of obtaining a degree while paying rent, etc., having done this all in New York for some time already. The degree to which one would have to work, to fight for their experience, is very likely not advisable or welcomed by all.
I was simply providing factual information--not evaluating my own, or any else's situation; nor was I advising.
I'll certainly agree with the hypocrisy of barren-funding scenarios when coupled with inflated salaries for administrators.
And I'll also agree, already working and placed in New York City, that their faculty is pretty flippin' amazing. It's a decision I'm struggling with very much, myself. And while not trying to sway others in anyway shape or form, I was simply providing info sought by one in the community. My take is that adults can make decisions for themselves.
Glad to see it's heating up after a slooooow weekend.
Congrats to all the Emerson folks, to Laura T for being on fire, to Miss Parker, to Coreyann for that kick-ass waitlist, to the ones I'm forgetting...
I'm still waiting to hear from Colorado State, Boise State, and Hollins, in fiction. And Coreyann's waitlist has got me hopeful that there's still a slight possibility of good news from Oregon, so we'll see (ha ha). Basically, I've gone insane.
I don't usually comment on here, but I was lurking about today to see if anyone else will be heading to ASU (poetry) and I found a few of your questions. I'm not sure how to do the @ thing. I visited last week and I don't think they'd finished reading fiction manuscripts yet. Hope this helps calm some nerves, something I've not found to always be so true on these lists!
if you were the one who got into ASU in mid-feb (according to driftless house), i'm fairly sure you're the only one. of course, many applicants don't read these blogs i'm sure.
I already posted on Driftless House, but in case some of you don't follow it, got rejected from Hunter via email (website update) and accepted to Sarah Lawrence via snail mail today.
I have a question that gets a little sticky, and I'm not sure to whom or how to address it. But, obviously there must be people who accept somewhere and then don't end up going for some reason. So I'm curious what happens if I accept somewhere that doesn't fully fund me, but then make it off the waitlist somewhere that does fully fund. As much as I hate to say it, I'd be inclined to retract my acceptance from the first school. Are we allowed to talk about this? Because I'm surprised it doesn't really come up. What are the consequences of this action for the first school? Is it mostly just annoying and burdensome or does it cause real difficulties?
Congrats to all the acceptances today. It's Monday Madness, apparently.
Where are people seeing their status on ASU's web site? I've checked several times and the only thing I see is "in review," which is what it has said since I submitted my application back in December.
If you're on a waitlist, and have been accepted elsewhere, why not wait until April 15 to make your decision (or sooner, if you end up getting off the waitlist)? I don't think it makes sense to accept now, before you have to, if you might change your mind later.
I have been accepted some places, but am also waiting for more information before i make a final decision. In my situation I know if would be in bad form to accept any offers at this point, knowing that I might change my mind. But perhaps there are details in your situation that we're not privy too... Did a school give you an ultimatum? Where you accepted at a school that did not sign the April 15th agreement?
Good luck with your decision making, and congratulations to all the acceptances today! Wowzers.
@Courtney - have you been waitlisted at Notre Dame? I'm not sure why you're being cryptic :D but I hope you are!!! Good luck!
@people needing to apply again next year. I've been in contact with some "local" schools Central Florida and South Florida (about an hour away for me), both with MFA programs, and I found out that it is possible to apply as a non-degree seeking student and take GRADUATE level creative writing courses *pending approval of course*!!! AND, it is possible to audit those courses and not pay anything except for registration/application fees!! Awesome! This is pending approval, but for sure I'll be able to take an undergraduate fiction course over the summer online for no credit and possibly for free. Now, it's certainly no substitute for the degree itself, but it is a cheap, convenient, reliable method to better prepare for the next application season. Just thought I'd share to those who are looking for a workshop to prepare for next year - contact your local university :)
@ Emma: basically, one of the schools requested earlier notification, but is OK with waiting 'til the 15th. The other school said that they won't know whether I can get an assistantship until after the later in April. So I will have to accept likely before I know whether I can get funding.
@amanda, Emma - I thought what amanda was asking earlier was: what if you had to make a decision by April 15 and, come April 15, you are still on the wailist at your preferred school? Presumably, there may be many people who will wait till the last minute to make a decision, in which case, schools may notify waitlisters that they've been accepted after April 15. Just a terrible situation to be in.
@ Woon: Yeah, that's the big problem. Many people will be waiting until the 15th to make their choice, so presumably many programs will not be able to notify waitlisters until after the 15th if there are available spots.
@amanda - yes, that's what I thought you were asking. I don't think anyone is foolish enough to accept an offer BEFORE April 15 IF they are on a preferred school's waitlist.
If you Google "CGS" and "Resolution" together, you should get a .pdf of the document, which addresses this issue. The short answer: The first program would have to give you a written release to attend the second, and the second wouldn't take you unless the first had done so, assuming both universities are CGSR compliant. As to whether the unfunded program in this instance would ever refuse to sign such a release, well, look at it this way: Who wants someone at their program that doesn't want to be there, especially if it was the program itself that caused the problem by not signing the release? It would destroy that program's reputation, poison the social and educational atmosphere of the program community, and likely lead to the student just dropping out anyway. Not to mention that the second, funded program would be steaming mad and most programs do try to be good citizens re: other programs' regard/esteem. &c &c. So these things do take care of themselves. Granted, I'm not saying the unfunded program in that scenario wouldn't try to give the admittee the hard sell first (maybe even rustle up some additional money, who knows; &c &c).
There is a great article that covers this problem...it actually addresses all possible outcomes of applying to an MFA: http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/gradapp/results.htm
I highly recommend it.
But basically this is what he says regarding your dilemma: "When you get this new offer with funding, you may have already accepted an offer (without funding) from a different school. The new funding offer will give you grounds to shift schools. Simply contact the graduate director of the school you've accepted and explain that a late funding offer has been extended by another school. Respectfully ask to be released from your acceptance. Chances are quite good the school will release you. Most — probably all — programs won't want a disgruntled student in their hallowed halls. In any case, make sure you get the release in writing.
Note: this is a different ethical situation from the one described at the end of the previous section. In that scenario, we were comparing two offers with funding. In this scenario, we're comparing no funding with some funding; you are still legally bound to the first school you accept, but that school will most likely release you from that legal bind. Just be honest with all parties involved. (Again, some may disagree ... it's your call.)"
Quick question, if you would. Does the same need for contractual release still stand if the school you initially signed on with is not CGSR compliant? Would the only loss then be the initial deposit?
I think if you've accepted a funded offer from School A and then decide to change your mind to take a different funded offer from School B because you got off School B's waitlist (and School B is, like, your dream school and shit), then it's a different story. Personally, I would not sympathize with the applicant. The applicant took a risk that School B will not come through. And lost. Suck it up.
For example, Wendy Writer got into UC Irvine but is on Iowa's waitlist. Wendy thinks she'll never get off Iowa's waitlist so she accepts UC Irvine's offer. Then, Iowa notifies her she's been accepted. I'd say, Wendy, you made a decision. It was a calculated risk you took that Iowa would not make you an offer. You lost. Move on to UC Irvine.
Wow, you guys are KILLING it these days. Huge congratulations to everyone getting good news!!!
My own good news is that I just got a call from Montana telling me I've received funding and a TA -- so for those of you on waitlists -- waitlists can lead to good things. Don't lose hope.
(That said, I'm on the waitlist for Oregon - by email about a week ago - and hope feels a lot more like desperation sometimes. Against my better judgment I've been looking at photographs of Eugene and am positively pining for the rivers and the aging hippies.)
Emma, I hope this isn't too personal, but is there any way for me to read your writing sample? I'm not trying to compare, I'm trying to get an idea for "fit" and I'd like to see a sample that got accepted into UF and waitlisted at Iowa. No judging, I promise :) I just want an idea for the future when I reapply. You can email me at kbritten (at) yahoo (dot) com if interested. Thanks!
I disappeared for a while because following this, and everyone's much-deserved acceptances, was too painful as I was only hearing bad news and many many assumed rejections.
I just got a text from a friend that I received a letter for a waitlist spot for the New School. I doubt I'll get in, nor can I afford to go there, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that it's nice to get some type of recognition. (Damn me for going balls out and ONLY applying to top-tier schools. I mean, I considered Oregon as a safety! I've got moxie, but not a comparable application.)
I don't think I'll apply to MFA programs again anytime soon. And I'm working on a Plan B/C/D/W that's supposed to morph into a Plan A. Good luck to everyone else in their endeavors.
PS Me and the chocolatier... got biblical. And now we're dating.
True, it is a bet, however, I agree with the article I mentioned above in response to Amanda's post. "This is your LIFE" and unlike job employers, grad programs have people lined up they can just call who would be all too happy to accept.
Yeah, sucks that things didn't play out and one has to back out of their contract, but hell, this is 2-3 years of your life and influences the rest of your career, so do what you want.
I'm with Ena. If you think about it in terms of promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of applicants and attendant faculty members, not only are you (1) making yourself happier, (2) perhaps making your prospective classmates at school number one happier, who would have to deal with someone who might be less than enthused because she turned away from her dream school,you're also (3) making those faculty members happier at school number one for the same reason, and, finally, (4) you're making someone else's next two years, giving someone who's presently on a list and perhaps not too happy about it, someone who might not have gotten in, someone who has to be potentially ready to receive a call until the month of August the chance of a lifetime she didn't think she had coming to her. That sounds like an awful lot of happiness to me!
I don't know if I'm going to be attending UNT or not. I live in TX, my family's here, which paradoxically makes me want to stay AND leave. It just depends on the news I receive from other programs so I can compare... I haven't gotten any other acceptances OR rejections yet. Frustrating!
@ all
This might not be related to this blog, but with the talk about Emerson, I thought I'd bring it up: Anybody apply for the Writing and Publishing program @ Emerson and/or hear news? All of this talk about notifications in other genres is making me antsy! Also, anybody have knowledge in regard to how closely the program works with creative writing? I've read on here before that a lot of the same classes are offered, but I wanted to get yall's (please excuse that word) take on it.
just to update, I've been waitlisted at notre dame and accepted to calarts, after a long and excruciating silence. also, rejected from arizona by mail. good luck to everyone else, and congrats on recent acceptances/waitlists!
@weighswithwords - I like the "happiness" argument. Can't find much fault with it if it's a win-win for everyone. However, for these lucky people who're sitting with one funded offer and waiting on another funded offer and trying to decide whether to gamble on one school vs. another, I don't think the emotional states are reduced to "happy" vs. "miserable." If an applicant is "stuck" with going with one funded offer and missing out on another, he/she may still be happy (or perhaps content). I don't think they'll be miserable.
But I hear your "It's my life" argument.
I would think, though, that people can be guided be ethics, too. I don't mean to be all righteous about it. After all, I'm no churchgoer and I beat up little Ben Macafee in the 5th grade because he looked at me funny. It's just that, when you gamble, at the time of your gamble, you know fully well what you are doing. You have your wits about you and you've said to yourself, "This is what I'm going to do and I hope it works out." And if it doesn't, are you the type to say, "I don't like the way it turned out. Let's do a rewind" ?
I have been out for the past few days, and was wondering if we know whether or not Houston is done notifying for fiction. I was in a pretty bad car accident on Saturday night. We got T-boned by a drunk driver at a 4-way intersection. Everyone is fine; we had some very special people praying for us. It's all fodder for the writer in me, right? Anyways, any information on Houston would be much appreciated.
congratulations to everyone who got news today- seemed like quite the explosion.
so far-
accepted - emerson wait list - syracuse, george mason rejected - alabama, austin nada - indiana, carbondale, urbana, v-tech
if anyone who got into emerson wants to chat, email me at david@davidwojo.com - this thursday night i'm leaving the country for a few months, so i'd love the chance to talk before hand.
@ Woon - That just cracked me up! I dig what you're saying--absolutely. And I might be morally reprehensible. But I'm just of the mind that being so concerned about the minutia of moral claims as they pertain to accepting an offer from an MFA program and how that plays out for others might keep me blinded to moral claims in the wider universe that better deserve my attention and energies.
Cheers, man, hope you gave that turd Macafee what he had coming!
@ Laura T: I'm so happy for you! Your poetry is beautiful and deserves all this attention. I can't wait to hear what you decide!!
@Ena: Thanks for the link. I'm also in Amanda's boat (currently unfunded spot vs. wait-list). For all parties, this is a "rational" decision-making process. That is to say all parties make the decision which provides them the best outcome. It behooves everyone to take the best possible offer for them while still behaving, as Seth put it, as a good citizen.
I received a beautiful and encouraging email from Colorado State's program director (my waitlist). Their faculty and staff has been lovely and helpful at every turn. I'm determined it'll turn into a formal acceptance and when it does, I'll gladly accept their offer. That is unless Houston comes through with a late offer ;).
@Kara - From what I've read, all those schools on your list have already notified people -- various combinations of acceptances, waitlists, and rejections. That's not to say they're done. Did you check Driftless House?
Hello all! I've been stalking out this blog for weeks now. I applied to three low-res programs (VCFA, Bennington, Warren Wilson) all for fiction. I haven't heard a wee peep from any of those folks since the emails confirming receipt of my application materials.
I am not freaking out. I cannot decide whether I'd rather be dumped via calling or emailing for a status update. I'd really prefer to be let down gently in an old fashioned Dear John letter. It's perfectly OK. I'm 22. I'll just sit here and pay my astronomical undergrad debt in peace and quiet until next MFA season.
So basically I'm freaking out. So much so that I've broken my vow of internet silence in public arenas to post this wicked lame comment.
Aratliff-I've also applied to those three schools. I got a rejection from VCFA dated Feb.25th, although I have noticed that others have been accepted after that date. Good luck and let us know when you hear.
@Kara - honestly, I don't know why you haven't heard. I'm the wrong person to ask about whether you should call or email. Many in this blog community would advocate you contact them. It's totally up to you. I don't think calling/emailing would hurt your candidacy, if that's what you're worried about. I think all you'll do is just upset the busy admin assistant.
are you fiction or poetry? I'm waiting to hear about a GTA at CSU, hard to tell if it's possible or not. If the GTA doesn't come up, I'll most likely go to U. Washington (Seattle). I wanted to second your thoughts about CSU. Everyone I've talked with has been exceptionally friendly, and it does seem like a great writing environment. I wish you the best of luck! and maybe we'll even be classmates next fall. feel free to email me. and I'm poetry. mickeyperformancepoetry(at)gmail(dot)com
Congrats to all you Emerson and Sarah Lawrence acceptances! You’ve certainly earned it. I am so glad this Monday was good to some people. And thus begins another week…
@Woon, I also agreed with your doorman analogy for the blog “keepers” – it gave me a chuckle.
@Xavier, just had to add that you, too, gave me a chuckle with your “I’m from Hawaii and used to lots of aloha”
@JillianLauren Thank you for the George Mason information, that’s so wonderful to hear! I appreciate you sharing the information, and I will have to call Friday and see what I learn. I was also encouraged by your use of “midway” – maybe all of us are “midway,” which makes it sound a little better than it did when I first read it ☺
and @Ena, thanks for biting the bullet and checking with UNCG! You guys are good…
@kaybay You had wonderful advice with the local classes. I’ll certainly keep that in mind in case I don’t get in this year! Thank you for sharing it…
Woon: It's a very nice place; it has everything you could ask for in a college town. Are you leaning toward that choice?
So far, they've won my congeniality award. Every staff and faculty member has been warm and positive. They're organized, on time. They're responsive. I can't same the same for the other programs to which I applied.
Mickey! Yes, I'm a poet. Matt Cooperman mentioned many other income-generating possibilities (tutoring, writing center and so on). These don't have tuition remission attached to them like the GTA, but it's something.
I am with you both - have not heard from VCFA, Warren Wilson, Bennington, Pacific, UCR, UNO (all low-res programs), UAA (applied really late) and Chapman and Cal State Long Beach. I am poetry.
I bully the mailman, refresh every couple of seconds and check the phone lines to make sure they are working. Oh, and of course manically check this blog and others...can we say super-FREAK. Good luck to you both~
I don't know if you're reading things here still or if you're back on haitus, but I wanted to let you know that I did something very similar to what you are describing - I took a bunch of graduate-level workshop-style writing classes after college, that I had to be accepted into. It REALLY helped me gear up my portfolio - in fact, I probably could have used at least one more, but I might try to take one over the summer before actually starting my MFA. For me, this type of class was categorically more helpful than other types of writing classes.
Has anyone been accepted at Arizona State for fiction yet, or are they just rejecting people as they read aps, Michener Style?
Driftless House shows a poetry acceptance but nothing for fiction. If they are fielding rejections before acceptances, it seems odd that they'd only now getting to the first rejections.
@ Ali- I wish I could bully my mailman. Mail comes by my house at noon, while I'm at work. The only emails I'm getting is from Boss of Job #2. Good luck to you too, Ali :) They can't keep us waiting forever- we'll know by the end of April at least, right?
I haven't written on here, mostly because most of my programs have been silent (I'm in poetry).
I will tell you, however, that I am a student at Cal State Long Beach, and would be more than happy to give you information about the program. Really, the faculty rocks. I cannot say enough about them. I can also talk to you about the area.
But... I can also tell you that as of 2 weeks ago I talked with one of the professors on the panel, and she said they had not even looked at their applications yet... So no worries there.
It is also possible, though... that if CSULB hasn't looked at it yet (which, in my mind, isn't the best thing, considering many are already giving acceptance to their admission), then others just aren't either.
I was rejected by American University on Saturday via snail mail. It upset me more than I thought it would, especially because I really questioned the CNF writing sample I sent there. (I applied in fiction everywhere else.) Anyway, judging by the fact that there was another American rejection a number of weeks ago and an acceptance on March 1st, it looks like they send out their decisions on a very rolling basis.
Great to hear about the program. It is sort of local for me but would be a commute. I will certainly reach out to you if I hear something positive.
@ Vanni
Hmmm. I applied 02/15 so I know I was late getting in my submission/application materials. That is an interesting approach - and then radio silence. Love that. Looks like a cool program and would be one of my top choices should I hear good news. I am crossing my fingers for you.
@ Ratliff (hope that was spelled correctly - cannot look at the post)
I wish frisking the mailman gave me some sort of relief but it doesn't. It just irritates my dogs. I wonder if my acceptances are lost in a virtual washing machine with my missing socks. I look at my spam filter everyday now hoping it is sandwiched between my drug coupons and watch replica offers.
@ Sud
I sure hope we hear this week. This is unbearable. Even I am losing interest in this process... as the hours sweep the days into months. Good luck to you!
first time posting on this blog, but i've been lurking for a while now. just wanted to add that i got the email rejection from hunter (for poetry) today which was expected but still slightly devastating (as it was the first peep i've heard from any school), but about half an hour later i got a financial aid e-mail from columbia college in chicago congratulating me on my acceptance. i did a follow-up phone call to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and a fluke it was not. phew! i'm glad i'm in somewhere.
still waiting on sf state and mills. i talked to someone at mills a week or two ago and i was told they were about two weeks behind on filing supplemental materials, putting the estimated response time at late march, early april. i'm pretty anxious to hear, as i'd be really psyched to be in the bay area.
congrats to all who have heard, and good luck to those still waiting!
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Thanks for the well wishes. Definitely a kickass way to start off the week.
@Laura T
Potential, indeed! I'm so glad you posted about your mail, otherwise, I wouldn't have thought to check :P Congrats again!
Florida applicants can check their status online beginning Friday...I'm taking that as a "Negative, Ghostrider. The pattern is full."
Well ASU may be on spring break, but I know they're in the office... I emailed a status check inquiry, but I emailed to the wrong person.
That person emailed me back, so I know they're in there!!!!
cuse, kansas, baylor, west virginia.
Congrats to everyone who got good news this morning! So exciting!! :)
The Emerson site is down for maintenance now (and I haven't been able to log in all morning...) so I'm still waiting...
unfortunately, i received a rejection from hunter online today. they sent an email that said my notification was available. :(
@laura,
does that mean that sarah lawrence has notified as well?
i definitely was hopeful this year, but i think i didn't really know how hard it would be to get in. it's disappointing, for sure, but also good to see so many people having success, and to know that i can try to work harder and improve.
@ daddy-o,
I was the mysterious early phone call acceptance from Sarah Lawrence on 3/2. I don't think there have been any other posted acceptances since then. According to DH, they usually notify by snail mail in the middle of March. I just got my official acceptance letter today (stuck in the mailbox next to the Emerson letter -- what an exciting day :D). But I wouldn't worry if you haven't gotten a phone call. My phone call acceptance was an early one.
So here's the dumb thing I did. I wasn't sure who at ASU to email, so I clicked through the staff list and sent three people the same email asking about my status.
They have all forwarded that email to the same person, so now I look like an obsessive moron.
Ah, well. What can you do?
p.s. I own the fact that I am indeed an obsessive moron.
waking up to an email from hunter to check my online status and then be rejected = LAME.
@Laura
Hot damn!! 2 acceptances in one day?
Not too shabby [:
@ people posting about Hunter online rejections,
What genre are you in? I applied for fiction have heard nothing (and don't see anything on the site).
Chelsea, yeah it's pretty exciting! :D I already knew about the Sarah Lawrence acceptance though, so it wasn't a shock! I did tear that envelope open to see if my financial aid letter was in there, though.
Oh, I also just got the Hunter online rejection. Poetry.
Also have heard nothing from Hunter (Fiction.) But have a feeling I'll be hearing something today; something not good, hahah.
for poetry. :(
i mean, poetry is :), but rejection is :(.
Hmm. Looks like Hunter is sending out rejections in waves. Guess we fictioners will get them soon enough. :o)
Also, congrats to all the people hearing good news! What a great way to start the week. You guys rock.
gracious. 9 am and already acceptances rolling in, rejections popping up...this is madness!
HUGE congrats to all who have gotten good news already this morning! Laura! Aah! fan freakin' tastic news, chica!
Likewise, HUGE hugs and condolences for those getting some disappointing news. Sigh. Such is the game, huh? Hang in.
I still haven't heard anything from U of A, and I'm relatively close to their program (Colorado), so maybe I just have a slow mail carrier...I expect I'll get back from classes this afternoon to at least one big fat 'no, f u.' letter.
Let the obsessive worry and small, continuous implosions of the heart/gut commence!
soooo if my understanding of whats been coming in the mail is correct, I could be getting rejections from Brooklyn, Arizona, Oregon and PSU today??? that sounds.... awful.
p.s not to be obsessive (whatever. why the pretense? we all are), but have any of the University of Arizona acceptees (specifically the non-fiction crew) seen updates to their online status? I've been checking their website for any changes to my status in their system, but have seen nothing. I'm sure this means nothing--just that the CW program hasn't communicated with the Grad School that I've been coldhard Deeeenied. Just curious. And torturing myself with false hope.
Ugh . . . two more days of torture. I've decided to make a decision by Wednesday. I can't take this anymore!
Happy Ides of March, people! :) today I'm sending out all Kinds of amazing vibes for mass acceptances! :) congrats to Laura T on landing her dream school today! I'd love to try the Bahston area! :) kudos 2u
Nadia, I was waitlisted by Arizona on Friday in nonfiction, and as far as I can tell my status hasn't changed in the online application system.
@ Emma & waitlisters
I haven't heard from anyone else in the Iowa waiting line on the poetry side... and am feeling a little bit, um, stressed out about it. Like, it's not quite good news. Not that I'm complaining!!!!!!
@ Emily S.
Can I ask what ASU said about notifying? I'm still "in review" and I've been antsy all weekend. Are they still actually reviewing or have they just not notified yet? eeeeeps!
Also, didn't somebody say last week that UNCG was supposedly releasing all their decisions today? Or did I dream that? (that's actually a possibility)
what's the link to the application status for university of arizona? thanks.
and imrenic, yes, by your posts from the past few weeks, you seem to be freaking out about iowa! calm, breathe, people have turned down iowa for not enough funding or smaller programs.
@Meredith
I heard the same (you're not going crazy) and am desperately praying that's the case!
What genre did you apply in?
fiction! what about you, Chelsea? I know I have practically zero shot at getting in, but UNCG is one of my favorites!! So it's hard not to get all excited... siiiigh....
@ Meredith and Chelsea
I seem to remember the UNCG post mentioning that decisions could come anytime between 3/15 and 4/15. Here's to hoping they all come through today! It would be nice to just know, one way or the other.
@Meredith
Applied in poetry. Would pretty much give up my (figmented) first born for a spot in their program.
It looks like we'll be gritting our teeth together this week, huh?
All New Yorkers and future New Yorkers,
My roommate is moving out April 1st. I have a huge apartment share in a townhouse in Brooklyn, two blocks from Prospect Park, 4 subway stops from Manhattan. Very reasonable. Email me for details: sublissimes(at)yahoo.com.
It would be great to share with another writer. I'll be going to Brooklyn College.
@Meredith:
Yeah, UNCG said they would start notifying on Monday March 15th. So much stress!
Just got snail mail saying I am high on the waitlist at Oregon.... I'm in total shock as I have been drowning in rejections.
Congratulations Coreyann!
Thanks UNCG friends! Hoping that they don't take their time letting us know..... I just want to KNOW already. How did I manage to choose a handful of programs that don't notify until so late? WHYYYYY?!?
Also - COREYANN! OREGON!? That's crazy-awesome!!!!!!
Congrats, Coreyann! I love starting my week with all this good news :)
@coreyann - Congrats! I thought Oregon had emailed waitlisters? Why oh why does my mail never come before 2pm?!
Also crossing my fingers to hear from UNCG today. Would be a great start to my spring break!
Grrr at Brooklyn too. Most likely a rejection, but I'm so stressed out waiting.
Congrats to all else who've made it into programs today!
I don't even know where to start.
I have a question- most of the classes at CUNY start so late (6:30 p.m), is there a minimum of courses you have to take each semester? What if I just take two (6 credits total) that would be part-time and still okay, or no?
I'd so hate having to commute late from one side of Manhattan all the way back to Coney Island (where I live.)
Lots of good news already! Congrats Laura T, Chelsea, Coreyann, Miss Parker, and everyone who has and will receive good news!
Waiting sucks, but to those who haven't heard anything good yet (or anything at all), don't let it get you down! Whether mfa-related or not, something good will come your way :)
In at Emerson for nonfiction!!! SO EXCITED!!! Found out online!!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!
CHRISSY!!!! YAY! We could be classmates! Congratulations!!
Problem with subscribing to both MFA Blog and Driftless House: I get confused and post good news in the wrong place.
After being frustrated with the website this morning, I did get into Emerson in fiction. :)
Congrats to everyone who heard good news and good luck to everyone who is waiting!
Coreyann, congrats on the waitlist for Oregon.
And congrats to Chrissy, LauraT and Chelsea!
Congratulations Coreyann and Chrissy
Congrats to Chrissy and Sarah!! Wooo!
Team Emerson may just have to take on Team TSU in the March madness finals, it looks like....
Congrats to the Emersonians!
Sometimes, when I'm visiting my family in Boston, I sit in Emerson's bookstore cafe and pretend to be a student there. It makes me happy that no one can tell I'm public school trash, hahaha. :)
Congrats Coreyann and all others!
YAY CHRISSY!
@ Emerson peeps,
Big Congrats all around! I'm in for poetry as well, and very excited.
But, now the big question of course - when/how do we find out about financial aid? Does anyone know?
Yay for happiness on monday...
@Sarah-I've applied for fiction. Let me know when you hear!
Hi everyone -
Just got an acceptance call from NYU (fiction)!
Congrats Rebecca!
A few of us NYU fiction peeps have an email thread going on -- drop me a line if you'd like to join our discussion!
smilingdropsofrain [at] gmail [dot] com
yippee for everyone who got into emerson! i got my big acceptance envelope in the mail today too! for poetry!
i am super torn though between emerson and umass boston program (found out i am one of the 5-6 accepted in their poetry mfa program). anyone have any good insight about both programs??? i really want to go to a program that will best prepare me to teach--umass boston was at the top, but now emerson has thrown a wrench in the works--thoughts???
those who got into emerson and are thinking about going--what is driving your thought process to go there over other schools...
ugh! who knew making a MFA program decision would be so difficult!
thanks to all and congrats to everyone who has gotten in somewhere and has made a decision!!
@Laura T -- Congrats to you, too! We COULD be classmates! How awesome! Wanna compare notes on Emerson off blog? Cjwid87 at hotmail dot com
Any other Emerson peeps are welcome to email me, too!!
Like Christina, I'm curious about people's thoughts on Emerson, only I'm in for fiction. Have other fiction people who have been accepted by Emerson and other places already decided on Emerson? Or have you chosen another program? If so, why?
And duh, CONGRATS to today's million acceptances! :D
Re: Emerson
I just called, and the very helpful people at the Grad Admission office said that merit award notifications would be sent out by mail this week and next week. They said if we do not receive anything in the mail, we can call after two weeks from today to ask about our financial aid status.
Hope that helps!
Any more news on NYU?
Congratulations to all of you acceptances! AMAZING!!
Congrats Laura T, Chelsea, Coreyanne, Chrissy, Sarah, and Miss Parker!
It's a big day today already!
@ Patrick
Tara called NYU on Friday, and they told her that they were still going through applications and will be notifying over the next few weeks (?!?!?!). That's for fiction, anyway...
More congraulations to Rebecca, Christina B, and Rosie!
CGSR Update.
I've been working the phones the past week or so to try to resolve the outstanding CGSR-compliance issues you all have been dealing with. Here are the updates:
Houston: Houston has confirmed its commitment to the CGSR and says that all admittees have until April 15th to make a decision -- and that there is absolutely no negative repercussion for requiring that much time to respond to its offer of admission (though for the sake of its wait-listers, it would appreciate the quickest response possible). I am hopeful that UH will be amending its acceptance-letter language in the future. Dr. Kastely says this clarification will also be made in follow-up phone calls to all admittees.
UNCW: UNCW has confirmed that the entire University has backed out of the CGSR and will not be complying with the CGSR going forward. The program says that it will add a notice to this effect on its website shortly. I will be following up to make sure this is done.
Johns Hopkins: JHU says that there was a miscommunication regarding how its acceptance notices were worded and that it has always complied and will continue to comply with the CGSR. All admitted students have until April 15th to render a matriculation decision.
Non-CGSR Signatories: Those of you who've looked at the Overall, Poetry, and Five-Year rankings recently will note that I've now highlighted all non-CGSR-compliant programs in red. TSE officially advises applicants not to apply to these programs because the result of getting an "exploding" or "poison pill" offer of admission is almost universally the same (and can be predicted in advance): heartache, confusion, anxiety, resentment, and -- not for nothing -- possibly hundreds or even more than a thousand dollars in wasted application fees (as an "exploding" or "poison pill" offer requires one to withdraw all outstanding offers of admission to accept the non-CGSR-signatory's offer; while an alternative option is simply lying to the programs, that's not something I'm ever going to advise that someone do nor will I structure the rankings to promulgate that sort of trust deficit between applicants and the faculties of programs they may well attend).
In the 2011 national MFA rankings, due out in late August, programs that do not comply with the CGSR will be noted and applicants will be warned about applying to them. I will also address this issue in the essay that accompanies the rankings. And these programs will continue to be "red-listed" in all TSE rankings until CGSR compliance is confirmed. (It's worth saying that, because of how the rankings are used by many applicants in forming long-lists, many if not all non-CGSR-compliant programs can expect to see a substantial drop in their rankings in 2012.)
I think applicants should note that only 6 of the top 64 programs are not signatories to the CGSR -- and only four programs overall which have any kind of decent funding whatsoever are not signatories. This should tell you something about what CGSR compliance indicates about a program. Funded programs and/or programs with strong national reputations among applicants are, almost to a one, CGSR signatories.
Best of luck to all,
Seth
@Megan,
Thank you thank you thank you for finding that out and letting us know!!!
Ugh, looks like out of 14 schools, all are rejections except Ole Miss (so far). Does anyone know when they're expected to begin notifying?
And is the definitive word on Vanderbilt that all acceptances have already gone out?
P.S. Some might wonder whether I'm going to contact every non-CGSR-compliant program in advance to give them notice of how their non-compliance is going to affect their future rankings. The answer is no. Not only because I don't have the time, not only because doing work absolutely for free has to have its reasonable limits, but because MFA programs have to be treated as the grown-ups -- often with billion-dollar endowments behind them -- that they are. If programs are not paying attention to the things applicants care about, and if that results in a drop in ranking, that's probably how it should be (and will either right itself over time or not). But the old system -- in which faculty members assessed peer institutions blissfully ignorant (or worse, dismissive) of any of the considerations applicants care about in choosing a program (funding, selectivity, location, transparency, a student-oriented culture, teaching load, et. al.) was a thousand times worse. The reality is that some programs will probably be briefly hurt by their good-faith tone-deafness re: the CGSR issue -- and, once they realize their error, will fix it immediately. Those schools will hopefully be un-red-listed prior to the 2012 rankings coming out (certainly, that gives a program months to fix the issue, when it only take a single phone call to the CGS). Other schools will, as I said, take a dive. But that's what program oversight is all about -- accountability. The long-standing AWP policy against ever ranking programs is what's made this sort of accountability possible. Because there should be absolutely no doubt about it: The primary reason I always get my calls taken by MFA directors is not because I'm special, but because the rankings provide a necessary leverage on programs to ensure they act ethically and as good citizens. Anyone who thinks this would have happened on its own has never tried to negotiate a policy change with a billion-dollar-plus-endowed institution of higher learning.
Best,
S.
Thanks Seth.
@ Eli,
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but earlier on this blog people said that all Vandy acceptees and waitlistees have been officially notified.
Hopefully someone else can tell you more about Ole Miss - also, if the waiting is getting to you, you could always call them and ask when they're going to notify.
did anyone apply to louisville?
if so, have you heard anything?
Congrats to everyone's good news!!
I got accepted to Columbia College poetry!!! My first YES!
It was very odd, because I received a financial info email saying offhand that I had been accepted. I called to make sure it wasn't a mistake mass email, because I hadn't received a call, but the administrator informed me that the timing was off and that I would receive a mailed letter with information about my official acceptance, along with any financial aid award info.
I'm figuring this is not a good sign re: funding since they would have called me if I won some amazing fellowship, right?
But regardless of whether or not I go, I'm just so happy to get some good news!
Best of luck to everyone in this crazy time.
Also @ Tara - I love that Top Gun quote! LOL.
Wow - congratulations Chrissy, Laura T., Chelsea, and Coreyann! Laura T, are you the one who posted a day or two back, hoping and waiting on Emerson? It's so great to hear you got in!
I'm sure I've missed somebody... congratulations to all this morning's (!!!) acceptees!
@duchess
Congrats on your Yes! Good for you [:
congrats, duchess!!! I'm glad you received some good news - I think it's cruel that some programs make us wait this long! :)
re. late notifications.
As a biased applicant, I too would like to see more schools notify early, say, the first week of Februaray (LOL!). But this is too much to ask. I guess if I were in Virginia's shoes, for example, I'd wait till late March or early April. Why work so hard to read hundreds of writing samples, hold meetings with readers and fellow faculty, and quickly contact my top candidates for offers and waitlist spots, if these same applicants are going to take their sweet old time to make a decision? Why give myself an ulcer in the process?
No.
I, too, will take my time. I will send out offers as close to the April 15 deadline (while giving candidates plenty of time to mull it over).
I like certainty. I like knowing that, after making offers, I will hear back from them within a couple of weeks, if not days.
If I'm going to bust my butt to make a decision on offers/waitlists, I want you to bust your butts to make a decision.
Well, that would be my mindset, that is, if I were a school like Virginia.
just got into emerson for poetry.
what a relief. this is my second time through this process and so far i had been waitlisted at two schools and i was beginning to worry.
no mention of aid yet which i need to figure out before i leave for a 2 month trip on thursday.
if anyone else is in at emerson feel free to email me -
david@davidwojo.com
woot
I find it funny that the admin/mods of this blog puts up a mailbag and then runs and hides.
It's not even a "blog" anymore. They're simply the doorman who lets everyone in, except that they're not even at the front entrance anymore.
Thanks so much megan and Chelsea! :)
RE: Hunter notifications
How have these rejections been dispatched, if you don't mind?
Cheers.
So, um... just got accepted to Stony Brook Southampton (in poetry). Email. Eep!
Thank you everyone for the congratulations!!! Yes, I was the one who posted a couple days ago, after the Emerson fiction acceptances were notified, pretty much saying "OMG EMERSON PLEEEASE." hehe.
@the duchess, congratulations! You're such a lovely writer, and I'm so glad to see you accepted. Emerson's a great program - congrats!
Woon:
One problem with waiting forever to notify is that some applicants will have choices, and should evaluate them as best they can. To make an informed decision, they may want to visit one or more programs. Schools notifying into April virtually preclude a visit, and if all schools did as you say they should, there would be almost no time for a well-reasoned, informed decision.
I'm not sure January/early February notifications are totally necessary, but I do believe a month or at least 3 weeks would be a courtesy that would alleviate stress on the behalf of both the students, who would know once and for all around mid-March, and program staff, who would no longer have to field the panicked inquiries of tortured applicants.
Also, all fellow Emerson acceptances!!! I emailed the financial aid office after I got my acceptance, and got a response a little while ago.
Emerson has its own financial aid form that you have to send by April 1, in addition to the FAFSA. The form is on the graduate financial aid website. I didn't know that it was required so I'm really glad the lady who answered the email told me!!
She said if you send that form by April 1, you should have a financial aid decision by April 10. Late :/ I wish I had sent that form sooner.
Laura T-- WHOA GIRL! Leave some acceptances for the rest of us! haha. At least you'll make a lot of waitlisters happy. ;).
Congrats to everyone else who heard from Rutgers, Emerson, NYU, CC, etc.
@ Laura T - girl, you're on fire! Big congrats!!!! I hope you've been celebrating so far, and plan to continue those celebrations this evening...
@ mountain king - big congrats to you, too! woot indeed!
@ Laura T, thanks for that info.
In this process, I TOTALLY missed the boat on financial info. I had never heard of this FAFSA thing until I started reading this blog, and I often didn't realize that I had to apply to a school's financial aid office AND the department's financial aid or TA programs. I'm not sure why I didn't understand this, but I thought it was all departmental. Which was a big mistake.
@Jasmine - true and well-reasoned, Jasmine. But I wonder how many actually go on visits? I personally never visited a single campus for undergrad, law school, and now, MFA. I will allow for the possibility that I'm not a representative sample of all MFA applicants though.
I think two weeks is a good enough time. If I were an MFA program, I guess I'd notify people around the end of March. If you want to visit, come and visit. If not, make up your mind pronto!
Mind you, I'm not advocating this practice. I was just trying to place myself in their shoes. As I said, I'd love to be notified in February, just so I can move on with my life. LOL!
Woon/Jasmine,
Another BIG advantage that programs notifying early have is that applicants will begin to fall in love with/become attached to a program. It's sort of unavoidable. While an applicant is waiting to hear back from other programs, he/she is no doubt talking to current students/professors, browsing craigslist, checking out meal plans, figuring out where the nearest organic grocery store is etc. etc.
Woon:
For undergrad I did a lot of visiting. And if I hadn't I would have made a huge mistake, twice over. I know visiting is difficult financially and in terms of time, but it's something some people still do, and frankly, we need more than two weeks' notice on it. And - it's not all about visiting. Sometimes contacting current students and parsing out insider aspects of the program takes a little time too.
We will just have to agree to disagree on the subject of late notifications.
OMG thanks for that info, Laura! I'm pretty sure they sent that form in the acceptance packet. I looked at it and was like, "WTF is this?" *flings it behind me* Now I'll send it out ASAP!
Going to chime in here to say that late notifications are a drag. And by late, I mean anything past today. It only gives us a month. I realize the process is what it is, but sometimes I think there's got to be a better way.
I know that I already said it earlier, but that was before you got yet another acceptance! Congrats, Laura T!!! You're rakin' 'em in :)
Congrats to all of you Emerson and NYU admits as well! I actually have a friend in Fiction @ Emerson right now and she loves it. And NYU is... NYU lol. Awesome news, everybody.
I can't wait to make a decision. The problem is that I can't make a decision until someone else makes a decision. There is also someone else who can't make a decision unless I make a decision. MFA Ouroboros!
@Laura
Another hearty congratulations! Big day for you, yay!
@Jasmine - I actually think you won't know how your life would've turned out had you NOT visited and picked some other school than the one you did. One can't know. It's the whole parallel universe thing.
@WanderingTree -- good point about the meal plan. Why waste brain cells on cooking/grocery shopping when your food will be ready and waiting for you every day? Woo Hoo!
BGSU - Fiction, high on the waitlist. Broke down and called the office, spoke to the director who was really nice. Now if only people would back out so I can get in! Hehe... seriously.
Congratulations to everyone whose gotten in!
Woon,
Not to hijack the thread or anything, but yes, I can know. I had made my decision before visiting. I didn't want to visit, I just wanted to go. My dad forced me to do the whole acceptance circuit, and while I was visiting choice #1, I found out it was a miserable place where I wouldn't have fit in. I'm glad I visited, so I could know.
This time around, I don't have choices. But I still visited, just in case I found out the school was a disaster. I learned my lesson the first time.
Emerson's accepted poetry students should be able to see their acceptance on the website today... I checked this morning and I got in! So excited and relieved.
@weighswithwords
Hunter rejections have been through email, notifying applicants to check their online application, where there is a link to a letter explaining the rejection.
I'm not sure how applicants are being admitted.
Has anyone contacted financial aid at TNS regarding other funding options?
I just spoke to a not-so-kind woman who basically told me I should just expect to take out private student loans. Yikes. I don't know if it's because I'm from Hawaii and I'm used to lots of aloha, but I was very turned off by her attitude.
Rejected by ASU--status check told me.
Rejected by Irvine--letter in the mail today.
Fiction.
@ xavier,
I don't know anything at all about TNS, but did you speak with someone at the Graduate School office or someone at your Department's office? Sometimes it can make a big difference which office you call. The general graduate school office, for example, might not realize that the MFA isn't the kind of program one usually takes out lots of loans for (vs., say, an MBA, where that practice is expected). Conversely, the department office might offer one kind of financial assistance (like a TA), but the general graduate school might offer other forms of financial assistance.
Where did Dreux go? :D
@ sara
yaaaay! congratulations!
Congratulations to all the Emerson acceptances!
I received a rejection from the New School but also an acceptance in fiction to Sarah Lawrence College!
I'm completely floored by it. They're expensive, but is it worth it? I still need to round up the last of my financial aid info, so we'll see if I get any funding.
Xavier,
This is a great case-in-point -- TNS is upset about their plummeting rankings and then they set up that woman as a virtual greeting-station. Not to mention that the "just take out loans" meme was played out, I dunno, like four decades ago. These days it seems many applicants who don't get funding simply don't go and apply again next year (which is the advice I've always given, personally). And those who do go sometimes come to this board after matriculation and say, "Wow, I wish I'd known about this board when I was applying!" One guy just posted on DH that when he paid $100,000 for his Columbia MFA he didn't even know there were such things as fully-funded programs...
Wait a minute...
{feigned shock}
...you mean Columbia isn't informing its admitted students of this?
;-)
S.
@Xavier
RE: New School Funding
I just saw today that TNS is adopting Federal Direct Loans, applicable next Fall. This means that every grad student applying, as I understand it, will be eligible for $20,500 per year dependent on need. Any surplus left over after your tuition bill is paid gets reimbursed to you on a semester-by-semester basis. Hope that helps..
congrats to all the acceptances today!!
I haven't heard anything but no news is good news, right?
And only 1 person has heard from Bennington and not from my genre so - that's not bad!
@www
I do think we have to be careful not to confuse the TNS stance on funding -- now or going forward -- with any kind of generosity. That TNS will allow admittees to go into a minimum of $41,000 in debt to attend the program is no kindness. Especially not when that amount leaves virtually nothing to live on. In New York City. For two years. While one is supposed to be writing full-time.
I admire the faculty at TNS, but I do want to emphasize that many of the NYC programs have for years advertised themselves in a way which tries to make the fact that these programs are largely barren funding-wise some kind of semi-virtue. E.g., we don't have any money (except for our faculty and administrators, who are compensated just fine thank you) but we warmly invite you to consider our generous menu of crippling-debt scenarios...
S.
Ouias, frankish - où est Dreux?
Wow, trillaload of acceptances already today. Congrats all. A special sidenotification to Laura T for getting, technically, three acceptances today :D
I haven't posted here yet but I'm been avidly reading everyone's good news, so I thought I'd add:
Accepted:
Chatham
Penn State
Rejected:
Alabama
Montana
Waiting for:
Indiana
Florida State
Virginia
Virginia Tech
All for poetry.
Congrats to everyone!
For all George Mason waitlisters:
I called today to follow up on being "midway" on the waitlist. The woman I spoke with said that there has been no change to the waitlist because they were on spring break last week, but if I call on Friday I should be able to get an update.
George Mason people have been so friendly. It has really put their school in a positive light with me.
Just thought I'd share :)
@Loans and NY
Yeah, when I talked to the director at Montana, who used to teach at TNS and who's from Brooklyn, she talked about how she left because she was constantly having to fight for students to get them ANY kind of money, and how everyone was constantly really tense about it, and how that just took a chunk out of concentrating on the writing, etc.
@Seth
Thank you so much for all of the work you're doing. It's so helpful!
@Everyone
CONGRATULATIONS! to anyone accepted and waitlisted, and waitlisters--it's not over until the end!
Seriously! Where IS Dreux? Guy's been missing for like 50 blog years already.
Additionally, received a FOL from Brooklyn today. A letter I think many others received like 1-2 weeks ago, saying "thanks for applying, your application has been forwarded..."
Ok.
Hi! I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on USF, Emerson, or Sarah Lawrence for fiction?
Any insights are greatly appreciated!
I’m looking for information about the programs at UMASS Amherst and/or UNH.
What are the pros and cons of each program? How do they compare?
I'd also love to exchange emails with any current and/or prospective grad. students at these programs -
Wildrivergreen (at) gmail (dot) com
So I know that Arkansas and UNCG are still mum on notifying for poetry, but I was curious if anyone had heard whether LSU and Ole Miss are finished notifying? I know it's been a while since the first acceptances went out, so I'm not expecting miracles, but would like some peace of mind one way or the other.
I wish I could make phone calls at work.
@Seth
I totally agree with you: TNS making $41,000 a year available through Federal Loans is by no means a generosity. I wouldn't present it as such, and I certainly didn't. I'm fully aware of the cost of living, the difficulties of obtaining a degree while paying rent, etc., having done this all in New York for some time already. The degree to which one would have to work, to fight for their experience, is very likely not advisable or welcomed by all.
I was simply providing factual information--not evaluating my own, or any else's situation; nor was I advising.
I'll certainly agree with the hypocrisy of barren-funding scenarios when coupled with inflated salaries for administrators.
And I'll also agree, already working and placed in New York City, that their faculty is pretty flippin' amazing. It's a decision I'm struggling with very much, myself. And while not trying to sway others in anyway shape or form, I was simply providing info sought by one in the community. My take is that adults can make decisions for themselves.
Most respectfully,
weighs
For UNCG-ers:
I emailed them and they said they would be communicating good and bad news "within the next couple of days" through "April 15th". Soooooo...?
I don't even know.
Has anyone heard anything regarding being shortlisted for Hunter's Poetry program?
Glad to see it's heating up after a slooooow weekend.
Congrats to all the Emerson folks, to Laura T for being on fire, to Miss Parker, to Coreyann for that kick-ass waitlist, to the ones I'm forgetting...
I'm still waiting to hear from Colorado State, Boise State, and Hollins, in fiction. And Coreyann's waitlist has got me hopeful that there's still a slight possibility of good news from Oregon, so we'll see (ha ha). Basically, I've gone insane.
Seth, as always, thank you for everything you do.
And seriously, where the hell is Dreux?!
@UNCG
My heart can't take much more of this cat-and-mouse game.
ARGH!!
But hey! Some people heard amazing news today. Congrats to all accepted/waitlisted. And guess what!? Today's only Monday.
All those left in purgatory. There's still a buttload of time :)
Still no word from Notre Dame...
does anyone have new news? I know 2 people have posted their acceptances. Just wondering if anyone has been notified that they were rejected.
Any info would be great :)
I don't usually comment on here, but I was lurking about today to see if anyone else will be heading to ASU (poetry) and I found a few of your questions. I'm not sure how to do the @ thing. I visited last week and I don't think they'd finished reading fiction manuscripts yet. Hope this helps calm some nerves, something I've not found to always be so true on these lists!
sara ellen,
if you were the one who got into ASU in mid-feb (according to driftless house), i'm fairly sure you're the only one. of course, many applicants don't read these blogs i'm sure.
I already posted on Driftless House, but in case some of you don't follow it, got rejected from Hunter via email (website update) and accepted to Sarah Lawrence via snail mail today.
Oh, that's for poetry, by the way.
I have a question that gets a little sticky, and I'm not sure to whom or how to address it. But, obviously there must be people who accept somewhere and then don't end up going for some reason. So I'm curious what happens if I accept somewhere that doesn't fully fund me, but then make it off the waitlist somewhere that does fully fund. As much as I hate to say it, I'd be inclined to retract my acceptance from the first school. Are we allowed to talk about this? Because I'm surprised it doesn't really come up. What are the consequences of this action for the first school? Is it mostly just annoying and burdensome or does it cause real difficulties?
Seth?
Are people still waiting to hear from Montana? It looks like people received rejection letters starting March 1.
I wonder if Montana keeps an unofficial wait-list like Syracuse, and I'm not going to hear anything until April. These programs are jerks!
Congrats to all the acceptances today. It's Monday Madness, apparently.
Where are people seeing their status on ASU's web site? I've checked several times and the only thing I see is "in review," which is what it has said since I submitted my application back in December.
@ amanda
If you're on a waitlist, and have been accepted elsewhere, why not wait until April 15 to make your decision (or sooner, if you end up getting off the waitlist)? I don't think it makes sense to accept now, before you have to, if you might change your mind later.
I have been accepted some places, but am also waiting for more information before i make a final decision. In my situation I know if would be in bad form to accept any offers at this point, knowing that I might change my mind. But perhaps there are details in your situation that we're not privy too... Did a school give you an ultimatum? Where you accepted at a school that did not sign the April 15th agreement?
Good luck with your decision making, and congratulations to all the acceptances today! Wowzers.
Hey guys, chiming in :)
@Courtney - have you been waitlisted at Notre Dame? I'm not sure why you're being cryptic :D but I hope you are!!! Good luck!
@people needing to apply again next year. I've been in contact with some "local" schools Central Florida and South Florida (about an hour away for me), both with MFA programs, and I found out that it is possible to apply as a non-degree seeking student and take GRADUATE level creative writing courses *pending approval of course*!!! AND, it is possible to audit those courses and not pay anything except for registration/application fees!! Awesome! This is pending approval, but for sure I'll be able to take an undergraduate fiction course over the summer online for no credit and possibly for free. Now, it's certainly no substitute for the degree itself, but it is a cheap, convenient, reliable method to better prepare for the next application season. Just thought I'd share to those who are looking for a workshop to prepare for next year - contact your local university :)
@ Emma: basically, one of the schools requested earlier notification, but is OK with waiting 'til the 15th. The other school said that they won't know whether I can get an assistantship until after the later in April. So I will have to accept likely before I know whether I can get funding.
:(
@amanda, Emma - I thought what amanda was asking earlier was: what if you had to make a decision by April 15 and, come April 15, you are still on the wailist at your preferred school? Presumably, there may be many people who will wait till the last minute to make a decision, in which case, schools may notify waitlisters that they've been accepted after April 15. Just a terrible situation to be in.
@ Minnesota State U @ Mankato folks:
I think there were two people who had TA interviews today. How did they go? Any news about the program you'd like to share?
@ Woon: Yeah, that's the big problem. Many people will be waiting until the 15th to make their choice, so presumably many programs will not be able to notify waitlisters until after the 15th if there are available spots.
@amanda - yes, that's what I thought you were asking. I don't think anyone is foolish enough to accept an offer BEFORE April 15 IF they are on a preferred school's waitlist.
Hi Amanda,
If you Google "CGS" and "Resolution" together, you should get a .pdf of the document, which addresses this issue. The short answer: The first program would have to give you a written release to attend the second, and the second wouldn't take you unless the first had done so, assuming both universities are CGSR compliant. As to whether the unfunded program in this instance would ever refuse to sign such a release, well, look at it this way: Who wants someone at their program that doesn't want to be there, especially if it was the program itself that caused the problem by not signing the release? It would destroy that program's reputation, poison the social and educational atmosphere of the program community, and likely lead to the student just dropping out anyway. Not to mention that the second, funded program would be steaming mad and most programs do try to be good citizens re: other programs' regard/esteem. &c &c. So these things do take care of themselves. Granted, I'm not saying the unfunded program in that scenario wouldn't try to give the admittee the hard sell first (maybe even rustle up some additional money, who knows; &c &c).
S.
@Amanda:
There is a great article that covers this problem...it actually addresses all possible outcomes of applying to an MFA: http://www.uni.edu/~gotera/gradapp/results.htm
I highly recommend it.
But basically this is what he says regarding your dilemma: "When you get this new offer with funding, you may have already accepted an offer (without funding) from a different school. The new funding offer will give you grounds to shift schools. Simply contact the graduate director of the school you've accepted and explain that a late funding offer has been extended by another school. Respectfully ask to be released from your acceptance. Chances are quite good the school will release you. Most — probably all — programs won't want a disgruntled student in their hallowed halls. In any case, make sure you get the release in writing.
Note: this is a different ethical situation from the one described at the end of the previous section. In that scenario, we were comparing two offers with funding. In this scenario, we're comparing no funding with some funding; you are still legally bound to the first school you accept, but that school will most likely release you from that legal bind. Just be honest with all parties involved. (Again, some may disagree ... it's your call.)"
@ Seth & Ena:
Thank you so much for this information. I really really appreciate it. Now I just have to figure out how to choose between unfunded programs... ;)
@Seth
Quick question, if you would. Does the same need for contractual release still stand if the school you initially signed on with is not CGSR compliant? Would the only loss then be the initial deposit?
Many thanks!
re. reneging an earlier offer
I think if you've accepted a funded offer from School A and then decide to change your mind to take a different funded offer from School B because you got off School B's waitlist (and School B is, like, your dream school and shit), then it's a different story. Personally, I would not sympathize with the applicant. The applicant took a risk that School B will not come through. And lost. Suck it up.
For example, Wendy Writer got into UC Irvine but is on Iowa's waitlist. Wendy thinks she'll never get off Iowa's waitlist so she accepts UC Irvine's offer. Then, Iowa notifies her she's been accepted. I'd say, Wendy, you made a decision. It was a calculated risk you took that Iowa would not make you an offer. You lost. Move on to UC Irvine.
Wow, you guys are KILLING it these days. Huge congratulations to everyone getting good news!!!
My own good news is that I just got a call from Montana telling me I've received funding and a TA -- so for those of you on waitlists -- waitlists can lead to good things. Don't lose hope.
(That said, I'm on the waitlist for Oregon - by email about a week ago - and hope feels a lot more like desperation sometimes. Against my better judgment I've been looking at photographs of Eugene and am positively pining for the rivers and the aging hippies.)
-- the other Emma
Emma, I hope this isn't too personal, but is there any way for me to read your writing sample? I'm not trying to compare, I'm trying to get an idea for "fit" and I'd like to see a sample that got accepted into UF and waitlisted at Iowa. No judging, I promise :) I just want an idea for the future when I reapply. You can email me at kbritten (at) yahoo (dot) com if interested. Thanks!
Hi all,
I disappeared for a while because following this, and everyone's much-deserved acceptances, was too painful as I was only hearing bad news and many many assumed rejections.
I just got a text from a friend that I received a letter for a waitlist spot for the New School. I doubt I'll get in, nor can I afford to go there, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that it's nice to get some type of recognition. (Damn me for going balls out and ONLY applying to top-tier schools. I mean, I considered Oregon as a safety! I've got moxie, but not a comparable application.)
I don't think I'll apply to MFA programs again anytime soon. And I'm working on a Plan B/C/D/W that's supposed to morph into a Plan A. Good luck to everyone else in their endeavors.
PS Me and the chocolatier... got biblical. And now we're dating.
@Woon
True, it is a bet, however, I agree with the article I mentioned above in response to Amanda's post. "This is your LIFE" and unlike job employers, grad programs have people lined up they can just call who would be all too happy to accept.
Yeah, sucks that things didn't play out and one has to back out of their contract, but hell, this is 2-3 years of your life and influences the rest of your career, so do what you want.
Hope it's gooey, pencore! Good luck..
Re: taking a late offer
I'm with Ena. If you think about it in terms of promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of applicants and attendant faculty members, not only are you (1) making yourself happier, (2) perhaps making your prospective classmates at school number one happier, who would have to deal with someone who might be less than enthused because she turned away from her dream school,you're also (3) making those faculty members happier at school number one for the same reason, and, finally, (4) you're making someone else's next two years, giving someone who's presently on a list and perhaps not too happy about it, someone who might not have gotten in, someone who has to be potentially ready to receive a call until the month of August the chance of a lifetime she didn't think she had coming to her. That sounds like an awful lot of happiness to me!
And, well, like Ena said, it is your life.
I just received an email notification from Rutgers-Newark that I'm in for fiction. Has anybody heard anything regarding funding from them yet?
And congrats to all those acceptances today! Sure feels good after the long wait, no doubt.
welcome back, kaybay
A big fat congratulations to all the happy writers today! So glad to hear some good news finally.
I eagerly hope to join those accepted to NYU, Emerson and Rutgers. Pretty please.
@Abbie :D I'm still on "hiatus" but I had to share my cool ass news for those coming back next year!
@And congrats Frankish! You thought you wouldn't get in anywhere, boy do you look silly now :)
@Emma
Congratulations! I had my fingers crossed!
@ Zoulou
I don't know if I'm going to be attending UNT or not. I live in TX, my family's here, which paradoxically makes me want to stay AND leave. It just depends on the news I receive from other programs so I can compare... I haven't gotten any other acceptances OR rejections yet. Frustrating!
@ all
This might not be related to this blog, but with the talk about Emerson, I thought I'd bring it up: Anybody apply for the Writing and Publishing program @ Emerson and/or hear news? All of this talk about notifications in other genres is making me antsy! Also, anybody have knowledge in regard to how closely the program works with creative writing? I've read on here before that a lot of the same classes are offered, but I wanted to get yall's (please excuse that word) take on it.
just to update, I've been waitlisted at notre dame and accepted to calarts, after a long and excruciating silence. also, rejected from arizona by mail. good luck to everyone else, and congrats on recent acceptances/waitlists!
@weighswithwords - I like the "happiness" argument. Can't find much fault with it if it's a win-win for everyone. However, for these lucky people who're sitting with one funded offer and waiting on another funded offer and trying to decide whether to gamble on one school vs. another, I don't think the emotional states are reduced to "happy" vs. "miserable." If an applicant is "stuck" with going with one funded offer and missing out on another, he/she may still be happy (or perhaps content). I don't think they'll be miserable.
But I hear your "It's my life" argument.
I would think, though, that people can be guided be ethics, too. I don't mean to be all righteous about it. After all, I'm no churchgoer and I beat up little Ben Macafee in the 5th grade because he looked at me funny. It's just that, when you gamble, at the time of your gamble, you know fully well what you are doing. You have your wits about you and you've said to yourself, "This is what I'm going to do and I hope it works out." And if it doesn't, are you the type to say, "I don't like the way it turned out. Let's do a rewind" ?
Stop me before I hurt myself...
I have been out for the past few days, and was wondering if we know whether or not Houston is done notifying for fiction. I was in a pretty bad car accident on Saturday night. We got T-boned by a drunk driver at a 4-way intersection. Everyone is fine; we had some very special people praying for us. It's all fodder for the writer in me, right? Anyways, any information on Houston would be much appreciated.
...damn, lots of grammatical errors in my last post. This place needs an edit feature.
@sahaider---Wow, so glad everyone is okay.
@christina b
(from a few pages back)
Congrats on getting into Emerson! I'm in at UMass Boston too, and was hoping to compare notes. Shoot me an email at nattyish at gmail.
congratulations to everyone who got news today- seemed like quite the explosion.
so far-
accepted - emerson
wait list - syracuse, george mason
rejected - alabama, austin
nada - indiana, carbondale, urbana, v-tech
if anyone who got into emerson wants to chat, email me at david@davidwojo.com - this thursday night i'm leaving the country for a few months, so i'd love the chance to talk before hand.
@ Woon - That just cracked me up! I dig what you're saying--absolutely. And I might be morally reprehensible. But I'm just of the mind that being so concerned about the minutia of moral claims as they pertain to accepting an offer from an MFA program and how that plays out for others might keep me blinded to moral claims in the wider universe that better deserve my attention and energies.
Cheers, man, hope you gave that turd Macafee what he had coming!
I just got into Columbia for play writing! Woo! So excited!
@ Laura T: I'm so happy for you! Your poetry is beautiful and deserves all this attention. I can't wait to hear what you decide!!
@Ena: Thanks for the link. I'm also in Amanda's boat (currently unfunded spot vs. wait-list). For all parties, this is a "rational" decision-making process. That is to say all parties make the decision which provides them the best outcome. It behooves everyone to take the best possible offer for them while still behaving, as Seth put it, as a good citizen.
I received a beautiful and encouraging email from Colorado State's program director (my waitlist). Their faculty and staff has been lovely and helpful at every turn. I'm determined it'll turn into a formal acceptance and when it does, I'll gladly accept their offer. That is unless Houston comes through with a late offer ;).
Has anyone heard anything from Mills College or Saint Mary's?
@Kara - From what I've read, all those schools on your list have already notified people -- various combinations of acceptances, waitlists, and rejections. That's not to say they're done. Did you check Driftless House?
Hello all! I've been stalking out this blog for weeks now. I applied to three low-res programs (VCFA, Bennington, Warren Wilson) all for fiction. I haven't heard a wee peep from any of those folks since the emails confirming receipt of my application materials.
I am not freaking out. I cannot decide whether I'd rather be dumped via calling or emailing for a status update. I'd really prefer to be let down gently in an old fashioned Dear John letter. It's perfectly OK. I'm 22. I'll just sit here and pay my astronomical undergrad debt in peace and quiet until next MFA season.
So basically I'm freaking out. So much so that I've broken my vow of internet silence in public arenas to post this wicked lame comment.
Aratliff-I've also applied to those three schools. I got a rejection from VCFA dated Feb.25th, although I have noticed that others have been accepted after that date.
Good luck and let us know when you hear.
@Franny - Fort Collins has a magical appeal, which I'm sure you already know. I'm excited for you!
@Sud- I've totally seen your comments before and have been rooting for you to hear good news!
I really hope for the best for everyone here- you all see pretty chill :)
@Kara - honestly, I don't know why you haven't heard. I'm the wrong person to ask about whether you should call or email. Many in this blog community would advocate you contact them. It's totally up to you. I don't think calling/emailing would hurt your candidacy, if that's what you're worried about. I think all you'll do is just upset the busy admin assistant.
Franny,
are you fiction or poetry? I'm waiting to hear about a GTA at CSU, hard to tell if it's possible or not. If the GTA doesn't come up, I'll most likely go to U. Washington (Seattle). I wanted to second your thoughts about CSU. Everyone I've talked with has been exceptionally friendly, and it does seem like a great writing environment. I wish you the best of luck! and maybe we'll even be classmates next fall. feel free to email me. and I'm poetry.
mickeyperformancepoetry(at)gmail(dot)com
@mickey - I think Franny's poetry.
Congrats to all you Emerson and Sarah Lawrence acceptances! You’ve certainly earned it. I am so glad this Monday was good to some people. And thus begins another week…
@Woon, I also agreed with your doorman analogy for the blog “keepers” – it gave me a chuckle.
@Xavier, just had to add that you, too, gave me a chuckle with your “I’m from Hawaii and used to lots of aloha”
@JillianLauren Thank you for the George Mason information, that’s so wonderful to hear! I appreciate you sharing the information, and I will have to call Friday and see what I learn. I was also encouraged by your use of “midway” – maybe all of us are “midway,” which makes it sound a little better than it did when I first read it ☺
and @Ena, thanks for biting the bullet and checking with UNCG! You guys are good…
@kaybay You had wonderful advice with the local classes. I’ll certainly keep that in mind in case I don’t get in this year! Thank you for sharing it…
Woon: It's a very nice place; it has everything you could ask for in a college town. Are you leaning toward that choice?
So far, they've won my congeniality award. Every staff and faculty member has been warm and positive. They're organized, on time. They're responsive. I can't same the same for the other programs to which I applied.
Mickey! Yes, I'm a poet. Matt Cooperman mentioned many other income-generating possibilities (tutoring, writing center and so on). These don't have tuition remission attached to them like the GTA, but it's something.
Glad we're in touch! I'll email you off blog.
@ Ratliff
@ Sud
I am with you both - have not heard from VCFA, Warren Wilson, Bennington, Pacific, UCR, UNO (all low-res programs), UAA (applied really late) and Chapman and Cal State Long Beach. I am poetry.
I bully the mailman, refresh every couple of seconds and check the phone lines to make sure they are working. Oh, and of course manically check this blog and others...can we say super-FREAK. Good luck to you both~
@ Kaybay,
I don't know if you're reading things here still or if you're back on haitus, but I wanted to let you know that I did something very similar to what you are describing - I took a bunch of graduate-level workshop-style writing classes after college, that I had to be accepted into. It REALLY helped me gear up my portfolio - in fact, I probably could have used at least one more, but I might try to take one over the summer before actually starting my MFA. For me, this type of class was categorically more helpful than other types of writing classes.
Has anyone been accepted at Arizona State for fiction yet, or are they just rejecting people as they read aps, Michener Style?
Driftless House shows a poetry acceptance but nothing for fiction. If they are fielding rejections before acceptances, it seems odd that they'd only now getting to the first rejections.
@ Ali- I wish I could bully my mailman. Mail comes by my house at noon, while I'm at work. The only emails I'm getting is from Boss of Job #2. Good luck to you too, Ali :) They can't keep us waiting forever- we'll know by the end of April at least, right?
@Rutliff
@Ali
Sending my good wishes to you both. Perhaps by the end of the week?
@Ali
I haven't written on here, mostly because most of my programs have been silent (I'm in poetry).
I will tell you, however, that I am a student at Cal State Long Beach, and would be more than happy to give you information about the program. Really, the faculty rocks. I cannot say enough about them. I can also talk to you about the area.
But... I can also tell you that as of 2 weeks ago I talked with one of the professors on the panel, and she said they had not even looked at their applications yet... So no worries there.
It is also possible, though... that if CSULB hasn't looked at it yet (which, in my mind, isn't the best thing, considering many are already giving acceptance to their admission), then others just aren't either.
@ Ali
I'm in poetry and applied to UCR. Received an email from them on 02/17 stating that I'd been "recommended" for admission, and that's about it.
Congrats to everyone with good news!
I was rejected by American University on Saturday via snail mail. It upset me more than I thought it would, especially because I really questioned the CNF writing sample I sent there. (I applied in fiction everywhere else.) Anyway, judging by the fact that there was another American rejection a number of weeks ago and an acceptance on March 1st, it looks like they send out their decisions on a very rolling basis.
@pencore, Awwwwww yeahhhhh... (congrats!)
@sahaider, I'm glad everyone's ok! I'll cross my fingers for you and Houston.
@ espy
Great to hear about the program. It is sort of local for me but would be a commute. I will certainly reach out to you if I hear something positive.
@ Vanni
Hmmm. I applied 02/15 so I know I was late getting in my submission/application materials. That is an interesting approach - and then radio silence. Love that. Looks like a cool program and would be one of my top choices should I hear good news. I am crossing my fingers for you.
@ Ratliff (hope that was spelled correctly - cannot look at the post)
I wish frisking the mailman gave me some sort of relief but it doesn't. It just irritates my dogs. I wonder if my acceptances are lost in a virtual washing machine with my missing socks. I look at my spam filter everyday now hoping it is sandwiched between my drug coupons and watch replica offers.
@ Sud
I sure hope we hear this week. This is unbearable. Even I am losing interest in this process... as the hours sweep the days into months. Good luck to you!
hey all--
first time posting on this blog, but i've been lurking for a while now. just wanted to add that i got the email rejection from hunter (for poetry) today which was expected but still slightly devastating (as it was the first peep i've heard from any school), but about half an hour later i got a financial aid e-mail from columbia college in chicago congratulating me on my acceptance. i did a follow-up phone call to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and a fluke it was not. phew! i'm glad i'm in somewhere.
still waiting on sf state and mills. i talked to someone at mills a week or two ago and i was told they were about two weeks behind on filing supplemental materials, putting the estimated response time at late march, early april. i'm pretty anxious to hear, as i'd be really psyched to be in the bay area.
congrats to all who have heard, and good luck to those still waiting!
Happy for all who got good news today! I would take any news really. I'd probably sell my kidneys for all my rejections to arrive at once.
Does anyone know how Irvine relays rejections? I've only seen them say email notification will come if accepted, and silence is all I've had.
I am in for Lesley University for poetry. Wooooo!
I spoke to the director for 45 minutes. He's very easy-to-talk-to.
Lesley has an interdisciplinary part of its program, where I can take teaching classes as well, even though it is a low-res program.
Well, I was 1/3 (also applied to UMass Amherst and Brown). Is anyone going to Lesley for the June residency?
UNT=rejection. Yuck. Hurting.
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