Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Examples of Application Letters?

Great Week here on the MFA Blog. Keep those posts and comments arriving!

Would anyone be willing to post their application letter? See the question below:

My name is Liam and I'm applying to do an MFA here in Ireland. I'm currently working on my personal statement and, like many others, I'm finding it quite difficult deciding what to write. I'm just wondering has anybody got any examples of personal statements that have been successful, that you could possibly send to me? I've read through the MFA blog which has been very helpful but I'd really to see some 'finished products', particularly ones that have helped earn students places. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

35 comments:

Andrew P said...

e-mail me andrewdpayton AT gmail.com.

I'll share the statement that got me accepted to University College Dublin.

James Cooney said...

Hi all,

I've posted my personal statement over on my blog -- so far it's helped me get into Wash U. and Vanderbilt (not Austin, though).

There I also included a link to an early draft with edits from a Driftless House consultant (very helpful), and links to examples of my *academic* statement and my *teaching* statement, though as yet these are not "proven" in that they I haven't been accepted anywhere that I've used them -- hopefully that changes soon!

Unknown said...

I'd share, though I rewrote mine each time for each school (so much for saving effort!), especially since they all have such hugely varying requirements. Email me at zak at tentacle dot net if you're interested! (Oh: and if it helps, I applied in fiction to Brown, Cornell, Syracuse, Iowa, Michigan, Oregon, Johns Hopkins, Wyoming, Montana, Irvine, UT/Michener, Minnesota, and UMass Amherst)

Unknown said...

Oh, and I should also add that as of Feb 15 I have not been accepted anywhere yet, so WALLOPING grain of salt you should take with my offer.

Kat said...

Feel free to email me at kelewin [at] gmail [dot] com, if you'd like to read the personal statement that rather miraculously got me into University of Alabama. This process is majorly stressful; glad we can pool resources to help each other out!

Lisa Meerts said...

I'd be happy to share mine. I've been accepted at Eastern Washington -- but no where else. Yet. I hope. Anyway, email me at lmeerts (at) gmail (dot) com.

Anonymous said...

I would be willing to share the personal statement that helped me get into the fiction program at Washington University in St. Louis.

Email: rhoilesfarrell at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Anyone can email me at lauren.trembath.neuberger@gmail.com. Like Zak, I rewrote mine for every school because of the wildly different length and topic requirements. In general though, there is a 2 page version, a 500 word version, and a 300 word version.

I've been accepted to South Carolina, Alabama, and Wyoming in nonfiction and rejected from Kansas. I also applied to Ohio State, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, Montana, Georgia College, and Colorado but I haven't heard anything yet from them.

Unknown said...

Also, two of the acceptances actually mentioned things I wrote about in my statement, so it seems that they matter a bit more than I originally supposed.

Azlan said...

Since losing my campaign for State Senate in 2006, I’ve continued my education in journalism, digital authoring, and creative fiction. I studied dramatic literature and theatre in London, workshopped with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and traveled across
Europe.

When I came home I found that I wouldn’t be able to continue my education for financial reasons. The 2008 financial crisis and Michigan’s painful budget deficits were catalysts for cuts in higher education, and the funding packages that made my formal writing education possible were no longer available. Because I was no longer a student, I also lost my student employment at the MSU Writing Center.

The next few months were difficult and depressive, filled with self-pity and box wine. I had depended on food assistance and charity because work was very difficult to find, especially in Michigan. I felt like I had really gotten screwed out of a second chance at success in a new life. The truth is though, it wasn’t my second chance. It was at least chance number one hundred. In light of that it became clear that nothing was more out of reach than before.

Last summer, I set out to do these M.F.A. applications, buying G.R.E. study guides from a bookstore that had recently hired me. I worked on my fiction as much as I could in the 60 hours, six days a week I was working between bookselling and substitute teaching. And then I was fired.

My boss gave me some bit about how bookstores are struggling,and that I was the newest full time hire, and that she was very sorry and hated that part of her job. She was sincere, she cried and put her arms on me, but I didn’t feel any less
fucked.

I was afraid that my girlfriend would grow tired of my seemingly endless string of failures and hardship, and throw me out of our apartment and into project housing, or worse, my parents’ house.

Losing my job at the bookstore has been the best thing for my fiction, and even though it only happened three weeks ago. I’m collecting unemployment, working as a substitute teacher, and covering a political beat freelance for a few local publications.

My education and background might not make me an obvious candidate for an esteemed creative writing program, but I am now starting to make a living as a writer.

I want to earn an M.F.A. from Michigan’s creative fiction program because it will
offer an environment that will give me the time, space, and resources to write and develop serious literary fiction. The financed M.F.A. program may well be the best place for a writer to draw upon past experiences and apply them to the craft of writing as high
art.

The program at Michigan in particular rewards creativity and experimentation in such a way that is very well suited to a non-traditional aspirant such as myself.

johnmillerm said...

This article has great reference value, thank you very much for sharing, I would like to reproduced your article, so that more people would see it.

Buy Coursework Online, Coursework Writing Service, Assignment Help, Buy Assignments, Assignment, Online Assignments, Buy Assignments Help

DisplayedName said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
x said...

@DisplayedName

That SoP is just laughable. He doesn't know exile.

DisplayedName said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
college consulting said...

Great Post. Please visit our website for college consulting , Freshman and Transfer College Admissions Consulting | San Francisco Bay Area

myessaypro1 said...

This is a great blog. We are just starting to blog about our office and I look forward to seeing the new site!
Nice Post. Please visit our website for essay editing

Unknown said...

Blogs Very informative article. I've found your blog via Yahoo and I?m really glad about the information you provide in your posts. Thank You for sharing this very informative article... Regards


Dissertation Writing || Dissertation Writing Services

|| Dissertation Editing Services

|| Cheap Dissertation Writing || dissertation formating services

Custom Paper Writing || Assignment Help || Buy Dissertations Online || Cheap Essay Writing

gfive said...

Thanks for sharing, I will bookmark and be back again









Coursework Writing

Unknown said...

You really don't have to worry! Personal statement demands clarity of mind and thoughts. You just have to be more positive; do your homework and prepare the best statement. Have a look at some college personal statement examples. I am sure they are going to help you :)

bradshawjohn said...

I admire your unique way of writing especially the style of using the idioms and phrases which is mind-blowing. I hope you will not mind if I adopt this style of your. Many thanks.
Business plan writing services

clientconnect said...

From your blog it seems that you are en expert of writing article. Your contents are amazing and facts are true. I agree to all of your points that you have mentioned.

Custom Essay Writing

clientconnect said...

Wow!! This is something I was searching for many days. My thirst has been quenched now after reading your article. I am highly thankful to you for writing this article.
Professional essay writers

johnsohn1 said...

Hello there. Got a problems with approval essay to ielts here is good composition producing assistance essay-writing-place.com. No longer waste your time! Get designed essay now!

aliyaa said...

niec

Expertise for Hire said...

I must appreciate your great bravely of sharing your predicaments with us on this blog, and for sure is i was a pro in writing a personal statement i would have shared with your instantly but for sure writing a personal experience wont be a problem once you have our support. We offer the most professional personal experience writing services, our very reliable experts shall handle your work to maximum satisfaction.
finish my personal experience essay

KentMorris said...

Thank you so much for sharing. Your content was very helpful. You are a marvelous writer. Good work!Best Admissions Essay Help

Allen jeley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Allen jeley said...

Your writing letters topics really very important today every one want thanks for share it hr assistant cover letter .

Anthony Kishko said...

How did it work out?

Anthony Kishko said...

How did it work out?

Unknown said...

The example of application letter you have provided is very useful and this blog is a great refference for biginners they are just make an entry to the creative writing world. Thesis writing service is also a best place to buy creative papers.

Assignment Help said...

I really appreciate the kind of topics you post here. Thanks for sharing us a great information that is actually helpful. Good day!  Assignment Help

Unknown said...

It is a good opportunity to make yourself known and announce your desire to study in that particular institution. If you do not know how to present your qualifications effectively in a cover letter, below you will find some useful recommendations. To help this happen, students use online writing services https://best-writing-service.net/college-cover-letter.html.

James said...

Yahoo. It's amazing that you can find all of these services, but now, this industry is growing at an amazing rate. Best Essay Writing Service in UK

i4 Acmmos Media said...

search engine marketing agency
i4 Acmmos Media is a search engine optimization company that provides comprehensive search engine marketing results. Leading UK search engine optimisation company. Contact The i4 Acmmos Media today for a free SEO review.

Contact us at info@i4acmmosmedia.com or call us at +44 20 8432 4513 for more information.