Poets & Writers Speakeasy: Writing and Publishing: MFA Programs: The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???: Page 245

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cecilpeoples

Feb 27, 2010, 5:17 PM

Post #6101 of 6267 (11481 views)
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Re: [mcaten02] Still waiting... [In reply to]	Can't Post

about half of those schools made offers. two blogs to follow:

http://creative-writing-mfa-handbook.blogspot.com/

http://driftless-house.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-cw-mamfaphd-application-responses.html

bergdalea
Abbie J. Bergdale

Feb 28, 2010, 8:40 PM

Post #6102 of 6267 (11305 views)
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Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

In lieu of everything that's been happening with UNCW lately, I've been thinking...and I'm sure this has already been a thought before, I just wanted to vent a little I guess.

What if, instead of this April 15th deadline of sorts, that gives schools ALL this time from Jan-April, really...why couldn't we have a week, say the first week of March--where all schools were required to notify. Acceptances, Waitlisters, Rejections...Day 1-First round acceptances. Day 2-Second round from people who declined their first offer. Day 3-acceptances off the waitlist, etc. And say...all students had to accept or decline by that Friday...or even the next Friday. Say, perhaps, that acceptances could be offered past this notification week, but that they would be simply "extra bonuses", if you will, for people who may not have accepted a previous offer...I don't know...I do know that there are flaws in my theory. It just seems to me that there should be a less-stressful way to go about MFA acceptances, rather than this four-month span of maybe-so's and what-if's.

Okay, I'm done. :) Hope this week proves to be kind to all.

Zuleika Dobson

Feb 28, 2010, 11:17 PM

Post #6103 of 6267 (11250 views)
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Re: [bergdalea] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

For all the poets out there...

Edward Hirsch: "Do MFA programs hurt poetry?"

http://bigthink.com/ideas/18770

"Every spectator is a coward or a traitor."

jmmacleod
Jason Michael MacLeod

Feb 28, 2010, 11:52 PM

Post #6104 of 6267 (11220 views)
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Re: [Zuleika Dobson] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

I had Ed Hirsch for a class at Grinnell College in 1996. 1995? This makes me feel older (and less successful) than dirt, but I remember his attention to every poem in workshop and all of his friends and acquaintances he brought to the corn filled middle of Iowa that semester: Philip Levine, Sharon Olds, Li-Young Lee, Robert Pinsky, Mark Strand, etc., and then the most wonderful after-party at an undergrad�s residence who had lingerie hanging on the wall of her apartment as an art project. I also remember the week he disappeared to Poland to interview Wislawa Szymborska who had just won the Nobel Prize for Poetry. That experience is pretty much the reason I slogged through an M.A. then M.F.A. in poetry.

Jason Michael MacLeod

bluepoet1

Mar 1, 2010, 9:55 AM

Post #6105 of 6267 (11153 views)
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Re: [Zuleika Dobson] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

Received a letter from USC Columbia!

Thank you for sharing that clip (BigThink w/ Ed Hirsch)! I think with any program, you have to consider all the risks and hopes that your hard work will pay for it. However, if you read about the lives of some of the great poets like William Carlos Williams, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, Wallace Stevens �most poets had other professions, or worked other jobs and still studied their craft. That's why it's so important to have funding (funding!!). I cannot stress this enough, when listening to my advisors who attended some excellent programs ten or fifteen years ago, there was less of a pool, but still competitive. Now with the economy, I think students or people reevaluating their lives are saying, "Yes, I can write poetry or fiction �the job market is bad right now." This is problematic for serious writers of the art. Programs are flooded with so many applications now than ever before. There are more programs out there, more low residency programs and now PhD's in Creative Writing. I am still waiting to hear from several MFA schools and PhD. Funny you should mention UNCW. Now, listening to some of these responses I think that this unfortunate. I also applied for poetry, just because of the reputation and the location because I have a family to consider when making a decision. What about UNCG? Has anyone heard anything from their program or received any offers like this? Again, thank you for sharing.

rebarusset

Mar 4, 2010, 3:51 PM

Post #6106 of 6267 (10850 views)
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U of Florida (Poetry) [In reply to]	Can't Post

All U of Florida poetry acceptances have been offered (likely yesterday, by email) and poetry waitlisters have been notified. That's about 8 people total.

I thought this might be helpful.

Good luck everyone.

(This post was edited by rebarusset on Mar 4, 2010, 3:52 PM)

WanderingTree

Mar 4, 2010, 5:58 PM

Post #6107 of 6267 (10801 views)
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Re: [jmmacleod] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Jason,

Shout out from another Grinnellian! - class of '04. I had Brenda Hillman and Robert Haas for workshop when I was there. I'm all fiction now though.

(This post was edited by WanderingTree on Mar 4, 2010, 6:06 PM)

jmmacleod
Jason Michael MacLeod

Mar 4, 2010, 6:47 PM

Post #6108 of 6267 (10763 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

I drove down from Ames when they did their reading together. Small world!

Jason Michael MacLeod

riptide

Mar 4, 2010, 11:36 PM

Post #6109 of 6267 (10700 views)
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Re: [jmmacleod] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

Another Grinnellian here, so I just had to chime in. Jason, I think we were actually in workshop together maybe, with Mark Baechtel? I'm Tarah Dunn, not sure if you'd remember...

jmmacleod
Jason Michael MacLeod

Mar 4, 2010, 11:54 PM

Post #6110 of 6267 (10689 views)
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Re: [riptide] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

Wild! Another few Pioneers and we can have a Harris party. I believe it is HopperFu who posts on here that went to Grinnell as well. When I started my MFA at Montana one of my fellow classmates had gone to Grinnell, but we had missed each other by a summer (I graduated then she started college the following fall).

(For those reading and wondering what the big deal is, we all went to a very small school in a cornfield hence we get excited easily).

Jason Michael MacLeod

NickMcRae
Nick McRae

Mar 6, 2010, 9:28 AM

Post #6111 of 6267 (10549 views)
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Good news? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to let any interested parties know that I just declined the poetry spot at Northern Michigan's MFA program, so some lucky poet is going to be getting good news soon! I hope it's one of us!

I have also just removed my name from the Vanderbilt waitlist. I don't know if they will be adding anyone else to it, but if they do, then someone be on the lookout for that.

All best,

NM

"You got a song, man, sing it. / You got a bell, man, ring it." - Robert Creeley

Nick McRae
nmcrae1@gmail.com
http://nickmcrae.com/

WanderingTree

Mar 6, 2010, 12:21 PM

Post #6112 of 6267 (10498 views)
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Re: [jmmacleod] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

Riptide & Jmm

I know one Grinnellian that graduated from Montana but she might have been after your time, Jason. (Sarah Aswell?). Oh, and I remember seeing Alexi's Tin House story in the Bookshelf section of the Grinnell Magazine haha. That's how I first found out about him. Grinnellians def. seem to be representing: 2 at Michener now (I think both graduating this year) plus one that graduated a few yrs ago and went on to a Missouri PHD where she also was the poetry editor of the Missouri Review) and there's one at Arizona State now. I'm sure there are more though - not bad for a small school in the middle of nowhere. There's a writer's group on GrinnellPlans.com, but i think both of you might have been a pre-plans/ VAX people.

Ah, Baechtel. I had him for Creative Non-Fiction. I think he was teaching in Alaska for a while but now he's back. He apparently just wrote a really friggin long creative writing textbook.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinnell_College (for those wondering why we are weird)

(This post was edited by WanderingTree on Mar 6, 2010, 12:26 PM)

jmmacleod
Jason Michael MacLeod

Mar 6, 2010, 12:26 PM

Post #6113 of 6267 (10488 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] Just some thoughts on April 15 [In reply to]	Can't Post

WT,

Small world continued: I'm going to Sarah's birthday party tonight!

--Jason

Jason Michael MacLeod

bluepoet1

Mar 8, 2010, 12:21 AM

Post #6114 of 6267 (10258 views)
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Re: [Windiciti] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just received a rejection letter from Michigan. I was ok about it. Excellent school but far for me (I would have jumped at the chance to go considering the risks of losing my family), I have a son and my husband just said "apply to all schools. We'll worry about distance later." Well I didn't have to worry about that after Saturday. However, I will say it was the nicest rejection letter I have ever received in my life. I think corporations, journals, and universities need to take notes from them. I guess that's why they are such excellent writers. Letter writing is definitely a lost art. Good luck to all. Has any one heard anything from UNCG?

karinr
Karin Rosman

Mar 8, 2010, 1:05 PM

Post #6115 of 6267 (10142 views)
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Re: [bluepoet1] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm in this position myself, except we have a house in a deflated market, my husband is in the middle of a start-up business, and my son is enrolled in a good school. I only applied to one school, University of Washington. If I don't get in, I'll be looking at low residencies (which I don't think would be bad at all, except funding will be difficult). I like the program at University of Washington better than most, and I like the faculty there as well. I should find out in the next few weeks. It's making me crazy.

I did get a very sweet rejection last night, so even if I don't get in, the path that I have been taking with my writing has been effective. That's something.

bluepoet1

Mar 8, 2010, 1:27 PM

Post #6116 of 6267 (10119 views)
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Re: [karinr] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Sometimes (family and some friends) they do not understand your commitment to your art because it may not pay off instantly. But if you commit to it and really make connections with other writers and create a way for others to witness your talent -you can be successful. I agree, you will make the wisest decision for you. I thought about low-residencies but I was concerned about the money issue. Other writers have advised me not to pay for an MFA program because the financial burdens can be a distraction in production. However, if you can defray costs with grants & scholarships this is great for writers with a family to support. I wish you much success!

karinr
Karin Rosman

Mar 8, 2010, 7:48 PM

Post #6117 of 6267 (9986 views)
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Re: [bluepoet1] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for that. And the MFA blog has posted an acceptance at University of Washington. I am staying chill. Sort of.

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Mar 9, 2010, 1:52 PM

Post #6118 of 6267 (9806 views)
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Re: [karinr] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Has ASU notified in fiction today? I can't check Driftless House at work... Damn Internet blocks!!! But at least I can get onto the Speakeasy!

Emily

Our Daily Tales / Travel Tales

rain_raine

Mar 9, 2010, 2:23 PM

Post #6119 of 6267 (9778 views)
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Re: [emcsims] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Nothing reported yet from ASU! I'm waiting with fingers crossed as well.

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Mar 9, 2010, 3:11 PM

Post #6120 of 6267 (9733 views)
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Re: [rain_raine] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

I emailed them today to try and get a status update but haven't heard back. Someone on the MFA blog indicated they were making final decisions yesterday or today...I hope we find out today! I don't know if I can take another day of limbo...

Our Daily Tales / Travel Tales

prosaic70

Mar 9, 2010, 4:00 PM

Post #6121 of 6267 (9697 views)
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Re: [emcsims] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

ASU hasn't made final fiction decisions. Hang tight. They should be rolling in end of this week, early next week.

VUbrat08

Mar 9, 2010, 8:33 PM

Post #6122 of 6267 (9577 views)
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Re: [sonshineslocs] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Haven't heard from SAIC yet, though I'm pretty sure I got rejected. I just want to know already!

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Mar 10, 2010, 2:46 PM

Post #6123 of 6267 (9440 views)
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Re: [prosaic70] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Does anyone know who to call at ASU to check on my status?

Our Daily Tales / Travel Tales

WanderingTree

Mar 10, 2010, 3:26 PM

Post #6124 of 6267 (9413 views)
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Re: [emcsims] I feel better about the rejection [In reply to]	Can't Post

Look two posts above yours.

loosestrife

Mar 15, 2010, 1:53 AM

Post #6125 of 6267 (9011 views)
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Choose your own adventure [In reply to]	Can't Post

OK, let's suppose you've impulsively applied to one and only one MFA program, a very competitive one, recognizing you're probably delusional and you'll do a serious round of applications next year, but this is the program you really want and it can't hurt to try. Since then you've been trying (with difficulty) to stay away from this forum because you have stories to revise and you don't want to drive yourself crazy.

Now it's March 14th. Sunday. Having spent most of the day running around doing errands and getting your hair cut, you didn't hear the phone ring around mid-day. The caller didn't leave a message. You recognize the area code; it's your cousin's. You figure -- because your name begins with an A and this happens to you a lot -- that your cousin's phone was in her pocket and her butt called you by mistake.

But when you check your cousin's number, it's not the same one.

You then hit up your friendly neighborhood search engine (literally -- it's a couple of miles up the street), type the mysterious number into the little box, and guess what? It's the MFA office of the school you applied to. On Sunday.

Do you a) wait and see what happens? or b) call the school the next day? c) something else?

If c), what?

Andrea

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