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kbritten

Jan 4, 2011, 9:44 AM

Post #6176 of 6267 (6110 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] University of Arkansas [In reply to]	Can't Post

Cornell is usually mid-February. There's a website that shows notification times from he last few years. It'll make you super anxious, but it's a good thing (I'm convinced :) ):

Driftless House: 2010 CW MA/MFA/PhD Application Responses

Pedro Eler

Jan 4, 2011, 9:48 AM

Post #6177 of 6267 (6109 views)
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Re: [kbritten] University of Arkansas [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Thanks Karen!

I'll visit this web site now, but then will HAVE to make a pact with myself not to visit during the upcoming weeks or I'll go absolutely INSANE! LOL LOL I won't even visit this forum for the next two months... I need to keep some sanity in my life! LOL How have the applications been going, have you finished them? I finished mine, thank God! Good luck to you!!!

kbritten

Jan 4, 2011, 2:17 PM

Post #6178 of 6267 (6080 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] University of Arkansas [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey Pedro! I did finish mine (thank God) last month. I got a little stressed there, to be honest, but now that it's done I don't know what to do with myself. I know that there are things to do; I can write, catch up on reading, bury myself in my work, workout. I just don't care about any of those because, well, I just want to know!!!! I'm sure that by next week I'll be less impatient, but right now I'm pretty antsy. I'm sooooo glad that a few of my schools will (if they're following past statistics) notify by the end of the month, but still... Ohio State notifies every year during the last week of January and they're one of my top schools, so if my phone is silent during that week I'll be very sad :(

kbritten

Jan 4, 2011, 2:54 PM

Post #6179 of 6267 (6074 views)
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Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

I posted last night on the MFA blog (my screen name's KayBay there) that I didn't have any regrets about the application process this year. But after reading my writing sample, I'm now very worried about my second story and think that I should have re-worked another piece. Ugh. I want to cry. It's not horrible and at least it's polished (craft-wise) but I don't really think it's going to resonate with anyone; I'm worried how it's going to be perceived. If I don't hear anything by February (which is still very early, I know) I think I'm going to add a few programs that have late deadlines. I like my first story; I just don't want to be the person rejected because of one good story and one weak one/ >:(

Anyone else look at their samples again?

chicagofog

Jan 4, 2011, 4:37 PM

Post #6180 of 6267 (6057 views)
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Re: [kbritten] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

Absolutely. I am doing the same thing. I originally was only going to apply to a small number of programs but now I am re-researching programs and checking their dates for submissions and adding more to my list.

I am confident in my writing sample but of course sitting here thinking about how many other writing samples the admissions committee will read makes me have a lot of self-doubt at times. I think it may be part of the cycle of applying to MFA programs. When I first started working on my apps I was extremely confident but now that they're all turned in now I am going back through my sample and personal statement and having those "shoulda woulda coulda" moments...hence finding other programs with later deadlines I can apply to just in case I don't get into my first choices and still realizing I may not get into any.

Lets just say I'm so glad this board exists for people like me who have nothing better to do but think about and obsess over this whole process. It's going to be a slow couple of months.

Pedro Eler

Jan 6, 2011, 8:01 PM

Post #6181 of 6267 (5917 views)
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Re: [kbritten] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Well, I just think that there is no good that can come from going over my samples again. It is over now, it is sent and I have no plans to apply to any new schools now, so all I can do is pray. But yes, of course I went through the sample again LOL, and even though I really really like my stories, there are always things you want to change. Right now I am thinking that my stories seem a little bit too loose, not enough character motivation... but I hope that they will see this as a good thing, room for me to grow as a writer in their programs... LOL

almondpunch

Jan 7, 2011, 7:20 PM

Post #6182 of 6267 (5854 views)
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Re: [kbritten] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

I know what you mean about remorse, kaybay.

I've been submitting apps in a rolling sort of way -- nine down (I think; I've lost count) and over ten to go -- and I keep revising my second story, the younger story, in between applications. I get it perfect, and then I look it over again, and I notice little things, and I make little changes, and then I believe it's perfect, and then the next day I see imperfections again. Every school so far has received a slightly different sample from me. I've been express- and priority-mailing out envelopes in pairs (today was Idaho and Rutgers-Newark).

Of course this practice -- revising last-minute during the application process -- is totally ridiculous and not recommended. It's just I'm still on a pretty steep learning curve process-wise and craft-wise, so I didn't produce a lot of my deepest work until the months of late summer all the way through early winter, and I had to do a lot of fiery revision throughout December. I pulled several all-nighters at the cusp of the New Year scrambling to purify/distill that second story.

I have given the revision a rest, though, finally. All the remaining schools should be getting the same sample from now on. It's still got flaws, I'm sure, but I've done (almost) all I can at this point, and I am going to drive myself crazy if I don't stop poking at the portfolio.

I am unpublished, have never sent a piece out in my life, and have little idea of how my work will fare in a pile of 500-1,000 other beautiful fiction packets. Getting into an MFA is really like winning a writing contest, when you consider the number of submissions and the number of open spots. If I can just place in one contest I'd be gold.

We'll see how things go. Kaybay, I'm rooting for you, and I wouldn't worry too much -- sometimes we are our most severe critics.

kbritten

Jan 7, 2011, 10:42 PM

Post #6183 of 6267 (5823 views)
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Re: [almondpunch] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks guys, it's good to know I'm not alone :) Almondpunch, you hit it on the nail when you said that what frustrates you is when you revise and think it's done and then pick it up a few weeks/months later and find all these things you'd change. I don't know. I do think that we are definitely harsher critics on ourselves than we are with others. I read a short story that I love and think they were just possessed by God to write it and I forget that they wrote poor drafts, revised a whole bunch of times, and then had help from an editor who probably read and revised it a bunch of times too. On top of that, each reader likes some things and not others. Just the way it is.

It's okay, I'm feeling better. I just have to settle down :D

I'm rooting for you too, Almondpunch! And for everybody! You too, Pedro. I expect great results for you. You had a solid sample when I read it and it wasn't even final yet. Seriously, great stuff. From an objective viewpoint, I think you got it :)

I also agree with you that I couldn't imagine sifting through thousands of manuscripts. I think I'd have nightmares of paper cuts and run-on sentences. My eyes would go criss-cross. I can't imagine how they all don't start to suck when you near the bottom of the pile.

(This post was edited by kbritten on Jan 7, 2011, 10:42 PM)

Pedro Eler

Jan 10, 2011, 5:20 PM

Post #6184 of 6267 (5704 views)
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Re: [kbritten] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Thanks K!! That means a lot to me! I really needed to hear something positive after spending the afernoon doing exactly what I should not be doing: going through my manuscript again! And thinking that everything is awful and I will get 8 rejection letters! LOL We really like to torture ourselves, don't we?

Let me just say that I am rooting for you big time K! Did you end up using that story in your manuscript? I couldn't use Memories of Godly Wrestling because of the deadlines, I needed to finish everything so I would have time to send the manuscripts all the way from Brazil (and even though I sent them at the end of November, I still had some deadline problems...). I wanted to use that story so much, but I had do do a lot of work, as you had pointed out, it needed a lot of structure and everything, and it was huge for an MFA application, so I used another story in its place. I just hope I made a right decision... LOL

Where are you applying to K? I wonder if we might end up getting accepted to the same school. I've applied to:

Cornell
U. of Texas
U. of Wyoming
Washington U. at St Louis
Purdue
U. of Michigan
Virginia Tech
Louisiana State University

kbritten

Jan 11, 2011, 1:10 PM

Post #6185 of 6267 (5641 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

I did use that story, actually, but it's the one I'm least confident about :( Oh well. I like it and I wanted to show committee members who I am as a writer. It's also not as developed as I would have liked it to be, but I didn't have time.

I ended up applying to:

UF
Iowa
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Bowling Green State
North Carolina State
South Carolina
Vanderbilt
Syracuse
Virginia Commonwealth
Penn State
Michigan

Good luck to you! Shame you didn't have time to develop the story I read. I loved it!

Pedro Eler

Jan 11, 2011, 2:56 PM

Post #6186 of 6267 (5616 views)
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Re: [kbritten] Remorse [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I get what you mean, sometimes in this insane process I wish there was some extra time to focus on the writing, I also sent out stories that I feel might need some more work. Actually, at the time I sent them I was so caught up in the whole process I thought they were good, but now I can see they need more work. But I agree with you that you should send what you feel best represents you as a writer. Your story had a very clear point of view and a very complex character, it shows perfectly where you're coming from as a writer, and that is super important!

And only Michigan appears in my list and your list. You have a great list. I almost applied to Ohio State and Iwoa, I think those are great programs. And I loved that you are applying to North Carolina State University. I would love to apply there too but just have no more money for applications. I went to NCState back in 2008, it has a beautiful campus and Raleigh is an AMAZING city to live in. Plus, Wilton Barnhardt, their program director, is an amazing guy!

Good luck to you! Come March we will finally know the end of this whole thing!!

lostleaf

Jan 13, 2011, 9:58 PM

Post #6187 of 6267 (5475 views)
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when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I haven't been to pw for a long time, even during my application process. I was so happy that it was all over because I had much sleeping troubles the past few months and am still expeirencing random dreams now. I don't usually feel the pressure, but I think it's there inside me.

Seeing you all waiting so anxiously makes me suddenly nervous as well, and I'm all the way in Beijing, China, so imagine how big this boat is that we are all on!

Anyway, is it true that most programs give out offers in March? Even with so early a deadline like Minnesota and so late a deadline like Boston?? I have not received any emails from any of the programs I've applied to except Florida State who was just giving me informations about fellowships. How long will I have to wait? How long will ALL of us have to wait?

writer's block, http://lostleaf328.blogbus.com

Pedro Eler

Jan 13, 2011, 10:35 PM

Post #6188 of 6267 (5467 views)
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Re: [lostleaf] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Hi lostleaf!

This website might help you:

http://driftless-house.blogspot.com/...ation-responses.html

they show the normal response date for all the different universities

It really depends on the univesity, some give out answers as early as late january, others as late as march... but february can be tought of as THE month in which we will know our future LOL

Good luck to you!

lostleaf

Jan 13, 2011, 10:39 PM

Post #6189 of 6267 (5466 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thank you so much Pedro, I remember seeing you a few months back on the forum. You've been pretty active huh?

Good luck to you as well!

writer's block, http://lostleaf328.blogbus.com

Pedro Eler

Jan 13, 2011, 10:46 PM

Post #6190 of 6267 (5465 views)
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Re: [lostleaf] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Thank you so much Pedro, I remember seeing you a few months back on the forum. You've been pretty active huh?

Good luck to you as well!

You're welcome! Actually, it was kbritten who first sent this to me, so we should all thank her! (and she probably has to thank someone for sending it to her, so there you go... LOL)

And, yeah, I am as active as you can be in a forum as inactive as this one. LOL But I have been logging in more the past few weeks, because the anxieties are starting to kick in and I just can't help myself but to obsess about this all day long! LOL

Are you an international applicant as well? I read you saying you're applying from China, but does that mean you're Chinese or are you an american applying from China? LOL Well, just to clarify, I'm a Brazilian applying from Brazil! LOL

lostleaf

Jan 13, 2011, 11:07 PM

Post #6191 of 6267 (5458 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just like you, I'm Chinese applying from China. That's why as imperfect as my English is, I sometimes feel less confident and more anxious as these Americans are fussing about rejections and offers. I have put this whole process behind me for a while and only when I logged in this forum this morning did I realize that I have been just as nervous as hell. The worst thing is, Chinese New Year is coming up in about two weeks and I will have to wait for the holiday to be over to hear from the programs,can you imagine? I was hoping that this would be the last Chinese New Year I spend at home because I really don't have the energy and time to wait for another year.

writer's block, http://lostleaf328.blogbus.com

Pedro Eler

Jan 14, 2011, 9:09 AM

Post #6192 of 6267 (5432 views)
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Re: [lostleaf] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Oh cool, another international applicant. Not a lot of international applicants try MFA in Creative Writing because of the high level of proficiency in English required. But I think that if one is thinking about applying fro Creative Writing, then one should make sure to have great English, no matter where they come from, because ultimetely it all depends on the writing sample and if one just don't have an amazing english, then one shouldn't even botter applying, that's what I think. And that's so bad about the Chinese New Year, but well, you will get an answer even if a little later, it's just a matter of controling ones nerves (I suck at that, I am sure that February will be a dreadful month... unless I get my Cornell acceptance early on and then I won't even care about anything else anymore LOL LOL)

Good luck to you!

lostleaf

Jan 15, 2011, 8:02 AM

Post #6193 of 6267 (5350 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

wow, Cornell is such a great school, but Virginia is probably the Cornell for me. I agree with you that Feburary will be terrible, but at least we are not alone, lol.

writer's block, http://lostleaf328.blogbus.com

Olive

Jan 16, 2011, 11:21 PM

Post #6194 of 6267 (5227 views)
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Re: [lostleaf] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

So great ...to meet all you wonderful people!!!!!
Hi Lostleaf and Pedro..i'm also an internatinal student..
indian from US.....Hope all of us get into our dreams schools...
Lostleaf..ur english seems to be good so don't worry..u'll sail thru :)
Pedro... best wishes 4 ur dream school:))
Soon results wud pour in..the dreaded feb :)))))

the best way to detress myself is playing with my lil baby :))

Has any1 started preparing for interviews
?
Olive :))

lostleaf

Jan 17, 2011, 8:54 PM

Post #6195 of 6267 (5123 views)
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Re: [Olive] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi, Olive,so great meeting you too!
Talking about interviews, would there be any? I've never thought about that. A little heads up would be nice, thank you!

writer's block, http://lostleaf328.blogbus.com

blob

Jan 18, 2011, 9:51 AM

Post #6196 of 6267 (5088 views)
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Re: [lostleaf] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Some school interviews, most do not.

Out of my 14 none of them interview for admission. UMass interviews after giving out acceptances for TA positions. But there are some other schools that do interview.

Honestly, I wish I had an interviewing school. My interview would likely go much better than my SOP did!

Olive

Jan 18, 2011, 1:56 PM

Post #6197 of 6267 (5055 views)
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Re: [blob] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Most welcome lostleaf :)
Thanks for the info blob...does someone have an intrview experience for an MFA?
The following link is very good for general info on MFA
http://sethabramson.blogspot.com/

Njoy
Regards
Olive

Mellifluous_Me

Jan 21, 2011, 7:35 PM

Post #6198 of 6267 (4884 views)
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Re: [Olive] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Okay. So, amidst the madness in this grueling waiting process, I may have also managed to over-analyze something that just came to my attention. I have recently become aware of the idea of "Likely Letters." Is this a possibility for a graduate program? Brown, my top-choice school, sent me an e-mail about two weeks or so ago, thanking me for applying and giving me information on when responses to offers of admission are to be received. It was sent by the Dean of Admissions, I think. Furthermore, it was addressed at the beginning to the personalization of my first name, specifically. I just am somewhat hesitant to believe out of the hundreds that have applied, each applicant received a personalized e-mail of this nature *(If so, then, this school is even more committed in its diligence than I gave it credit for!).
I am certainly not wanting to get my hopes up, by any means. I simply wanted some insight on these supposed "Likely Letters," and whether any other MFA applicants to Brown or other schools, in general, receive this sort of e-mail, weeks after submission, as part of the general reviewing process.
Thanks a ton!

karinr
Karin Rosman

Jan 21, 2011, 10:04 PM

Post #6199 of 6267 (4856 views)
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Re: [Mellifluous_Me] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm not going to say one way or another (don't want to get your hopes up or down) but what I would do is make sure that you have all the information should you get accepted, such as medical records (a real pain for those of us who are over the age of thirty) and transcripts, other logistics of being accepted. I got a similar email, and it proved to be helpful.

bighark

Jan 21, 2011, 11:01 PM

Post #6200 of 6267 (4840 views)
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Re: [Mellifluous_Me] when???!!! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I wouldn't read too much into a letter from a dean. If anybody is going to get in touch with a "likely" candidate, it's going to be the director of the program, but even then such a tip of the hat wouldn't be so oblique as "thank you for applying." A school gains nothing from sending a so-called "likely letter" because for any given application class, there will be more than enough talented writers to fill the number of available slots.

Acrossed the country, MFA programs in creative writing will receive more applications than any other graduate program in their respective schools. Sometimes those applications exceed the total applications for all othe programs combined, which is certainly the case for Brown.

A letter like the one you received gives nervous applicants reassurance that their applications were received and provides some information during a twitchy time of year about when to expect a decision. If there's any hidden intent behind this communicaiton, it's wanting to prevent department secretaries from having to field hundreds of inquiries over email and phone.

That your letter was personalized simply shows that you've been entered into a database. When rejection letters go out (not that I'm saying you'll get one!), they'll be similarly personalized.

This is a nerve wracking time of year, and MFA programs are taking notice. Some programs--Wisconsin comes to mind--have even go so far as to change their admissions timing by notifying rejected applicants first. Personally, I think this is the compassionate thing to do, and I hope other programs follow their lead.

The best thing you can do at this point in the process is to remain calm and continue writing. Decisions will start trickling in over the next few weeks as schools begin to notify accepted students, and you'll figure out where you stand soon enough.

Good luck, and I hope you get in everywhere you applied.

BH

(This post was edited by bighark on Jan 21, 2011, 11:03 PM)

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