couldn't have said it better myself.

although you use a lot less obscene language than I would have, and I might have put something about getting uproariously drunk rather than going to bed.

Someone told me that Jhumpa Lahiri didn't get into an MFA program when she first applied. Is that true? Who else? :)

I'd like to think George Saunders was campaigning for me...then maybe I could read his stuff again without feeling bitter. Yes, I am that much of a baby. When I got the rejection I was all "Well his latest Harper's stories weren't even that good, they were too didactic and precious." Which is, you know, bull, but I felt better for about a second. But yeah, I should bust out the Nick Drake, and maybe a little Leonard Cohen, take some Vicodin and eat a bag of Cheetos. Then return in earnest to jabbing at my Mary Gaitskill voodoo doll.

"He is a great instructor. And also, is hott."

You must teach her. Hard.

I'm in school at Emory. I applied to Brown, Cornell, Iowa, Indiana, UVA, Hollins. I know, right?

Ok here it is:
I requested the GRE requirement be waived---I had my old scores. The Director of Grad English Studies refused--although he tantalized me by telling me he COULD waive it!

I walked in my application and materials on Feb 1. I suggested that I perhaps they cd. maKE AN EXCEPTION. He did not seem to care that by not giving me an unconditional acceptance I wd. not be a contender for free tuition and a 20k stipend a year!

I requested that I be considered on a student at large basis until I cd. retake the GRE's.

He responded I cd take them 3/11/06. I asked when they wd. render a final decision. He said 4/15/06. I told him, politely but unwisely it seems, that the test cost $150, and since UIC was the only school requiring it, and I didn't want to spend 6 hrs. of my life sweating it out at a computer, esp. the Math part, I would wait until the Committee had seen my portfolio.
It was downhill from there. He eschewed my lack of English courses, I have an MPA with a high GPA from UIC, and I told him he wd. find my writing was as competent as that of other cands. Then I met with the CW Director who was much more welcoming, said she cd. probably let me know a little sooner, etc. etc., and that the Director was new, and not so easy to get on with. When I called her for the promised appt. she clammed up and said very coldly she was just one member on the Committee, and had no special influence, etc. I suspect she doesn't have tenure yet! Anyway that is the sad pathetic story. I was too assertive, not compliant enough. I'm a well-spoken, well-groomed female in my fifties, and I was treated like a beggar! I got a cheesy rejection form letter from Grad Admissions, not even from the department.
SO I AM VERY P'OD!

Quote

But how was your writing sample? Not to sound harsh, Windiciti, because I do feel for your situation, but things like your MPA and ability to speak three languages should have no bearing on your application for the MFA. (Unless you were going for translation.) In the end, it comes down to the writing because, really, what matters more than that?

Obviously, if they didn't read your writing sample, then I'd say you got a raw deal. Plus, I've heard of students enrolling at schools "at large," and I don't see why they closed that door for you.

Congrats on getting into several wonderful programs and having the option to do two degrees at once .


(This post was edited by kcole7 on Apr 4, 2006, 7:25 PM)

And for the record, I speak one language ....

Is it really a requirement at JHU? The website is kind of vague, something like "Its a good idea for students to have at least enough second language skills to pass a test showing second year college level understanding."

I did not say this at all! This is a quote from Edwriter's post.

Yes, a couple of people collapsed the info on two different posts!
I have never applied or completed any PH.d program. That is not something I said.

I believe you, Edwriter, mentioned your feelings about all this on a previous post, and said you were somewhat stubborn about not retaking the GRE, and one of the reasons was that you had been accepted in and perhaps completed another PH.d program?

No offense meant, just clarifying what was attributed to me incorrectly.

I did not say you spoke about your foreign language abilities, percentile, etc. at all.
But you were the one who mentioned haVing earned some other degrees, including a PH.d, etc. not I.
That is why I said a couple of people had "collapsed" our comments.

Is it really a requirement at JHU? The website is kind of vague, something like "Its a good idea for students to have at least enough second language skills to pass a test showing second year college level understanding."

I'm not sure what all the confusion is, but I explicity quoted what I was referencing in your posts above. I'll copy and paste it for you (note: If your problem is that I said sib was quoting you, you are correct, he was paraphrasing not quoting. My bad.):