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cigarettes

Dec 22, 2010, 1:13 PM

Post #1151 of 1172 (4385 views)
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Re: [elissa] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Only 5 for me, which I'm sure I'll regret.

Hunter
Brooklyn College
NYU
Michener
University of Florida
(All fiction)

Practically speaking, I should probably be in or near NYC, and the first three seem like the only options for people like me with no leeway for more debt. Michener, well, you gotta try. And Florida is on the list on account of mystical feelings of attraction. But really, I'd be thrilled with any of them. I didn't want to waste $ applying anywhere I didn't have really warm feelings about.

bighark

Dec 22, 2010, 1:16 PM

Post #1152 of 1172 (4384 views)
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Re: [Truth & Fiction] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Are you worried about the median age of an MFA applicant or the median age of an MFA student? Two different things.

The numbers of applicants in the age 22-24 end of the MFA application age distribution are going to be highest. That makes sense. Grad school's not as scary for someone who hasn't started a career.

The age of the matriculating MFA student, on the other hand, seems like what you're after. It's harder to assemble those numbers, but I think you'll find that they trend higher.

cigarettes

Dec 22, 2010, 1:28 PM

Post #1153 of 1172 (4377 views)
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Re: [bighark] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Sorry--that posted without my reply...

This makes a lot of sense, especially now when college graduates might be more likely to see grad school as a way to bivouac through the Great Recession. It actually makes me feel a bit better about the steep incline in applications I've heard about. Older people aren't going to leave jobs for grad school unless, like me, they're nuts. (I'm 45.) If programs have an interest in having a few old heads like me around, maybe my chances are better these days, not worse. Am I delusional?

Of course all the bean-counting means nothing compared to talent and potential and good taste. So maybe the best strategy is to be a rare blossom.

In Reply To

The numbers of applicants in the age 22-24 end of the MFA application age distribution are going to be highest. That makes sense. Grad school's not as scary for someone who hasn't started a career.

(This post was edited by cigarettes on Dec 22, 2010, 1:35 PM)

Barney

Dec 31, 2010, 2:23 PM

Post #1154 of 1172 (4240 views)
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Re: [kbritten] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Congratulations on completing the application process! I am getting close (6 are completed with 3 remaining).

I can begin to feel that the moment I complete the application process is the moment the terror will begin. So much is on the line and it is completely subjective.

No risk/No reward

I guess.

I am applying to:

Alabama
Arkansas
Virginia Tech
UNCW
McNeese
WVU
Boise
Wichita
Texas State University

Good luck to everyone involved. I think there is a sort of "in the trenches" feel that comes with being a part of this process.

trufflepuff
x

Jan 1, 2011, 1:31 PM

Post #1155 of 1172 (4192 views)
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Re: [Barney] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I completed my applications yesterday, to these schools:

U of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Virginia Tech
Wash U St. Louis
Iowa
U Wisconsin, Madison
U Michigan
Vanderbilt
Indiana U Bloomington
UC San Diego
U Minnesota

Good luck to us. Am I the only one who doesn't feel nervous (yet)?

-trufflepuff aka. 'x' on the MFA blog
'2015 MFA

Pedro Eler

Jan 4, 2011, 9:42 AM

Post #1156 of 1172 (4094 views)
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Re: [trufflepuff] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I completed my applications three weeks ago... and now it is the extremely anxious process of waiting... plus, there is the uncertainty of knowing whether or not materials have arrived. I was wondering, is it OK for me to start emailing schools right now and ask them if they have recieved my mail or shoud I wait a little longer?

kbritten

Jan 4, 2011, 9:45 AM

Post #1157 of 1172 (4092 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'd wait. I emailed Michigan about a missing transcript and was told that they were inundated with such requests and that they would get back to all applicants missing stuff. I felt really bad after that. So, I would wait. As crappy as that sounds :)

Pedro Eler

Jan 4, 2011, 9:57 AM

Post #1158 of 1172 (4091 views)
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Re: [kbritten] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Yeah Karen, I know what you mean. I wrote U. of Texas last week, and the womans was very kind, but she was like "hey, we haven't even opened most of the mail we recieved in the last month... we are insanely busy!", so, yeah, I guess most schools are in the same mess... LOL Well, it's just that I am traveling in a week, and then will be kind of out of contact for almost three weeks... but I will try and see if I can get on line at least twice during that time.

Peaquah

Jan 6, 2011, 12:19 AM

Post #1159 of 1172 (4012 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

When I applied last year I sent a series of, "I've recently applied to X program, and just wanted to check that my application was received. Please let me know if you're missing any parts of my application. If I don't hear back I'll assume everything made it" emails to department secretaries. It made me feel a lot better knowing they then had my name on file.

patrickdunn

Jan 6, 2011, 2:25 PM

Post #1160 of 1172 (3951 views)
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Re: [Peaquah] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm sending anything that I mail certified so I can check that it's there. I'm figuring that if they get my manuscript and SOP on time, everything else (transcripts, recs, etc) will work out.

Pedro Eler

Jan 6, 2011, 7:58 PM

Post #1161 of 1172 (3919 views)
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Re: [patrickdunn] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I'm sending anything that I mail certified so I can check that it's there. I'm figuring that if they get my manuscript and SOP on time, everything else (transcripts, recs, etc) will work out.

Since I'm applying all the way from Brazil, it is harder to keep track of mail. Even though the post office ensured me that I would be able to track all the documents, they lost tracking once the mail arrived in the US. But Purdue got my documents, so I am confident that everyone else did too. I am traveling in a week so I have to hope and trust God that everything has arrived where it should arrive and that the whole application process is completely over and that now is only time to wait for the (hopefully good) news to arrive.

Pedro Eler

Jan 6, 2011, 8:27 PM

Post #1162 of 1172 (3914 views)
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Re: [kbritten] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey you guys, how strict is the University of Texas about their deadline? I am asking this because due to the complete mess that is the Brazilian Post Services, my documents only arrived at the University of Texas on the fourth of January!! I am truly upset about this, I even wrote them to explain that I sent the documents very early on, payed for the fastest possible way, and was ensure that the documents would arrive on time, but unfortunally that was not what happened. I hope that it won't hurt my application.

cigarettes

Jan 9, 2011, 3:52 PM

Post #1163 of 1172 (3824 views)
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Another U. of Texas question [In reply to]	Can't Post

I went online to check the status of my Michener app--make sure they got everything--and now I have a new thing to freak out about: it says, ambiguously, that I applied for "Writing: Master's". Doesn't specify Master's of WHAT. I'm worried now, because I know UT has an MA program, but I intended to apply to the MFA program. They say they received my writing sample and SOP, which I did mail to Michener, but what if they just forwarded those to the English dept?

Others who applied: does your status say "Writing: Master's" or something more specific?

Pedro Eler

Jan 10, 2011, 5:25 PM

Post #1164 of 1172 (3743 views)
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Re: [cigarettes] Another U. of Texas question [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Don't worry cigarettes. Mine says Writing Master's as well, and I am sure I applied to the MFA. But I get you, there is so much freaking out over nothing during this process that is a wonder that more people don't just die of a heart attack during it. I just spent an entire weekend thinking my whole U. of Texas application was over because of bad Postal Service and it seems that everything is absolutely fine. I need to remember to relax and have faith. Good luck to you!

cigarettes

Jan 10, 2011, 8:34 PM

Post #1165 of 1172 (3724 views)
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Re: [Pedro Eler] Another U. of Texas question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks, man. I feel calmer now.

In Reply To

Tabby

Jan 12, 2011, 10:51 AM

Post #1166 of 1172 (3651 views)
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Post deleted by Tabby [In reply to]

watermelonsugar

Feb 6, 2011, 1:10 AM

Post #1167 of 1172 (3385 views)
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Re: [Barney] I'm DONE! [In reply to]	Can't Post

Greetings. Long-time lurker, first-time poster, here. Congrats to everyone for surviving the arduous application process: the 73rd rewrite of your personal statement's opening sentence, the middle-of-the-night panics and incessant checking of tracking numbers for delivery confirmation, the perpetual state of nausea. That wasn't just me, was it?

I've got 12 applications out there, all in fiction. They are (in no particular order):

Austin
Cornell
Irvine
Washington (St. Louis)
NYU
Indiana
Michigan
Syracuse
Columbia
Iowa
Brooklyn
Hunter

Anyhoo. Best of luck to everyone and good application-acceptance vibes to all.

laboulto
Lauren Boulton

Mar 16, 2011, 10:13 PM

Post #1168 of 1172 (3088 views)
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Application Time [In reply to]	Can't Post

I don't know if this is the right place to ask, but I have questions about application timing. Can I apply if I haven't finished my bachelor's degree yet? I will have one class remaining from my biology minor after most application deadlines. However, I don't want to have to wait an extra year before I get started. Has anyone applied before graduation? Some schools (like U of M, my number one choice) seem like they will consider you if you are close, while others don't give much indication.

allisonjoy
Allison Joy

Mar 17, 2011, 5:26 PM

Post #1169 of 1172 (3017 views)
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Re: [laboulto] Application Time [In reply to]	Can't Post

Though I don't have any concrete information as I applied to grad school well after finishing my undergrad, I don't think you are alone. Feel free to email a short inquiry to the department. Most likely you will send incomplete transcripts with your application and then completed transcripts once they are available. Good luck to you!

kfal
kaelin falandays

Dec 20, 2011, 7:52 PM

Post #1170 of 1172 (2251 views)
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Re: [allisonjoy] Application Time [In reply to]	Can't Post

Gah...this question is directed towards everyone! I just submitted all of my applications (11) and I am getting nervous because I *may* have put down that I graduate December 2012 even though I *really* graduate December 2011...since I am applying for Fall 2012, I assume that the board will understand the mistake but..what do you guys think?

Truth and Fiction

Dec 22, 2011, 9:46 AM

Post #1171 of 1172 (2232 views)
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Re: [kfal] Application Time [In reply to]	Can't Post

Send the school(s) a quick email explaining. If you did make this mistake, then you do want to clarify it. But don't freak out -- just sent a clarifying email and then you don't have to worry about it anymore.

Truth and Fiction

danielmorales
Daniel Morales

Apr 15, 2013, 3:10 PM

Post #1172 of 1172 (824 views)
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Application Time - Manuscript Critiques [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey everyone,
I'm Daniel Morales, a fiction student at the University of New Orleans MFA program. I applied in 2009-2010 and started in the fall of 2010. I hadn't written much before I applied, so I had a friend who went to Iowa critique a couple of my stories for my writing sample. I didn't want to mix friends and business, so I paid my friend, and I think it was a helpful thing going into apps.
Long story short, the UNO program is running a Kickstarter right now, and one of our rewards is a manuscript critique - we'll look at your writing and help you find ways to improve it for your applications. It's a very reasonable price at $50. Here's the link here: http://kck.st/YWwNXz The project is called Storyville and will help put student writing on the radio station.
Daniel

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