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rain_raine

Jan 8, 2010, 5:33 PM

Post #5801 of 6267 (12375 views)
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Re: [kbritten] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hey kbritten,

Things are quiet here compared to the creative writing handbook blog! I'll give you a reply and maybe some others will join in.

I ended up applying to 9 schools for fiction (approximately from east to west across the nation):

Syracuse
University of Florida
University of Alabama
University of Illinois (UC)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
University of Minnesota
Colorado State
Michener
Arizona State

As to first choice...it changes all the time. I start looking at the website of a school again, or read an excerpt by an author who teaches there and I'm falling in love. Again. Also, I'm superstitious and feel uncomfortable listing what favorites I may have online.

I sent two short stories. One story was close to 12 pages, the other was close to 4 pages. They both are on the magic realism/surrealist side of things, so we'll see how that goes!

Ok, I've shown you mine. Show me yours?

kbritten

Jan 8, 2010, 6:08 PM

Post #5802 of 6267 (12365 views)
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YAY! Responses!

I applied to:

Florida
Florida State
Central Florida
Alabama
Greensboro
Vanderbilt
Cornell
Syracuse
Iowa
Notre Dame

McNeese State is also a possibility.

I would say that my stories are somewhat surrealist/magical realism too, which I hope doesn't hurt me! I sent in three samples for the most part. One is eight pages, one is eight and a half pages, and, hmmmm, the other one is eight pages too. Interesting. Never really thought about that. What does that say about me??

I would have to say that my first choice is Florida, only because they program is amazing, fully funded, well respected, and also close to where I am now, close to family (my mom :) ) and because my boyfriend, who is coming with me, would get in-state tuition there.

Anyone else want to play?

WanderingTree

Jan 8, 2010, 6:57 PM

Post #5803 of 6267 (12351 views)
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I applied to 12 schools for fiction:

Brown
Illinois
WUSTL
Iowa
Syracuse
ASU
Indiana
Wisconsin-Madison
Southern Illinois
Penn State
Texas-Austin
Notre Dame

It's hard to rank these b/c there are so many factors. I really love the work of Brown faculty and alumni, and I'm becoming increasingly interested in multi-media work. I'd kill to work on Ninth Letter at Illinois. I did my undergrad in Iowa and wouldn't mind returning to the state as odd as that might sound (Iowa motto: Iowa you make me smile : - ) ). The well-rounded curriculum at ASU is definitely a draw as are their travel programs. I could go on . . .

My portfolio: All schools got one 20 page story (magical surrealism surrounding straight up domestic realism). I sent a 2nd story of an international bent to Iowa and Indiana. WUSTL got a shorter surrealist 2nd story. And I sent Brown a 2nd story of the "experimental" variety.

gg.scholastica
Gena Goodman

Jan 8, 2010, 10:55 PM

Post #5804 of 6267 (12285 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'll play... but I've noticed an alarming trend which will be revealed by the end of this post. (Sorry, just came back from seeing Sherlock Holmes again. I think they pulled off his drug-addled when-out-of-work state very well, no?)

I applied in fiction to (in no order...)

Alabama
Vanderbilt
Iowa
Michener
Louisiana State
Mississippi
Virginia
Old Dominion
George Mason
Florida
South Florida
Syracuse
Houston
Arizona (University of, not State)

My "first choice" is too hard... I'd be out of my head giddy if I was to be accepted to any... but if LSU or Vandy or 'Bama or Michener called... I think I'd open up a spot on the waiting list via heart attack.

I, also, submitted prose of a non-realistic slant... and thought I'd be at least a bit strange in the bunch... stick out. But now it seems... probably not. Oh well! On the positive side, I'd love to work alongside you Surrealists! I've honestly not had a single one alongside in a workshop. I submitted a novella excerpt concerning twin brothers lost in a non-existant foreign country and a short story with a rather... unhinged narrative about a boy coming across a sculpture garden in a sitting room while attending a reunion. Crazy, I know.

rohsun

Jan 8, 2010, 11:28 PM

Post #5805 of 6267 (12280 views)
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Re: [gg.scholastica] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I had thought of applying to 8 to 10 schools last year but ended up with only 6 schools:

IWW
Cornell
UMass - Amherst
Michener
UVA
Vanderbilt

For Poetry.

All things being equal, UMass is my sentimental choice (because one of the first poets I really liked was James Tate). However, Michener and Cornell rank right up there.

I sent in between 10 to 15 poems to these schools and feel that my style of writing comes closest to that of Greg Orr, so UVA should be a good writing fit.

(This post was edited by rohsun on Jan 8, 2010, 11:29 PM)

fixittuesday

Jan 9, 2010, 12:26 AM

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Re: [rohsun] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I had a small heart attack when I saw this thread active! But this will keep our minds busy for now--good idea!

In Fiction, I applied to:

Iowa
Vandy
Oregon
Oregon State
Arizona State
Southern Illinois
Notre Dame
Syracuse
Purdue
Montana
Wyoming
Irvine
Colorado at Boulder

I'd be honored to go to any one of these incredible programs. That being said, I have this real attachment to Notre Dame, Irish-Catholic girl that I am. My mother's life dream would be completely fulfilled! I also feel a draw towards Montana's program; I'm ready for something rural--I've been in Los Angeles for 7 years now.

My writing sample consisted of three shorts, about 8 pages each, give or take. Nothing surreal--I'm not skilled enough to make that work! But I hope I showed some diversity: one has a child narrator; one is about a dentist; the third takes place around a fist-fight in a supermarket.

I can't wait to hear back! My hopes aren't as high this year: last year's round of crushing defeat (minus some even-more-crushing waitlists) was enough to keep air in my lungs this year. Last January, I couldn't breathe.

Good luck to you all! So glad to have the companionship!

rain_raine

Jan 9, 2010, 2:52 AM

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I am excited to find out what happens with all of us. (As well as everyone who applied this year.)

I do confess, with four of us right now replying with somewhat less than realism-based writing samples, I am curious to see what happens!

Not that I am not also excited and curious to see where you end up, rohsun and fixittuesday. Oh, I almost can't believe that we're at that time of submitted applications and bated breath!

greenpenquills

Jan 9, 2010, 3:31 AM

Post #5808 of 6267 (12211 views)
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Re: [kbritten] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I applied to three schools for creative nonfiction:

University of New Mexico
University of Arizona
University of Iowa (NWP)

Although part of me envies those who are going to have better odds by applying to more schools, I started the process somewhat late in the game (with no GREs and an emphasis that is not as common as one might think), so I decided to only apply to my top contenders with the possibility of applying again to more schools next year. My first choice is probably a tie between Arizona and New Mexico, but of course it will all come down to acceptance and funding. I feel a bit like the lone wolf on all the forms being in CNF. While there are less schools to choose from in the genre, the odds of admission are generally higher, so it's a mixed bag. I'm also very interested in poetry, which is probably the main thing that would bump UNM up over UA, since UA doesn't encourage cross-genre exploration and UNM requires it.

Oh, and for my sample, I submitted three memoir pieces of varying lengths. Two were narratives from childhood experiences and the third was about a recent trip to Japan. It ended up being 29 pgs.

NickMcRae
Nick McRae

Jan 9, 2010, 7:48 AM

Post #5809 of 6267 (12187 views)
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Re: [greenpenquills] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hello Speakeasy commiserators. I was a quasi-regular poster during last year's season, and I figured I'd go ahead and jump back in. I'm doing the applying thing again this year because I ended up getting a Fulbright last year and thus had to turn down the few grad school admission offers I did get. That was a bittersweet moment. Sadly, most programs seem not to defer admission, so I'm having to reapply to most of those. (I finished all my apps in late-Nov/early-Dec.) This year's list (in poetry):

MFAs:
UNCG
Ole Miss
Iowa
Texas
Ohio State
Vandy
McNeese

PhD:
North Texas

MAs:
Bucknell
Northern Michigan
Alabama-Birmingham

As you can probably tell, I like to spread the love around degree-wise.

Last year I was waitlisted at Ohio State and accepted at UNCG, Ole Miss, Bucknell, and McNeese. McNeese is the only one that allowed me to defer, so I still have a standing offer there should I choose to take it.

I've actually already been accepted this year to the MA programs at UAB and NMU, but no financial info yet. Anyone who applied to the MFA at NMU: don't have a heart attack, please. I'm almost certain that the MA and MFA applications are handled differently, so I wouldn't take my acceptance to the MA program to mean any decisions have been made about the MFA.

As for which programs are my top choices--that's difficult. I must say, though, that I was heartbroken to have to decline a spot at UNCG last year. At very least, I wouldn't mind having that option again.

Also, for those out there who suffer from neurotic organizational compulsions concerning anything grad school-related, I've begun keeping track of my application progress using GoogleMaps. Here's what mine looks like (URL shortened for your convenience): http://bit.ly/7GO4UN

I've found it to be a very satisfying way to organize and share my list. Maybe it will help you, too.

Be well, everyone. Choppy waters ahead.

NM

[edited to fix typos]

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

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

(This post was edited by NickMcRae on Jan 9, 2010, 7:53 AM)

danceanielle
Dani

Jan 9, 2010, 8:53 AM

Post #5810 of 6267 (12167 views)
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I'll play!

My list, for poetry--

Iowa
UNCW
UMass Amherst
Syracuse
Michigan
Eastern Michigan (MA)
Brown
and Brooklyn, If I can scrape the crazy app fee together by next week.

I can think of a good reason why nearly all of these feel like my "first" choice. Syracuse has two of my absolute favorite poets on staff, Amherst has Tate and Gizzi and the writing coming out of the students is very close to what I'm doing, UNCW has community outreach and publishing lab and is on the beach, Iowa has the clout and is close to family, Brown has some type of romance attached to it, in my mind (and also amazing faculty), Eastern Mich just seems so damn cool....it is going to come down to funding, in the end.

This also isn't my first year having a go at it...straight out of undergrad I applied to four programs in CNF, and got rejected by 3 and waitlisted by 1. I was naturally devastated, but now I see that I was totally not ready, and am glad. Last year I wasn't ready, but since Iowa holds on to your application materials for a year, I figured I had little to lose. Obviously, I got rejected. This year, I'm all in.

Good luck, everyone!

Forum Apps

Jan 9, 2010, 10:13 AM

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danceanielle

Have you considered Temple & Brigham Young? Check out the faculty(wow!). New MFA programs too. Boise State also seems wonderful and right up your stylistic alley (based on where you're applying). All these are due on Jan 15th.

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Jan 9, 2010, 10:23 AM

Post #5812 of 6267 (12135 views)
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I too almost had a heart attack when I saw this thread alive again! Here are the schools I applied to (for fiction):

U of Oregon
Irvine
Illinois (UC)
Purdue
Ohio State
Michener
Arizona State
U of Las Vegas
U of Florida

I really can't bear the thought of verbalizing a top choice... I've gotten so superstitious during this process! Though I have to say, the arctic blast that has been killing St. Louis this week makes me move the Southern schools toward the top!!!

I sent in three short stories, two domestic realism and one alternate biblical reality. I have no idea how to describe that one, and it was a risky choice, but what the heck, right?

Emily

Our Daily Tales / Travel Tales

bardberry

Jan 9, 2010, 11:05 AM

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I decided to apply, save for VCFA, all last minute:

VCFA (already accepted)
Iowa
Columbia
Bennington

Oddly, there is some question whether I can even do the residency portion of a low-res, as I have two younglings and a wife (a nurse) with a crazy work schedule (I'm not going to find someone to watch my kids until 2am in the morning!). Might actually be easier to move somewhere and do a full time program. My chances are probably nil when it comes to getting into either Iowa or Columbia, but, if I can't make the low-res thing work, I'll try again next fall.

gregorj27

Jan 9, 2010, 11:15 AM

Post #5814 of 6267 (12104 views)
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Re: [emcsims] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Good to see others are also intent on driving themselves crazy well in advance. My list for fiction:

Brown
Cornell
Iowa
Syracuse
Texas
University of Arizona
Irvine
University of Oregon
Minnesota
Wisconsin-Madison
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan

Was feeling really confident until a few days ago when I sent the last packet out. Now I'm looking at the list and worrying that I got overambitious with the great-reputation-but-extremely-low-admittance schools.

My writing sample was primarily an excerpt from a novel, except for the schools (UCI and Texas come to mind) that explicitly asked for short stories, in which case I reluctantly obliged. The style of my submissions was mainly surrealistic. Not experimental exactly, but also not operating strictly by the laws of reality.

After one too many cold winters, I would love to head off for warmer climates but will be more than happy to go to any of the schools on my list.

Good luck to everyone!

(This post was edited by gregorj27 on Jan 9, 2010, 11:23 AM)

kbritten

Jan 9, 2010, 11:25 AM

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EMCSIMS - an alternate Biblical reality sounds very interesting to me!

Fixit - I hear you about the Irish Catholic Notre Dame fantasy, hehe. I fluctuate between wanting to hear most from Florida or Notre Dame, but I think Florida would be the most practical for me, assuming of course I get the top 4 or 5 slots out of hundreds of apps at Florida, yeesh! But how cool would it be to go to Notre Dame! That campus is absolutely gorgeous too, and I've never lived where it snows. Although (of course) it snowed 3 inches in the SF Bay Area this year and never snowed in the 20 years I lived there :(

Speaking of meager chances, I'd have to say that's the only thing that I worry about at this point. I get that 90% of the applications to most programs are simply not at the technical level they should be or are extremely boring/chlice/formulaic, but it seems almost impossible to a). get to the top 10%, and b). make it into one of those 2-6 spots. Gosh, even if they liked your sample, but really wanted to work with a few other people, the best you can hope for is a waitlist. Am I over analyzing this? I don't think I'll be ashamed/hurt by any rejection, simply because of how hard it is to get in everywhere. Getting rejected everywhere would hurt, but I still don't think I'd feel ashamed by it.

Sorry, not trying to be a downer, I just want to discuss it and maybe get a response telling me I'm crazy for thinking about those chances. I think it's also because I keep seeing Florida on everybody's lists and it's making me sad.

Trilbe

Jan 9, 2010, 11:45 AM

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Hi, y'alls! I totally stole this from one of last year's posters (audreyhurston) but I really enjoyed reading the responses to it! And since this thread is alive again, I thought some of you guys might like it, too. I'll get the ball rolling and answer first -- which I hope isn't too obnoxious...

What genre are you in?
Poetry

How long have you been workshopping/writing seriously?
Seriously, since sophomore year in high school -- I had awesome English teachers! Writing poetry, in general, since my dad bought me a copy of "Immortal Poems of the English Language" when I was 8 years old.

Are you published?
Nope. I haven't sent things out. P&W has great resources, info and support. But I'm hoping to learn more about the process and opportunities for publishing in graduate school. I would love to get into a school with a great journal, at which I might work.

What did you do to prepare your pieces for your applications?
I worked with my mentor/teacher. We selected the pieces together, then I made final edits to pieces that I've been working with him over a period of time. I also wrote a couple of new pieces for him this semester that made it into the apps. He also advised me on poem order. My adviser is absolutely the King of Poets and I love him as much as my dad and my brothers!

Were you an active part of the writers' networking communities/did you meet influential people at the schools before the apps?
I'm currently an undergraduate, so I've been in workshops for the past few years. But not all poetry workshops, also fiction and filmwriting. Last semester I did an independent study, so I wasn't really in with the community of poets. I haven't met anyone at any of the schools I've applied to.

kbritten

Jan 9, 2010, 12:08 PM

Post #5817 of 6267 (12042 views)
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Genre
Fiction

Workshopping/Writing Seriously?
I've been writing pretty seriously since I was a teenager, but I'd say I've seen the most improvement in the last year or so when I started having others read and critique my work. I had colleagues read and review my work and I used zoetrope.com for workshopping, which was wonderful.

Published?
No!! But, I've been sending stories from my writing sample into journals and magazines while I'm waiting. That has kept me from being super anxious, since it's given me something to do. It's still one of my life goals to be published in a reputable mag/press, but I don't know if that will happen for several years, if at all.

What did you do to prepare?
See above.

Active part of writing communities?
Nope. I majored in philosophy in college, but did take several fiction/screenwriting courses. I was 18/19 though, so I don't think they've had any serious bearing on my writing.

meory

Jan 9, 2010, 12:11 PM

Post #5818 of 6267 (12037 views)
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Applied to eleven so far in poetry:

Emerson
UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
Sarah Lawrence
Syracuse
Cornell
Stony Brook Southampton
Rutgers-Newark
Pittsburgh
Temple

Still have Hunter to submit.

My first choice, absolutely no question, is Emerson. I want to go there so badly that it hurts. Second choice is UMass Boston. I love Boston, my boyfriend and many friends live there so I would have a place to live, and it's only an hour away from home. Also, when I went to the Emerson open house I just got this feeling that I would fit in so well there. Everyone was fun and quirky and passionate. Also, it seems to be quite a down-to-earth place that really focuses on giving you some valuable work experience to leave with (teaching, working on a lit mag, tons of other opportunities). Not fully-funded or even close, but also not as expensive as I'd expected.

ericweinstein
Eric Weinstein

Jan 9, 2010, 1:10 PM

Post #5819 of 6267 (11999 views)
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What genre are you in?
Poetry.

How long have you been workshopping/writing seriously?
I've been writing seriously for almost six years now, though I didn't take a creative writing workshop until my junior year of college.

Are you published?
Yes, in Best New Poets 2009 and a couple of places on-line. I've got a few poems coming out in print magazines later this spring and in the fall.

What did you do to prepare your pieces for your applications?
I picked what I believed were my strongest two dozen poems and sent them to my former professors, fellow editors, friends, and the three people I asked to write me letters of recommendation. I asked them to pick the dozen or so poems they felt were the strongest. Once I had everyone's responses back, I assembled an application MS that included those pieces (there was a lot of overlap) and, I felt, worked well together as a whole. I wouldn't say the poems I ended up sending were necessarily related, but they did feel a bit like a small chapbook when I read through them, which I took as a good sign.

Were you an active part of the writers' networking communities/did you meet influential people at the schools before the apps?
I've met a few influential poets both as an undergraduate and as a writer/poet living in the NYC area, including Kim Addonizio, Amy King, and Mark Strand. I haven't yet met with any of the poets/professors teaching at the schools to which I'm applying.

Hans Landa: You'll be shot for this!
Aldo Raine: Nah, I don't think so. More like chewed out. I've been chewed out before.

WanderingTree

Jan 9, 2010, 2:16 PM

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What genre are you in?
Fiction (and starting to explore interdisciplinary/mixed media work)

How long have you been workshopping/writing seriously?
I took workshops in college in poetry and CNF, participated in writing groups post college and have been active with Zoetrope.com (where there are many established and sometimes NYT bestselling authors hanging about) for about four years. I've also taken workshops at Stanford and online with the Mid-American Review. All told, I've been SERIOUSLY writing for about five years. I've been writing stories since the tail end of high school which was about 11 years ago.

Are you published?
Yes, in a couple of well-regarded journals like the Bellevue Literary Review out of NYU, in online markets like Elimae, and in an anthology of short stories focusing on international literature.

What did you do to prepare your pieces for your applications?
I write and edit on a regular basis. I don't think I did anything special. As always, I got feedback from people who I trust and have been writing a hell of a lot longer than I have. In the end, I just picked the stories that I felt spoke to what direction I'm going in, what kind of material excites me.

Were you an active part of the writers' networking communities/did you meet influential people at the schools before the apps?
See above about writing communities. As far as meeting influential people at the programs I'm applying to that would be no. I have friends at a few of the programs and I know some alumni, but I don't know any of the professors personally despite the fact that I'm probably facebook friends with a good chunk of them haha (Hmm . . . time to check my profile for anything incriminating : - ) )

(This post was edited by WanderingTree on Jan 9, 2010, 2:17 PM)

daniv

Jan 9, 2010, 2:18 PM

Post #5821 of 6267 (11958 views)
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Hi all,

I decided to apply again this year (fiction) even though I'm already in a program. Big dreams die hard! I did narrow down the list--only to schools that could inspire me to go through the whole agonizing process again:

UVA
WUSTL
IWW
University of Florida

Chances are about one in a billion, but I guess they have to accept someone, right? Best of luck to all--it's so much fun to read these posts!

Colder

Jan 9, 2010, 5:36 PM

Post #5822 of 6267 (11864 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet??? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I'm rooting for you, Wandering Tree. I know you'll get in somewhere good.

Your Zoe buddy,

Sam

WanderingTree

Jan 9, 2010, 5:42 PM

Post #5823 of 6267 (11856 views)
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Same to you, Sam (Colder). I have a feeling you might hit one out of the park. Fingers crossed.

Colder

Jan 9, 2010, 6:03 PM

Post #5824 of 6267 (11845 views)
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Syracuse
Iowa
UT Austin
Cornell
Michigan
Virginia
Wisconsin
Irvine
Washington U St. Louis
Indiana

I think this best describes how I chose my programs:

hu�bris: n. Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance

I really thought that if I didn't get in anywhere I wouldn't sweat it and just reapply the following year. But now that my apps are out, I've realized just how badly I want to go to grad school. Now I look at my list of some of the most selective schools in the country and I just shake my head.

rain_raine

Jan 9, 2010, 6:09 PM

Post #5825 of 6267 (11840 views)
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What genre are you in?
Fiction

How long have you been workshopping/writing seriously?
I was very focused on writing in high school, and continued to write in between college courses, but it's only in the last three years that I've begun to workshop and produce work on a regular basis.

Are you published?
No. I certainly would like to be published at some point, but it isn't until the last year that I've really felt like my writing is at the point that I would be comfortable seeing it in print.

What did you do to prepare your pieces for your applications?
I selected recent pieces that I think best represent the direction my writing is headed. Both pieces had been workshopped twice in significantly different drafts. I pulled in some outside readers as well, whose opinions I trust.

Were you an active part of the writers' networking communities/did you meet influential people at the schools before the apps?
For the past two years I've been working with a small writing group. Both experienced and inexperienced writers are included, but everyone is very serious about their work. They have been amazing to work with, and my writing has grown a lot in response to their questions and critiques. I also went to the Tin House Writers Workshop this past summer, which I would highly recommend to any writer interested in spending an intensive week talking and thinking about craft.

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