For those of you trying to gain acceptance to a PhD program in fiction, I thought we should create a separate blog from the MFA and MA applicants as a way to share information on acceptances and rejections.
I've applied to the following schools:
UGA
Georgia State
FSU
Houston
Texas Tech
North Texas
Nebraska
Denver
Utah
UNLV
USC
U of Illinois at Chicago
Tuesday I got a rejection letter from Texas Tech. Wednesday I emailed U of Illinois at Chicago and was told word would come within the next ten days by way of snail mail.
Does anyone else have information? Let's hear it.
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Hey Ryan,
Thanks for starting this. Today I checked the status of my UIC App. on the same site that I submitted my online app., and the status said "denied." So it looks like notifications have gone out there as well. I'm 0 for 2 so far. Best of luck.
bk,
Did you check the status of your UIC application on the page that has "Application Status" at the top and then name, address, phone number, etc.? I'm trying to see if I can get some information.
To what schools did you apply?
Hi all,
I applied to:
Utah
USC
FSU
Iowa MFA
I'm in at Utah and haven't heard back from anywhere else, although it sounds like USC and Iowa are starting to notify so soon I'll be able to scratch two more off my list.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to Utah. But my friend fwded me a link this morning to a CNN article about Utah students who carry concealed weapons to class. I knew it was allowed on campus, but I'd never heard stories from the people who actually take guns to class. It was chilling. I'm hoping they sell some nice Kevlar casual wear in SLC.
Screwsan,
Congrats on Utah. I'd give my left foot and a kidney to get in. I applied, but didn't receive one of those wonderful phone calls. I haven't given up hope.
Seems like a great program in a beautiful area. I went to Brigham Young University, just down the highway from UofU. I hope you enjoy Utah. It is a unique area.
Yeah. Mine says "deny" now. Sigh.
Oh—still waiting on:
Georgia
Georgia State
Nebraska
Tennessee
Missouri (but not holding my breath)
Also, I got my MFA from USC, and the PhD Creative Writing program is very small and competitive. Typically they accept two per genre out of a hundred or so apps. per genre. I can only imagine that the number increases every year.
bk,
I have a feeling I won't make it into USC. It would be wonderful to work with T.C. Boyle, but the idea of surviving in L.A., with wife and children, seems daunting. You survived.
All of this is such a numbers game, a lower acceptance rate, I imagine, than most medical schools.
Do you know how many Nebraska accepts? I've heard good things about the program. I've also heard they're stingy on the funding. I don't know.
Ryan,
I was really impressed with SLC when I visited last fall. Beautiful city, beautiful area. If I could wish the concealed weapons law away, I'd be in heaven. But hey, maybe a little danger is what I need in a PhD program.
Though I applied to USC, I too wondered how in the hell I'd be able to afford a big city on the kind of funding PhDs get. I know LA is one of the cheaper big cities, but it's still not cheap enough. It's why I didn't apply to Chicago, though I love the town.
How'd you do it bk?
Oh, I guess I should say that, of course, I was blown away by the students and faculty at Utah as well. I guess I just assume that's a given at these programs. Hence my tendency to take it for granted and dwell on things like mountains and sunshine.
USC is pretty good about funding, and it's doable in my opinion. A standard TA/AL at USC is $9,000/semester stipend, full tuition remission, and health/dental insurance, and with some summer teaching opportunities. So, that won't get you much in terms of housing, but it is certainly livable if you can split an apartment with someone. The area of the campus is improving, with USC buying up land and developing it. It is right downtown, though, and has a "bad neighborhood" reputation. The campus is very safe. I'm from Southern California, though, so I didn't have to adjust to LA traffic—I just use it as grist for my stories.
Got an acceptance email today from University of North Texas. It's not my number one school, but it's still nice to feel some kind of validation and know I have a place to lay my head at the end of this draining process. Still need to hear from nine more schools.
Rejected by University of Illinois at Chicago (PhD fiction), 2/22, on website.
bk,
What do you know about Nebraska? Any idea how many students they accept?
Ryan,
Congrats on North Texas! I don't know much about Nebraska's class size, but on their grad student page I counted 24 creative PhD students. That could average out to about 3-4 per genre, or 6-8 total, per class. Not very many.
bk,
Thanks for the info. I find it comforting that you, like me, are counting students, crunching the numbers, a hopeful accountant in this mad process. I've applied to Georgia State, too. I don't know what to think about their program.
Congratulations on your acceptance to North Texas! Everything in Iowa is frozen solid and there is yet another storm on the way today. I wish I were in North Texas right now.
Screwsan,
For better or worse, most of the schools I want to attend are in the sunbelt. I realized this after applying.
I don't envy you the weather, but I do envy your approaching spring. I live in Phoenix and haven't seen a spring in years. The oppressive heat's just around the corner.
Any word from other schools? Have you made a decision?
Nada on my other schools so far. I'm going to gather all info before making a decision (assuming there will be a decision to make).
The sunbelt sounds grand. I've never lived somewhere warm year-round but it seems like it would be a pleasant way to spend four years.
by the way, is it weirding anyone else out that some of the MFA acceptances are coming over email? I mean, I guess it had to happen eventually, but when I think of all the spam and crap I delete without opening in my email account...I shudder to think that something as life changing as a school acceptance could be communicated that way. I suppose it's followed up by mailed paperwork, but still...
Ryan: Georgia State is kind of hard for me to pin down. It looks like a big program, and perhaps not as selective in terms of it lets in, but that also probably means funding isn't a given. The funding "packages" are competitive, and everyone else has to apply on a year-to-year basis. Doesn't sound too positive. However, the study abroad options (Germany, Italy, England) sound very attractive.
For anyone who applied to Nebraska, the graduate secretary said decisions will be sent out after March 7th. Hope that helps someone.
I hope it helps me. According to other sites, both Georgia (Grad Cafe) and Tennessee (Speakeasy) have notified acceptees, so Nebraska and Georgia State are my last silent bastions.
A student at UofG told me they accept two to three students per genre. That's crazy!!!
According to the University of Illinois @ Chicago, I've been denied, but I haven't gotten a letter. Has anyone received a letter of denial?
No, I haven't received any official letter from UIC, but I expect that it will come soon.
has anyone called denver & have an inkling of when-about we'd hear? i've a friend who was accepted by phone (poetry) on 2/23 last year, and on seth's blog it says acceptance for someone on 3/11 - wildly far apart! and i'm anxious. but i don't want to call.
I'm wondering about Denver, too. I guess an email to the graduate secretary couldn't hurt. I've done that at other schools and they seem more than willing to give information.
I thought I should just add that over at Speakeasy someone has reported an acceptance to Georgia State, although it sounds as if they have just begun notifying candidates.
Good luck everyone!
Does anyone know the GSU link to check application status?
Ryan,
My status sill says "complete and ready for review," but here is the link:
https://www.gosolar.gsu.edu/bprod/admstat.GetSSN
Strange, but I can't log into the GSU website. I'm beginning to think I forgot to apply with the College or Arts and Sciences. Sent in all the materials to the college and English department, but never submitted application. Did you get a confirmation email from the college stating they received your application? How long do they take to process the application? Too many schools, too much information.
I got a confirmation only 2-3 days after my application was complete, but I also emailed both the department and college to make sure that they both had all of my materials. You might try calling or emailing the college just to check.
Anyone out there? Anyone heard anything? Let me update:
Rejection: UofG, Illinois @ Chicago, Texas Tech, and FSU.
Acceptance: North Texas w/TAship.
?: Utah, Denver, Houston, UNLV, and USC.
Let's talk.
Rejected:
Texas Tech
Illinois-Chicago
Waiting on:
Georgia
Missouri
GSU
Nebraska
Accepted:
Tennessee (but to MA lit.)
Hello,
Has anyone heard from Nebraska, Georgia State, or Ohio U?
Thanks!
Today I emailed the graduate secretary at Nebraska and she told me I was accepted. Good news!!!
She said letters of acceptance or rejection go out tomorrow, and emails regarding assistanships have gone out. I haven't received such an email. We'll see.
Today I emailed the graduate secretary at Nebraska and she told me I was accepted. Good news!!!
She said letters of acceptance or rejection go out tomorrow, and emails regarding assistanships have gone out. I haven't received such an email. We'll see.
Awesome on acceptances.
If you've been accepted to more than one program, are you leaning towards a particular school? And will you lean sooner rather than later so admissions can connect with other (wait-listed) people?
This goes out to anyone who has received such great news and who now has such options.
Thanks!
Congrats Ryan on Nebraska! I am debating sending a similar email.
Oh, and I forgot to add—I don't think Nebraska accepts PhDs without funding, do they?
Chelle,
I have two acceptances right now: North Texas and Nebraska. North Texas offered a teaching assistanship, and I have yet to know what Nebraska will put on the table.
With kids in the mix and a spouse, I must weigh everything carefully. What school is best for my family--that's the question. A campus visit might be in order.
BK,
Last year my friend got accepted to Nebraska. In the end he went to Ohio, but he said whatever Nebraska offered him in terms of funding was a little lean.
Thanks Ryan (and congrats)!
*
Everyone: Any word from GSU?
How about Ohio?
Congrats Ryan! I've heard Lincoln is a really wonderful town.
Screwsan,
I hope Lincoln is great. I've never lived in the Midwest, and I have no idea what to expect. Presently, I live in Phoenix--can't beat March. August will kill you.
Have you decided on a school? You're in at Utah, right? Planning a visit?
Ryan,
As a midwesterner, I can tell you that you'll get lots of weather--heat waves, floods, blizzards, tornados. But that's not necessarily bad--it keeps things interesting and lively, not to mention Biblical. I prefer seasons, myself. As for the town of Lincoln itself, I hear it's very funky and artsy and kind of a mecca in the corn.
I'm deciding between USC and Utah. Have been out to Utah for a visit already and loved it. Going to USC in a couple of weeks. Back just in time for that April 15 deadline.
Screwsan,
You struck gold with USC and Utah, though the prospect of living in the great necropolis of L.A., as T.C. Boyle called it, seems less than favorable. I have some friends who just escaped L.A. They said everything's crowded, any event, any place, any road--at all hours. Could be favorable, though, for the writerly life, inspiration and such.
Utah's great as you saw. As a Mormon, I'm very partial to it since my ancestors, as the brave stories go, hacked a path through the wilderness to get there. Strange I couldn't get in. Ironic, maybe. So I'll make a journey elsewhere.
Yes, Nebraska. Sounds like an adventure.
Thanks for your thoughts on the Midwest. Flat sounds nice.
Yeah, I feel like I won the lottery twice.
Hey, I bet it'll be good to go somewhere totally new. SLC would have been too easy for you ;)
For those who applied to Denver (Are there any?), I've heard the committe will meet this Friday and notifications will go out in the next two weeks.
i applied to denver (the only school i did apply to). they're late this year! thanks for the info tho.
Regarding funding at Nebraska, I just got this email from the graduate chair:
As stated in our letter of admission, all initial offers of assistantships have been made. You will hear from us if we are able to offer you an assistantship. Not all incoming graduate students receive funding.
I tell you, I bet Nebraska gets pretty expensive without funding.
Any thoughts?
Ryan:
Perhaps there are funding opportunities other than teaching assistantships (and in other departments).
Was your initial notification of acceptance (other than when you called the department) made through postal mail?
Since I haven't heard anything, I'm wondering if this means I'm out of the running. (Although I did not apply in fiction.) This makes me wonder if they notified only fiction applicants (regarding acceptance and funding), or if they notified all genres.
Oh well.
Chelle,
Good advice. There must be other funding opportunities out there. Maybe plasma donation.
I heard letters were going out Tuesday--mine hasn't made it to Phoenix yet. Maybe tomorrow.
If you haven't, I'd call the graduate secretary for the skinny. Waiting is horrible. Maybe send an email tonight. We all sleep well with a little hope in our bellies. Good luck.
email this afternoon from denver; accepted with full funding + a stipend. hooray. if anyone else is going i wld like to hear from you!
Hello,
Sorry to be a bother, Ryan, but on your login page for your Nebraska application status (they refer to it as WAM!), what does your "Admission Status for 1st Semester" say?
Thanks!
Kore:
Not just "hooray" but yahoo-hooray!!
Congrats on Denver!
Chelle,
Verbatim:
Departmental recommendation received in Graduate Admissions.
Hope that helps.
Ryan:
I'm in at Nebraska! Yay!
But no word on funding. Boo.
Chelle,
Congrats on Nebraska!!! What's your genre? Any other schools you're weighing, or maybe haven't heard from?
I wonder how many of us got in? It's a silly questions, but one always wonders about these things.
Frankly, I'm rather discouraged about the funding issue. Most programs offer adequate funding to everyone, but why not Nebraska? Maybe the answer has something to do with the 150 graduage students in the English department. With those kinds of numbers, maybe there's not much teaching to go around. Food for thought.
Again, congrats! An acceptance, to anywhere, is like a nice hammock, a reminder you'll have a place when the dust settles.
For those who applied to Nebraska, has anyone received a letter yet? They were mailed out Tuesday, or so I heard.
Chelle,
What does your UNL WAM page say?
Ryan,
I received my official Nebraska letter today.
No offer of TA-ship, but included in the letter is the same paragraph you received through email regarding funding (the same paragraph you posted here).
So it's still a waiting game.
Screwsan,
Wow, it's been so long! I remember you had to decide between USC and Utah. Have you made a decision? Before tomorrow, I, too, need to make a few decsions.
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