MFA Deadlines

I calculated that the majority of my choices’ deadlines are actually next year. However, I’m an early bird. Last year, I sent out all my applications around December. Additionally, I was on vacation for the majority of December so I had no choice. This time around, I’m wondering if I should take my time with my manuscript per application. I’m not applying to seven again like last year. Plus, most of them are in my city so the applications won’t take forever to reach their destination. The applications that will travel are the low residency programs I’m applying to.

I started my excel sheet for materials like in the MFA Handbook. What I don’t have are my recommenders. I have two in mind but I need to figure out how many each school wants. If it’s only two, I’m good. If I need a third, this will be difficult. I’ll make it happen somehow.

How are first, second, or third-timers handling the MFA application process now?

Planning

Alright universities, no more Mrs. Nice Girl.  I need to know if I’m in or not in these universities!  I’m trying to get my dates straight for my Greece trip and I can’t do anything until I know what’s going on.

Isn’t it quite rude for schools not to notify folks their decision early enough so the potential students can plan?  Honestly, if I haven’t heard by now, maybe the tardy response means a definite no?  One of my friends told me she didn’t hear until mid-April from one school that she was accepted so I’m not completely out of the running.  However, I’m already making plans for other things in my life and because I don’t know what’s up, I’m a frakking sitting duck.  What the frak.

I’m going to hope that in a week, I will receive some type of notification because this is absolutely ridiculous!

Three left…

Yesterday afternoon I received a rejection letter from the University of Arizona.  Every time I receive a letter from a school, I assume “rejection.”  But here’s the thing: I’m already past this.  To me, I’ve already been rejected from the rest of the schools (even though one school keeps sending me incomplete application status, its so frakking annoying!) and I’m fine with that.

I was able to read my submission with the same attention a department member would and its not MFA material at this time.  I accept that and I’m glad that I can recognize that I have room to improve.  My writing has improved and flourished since I applied which is apparent with the work I’ve been creating lately (memoir mostly). 

I’m already looking into a certificate program at the Graduate’s Center called The Writer’s Institute which is an intense one year program.  I read about the program on the Mediabistro website.  They call themselves the Un-MFA program.  Application deadline is April 15th so I need to get up on it. 

My head is in a good place now.  With this writer’s institute, what I have to decide now is if I want to apply to take courses in fiction or non-fiction.  My heart knows what it wants so I’ll follow wherever it takes me.

Bring on the letters, for crying out loud, so I can move on with my life!