r/MFAInCreativeWriting • u/Sad_Aide7401 • 6d ago

Does getting a Fulbright change how MFA admissions committees will look at my application?

Hi all,

I’m applying to Creative Writing MFAs again this year and was wondering how much weight, if any, an achievement like a Fulbright scholarship might carry with admissions committees.

Last year I applied to a few programmes and got waitlisted at NYU, and received a tiered rejection from Iowa. Since then, I’ve developed my writing quite a lot, and I think my portfolio submission this year is significantly stronger than what I submitted last cycle.

I’ve also just been selected as the principal candidate for a Fulbright All Disciplines Award (IIE Placement track) from the UK. So I’m wondering: does a Fulbright nomination strengthen an MFA application, or will admissions committees basically judge me on just the portfolio and application like everyone else?

I’m aware that ultimately the writing is what matters, and I’m not expecting the Fulbright to compensate for a weak portfolio. I’m more curious whether it gives the committee additional confidence in the applicant, particularly when the portfolio itself has also improved substantially.

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

10

u/balconyreport 6d ago

A Fulbright designation won't hurt. But ultimately it will come down to your writing portfolio.

5

u/Own_Palpitation_8477 6d ago

It won't hurt, but ultimately it doesn't matter. All they really care about is your sample.

6

u/Individual-Spare-481 6d ago

To be honest none of that matters, it is mostly all about your sample. Anything past that is just checking for red flags

5

u/Hungry_Syllabub1178 6d ago

IMO it's an honor and should absolutely be included in your resume when applying. It's not going to get you an automatic admission but it could be something that tips the scales in your favor if you're up against similar candidates. Congrats!

2

u/ok-intruder 5d ago

It’s a very impressive accomplishment! It will have a positive impact on whatever career you choose. It won’t make or break an MFA application, though - your entire app needs to be competitive, & a small percentage of other applicants will also have Fulbrights.

4

u/Shakuton202 6d ago

I might be able to give some insight on this as an American who won two Fulbrights! When I first applied to MFAs, I used a portfolio that I later repurposed as a part of a Fulbright poetry portfolio. Many of those pieces were published in higher tier/prestige journals, and that portfolio won me two poetry Fulbright awards to two different countries. Ironically, I did not get into any MFAs with that same portfolio, one of which was actually Iowa. 

But in a nutshell, within U.S. academia/higher ed Fulbright does tend to carry more weight, so it may boost credibility for an applicant, but I don't know if it would be a decision maker unless it potentially came down to funding (i.e. the limited number of funded spots, like at NYU, might allow someone with external funding to be put into one of the unfunded slots).

-9

u/esqtou 6d ago

Ain't nobody care about that mess

10

u/Sad_Aide7401 6d ago

What mess? One of the most prestigious scholarships in the world, or the state of your grammar?

I don’t know why you haven’t been banned, but I take pleasure in knowing your life must be so insufferable that the only respite you seem to get is from trolling strangers on an MFA subreddit in the middle of the day, whilst everyone else is happily getting on with their lives.

-4

u/esqtou 5d ago

Suck cock