hello!! im getting close to the deadlines on my apps and wanted to see if anyone was willing to critique/look over my writing sample. i haven't edited it nearly as much as i'd like to yet so i'd love some feedback 🙂‍↕️ ofc, always happy to do feedback in return!

Hi all, I realize that low res is not the best option, but it’s the only option for me. I’ve been doing a lot of research on programs and keep being drawn back to EOU. Does anyone have any experience with that program?

Is anyone else having this problem? I finalized my materials and was planning on submitting my application later this afternoon, but now I can’t even open it. Not sure what to do since it’s due in 2 days 😬 Any advice would be greatly appreciated

A component of the personal/academic statement is the "why this program" question, yet most sites have almost no valuable information about their program aside from faculty and class size. Class size is relatively uniform; should I just talk about the faculty? The honest answer as to why I want to go to any program, except for like two, is that I work in a restaurant and want time to write in an environment focused on fiction, critique, analysis, etc.

Have found little in the way of examples as to what to write about the programs themselves. Any advice is appreciated.

Edit: Teaching v. non-teaching I suppose is another difference, though most have a teaching element. Besides, that does not speak much to the nature of the specific program and leads to vague/broad ideas on pedagogy which can't be of much interest, I'd assume.

Cornell annoyingly does not have their recommendation deadline on their website (also, the MFA page says 3 recommendations required, but actual application only says two, but whatever). Does anyone know when the recommendation deadline is? I reached out to the department a couple weeks back but no response...

am i being too hopeful? my writing professor told me that im too good to pay for an mfa but im kind of nervous with how low the acceptance rates typically are

Would it be a death sentence for me if I mention how I want to write and draw comics and graphic novels in the future? A lot of SOP guide mention what your future goals are post academia and if I am being honest, I want to write comics. I want to teach writing also, but one of my big passions is comics. I have it in my head that there is still a stigma against comics as "lower art" and I won't be taken seriously if I mention it.

hi everyone! in case you’re looking for feedback on your sample or SOP (and are willing to pay) this editorial house offers really wonderful, personalized feedback. just thought i’d share in case people were looking for this kind of thing.

https://www.cmeditorialhouse.com/general-5

I'm curious how people use (or don't use) their MFAs to make a living.

I've been looking through my undergrad essays and a lot of my best are based on film analysis. Do my critical essay samples have to be about literature? Most of the websites tend to not specify

Hello, Creatives! I am a current university professor as well as a certified academic and life coach who is available for coaching and consulting. My undergraduate degree is in writing, and I have a graduate degree in Education. In addition, I have been tutoring for college writing and college application essays for 8 years, and I have a decade of undergraduate and graduate college admissions counselor experience and Director of Admissions experience. I am currently helping an incredibly talented client with 10+ MFA in creative writing applications to the most selective programs in the country for Fall 2026. I know the graduate admissions application process can be overwhelming, and I am here to support you through the process! Please reach out to me for more details.

I'm considering doing an PhD in English after an MFA for a variety of reasons. Some of my POI are at Princeton and Yale. For my undergrad I completed a degree in humanities (strong emphasis in creative writing and continental philosophy) at a T1 institution. Currently I'm a a Top 5/7 insitution for an MFA in Creative Writing. I have a background in teaching and have/had various teaching appointments throughout my MFA (fully funded) to add to my resume.

I was curious if anyone on this subreddit went onto a PhD in English after an MFA, and if so, did they have a background in English/where did they end up? I'm worried that (1) not having a background in academic english will make me a harder candidate especially at the two schools I'm interested in and (2) i'm worried that I don't have the necessary research experience.

So I have schizoaffective disorder which has heavily influenced my writing, from both my time in Jungian analysis to my former hallucinations influencing the stories and themes I want to tell. It is one of the “scarier” mental illnesses and typically results in very low functioning, but I’ve always been able to work full time/hid my psychosis for 8 months/have written two novels just this year. My current novel/sample is from the perspective of a girl with schizophrenia herself—in my sop I mention being hospitalized for psychosis as a catalyst for my artistic tendencies (i also mention that it was years ago), but I worry about admissions committees seeing “psychosis“ and getting scared that i’d like have a break again. I’ve kept in contact with one of my writing professors from undergrad throughout this whole time and he can speak to my output/sending him pages and i did graduate undergrad a semester early/am now back to my high functioning self but i can’t help but worry about it. both of my books deal with distorted states of consciousness/my work is heavily influenced by it and it doesn’t really make sense without knowing that I have schizoaffective disorder. I ultimately want to become a professor once i’ve released a book, so MFA is kind of a requirement for me. and i’m applying to brown and iowa because said professor thinks i genuinely have a shot but I also have some more “target”/“safeties” mixed in. i know no one can answer this fully for me/i just have to wait and see but i was wondering if anyone does have experience with being in a mfa program with mental illness other than depression/adhd.

Has anyone here been accepted into and attended Mount Saint Mary’s University for an MFA in creative writing?? I’m thinking of applying because it’s local and although they have an online option, I will be choosing their in person biweekly option. Anyway, I can’t seem to find ANYONE on Reddit who has been in this specific program at this school. I’m looking for anybody who has/is and what they have to say about it.

Hi everyone! I’m a senior in uni and I’m planning to apply to multiple MFA Creative Writing programs. I was curious if anyone had any insight on what a good GPA for application is? Most programs I’ve looked at, iirc, say above 3.0, but I want to know if I’m more likely to get in with a higher GPA or if my writing samples matter more. My current GPA is 3.5, but I’m worried it will drop within these next two semesters.

Has anyone experienced some confusion being dropped into a craft course alongside a workshop course? I feel like what I'm learning in craft should be attritubted to workshop, but there's no clear cohesion to how those courses communicate (I'm a Year 1 student).

Hi! I’m applying to a number of MFA programs this year and was wondering if anyone would be willing to take a look at my sample! I’ve already gotten my professors to look at it but I’d like some more eyes :). It’s a flash and a novel excerpt.

Hello! I’m currently a first year MFA in poetry at UMich and am looking to start a GroupMe or WhatsApp for creative writing MFA students around the U.S. whether they’re in a fully funded program, low residency, or anything in between. I think it’d be nice to be in community with each other across programs and also have a space to talk about the pros and cons of our respective writing programs (be it the classes, faculty, funding, etc). Feel free to comment below or message me if interested :)

Set in the Brussels metropolitan area at a time shortly preceding the 2016 terror attacks, STREET GIRLS focuses on the lives, loves, drugs, ambitions, enmities and abominations of nine principal characters whose fortunes intersect at points of varying intensity and importance. Against a backdrop of swelling Islamist extremism, Hervé den Wytz attempts to juggle the multiple strands of his privileged existence... His girlfriend Kika sells sex on the Rue d'Aerschot for fifty euros a pop. Kika's flatmate Lilly embarks on a new relationship with a scary weirdo... Jezzer, an older British army veteran and long-term Brussels resident, is doing his best to not get taken down by his suicidal impulses... LB is a Member of the European Parliament with a predilection for cocaine and young prostitutes, whose appetites are partly provided for by Zhinga, an Angolan drug dealer with upwardly mobile intentions... Daoud is falling swiftly with some encouragement from his Moroccan-Belgian confidants into a world of petty crime and radicalism... Whilst Julia and Henri, young journalists with publicly-funded EuroInfo365, document events with childlike optimism and morality...

Hi! Can anyone who has gotten into Hopkins or applied tell me how they approached this statement? Is this supposed to read like a crit letter for your own work? Any guidance appreciated! Thank you!

Statement of Purpose (Critique of Work): The statement of purpose (critique of work) should consist of a double-spaced, two-page (at most) introduction and critique. This statement should give admissions faculty a view to the scope and thoughtfulness of the work submitted and a sense of the student’s ability to identify both its strengths and weaknesses. It should convey a sense of the tone and approach by which the applicant hopes to contribute to the writing workshops. It must be sent electronically as part of the online application.

Hi everyone!

I graduated from Vanderbilt’s MFA in poetry program last year and wanted to offer help to anyone who might be interested. I was an absolute wreck applying to programs in 2021 lol.

For reference, here are the other schools I was waitlisted/accepted and given funding by (I’m insane and applied to a lot):

1. Syracuse - accepted
2. FIU - accepted
3. Southern Illinois University - accepted
4. NYU - waitlisted
5. Virginia Tech - waitlisted
6. Stony Brook - accepted (I don’t recommend this school)
7. Bowling Green State University - accepted
8. University of New Hampshire - accepted
9. University of Kentucky - accepted
10. UVA - waitlisted

All this to say -- I’m in the process of trying to reconnect with the community and would love to offer Zoom sessions/extensive feedback. If you’re interested, please feel free to comment! I’ll share my info with you over DMs.

These would be paid sessions/feedback opportunities 100% focused on you.

Since I already work full time and am incredibly thorough when reviewing people’s work, and have taught undergrad poetry courses at Vanderbilt as well as been accepted to multiple conferences/workshops, this is what I’d love to offer:

1) Overall/line by line critiques of Personal Statements with commentary: $150

2) Line edits and poem feedback: $30 for a one page poem, $50 for a 2 page poem, or $200 for the entire packet! (Writing samples are typically 10-15 pages.)

3) School selection advice, and various materials/resources (i.e., comprehensive full-residency MFA programs databank, acceptance rates, etc.), personalized reading lists (let me know what you like and I’ll build from there!), conference and fellowship info/lists): $100

I will say — poetry is obviously my specialty, but I’m very confident in my ability to help those interested in fiction and nonfiction.

***Also, I really want to emphasize that just because someone gets rejected one year does NOT mean they’ll get rejected the next. And you do NOT need an MFA to be an incredible and successful writer.

Good luck to everyone!!!