Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Harrumph / Best Laid Plans
So I found out yesterday that the University of Missouri, St. Louis rejected me from their MFA program. In many ways it would have been the ideal situation for me right now, since their evening-classes schedule would have allowed me to keep a day job that gives me a lot more income than I have the potential for anywhere else right now, I would have been living in a city where I have some existing social network (and where the poetry scene is bigger than Colorado Springs), and it still would have provided some of the community environment that a low-res program wouldn't.
I must admit to being somewhat surprised they rejected me--outside of my nine-year-old transcripts, I know I have a strong application package. I'm actually not that disappointed, though, because I think I would have benefitted them as much as they would have benefitted me, and if they're not of that opinion, fine. I'd still like to go back for the MFA, but I have the luxury of being in a position where it's entirely on my terms, and I don't have to be a supplicant. Feels pretty good.
So now I have a wide-open set of options in front of me starting in July, when my apartment lease expires. I'm definitely moving out of here, but other than that I haven't decided what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go. Any thoughts?
Better news tomorrow...
I must admit to being somewhat surprised they rejected me--outside of my nine-year-old transcripts, I know I have a strong application package. I'm actually not that disappointed, though, because I think I would have benefitted them as much as they would have benefitted me, and if they're not of that opinion, fine. I'd still like to go back for the MFA, but I have the luxury of being in a position where it's entirely on my terms, and I don't have to be a supplicant. Feels pretty good.
So now I have a wide-open set of options in front of me starting in July, when my apartment lease expires. I'm definitely moving out of here, but other than that I haven't decided what I'm going to do or where I'm going to go. Any thoughts?
Better news tomorrow...
Comments:
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I think you might be surprised at the community one can have in a low-res program. I can only speak for Warren wilson, but the sense of community among the students and everyone in the community is far better than what I see in most residential programs. All I am saying is you should consider WW. You can keep your job and still get the experience you might want.
I'm with C. Dale on the low-res. Check it out. Personally, I think you'd love Pacific U. My advisors are still in touch with me. My classmates send each other e-mails from across the country and encourage each other. It's a love-fest.
And all I can say to help is I'm with you on the "Where Do We Go From Here" feeling (referencing, of course, the last song in Buffy's musical episode.)
And all I can say to help is I'm with you on the "Where Do We Go From Here" feeling (referencing, of course, the last song in Buffy's musical episode.)
I still think you ought to move to St. Louis. The Broncos fanbase here leaves something to be desired. As for UMSL, I blame Ashcroft.
The Harrumph sounds quite Entish! I say take an Entlike approach and remember that most MFA programs tend to bring about pain and suffering. And this pain and suffering could be side stepped by standing quite still and allowing lichen to grow all over your torso. Of course this pain and suffering may be a kind of turning point in a person's life and writing, but hey who needs turning points? Saruman would have found some way to bring about his own doom! Wait, I'm getting off subject. You don't want to be anywhere near that arch when that rings hits the pit of Mt. Doom! OK, ok! what I meant to say is, they suck rocks!
Sorry to hear that. But Low-res is actually a very good option. My take on WWC is slightly different than C.Dales - the bottom line is that WWC produces *very* good poets. So they're doing something right there, and that *can't* involve alienating or isolating their students.
And don't fret the rejection per se - these things can be something of a crap shoot.
And don't fret the rejection per se - these things can be something of a crap shoot.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. It's hard for me to do a low residency anyway because it's hard for me to take 10 days off twice a year for residencies, but it's an option I keep in mind.
Hey Steven, I can't speak to the low-residency program option, but have heard nothing but positives about them from folks. For the residency programs, my experiences with the one here at UA is that some don't like it---feel it's too competitive and not very community-oriented. That's definitely not the case in the nonfiction genre, which I'm in, which has a great community and wonderful faculty that is a part of it. What other options from an MFA perspective do you have? Other schools still in the running?
By the way, I owe you a big thanks for your comments on a poem of mine submitted way back when, then revised and accepted elsewhere. Tell them you're really good at that, too!
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By the way, I owe you a big thanks for your comments on a poem of mine submitted way back when, then revised and accepted elsewhere. Tell them you're really good at that, too!
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