Welcome to part VI of our “Applying to a Creative Writing MFA program” series. Yesterday, we had a word on why visiting grad schools is worth your time, effort, and money. Today we send off our application(s)!
You’ve been drafting your personalized letter of intent, tweaking your resume and vita, plunking down cash for transcripts, and making the most-intricate database you’ve ever worked with, and now it’s all about to pay off. Finally sending is your moment to breathe in your accomplishment, because you have accomplished something. You’ve chosen to do something new with your life, and spending a few hundred bucks on application fees and materials makes it all the more real. Take a moment and update your database to reflect the date you sent your materials; you should always track your correspondence send/receive dates, so you know if you’re being speedy (and which programs are, too).
We’ll keep it short today, because you should spend time on your application, not reading, but I will add this:
Triple check your application before sending it!
Make sure all of the correct materials are in the correct envelopes, addressed to the correct programs. If you send the wrong materials, or your application is incomplete, what obligation do they have to help you out? Sure, it would be nice, but they’re busy and they told you what they needed. If you can’t handle an application, do you think they want you in their program? You might as well apply for a trucking job without ever driven anything bigger than a Crown Vic.
Today’s Action Item: Send off your application!
Okay, so today’s action item figures on you having all of your ducks in a row by now. If you’re not at that point yet, it’s fine, but it’s time to look at which components of the application process are holding you back and go to work on them.
Tomorrow we make our time productive as we play the waiting game.
-nm
[tags]mfa application, creative writing mfa, grad school application[/tags]
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