Application Information

Details and information about the application.

Acceptance Rate
38%

This data is estimated based on applicant submissions at The GradCafe.

Institution
University of Iowa
Program
Creative Writing Poetry
Degree Type
MFA
Degree's Country of Origin
International
Decision
Accepted
Notification
on 30/11/-0001 via E-mail
Undergrad GPA
0.00
  • GRE General: 0
  • GRE Verbal: 0
  • Analytical Writing: 0.00
Notes
To the person inquiring about my “interesting reason” and my “ambivalence”, I’ll say this: my goal is to always be true to what makes my writing, MY writing. Certain scenarios pose a threat to my writing. Such as: going from urban areas where there are children who need good teachers, to going to rural Iowa where they are “Midwest nice”. It’s not about the school name or what they could offer as far as career; I write for fulfillment. There is something more rewarding than getting published in poetry magazine and having a book in the Yale series, those goals and many others can be accomplished anywhere if you are a good enough writer. But Iowa as great of a school as it is, does not have urban kids who could use some help. My ambivalence does not stem from me thinking I am too good, in fact it is in a lot of ways the exact opposite. What if instead of doing something for myself... I decided to help someone else out by staying where I am, going to a smaller school and teaching children different ways out of poverty other than athletics and entertainment; meanwhile honing my craft with the poets who are not as well known but they are accomplished in their own right. It was by no means an easy decision, but someone like you or whoever else is waitlisted will get an opportunity to chase after their dreams. My dreams are not better nor are they more novel, they are simply mine... I could not fit 2-3 years away from where I am into accomplishing my true dream, which is to help. I wish all who attend Iowa and other schools the best of luck, and I think we are all doing what we were made to do. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I chose the one less traveled and that has made all the difference. The funny thing about that frost quote is that he never said the other path was better, worse, longer, shorter; he just said it was different. I’m different, my path is different... but that’s the beauty of the possessive noun... MY path, is mine.

Timeline

  • Received notification of Acceptance