Graduate Admission and Application

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for the 2008-2009 academic year are no longer being accepted.
Applications for the 2009-2010 academic year must be submitted online. The application will be available beginning in September, 2008.

Applications are accepted for fall admission only.

The application deadline is December 18.
Note: This is an in-house deadline; NOT a post-mark deadline. We do not offer extensions for any portion of the application.


Creative Writing Program Application Requirements:

• NYU application form (please apply online)
• Writing Sample
  Fiction applicants: maximum of 25 double-spaced pages (nothing smaller than 12 point type font; can be one story, an excerpt from a longer piece, or multiple short stories; you may want to include a paragraph to orient the reader if your submission begins in the middle of a piece)
  Poetry applicants: maximum of 10 pages (nothing smaller than 12 point type font unless necessary for artistic reasons; single-spacing is fine; you are not limited to one poem per page)
  Non-Fiction and Memoir are NOT accepted.
• Three Letters of Recommendation (can be mailed separately to the GSAS admissions office or uploaded online by your recommender) For more information regarding Letters of Recommendation, please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center
• Statement of Purpose
  500-1000 words
• Current Resumé
• Two official and final copies of transcripts from all previous institutions attended
• GRE Scores (general exam only, subject tests are not required) For more information regarding the GRE, please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center
• Application Fee

Please note: No portion of the application should be sent to the Creative Writing Program. Any supplementary materials not uploaded with the online application should be sent to the GSAS Admissions office address listed in the application instructions.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

To apply online or for general application questions please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center.

Q: Can I apply for both fiction and poetry?
A: No, you must select one genre or the other to apply for. If you apply to the poetry program, you will be considered with other poetry applicants. If you apply for the fiction program, you will be considered with other fiction applicants. If you submit applications for both, your applications will not be considered.

Q: When must I declare that I'm going to complete the MA or the MFA?
A: When you apply to the program, you should know which track is more appropriate for you and should indicate it when asked on the application. You should decide this based on your eventual goals after the program. For more information on the differences between the two, please visit: http://cwp.fas.nyu.edu/page/grad_programs Admission to the program is not affected by the student's choice of which track to pursue.

Q: What if I change my mind about the genre I'm studying?
A: It is not possible to switch from one genre of study to the other unless you entirely reapply to the program. You must apply for either the fiction or poetry program. Additionally, students are not allowed to take workshops in the alternate genre while studying here. Occasionally, with permission of the instructor and if there is sufficient room for enrollment, MFA students may have the option to take a craft course in the other genre. However, due to their curricular requirements, MA students may not.

Q: What if I change my mind about the degree track I'm pursuing?
A: It is possible to change tracks once you're in the program. The majority of our students follow the MFA track but anyone can change their mind if they find that their eventual goals have changed. Students should decide on the MA or the MFA early on, though, to ensure they're registering for the correct and required courses. It is easier to switch from the MA to the MFA since the degree requirements are more restrictive with the MA.

Q: How many applicants do you have each year and how many are accepted?
A: We have approximately 600-800 applicants each year (400-500 fiction applicants, 200-300 poetry applicants). Of these, approximately 20-30 fiction students and 15-20 poetry students are accepted. At any one time, there are about 90-100 students attending our graduate program.

Q: When do we find out if we were accepted?
A: While it varies year to year, we're usually able to get the bulk of the notifications out in March.

Q: Do you have a waitlist?
A: We usually maintain a waitlist. Because the length and makeup of the waitlist varies each year, we cannot provide any further information about it and do not provide information about an applicant's place on the waitlist or chances of being accepted from it. Applicants are notified as soon as possible as to their acceptance or the closure of the waitlist.

Q: What is needed to reapply?
A: Those interested in reapplying to the program must resubmit the application form, a new writing sample, and pay the application fee. The Graduate School's admissions office will maintain your application and supplementary materials for one year. You may submit new letters of recommendation, resume, etc. but are not required to. Given the nature of our program, it is advised that you submit a new or updated writing sample for consideration.

Q: Can anyone take or audit your classes?
A: No, you must apply and be accepted to the Creative Writing Program to attend any of our classes. Students in other schools and programs at NYU are not permitted to enroll in our courses.

Q: Can I sit in on a class to check out the program?
A: We do open a few sessions of our craft courses to those who have been accepted and are still deciding, but otherwise we do not let anyone sit in on the classes. Given the private nature of our workshop courses, we never allow guests in the workshops.

Q: What is your ideal candidate? Are there any minimum requirements in order to be accepted?
A: There is no one particular candidate that we are looking for. Our students range greatly in cultural and educational backgrounds, ages, interests, and goals. You do not need to have studied English Literature or Writing so long as you have successfully completed a bachelor's degree. You do not need to have been previously published. While all portions of your application are reviewed and considered, there is no recommended or minimum GRE score or GPA that we require. We are looking for strong, original writers dedicated to the craft.

Q: Do I have to take the GRE?
A: Yes. Our department does not require any of the GRE subject tests, but you must submit scores for the general GRE. Waivers are not given based on life experience, educational background, country of residence, employment status, or other factors. It is in your best interest to schedule to take the GRE as soon as possible to ensure you can obtain a test date and receive your scores before December 18th. This is especially important for those of you currently in another country as testing dates and locations may be less prevalent. Extensions will not be given, so please plan accordingly. For more information about the GRE requirements, please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center

Q: What should I include in the Statement of Purpose?
A: This is your chance to introduce yourself, your goals and your interest in writing to the admissions committee. The subject matter is flexible, but should include your reason for applying to the program.

Q: What should be included on the resume?
A: This should be a standard resume or cv outlining any educational and occupational history/experience you have. You may include any publications or conferences, etc. that you've been a part of. Again, this is a flexible portion of the application and is a chance to let the admissions committee know a little more about you.

Q: Who should the letters of recommendation be from and how do I get them to you if the application is online only?
A: Professors, employers, and other contacts who can comment on you as a writer, reader, teacher, etc. and those who can comment on your writing are generally the best recommenders. Generally, though, we accept letters from a range of contacts. We accept letters that may not have been written recently or for this specific application but, for obvious reasons, those who are commenting on you as a writer and your current application to this program are much more valuable. When you apply online, you will have the option to register your recommenders' e-mail addresses so that they can upload the recommendation directly to your online application. If your recommender is not comfortable with this process, they may send the letters directly to the admissions office. They should NOT send any letter directly to the creative writing program as this will delay the completion of your application. It is in your best interest to apply early to ensure that your recommender can either upload or send in their recommendation before the application deadline.

Q: How do I know if you've received my application materials?
A: Please remember that NO PART of your application should be sent to the Creative Writing Program. This will only delay the process. All materials should be submitted online or sent to the Graduate School of Arts & Science admissions office. For more information about submitting your application or to track you application materials, please visit the GSAS Application Resource Center.

Q: Do you have a low-residency program option?
A: No.

Q: Do you provide job placement, internships or agents during or after the program?
A: No. We do host a variety of events, seminars and lectures exposing you to a variety of job possibilities and people involved in the writing community, but we do not have formal job placements or agent searches. Whenever we hear of opportunities that our students and/or alumni might be interested in we send the information on to them.

Q: I was not admitted to your program. Could you provide feedback on my application?
A: Reviewing an admissions file is a complex process, and many factors are taken into consideration by our program’s admissions committee. Given that we are only able to admit a small percentage of the very strong applicant pool, we are often unable to offer admission to good candidates. Aside from advising that the creative writing sample is the most important part of the application, it is a matter of department policy not to discuss the admissions decision process or offer feedback on individual applications. We encourage anyone who is interested to reapply to the program next year. According to Graduate School policy, applicants may apply up to three times, after which applications will be returned without review.