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FAQs

Are creative writing applicants required to take both the GRE general and subject tests?

Yes. All applicants must provide scores for both the general and English subject GREs.

Will you consider my application without GRE scores?

We will consider applications without the subject test (the general tests are easy to do, on-line; the subject test is much more irregular). Applicants who have not taken the subject test by Feb. 1, must have signed up for the April test to be considered. Acceptance into the program is contingent on taking the April subject test. Don't worry about the analytic and math scores. The only ones that matter are the language and subject scores, and we can be forgiving about low scores if the student's writing is brilliant.

Must creative writing students submit both an academic and a creative writing sample?

Yes.

How long should creative writing samples be?

For fiction, no more than 30 pages. For poetry, 5-10 poems.

How often do you admit graduate students? Can I enter the program during the Winter or Spring quarters?

We have only one admissions period during the year and admit only for the Fall quarter.

Where do I send my letters of recommendation?

All application materials should be sent electronically to the Office of Graduate Studies.  Your recommenders should also be asked to submit their letters electronically.

What is the schedule for application decisions?

Typically, we begin evaluating applications in late February and make initial decisions in early March. However, because applicants wait to hear from other schools before they make decisions on our initial offers, we sometimes make subsequent offers to our waiting list as late as May.

How many new graduate students do you admit each year?

We typically admit 10 new graduate students per year. We get about 100 applications a year to the program.

How do I apply for a teaching assistantship?

There is no separate application for our assistantships and fellowships.  All applicants are automatically considered for those awards during the admissions process.

Do all admitted students receive teaching assistantships?

No, but a high percentage do, and a very high percentage of our current graduate students do receive teaching assistantships at some point during their degree programs.

Can I attend part time?

Yes, but all departmental financial awards (teaching assistantships, fellowships) require full-time attendance.

Do you offer on-line classes and/or degree programs?

No.

Is there an opportunity for travel (e.g., conferences, MLA, or AWP)?

We have a small fund that helps to pay for some of the travel expenses to conferences.

Is it possible to contact current or former students to ask them questions?

We prefer to wait until we've accepted a student to the program to give out the names and e-mails of current students. Otherwise current students might be swamped with queries, and that's not their job.