Hey everyone!
I’m applying for the Iowa YWS this year, and I was wondering if any alumni had any general advice, and if anyone else is applying?
I’m also applying. Good luck to us both 
I applied last year but got rejected (although I barely put any effort and procrastinated, but I doubt I would have / will get in this year even though I am putting in the work this time).
My English teacher said yes to writing a recommendation for me but she requested to look at my portfolio! I’m super nervous and am going to be so embarrassed because it’s legitimately terrible. I feel like she’ll laugh in myself or think to herself about how I have zero chance of getting in. Plus, I was going to work on the portfolio over the three-day weekend but she wants to see it by this Friday 
Coolio! Good luck!!
Hope the reading went well, remember your harshest critic is always going to be yourself 
@pielovereternal It didn’t go bad as expected. She was quite kind!
Ideally she would have given me more pointers on what I should revise, but she did hand me a list of poets that she recommended I read. That being said, I am still extremely nervous. I want to attend Iowa with all my heart, but alas, I do not feel my writing meets the standards the workshop instructors would like to see. When I read poems online, it seems as if they are relatively simple to write, except when comes my turn, my brain just can’t seem to spill out anything decent!
But this is the exact reason I want, need, to attend Iowa. Why should they accept the already amazing talents when it is people like me who are in dire need of the instructors’ help, haha!
Omg. I just applied too. I think Thursday?
Anyway, I honestly was not really aware how big of a deal Iowa was. I was just searching for writing summer programs because I needed something to do. Iowa and UVA popped up, and I was like, Eh. Why not?
So I submitted some pieces I thought was good. My teacher wrote a recommendation, although really excited, and I happen to question her what the hype was.
She screamed, “It’s IOWA. THE IOWA. I’m just so happy you have so much motivation!”
Me: Um. Er. Thank you?
She did say I was the most promising writer she’s ever seen in her over 20-year career. But! I’m sure all the other applicants were probably encouraged by their teachers too.
I think it’s a good thing to not be so set on getting in, so when they reject me, it’ll be much less painful.
Let’s start like an acceptance/rejection thread!
We can suffer through this together!
Hopefully we all get in!
@GrandBudapest
If you have been planning and revising so early, you probably have a better shot than most of us! I started revising my entries the day admission week started!
@AlmightySadist Good luck to you!
I still have to write my personal statement AND finish my ten-page portfolio. How am I going to get this done on time?
Does anyone know what the acceptance rate is? One poster in a previous thread said it was as low as 12-15%. I’m praying that figure is incorrect and that it’s higher
@GrandBudapest Glad to hear it went well! I totally feel you. Tried to write a poem from scratch for the writing sample, and it was quite a taxing (but rewarding!) experience. Hopefully we’ll get in and learn to do it better…!
@GrandBudapest No clue. It had better be higher…
@AlmightySadist O_o You must be amazing! And don’t worry, I just started really revising my stuff. It sucks pretty bad right now…
@GrandBudapest
Omg really?
I already had my pieces picked, (from past works) so I just corrected some typos n stuff. Probably should have reworded some phrases now that I’m actually realizing how competitive the program is. Oh well. It’s submitted.
Just write from the heart (cliché, I know. XD) but I feel if you have enough love and passion for the art, the admission officers will feel it through your work! (At least, I hope so.)
I’m hardly amazing, and even if, don’t wanna get cocky n stuff.
I heard the acceptance rate was around 1%? But ~12% sounds more likely.
Because around 1000-2,000 kids apply for ~120 seats.
I mean, we at least have a better chance getting into Iowa YWW than Harvard thooo.
@AlmightySadist Oh, there are 120 seats? Last year in my rejection letter it said 450 students were rejected.
120/570 = 21%. That sounds better Still very competitive, though. Where did you get the 1000-2000 statistic?
@GrandBudapest
But if you think your writing needs work, I would actually recommend using that to your advantage in your personal statement! It shows you have plenty of room to grow, and you could also go in-depth on how determined you are to take advantage of the program.
If they only recieve perfect kids, then there will be no reason to have teachers to begin with!
You could also play your skills to convey your eagerness to learn, and remark about how the money they put into the teachers will truly be worth it.
@GrandBudapest
I don’t remember the exact site, but I do remember reading about 1,000 students competing for ~100 seats. I remember their website said 60 students per session. (Not sure. I’ll have to check)
If not, I probably mixed up the info with other programs.
@GrandBudapest Even then, 21%? That’s really high for a nationally prestigious school! Low for me is about less than 15%. Anything higher, and I think anyone has a decent chance!
If we get in, do y’all think it would be in our favour to mention it in our college application? I always hear that selective colleges don’t really care for summer schools. Kinda like, “Oh, good for you. Is that it?”
I really like writing, but I’ll probably just omit that info if it’s as irrelevant as people make it seem…
Do you think it is ok if our writing sample is 11 pages? I can’t choose which poem to take out.