Too much information

I have decided that, in the process of applying to grad school, there is such a thing as too much information. The MFA blog has been such a great resource throughout the process, but the up-to-the-minute updates about who's been accepted have really added to my stress level and feelings of inadequacy over the past week or so. (Other factors and questions have also played into that, but those are now settled). So I'm going to stop checking the blog and just go on about my life and try to relax and know that acceptances and rejections will come when and from where they are meant to come.

So, one last time, in something resembling an order of preference, here is my list....

1) Alabama - like I said earlier, my heart fell when I heard that some people have already been accepted, but as long as I haven't been rejected yet, for all I know, I could be next on their list if someone decides to go elsewhere. I just got such a good vibe from this program, and the warm weather is highly appealing right now!

2) Wisconsin - one of my neighbors has Wisconsin license plates and every time I see her car I think how much I'd like to go there!

3) Michigan - I've never felt that I had much chance of getting in, but had to try.

4) NEOMFA/Cleveland State - this is closer to home, and therefore very appealing to my panicked self. The idea of moving 2 hours away is much less terrifying than moving across the country. Plus it's such an innovative program, being housed at 4 separate universities. I just sent this application out last week, so no expectation of hearing for quite some time.

5) Columbia College, Chicago - Chicago is such a cool place and I've heard good things about Columbia from poet friends of mine. This was my second to last application to send in, and I don't think their deadline is up till Feb 15th, so again no expectation to hear soon.

6) Penn State - they emailed me a week or two back to say that my file was complete, and they were going to start reading soon, and would notify their first choices by late February. Contact with them has felt positive, though they made it onto my list in a really haphazard, intuitive, way.

7) Colorado State - for some reason, I felt really good about the application I sent them. They had some different requirements, and it seemed like my material broke down differently there than with my other apps, but I felt like I sent a good, complete package. They don't fund everyone, so my fear is getting in without funding and having to make that choice.

8) West Virginia - I have warm fuzzies for WVU. Always have. I guess this is the place I feel I have the best chances of getting in, just because there's less recognition and less competition, but I would still be very happy to go there. Plus it's only about 3 hours from home. In my head, it's low on the list because it doesn't have the prestige of most of the other programs, but in my heart, it's a lot higher up.

9) Minnesota - see Alabama re: people already being accepted here, but MN is at the bottom of my list because this past month of winter in Ohio has made me seriously doubt my ability to survive winter in Minnesota.

Now, no more talk of grad school until I have some responses!