I received a letter today. As most letters go, some good, some bad, this was placed in the ranks of amazing or unbelievable. It started with...

Dear Alex,

I have noted with interest your consideration of Creative Writing as an area of graduate study, and I would like to encourage you to apply to our M.F. A. program here at the University of XXXXX XXXX. I am enclosing a brochure on the program for your consideration...

My first thought, someone's messing with me. Why would a Tier 1, Top 25 national school (OK, I just had to put that in there as a pat on the back) be interested in me? Especially a school that would not even have come close to a school I would have been considering? Given, it's just an invitation to apply, but still... why haven't the schools I was thinking about even sending me this kind of letter?

It's amazing how quickly my mind went into action. Thank the powers that be for the Internet, within the course of two hours I had done my primary research as to the location, the fees, and most importantly, of course, the social life of the school. Those are the things you have to think about ;) Then I had to question myself, were my grades high enough? No. Were my works good enough? No. Doesn't look like I'll be going to this school after all! But then again, it's not always about the grades.

BUT... and it's a big "but", (it almost deserves another "T" but that would give it a whole new meaning) it surely gave me a confidence boost... even though I still think it's joke.