[MelancholyFae]

Why is it so needlessly difficult?

It is not needlessly difficult. It is difficult, in many ways; this can be explained more later (or what others have already said, matches as well.)

Why label this a pg 13 server when the average 13 year old wouldn't have any hope in hell of getting accepted?

I'm not sure of the average 13 yr old's abilities, but to compare my friends who were around that age, the average of them did have a good chance of being accepted.
PG-13 is what's used to rate things such as movies, and games. It explains to people that there's gonna be some "material that may be inappropriate for children under age 13". Nowadays, this rating is skewed because younger people are being exposed to topics that 20 yrs ago, would have been considered R. We use it anyway, to cover our butts.

Why do people need to be highly adept at writing stories to Role Play?

Being good at writing, helps a lot, because (as others have said) you are writing a story of your character, before being accepted, and then during roleplay, you are continuing to explain that char's actions, emotions, reactions.. their life.. while interacting with others.
You don't have to excel. I don't think the application process demands great writing skills. What it does demand is you getting intimately involved with your character, being passionate about that character, excitement about playing that character, and showing all this through the backstory, and details.
Then, the character is accepted, the passion and excitement of that character gets transferred into the roleplay with others, and this is why the roleplay excels. You are living in an interactive, unrehearsed play. You are that character.

Why does it have to be hyper realistic/difficult?

Because this is Mesalia, where we as advanced roleplayers, have collectively agreed that hyper-realism and difficulty is not only challenging and rewarding to us, but makes this server shine above others and gives us pride to be here.

Why are the times taken to learn skills blown far out of proportion then it would be in real life? Why are the expectations for everything so high?

This is stuff staff is still working on, and tweaking. We discuss this at length, debate, etc. However, currently, it's where we think it's most realistic, especially for being medieval/renaissance/fantasy setting. Modern schools and things (for most people) have skewed the views of how it was like to apprentice to someone and only learn that skill.

Competent: most people glance at and think to themselves that this is what someone out of high school would be at. What it actually means is what a normal worker would be at, when they finally end their apprenticeship. Using this skill as their means of living. Something they devoted to, for the last 5-9 years, without a lot of other hobbies or jobskills to detract from their learning. You need time, and much practice. You -worked- at this apprenticeship like a job, for the last 5-9 years.

We made a guide to explain this as best as possible.

Why was the last time a new applicant was approved was about 2-3 months ago?

As explained earlier - lack of advertisement, busy staff trying to work on other things behind the scenes are the largest reasons.

What are the reasons as to why Mesalia is so rediculously difficult to get accepted into? Why has it only become stricter, and not loosened even slightly?

I remember having fun in Mesalia, and loving the community, but I also remember every application I tried to write out becoming stressful and exhausting to write.

Why do you have to do, essentially, school work to play a video game? Potentially college level schoolwork at that, that needs to be scrutinized strictly and graded according to a set regiment of guidelines?

Some of the reasons it's difficult, were listed earlier. However, you are also seeing it as more strict, more difficult, less fun, and stressful, because you are frustrated.
I admire your persistence, but please understand that we, as staff, are doing the same (continuing to try and help you with your application.)
I want you to not see yourself as someone who's being picked on, or someone who's being targeted, because it's not true. I want you to see, instead, that we're working with you, if you let us.
If there is a specific issue you are having, we need to know, so we can help you better. But we need to understand what you need, so we CAN help. You have to work with us.

TL;DR

I don't get it. Why so difficult?

Because of server history, pride, high standards, and excellent playerbase and staff. And we welcome everyone, and will help them achieve this high standard to roleplay with us.