For prospective MFA students in creative writing, the application process can be quite daunting due to the proliferation of programs nationwide and the fierce competition in acceptance rates. However, such anxieties can be quelled if the applicant is well-prepared.
Before the application process even begins, prospective students can whittle down their pool of schools by determining their personal preferences in attending a creative writing program. Establishing their priorities among the amenities that programs offer will help applicants create a list of schools and begin the application process with ease.
MFA Program Location
According to Tom Kealey, author of The Creative Writing MFA Handbook [Continuum, 2007], location is an important factor in selecting an MFA program. Kealey suggests that applicants choose locations where they’ll be both comfortable and challenged, a choice that largely depends on personal preferences. Aspects such as city size, climate, cultural amenities and region of the country should be taken into account. In addition, applicants can decide whether they are willing to move across the country, or if they would prefer to stay closer to home or even in the town where they currently live.
Faculty
For many MFA applicants, admiring the work of writers who teach at particular universities is an excellent reason to apply to those programs. According to The AWP Director’s Handbook [Association of Writers & Writing Programs, 2008], a strong, stable faculty of both working writers and dedicated teachers is an essential hallmark of a solid writing program.
Prospective students should research faculty members and seek out strong mentors and writers whom they respect. However, Kealey warns that though faculty are extremely important, they can also sometimes be on sabbatical, unavailable for teaching, or strong writers but poor instructors. He maintains that other factors may be more essential in choosing an MFA program.
Financial Aid, Assistantships, Tuition Waivers
Financial aid is a crucial factor for applicants to consider when researching creative writing programs, especially if tuition costs are a top concern. Kealey advises that prospective students apply to well-funded programs that offer assistantships and tuition waivers, or schools with affordable tuition.
Assistantships often involve teaching assignments, which Kealey maintains are wonderful means of gaining experience and improving one’s writing. Editorial and research assistantships are also available at certain programs, and such assistantships should be researched so that prospective applicants can decide what type of experience they wish to gain.
Curriculum
As most MFA programs involve two to three years of study, applicants should research what they will be studying. Some programs offer a studio-based curriculum that focuses predominantly on writing courses, while others place a heavier emphasis on literature courses. Applicants must decide which route they prefer to take, and what they wish to emphasize in their years of study.
In addition, the Association of Writers & Writing Programs advocates a strong curriculum outside of the classroom as well, in the form of lecture offerings, readings, and workshops by visiting writers. Applicants can determine a program’s offerings by researching websites and books on certain programs, and even by contacting current students to determine their satisfaction with their program’s schedule of events.
Diversifying Applications
Once MFA applicants have determined their priorities for graduate study in creative writing, they must lastly select a range of schools to broaden their chances of acceptance. Kealey advises that prospective students apply to eight to twelve programs, as the selection process is both selective and subjective.
Most creative writing programs accept a very small percentage of applicants simply due to their program’s size, and they generally judge applications based upon the writing sample alone. Kealey recommends that applicants cast their net wide and keep their options open. Once applicants determine their priorities and diversify their pool of programs, they will be well-prepared for the application process.
Ready to Apply
After an applicant has determined his or her preferences for program location, faculty, financial aid and curriculum objectives, the application process can begin. If the prospective student chooses a range of programs that fit the selected criteria, the odds greatly increase for a successful round of applications, and for admittance into the program of one's choice.
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