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I'm a big fan of higher learning, which is why my new column at Writer Unboxed is about Applying to MFA Programs. Here's a quick excerpt:
To find the program that’s the best fit, you’ve got to do your homework on prospective schools.
- Look up their acceptance rate, which at some schools is so small that they can only be seen by microscope. Less selective institutions might have an acceptance rate as high as 20 percent, meaning your odds of failure are only four out of five! Those are lousy odds, but if numbers were your thing, you wouldn’t be applying to MFA programs.
- Do they have famous faculty or alumni? This is crucial for name-dropping purposes at cocktail parties.
- How much financial aid is available. Are there fellowships? Teaching assistantships? There are always student loans; as your MFA pays dividends the rest of your career, so too will you write checks to Nelnet for the rest of your miserable life.
Go read the whole thing, then get those applications in the mail.
Applying to MFA Programs via Writer Unboxed