"I think that work and life experience, reading and being present are extremely important to writing – and so is thinking. An MFA program can be an opportunity to deepen the exploration and concentrate on your craft while getting good feedback and support.
I think that the best time to get an MFA is after working for a few years and discovering more of life so you have a greater reservoir to draw from. Work and have adventures for AT LEAST a year before going into an MFA program."

"(Work/life experience, and reading and an MFA program are all important.) And just because one decides to pursue an MFA doesn’t exempt one from having the sorts of life experiences that writers need: e.g. falling in/out of love, discovering one’s sexuality; learning how to keep phone/gas/electricity on, being hungry/overfed/lonely, etc.
(The best time to get an MFA?) If it is a matter of having the opportunity right out of college, it is probably less disruptive to pursue the MFA. And if it turns out to be a mistake, you have a lot less to lose; one can, in fact, walk away from the waste of time and money. But there is a lot to be said for waiting a few years --- and developing a method of working, revising, and subsisting that you can carry into grad school. Too many students make the mistake of believing that they’ll learn how to work in grad school or that n MFA will secure their status as writers. Ultimately, degree or no, you still have to sit down to do the work – and have a reason that is your own for sitting down to do it."

"(Which is preferable for a writer: work/life experience, or MFA?) Both”.

"(When is the best time to get an MFA – after working for a few years, or right out of college?) Either.”

“An MFA is not going to make you any money, which is why a lot of programs try to fund their entire classes. But if you can finish that novel and get it published in two years instead of ten…”

“Mine certainly was.”

“I wouldn’t have done an MFA program without a fellowship – and a few of the bigger or more established programs do offer financial packages that combine teaching, fellowship, and/or tuition breaks.”

“No one can determine that for another person. My sense is that the primary benefits of an MFA are the connections and the community it creates for the writer.”

"The positive things that make the costs of the MFA program worthwhile are … – professional, thoughtful feedback, concentrated time on writing, networking, and credentials that will allow you, in most cases, to teach creative writing on the college and university level."

"Yes, but one has to be realistic about what those benefits are: an MFA does not assure that one will ever be published, nor does it ward off the kinds of self-doubt that writers often feel. That said, the opportunity to focus on writing is, in itself, a huge benefit. For writers of color, MFA programs can be a risk because too often whites who have not read widely or had exposure to people from different cultural perspectives may not appreciate work that portrays characters who are poor – or worse characters of color who are NOT poor – characters who belie racial/cultural/sexual stereotypes, or uses diction, syntax, and vocabulary that are not considered mainstream. Or, conversely, the work can die on the vine because people forget how to be critical and thus damn the work with faint praise. But having said that, it is still a valuable experience if only for the gift of time."

"An MFA program provides an opportunity to buy yourself time to write and to participate in a community of writers. These benefits can be extremely worthwhile, but do not go into financial debt for an MFA program."

List some of the positive things that you get out of an MFA program.

“Continuous feedback, concentrated time on writing, networking opportunities.”

"From the best, I think the greatest benefit is acquiring a number of experienced critical voices that remain available in your head, so that you develop (Both with and against the voices) a keener ability to edit your own work. This can be augmented by friendships with fellow students that sometimes remain trusted readers over the years. Next comes the confidence born of being taken seriously by writers you admire – much as with scholars in a Ph.D. program. No less important is the simple discipline of having to produce a lot of work – especially if you are not in a residential program, it forces you to find a way to work regular writing habits into an already overbooked life. Finally, if you have good teachers and fellow students, there’s essential training and practice in analyzing how good writing achieves its effects. Some scoff at such “craft” skills, but for many writers, conscious assimilation of techniques facilitates the intuition, and allows them to experiment more productively if that’s their inclination. Hearing Andrea Barrett show how she diagrammed the scene structure of the opening chapter of Roth’s The Radetsky March to understand how it covers so much rich material with such dazzling economy, or hearing Charles Baxter explore how character action contradicts dialogic utterance in O’Neill, or Anne Carson discuss poetic compression in relation to classical epitaph really does prepare you to encounter new literary effects and reverse-engineer them. There are other ways to learn these things, but few more efficient or effective. In one-on-one exchanges, the student can often observe a writer’s “vision” as well – the way material begins to take shape. All these benefits can come from any extended contact with a committed, generous, and talented community of writers, but in practice few of us find communities of this intensity outside academic settings. The professional usefulness of connections made in a well-reputed program is also relevant, but not unless the writer produces good work."

"MFA programs, if they do nothing else, give the writer time to develop his/her craft. It give them time to read books that it would be difficult to read – or even to know about – outside of the program. In the best of situations, the program provides a sense of community for writers and prevents one from having to work in a vacuum. The opportunity to be “in tutelage” under an established writer is certainly important (though not because of the publication possibilities, but rather the opportunity to be mentored by an older writer.)"

"Time to write. Participation in a community of writers. Mentoring. Introduction to new texts and writing styles.”

Besides writing, does an MFA credential you for anything else? (like teaching, or a job in the publishing industry?)

“Possibly in territories like Hallmark greeting cards, etc.”

"Editorial jobs w/ literary journals. Unless the MFA is combined with some substantial published writing credits (at least one novel, a book of poetry) it’s not even going to help there – but if you’re published, the MFA will definitely help."

"It’s a union card for teaching writing. I was invited to do adjunct teaching of upper division and graduate writing courses at the university level prior to having significant publications largely on the reputation of my MFA program. But career, tenure-track teaching jobs require extensive and well-noticed publication: without that, the MFA won’t help on its own. If you’re famous enough as a writer, you can probably do without the degree for teaching, but most writing programs require one."

"Since an MFA is a terminal degree (except for a few PhD progams that offer a PhD with a creative dissertation option), you can teach creative writing (or composition, sometimes) on the college level with an MFA. Such jobs, however, are getting more difficult to get: you’re likely to need publication (a book or two, not just in magazines) and there’s a growing trend of MFA graduates seeking PhDs."

“I honestly do not know the answer to this. I know that Iowa Writers Workshop MFAs are teaching everywhere.”

"Certainly there are technical writers who have MFAs. There are probably a number of editors who have MFA backgrounds. But it’s probably like anything else, you can go as far with an MFA as the imagination can carry you."

"Only in extremely rare cases will an MFA get you a tenure-track teaching job – even if you have numerous publications. You may get adjunct work. The degree is also not necessarily valued in the publishing industry."

For nonfiction writers, would a journalism school (like Columbia’s) be a good alternative? For publishing, what about short-term courses in publishing (again, like Columbia’s)?

“NYU also has a well-respected intensive publishing program every summer.”

"Journalism is not literary nonfiction, and one has to be very clear about what one wants to accomplish before choosing that route. Much of journalism (no, not all, not Stephen Fried or Buzz Bissinger) is about grabbing the headline. Literary nonfiction is about going deep. Sometimes the two compete with one another.
     Again, if one enters such a program with a clear sense of personal purpose, one will take the tools one is given and put them to good use. If one is confused or ambivalent…Journalism might not be the best route.
     As for short-term courses in publishing. The key, again, is to have something to say, and to have a distinctive voice to say it with. I had zero connections and zero knowledge of the publishing industry when I published my first book and my first short stories. This was, I think in retrospect, a good thing."

"I would recommend Columbia Journalism school for people who want to be journalists, but not for those who want to write fiction or creative nonfiction. And I believe that even nonfiction writers and journalists would do better to delve more deeply into history or the subject/s they love instead of journalism school. At the same time, I think that working as a news reporter or feature writer for a newspaper is a tremendously valuable experience for working writers because it helps build discipline and encourages the writer to write, revise, revise again, and then let go—which can help develop really positive habits."

"…as to the non-fiction side, I will give you the same advice I always tell prospective journalists: read as widely as you can and write as often as possible. I chose Penn over the top J-schools at Northwestern and Syracuse because I would be studying something (History)…
To me, journalism is like sales. No one can really teach you how to write or sell. You have to have the basic desire and aptitude and then you need to hone that skill via experience."

“A short-term course in publishing, editing, or proofreading along with on-the-job experience is the best way to advance in the publishing industry.”

"I personally think (that journalism schools) are a total waste of time that would be far better spent working and getting on the job training. The most prestigious programs …cost a fortune, but the economics of how they’re run mean that students don’t learn …how to write. The classes are mostly taught by adjunct professors…(and they are) large classes. The result is that the professors are unwilling to assign writing projects every week, because it takes too much time to edit and grade so many papers. .. This is not $40,000 worth of education, and that year (or two..) would, in my opinion, be far better spent working for a newspaper and writing stories five days a week. The only real benefit to J school is supposedly the networking advantage – but I think there are better ways to go about impressing senior journalists (namely by doing impressive work)…"

LOOKING INTO PROGRAMS

What is the best way to research MFA programs?

"Most have internet sites. Find out who the writers on faculty are, get your hands on their work – they want to see you take a personal interest in their program. If possible, talk to people who have been through the program – probably your best source."

"Depends partly on your goals. Talk to alumni. Talk to departments who hire MFA faculty to find out what they think of the programs whose graduates they interview. Go to the AWP convention and schmooze. Ask (representatives of) programs to see a list of publications by their graduates. Ask writers or professors you respect what their impressions are. Talk to editors, agents, and publishers about their impressions of programs."

"When you look at a school, you ABSOLUTELY MUST find out who teaches there, especially if you like specific kinds of writing or if you have particular writing goals. Ask your current writings instructors for help."

"I don’t know a great deal about the different MFA programs. Although I would say the University of Pittsburgh is great for creative nonfiction, the University of Iowa for fiction and Columbia, NYU and Yale are terrific programs for both, as well as great places to get to know other writers, I’ve also heard good things about the University of Texas, the University of Utah and the Univ. of Montana in Missoula."

"Look at the list of faculty, read their work and figure out whose work is intriguing enough that you might want to work with that person. You will need to carry out the due diligence to get the “low-down” but it is much better to go to a program to “study with” someone than to go to a program with a good reputation where you may not find anyone excited about your work. I would strongly recommend looking into the low-residency programs, where you can maintain your residence and travel to the actual physical location only a few times a year. Some very good writers have come out of the Warren Wilson Low Residency program, which ahs great faculty who are committed teachers. Get your hands on the AWP Newsletter, which has ads for programs, also AWP publishes a list of writing programs which lists faulty, tuition, etc.
Look at who is teaching at each programs – and make sure the person(s) that you want to wrok with will actually be teaching when you are in residence there. It is important to have at least one faculty member with whom you can work on a close basis."

Programs recommended by respondent in the following areas:

Fiction: Iowa, Johns Hopkins, UVA, Cornell, Columbia, NYU, U Houston, U Montana, U of Iowa, Columbia, NYU, Yale, Iowa, NYU, USC, Maryland.

Iowa Writers Workshop usually has literary agents come through town looking to discover and sign up young novelists.

Nonfiction: U of Pittsburgh for creative nonfiction, Columbia, NYU, Yale are great places “to get to know other writers.”

Poetry: Brown, Buffalo, Iowa (depending on your poetic bent, though, these are oppositional programs); Columbia, Brown, Boston U., U of Houston, Michigan, U of Virginia, and Iowa; Brown, San Francisco State, St. Mary’s in California.

Screenwriting/playwriting: USC, NYU, Columbia; “Brown has produced several fine playwrights and at least one of their faculty has won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama – Paula Vogel.”

For programs with other strengths, consult the AWP Official Guide to Writing Programs.

Other information about programs: How can you find out how involved distinguished faculty actually are in their programs?

“Talk to alumni and current students.”

“Since writing programs are usually workshop driven, you could find out who teaches the workshops. To do this: check websites for course listings, or, better yet, call departmental secretaries and administrators.”

“Ask their students.”

“Ask students currently enrolled – or recent alums.”

“Check teaching schedules.”

"The best certainly are. Especially for people who already have life commitments. I know one woman who completed the Iowa residential program and then went to the Warren Wilson program, and she reported getting much more personal attention from faculty at the low-residency school. It’s often overlooked that the low residency format can offer much more intense supervisor interaction than strictly workshop-based residential programs, if the faculty and students are equally good. Workshop-based programs can end up offering fairly limited faculty contact, and at their worst can be destructively competitive performance spaces.
But not all low-residency programs offer the controls and dedication necessary to make the most of the format. Research carefully."

"I’ve been asked to teach at these programs but have not had the time. However, I know several teachers who have, and I greatly respect them and know how much they have given of themselves. It is all about the mentor you are assigned. The most famous writers are often the most distracted teachers; one has to weigh connections versus content."

"I also believe that low-residency MFA programs are definitely worth doing. Goddard & Warren Wilson in particular provide wonderful teaching/mentoring and it’s a great way for people who are working or involved in a career to be able to attain (sic) an MFA. These programs require a lot of self-discipline, but they bring writers together from all over the world for the 10 day to two-week residencies every semester, and also tend to have very focused and dedicated writers who are teaching in the programs."

"Yes, especially if one has a job and benefits that grad school would nullify. Low residency programs are great for people who already have careers or day jobs or living circumstances that make moving impractical."

“May be worthwhile if you have a full-time career already that you will be continuing.”

Writing portfolio? 3+ (“the portfolio is most highly valued.”)
Recommendation letters? 2.5
Coursework/transcripts? 2
Undergraduate extracurricular writing/ publishing experiences? 1.8 (“unless in The New Yorker”, “an internship at The Atlantic Monthly is worth repeating “)
GRE scores? 1

"Always send your best work. I heard after acceptance that my portfolio, assembed to show range (on the advice of a former faculty member and distinguished poet/critic) had been criticized as being less “coherent” or “consistent” than it might be. So second-guessing this kind of thing is risky. Knock-your-socks-off writing will get noticed. Some people think John Ashbery’s been writing the same poem for forty-five years and that fact hasn’t hurt him."

“DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL”

"A portfolio that shows range in terms of style, subject-matter, and technical acumen is important and the importance grows as one moves further away from the undergraduate experience. That is, if you are five years out of school, it is risky to include work from your undergraduate days in the portfolio; the admissions committee will be interested to see how you’ve grown, and no matter what, work done by undergraduates (unless you’re Randall Jarrell) is often not as well-realized. That said, revising work that was deemed strong in undergraduate workshops is always good."

“Show a range of work, but make sure that it is your best. Most schools will only let you apply in one genre.”