If you’ve been admitted to a program– or perhaps more than one!– you’ll want to consider a few questions once you’ve gotten the offer.
What other funding opportunities does the school offer?
- Some schools offer competitive scholarships in addition to the full funding. And there may be additional teaching opportunities, too. During my MFA studies, I taught winter intersession courses as well as summer sessions to make extra money. I also won a little money from a contest that the university library put on. You may not learn of some of these additional resources until you get there, but find out as much as you can.
What do current students and alumni think of the program and courses?
- Once you’re accepted, you can ask the administrator or faculty member for some student contacts. It can be extremely insightful to get a student’s take on who the best teachers are and why (great writers don’t always make the best or most organized teachers), how demanding the coursework is, how formal or casual workshops are, what teaching is like, what it’s like to live on the stipend, and where the best places to live are.
Do you have the means and time to visit before making a decision?
- Some writers may have the luxury of visiting one or more schools before choosing where to go. This will give you a feel for what it’s like in the program, and you’ll get a chance to meet faculty and students, and see the campus and surrounding environs.
(Art by Rebecca Bird)
Affording the MFA 