Poets & Writers Speakeasy: Writing and Publishing: MFA Programs: Choosing an MFA Program (2009) (2010) (2011): Page 38

Subscribe | Give a Gift Subscription

Advanced Search

Main Index » Writing and Publishing » MFA Programs
Choosing an MFA Program (2009) (2010) (2011)

You are not signed in. Click here to sign in.
If you are not a member, Register here!

122994 registered users

1 ... 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

View All

kbritten

Jul 23, 2010, 12:47 PM

Post #926 of 1018 (6332 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

"I've been lurking around this board for the past four years, ever since I was a big-dreaming undergrad who wrote terribly and didn't drink coffee"

Hehe, I love that...

Hi Napk132! Welcome to the MFA Crazy Train! So much fun!

(This post was edited by kbritten on Jul 23, 2010, 12:48 PM)

napk132

Jul 23, 2010, 1:19 PM

Post #927 of 1018 (6323 views)
Shortcut

Re: [kbritten] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Just rereading Seth's post a few pages back, which I probably saw a while ago and then forgot about, I realize I should consider adding a few more schools to my list. It gives me a reason to add Iowa. I'm also considering Eastern Washington, but I don't know too much about their program besides the possibility of funding. Also, I love Spokane.

ericweinstein
Eric Weinstein

Jul 23, 2010, 1:43 PM

Post #928 of 1018 (6320 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

I can't recommend JHU highly enough. Mary Jo Salter, John Irwin, and David Smith are fantastic.

Hans Landa: You'll be shot for this!
Aldo Raine: Nah, I don't think so. More like chewed out. I've been chewed out before.

napk132

Jul 23, 2010, 2:10 PM

Post #929 of 1018 (6316 views)
Shortcut

Re: [ericweinstein] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

I'm more of a fiction man.

ericweinstein
Eric Weinstein

Jul 23, 2010, 2:12 PM

Post #930 of 1018 (6313 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Brad Leithauser and Alice McDermott, then.

Hans Landa: You'll be shot for this!
Aldo Raine: Nah, I don't think so. More like chewed out. I've been chewed out before.

napk132

Jul 23, 2010, 2:22 PM

Post #931 of 1018 (6309 views)
Shortcut

Re: [ericweinstein] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Yep. I love Alice McDermott. Plus, like me, she grew up in an Irish Catholic family on Long Island.

WanderingTree

Jul 23, 2010, 10:15 PM

Post #932 of 1018 (6275 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Nap, I'm heading to Southern Illinois in exactly one week. So, if you or anyone needs some info about the program I'd be happy to enlighten.

When I put SIUC on my list last fall, a few things drew me to the program: What I perceived to be an openness to stories that could be labeled experimental/ magical realist/ surrealist etc., a diverse faculty (most people on this board would be familiar with Pinckney Benedict), three years full funding, teaching experience (mostly various levels of comp but also creative writing and possibilities for other things), a reputable literary journal (The Crab Orchard Review), community oriented programs, and the opportunity to study abroad in Ireland for a semester if that's your thing. The curriculum is pretty flexible (basically a studio oriented program with options) and Carbondale seems like a nice enough town.

(This post was edited by WanderingTree on Jul 23, 2010, 10:16 PM)

napk132

Jul 23, 2010, 10:53 PM

Post #933 of 1018 (6263 views)
Shortcut

Re: [WanderingTree] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Thanks a lot. I'll keep that in mind.

I haven't read much of the SIUC faculty, but I did love Kyle Minor's The Rumpus interview of Pinckney Benedict from earlier in the month. I plan on reading Benedict's first two collections pretty soon. To date, I've found a few of his stories online, which was helpful.

jaywalke

Jul 27, 2010, 10:14 AM

Post #934 of 1018 (6168 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

In Reply To

Pinckney Benedict is a wonderful teacher as well as a great writer. I worked with him at Queens and at Tinker Mountain, and would recommend him to anyone.

rain_raine

Jul 30, 2010, 1:15 AM

Post #935 of 1018 (6063 views)
Shortcut

Re: [jaywalke] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Hey all!

I'm firing up my list for this new application cycle, with a big focus on location for this round (my second go). I've decided I really want to move west. With that in mind, here's my list of westerly programs, with a few elsewhere that I like anyway:

Arizona
Arizona State
Colorado (Boulder)
Colorado State
UC - Davis (MA)
Iowa
Minnesota
New Mexico
New Mexico State
Oregon
Syracuse
Temple University (maybe)
Utah (applying to the MFA, not the PhD)
University of Washington
Washington University - St. Louis

I don't know much about the New Mexico programs--does anyone have any info on them? Or the program at Temple? I'm kind of thinking of applying there just because Samuel Delany teaches there. I'm also considering substituting Eastern Washington for one of these programs...

jmmacleod
Jason Michael MacLeod

Jul 31, 2010, 5:35 PM

Post #936 of 1018 (6009 views)
Shortcut

Re: [rain_raine] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Rain,

If you are interested in westerly programs you might also want to take a peek at the University of Montana. Missoula is a pretty wonderful place to spend a couple years. (In fact, a number of us have never quite bothered to leave).

Montana MFA Website

Jason Michael MacLeod

(This post was edited by jmmacleod on Jul 31, 2010, 5:36 PM)

napk132

Aug 1, 2010, 12:50 AM

Post #937 of 1018 (5981 views)
Shortcut

Re: [jmmacleod] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

After living for a year in Montana, I, too, can affirm Missoula's awesomeness.

Unfortunately, I was stuck in Billings.

Swamp Thing
Jim Ryals

Aug 1, 2010, 4:36 PM

Post #938 of 1018 (5954 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Are there any Warren Wilson MFA grads on the board? If so, any thoughts on the program, your experience there?

Thanks,

Jim

Quixote

Aug 1, 2010, 9:27 PM

Post #939 of 1018 (5928 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Swamp Thing] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

I have a question, if anyone might know the answer...

I realize that most MFA programs have a January application deadline only (or it appears that way),
so that the majority of newly accepted writers start the courses at the top of the following fall.

But does anyone know of any good programs that have a fall application date deadline, which
then translates into a spring start for classes?

Thanks for any help.

pongo
Real men bake bread.

Aug 1, 2010, 9:29 PM

Post #940 of 1018 (5926 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Quixote] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Many of the low-residency programs have spring entry, or rolling admissions.

Poetry: It's not just for sissies any more.

Difficult Listening, Sundays from ten to noon (Central time), at http://www.radiofreenashville.org/.

http://home.comcast.net/~david.m.harris/site/

fiorava
Valerie Fioravanti

Aug 1, 2010, 9:52 PM

Post #941 of 1018 (5922 views)
Shortcut

Re: [Quixote] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

I just wrote a few recs for students applying to low-residency programs, so I'd say there's at least ten of them that have deadlines around this time for what I assume is the Jan. residency.

Sonic Lethargy

Aug 3, 2010, 3:26 PM

Post #942 of 1018 (5874 views)
Shortcut

Re: [fiorava] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

In Reply To

I just wrote a few recs for students applying to low-residency programs, so I'd say there's at least ten of them that have deadlines around this time for what I assume is the Jan. residency.

Yes - January residencies. Speaking of which, has anyone heard anything from the Univ of Southern Maine Stonecoast? I applied to three programs at once and they are the only one I've not received an answer from. Does anyone know if they just take a bit longer to make decisions?

Anyone out there starting in the winter?

loveforwriting

Aug 22, 2010, 5:22 PM

Post #943 of 1018 (5620 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Hey napk132! I've also been lurking for the past couple of years and have decided that this is my year! It's nice to know someone is in the same boat! Good luck! :)
I'm a fiction writer and have read Seth's blog, watched the Youtube videos and read the MFA Handbook. I think with that advice in mind, funding, is by far, most important to me, so accordingly I'm hoping to be able to afford to apply to 15 schools. I also think that I prefer 3 years to 2, but I don't want to discount programs at Iowa and Michigan, so I've included some 2 year schools on my list. I'm pretty open to location, but have eliminated places like Florida and Arizona as being too hot.
My list as it stands now (16 - need to eliminate 1, I think):
Syracuse
UT Austin
Indiana - Bloomington
Purdue
Ohio State
Southern Illinois
University of Illinois
Iowa
Michigan
Brown
Cornell
Vanderbilt
UMass
Colorado State
Western Michigan
Hollins

* I'm also considering replacing a couple of the 2 year schools with University of Minnesota and Louisiana State, as I've heard good things.

Any thoughts on additions, subtractions or the list in general, would be greatly appreciated! Happy Application season to everyone.

greenpenquills

Aug 23, 2010, 12:38 AM

Post #944 of 1018 (5590 views)
Shortcut

Re: 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Hi everyone. I had pretty much decided against applying for an MFA again this year, but today I met the department chair of USC's MPW program and became really interested in it. Since it's not an MFA, I'm having trouble getting any real information about the program. Does anyone happen to know how competitive it is? Any other information (experiences with the program) would also be amazing.

rabbitlight21

Aug 23, 2010, 11:40 AM

Post #945 of 1018 (5554 views)
Shortcut

Re: [greenpenquills] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

greenpenquills, I was curious about this too so I asked my undergrad prof if he knew anything about the program. Apparently, he had a friend who was in the program but dropped out. But since then, there has been a new director so it may be worth checking out again. I'm still not sure about how well the MPW is funded.

HollinsMFAer
Luke Johnson

Aug 23, 2010, 3:10 PM

Post #946 of 1018 (5530 views)
Shortcut

Re: [loveforwriting] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

I have only positive things to say about my experience at Hollins (I finished an MFA in Poetry there in '09). I think it's definitely worth keeping on any list, especially if you're interested in working in multiple genres (a hallmark of the Hollins program as it was established by George Garrett). If you look at the faculty, you'll see that virtually all of them have published books in more than one genre. Roanoke isn't for everyone, but it's way cheap and if you're interested in the outdoors, then it's definitely an amazing city (the AT runs through campus, the Blue Ridge Parkway is 5 minutes off).

Knowing this is ages away, but I'm still thinking it might be (sort of) relevant: if you're interested in the Hollins program, come to our 50th anniversary reading at this year's AWP in DC. I'll be reading with Jenny Boully, David Huddle, Jeanne Larsen, Jill McCorkle, and Madison Smartt Bell. Feel free to shoot me any questions about Hollins. Best of luck with the application process!

http://www.lukejohnsonpoetry.com

napk132

Aug 23, 2010, 11:08 PM

Post #947 of 1018 (5492 views)
Shortcut

Re: [loveforwriting] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Nice!

I'm pretty sure Minnesota is a three-year program. Better add it to your list.

For those who care, Notre Dame just totally revamped their creative writing department's website.

http://english.nd.edu/creative-writing/

bighark

Aug 24, 2010, 12:10 AM

Post #948 of 1018 (5486 views)
Shortcut

Re: [napk132] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Oh wow. Good for Notre Dame. They had the ugliest thing going for a long, long time.

patrickdunn

Aug 29, 2010, 9:27 PM

Post #949 of 1018 (5312 views)
Shortcut

Re: [bighark] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

Now that the PW rankings are out, how are you all feeling? Also, has anyone seen the comments left by the Seth Abramson-haters on the web version of the article? They've got some strong words, but the accompanying post/article is a nice reminder that it's all subjective in the end.

alamana
Jennifer Brown

Aug 30, 2010, 7:30 AM

Post #950 of 1018 (5286 views)
Shortcut

Re: [patrickdunn] 2011 MFA [In reply to]

AWP's response to the P&W's rankings is worth reading. Here is the link to it:

http://guide.awpwriter.org/rankings.php

Be regular and orderly in your life, that you may be violent and original in your work. -- Flaubert

http://www.jenniferkirkpatrickbrown.com

1 ... 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

View All

Main Index » Writing and Publishing » MFA Programs