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I had applied only to programs that offered funding, but once spring rolled around and I spoke with students at Brooklyn College and elsewhere, I discovered I had some other strong priorities: camaraderie rather than competition, one-on-one support from faculty, and instruction on craft and technique. I was working overseas and I was actually reluctant to return to New York, but a flurry of e-mails with current MFA candidates ultimately made it an easy choice. The Brooklyn College students I spoke with were unanimously—and compellingly—enthusiastic about their experience.