tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post3936870030375508527..comments2024-03-28T02:14:08.783-07:00Comments on THE MFA BLOG: Mailbag, Week of November 4Tom Kealeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11913868167191023096noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-41838741317237996312007-11-15T04:10:00.000-08:002007-11-15T04:10:00.000-08:00Anne -- I'd also throw Hunter College and the Univ...Anne -- I'd also throw Hunter College and the University of New Hampshire into the mix.Alexahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726509834603235080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-5571695696686711512007-11-15T04:09:00.000-08:002007-11-15T04:09:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Alexahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09726509834603235080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-44858882528896515332007-11-12T07:16:00.000-08:002007-11-12T07:16:00.000-08:00you have a better chance with the larger programs....you have a better chance with the larger programs... i've heard of someone getting a deferment from UMass Amherst. Certainly no chance of that at Cornell, though it's unlikely they would reject a person they accepted the previous year, imo.Meredith Ramirezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065004371057515813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-51544303678691809022007-11-12T07:11:00.000-08:002007-11-12T07:11:00.000-08:00raina... info for deferments is usually on a progr...raina... info for deferments is usually on a program's website. and i haven't come across any (in about 25 i looked at seriously) that allow deferments. typically, you have to apply again if you don't go the year you get in.noah m.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11662693829456881562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-55117820286569657402007-11-11T21:46:00.000-08:002007-11-11T21:46:00.000-08:00Raina,I remember a couple of people last year ment...Raina,<BR/><BR/>I remember a couple of people last year mentioning that they'd been able to defer for a year, but not the particular schools that granted the deferments. I also seem to remember others mentioning that they had not been able to get deferments. I think you should probably ask each of the programs you're interested in whether they'd be amenable to your plans or not.<BR/><BR/>Hope that helps.Lizzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01722516560885221073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-4401959927520864082007-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:002007-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:00Does anyone know anything about deferments to MFA ...Does anyone know anything about deferments to MFA programs? Would a student be able to apply for a program and then defer it for a year? <BR/>I'm interested in applying to my undergraduate school's year-long TESOL education program in Thailand. (They pay for everything and would give me a chance to see what it's like to actually teach at the undergraduate level).<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/>RainaRainahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075633365987556814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-90639498425238958742007-11-10T08:30:00.000-08:002007-11-10T08:30:00.000-08:00does anyone know anything about american universit...does anyone know anything about american university? it's been under my radar and i just ran across it.<BR/>any help is appreciated.gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06940174073985281678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-91416200826568789492007-11-09T08:24:00.000-08:002007-11-09T08:24:00.000-08:00Jim (and everyone else I may have caused a moment ...Jim (and everyone else I may have caused a moment of panic),<BR/>Sorry! My comment to raphe wasn't clear. I think raphe is a little late to just be starting the application process. As Mike says, if you've been working on this for the past few months and have got your materials together or are getting close, you're more than ok to apply this year. <BR/><BR/>Good luck to everyone!Bolivia Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888682134585210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-56674014272904809202007-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:002007-11-09T06:47:00.000-08:00Mike--Thanks for the reply. All of my recommendati...Mike--<BR/>Thanks for the reply. All of my recommendations are in, all of my applications are paid, and I took the gre (thank God only 2/13 ask for it...yikes). <BR/><BR/>So I figured I'd be ok. The next big project, once I get all the transcripts on their way, is 13 tailored Personal Statements. Oh joy...Jim Malechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08020037920025921486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-41114493432341548722007-11-08T21:40:00.000-08:002007-11-08T21:40:00.000-08:00Jim -You're not at a disadvantage, as long is ever...Jim -<BR/><BR/>You're not at a disadvantage, as long is everything is ready to go, like your manuscript, personal statement and your recommendations. If everything arrives at the school before the deadline, then I imagine that you'll be okay. Though, if you're still trying to assemble things, like find recommendors, write a manuscript, take the GRE, then you might be a little late (see Bolivia Red's comment above).Mike Valentehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05655671939237508024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-59840254086756822832007-11-08T20:02:00.000-08:002007-11-08T20:02:00.000-08:00A random question that just popped into my head, b...A random question that just popped into my head, based on the previous comment...<BR/><BR/>I am not at a disadvantage by waiting until close to the deadline to submit my materials to the department, am I? I'm currently in the process of aggregating all my other supplemental materials (I'm applying to 13 MFA programs and have been to 5 schools as an undergraduate, so this is more difficult than it should be). <BR/><BR/>I don't see why I WOULD be at a disadvantage, but I'm just throwing it out there. I am a little paranoid right now I guess.Jim Malechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08020037920025921486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-10708441192622655722007-11-08T06:57:00.000-08:002007-11-08T06:57:00.000-08:00raphe,After you email Sarah and you think you stil...raphe,<BR/>After you email Sarah and you think you still want to do this, run out and get Tom's book "The Creative Writing MFA Handbook." That will answer a lot of questions and go through the steps to apply. <BR/><BR/>To be frank, you're pretty late in the game to apply for this year. It might be doable, but you'd be putting yourself under an awful lot of pressure.<BR/><BR/>Think about if it's practical right now to line up your recommenders and crank out that SOP and CV by the end of the month. You'll need to get the GRE done pronto since it takes several weeks to get the results and then get transcripts sent. Somewhere in there, you'll have to research schools. This is assuming you have a few fabulous stories or poems lying around for your portfolio. The deadlines for most schools are December/January for programs beginning next fall, though a few are as late as February. <BR/><BR/>It might be worth taking the next year to really decide if you want to do the MFA (or maybe a PhD) and get everthing together. Get the book now, spend the next eight months getting some work for your portfolio together and look at schools. Maybe take some classes or join a workshop to see how you enjoy the experience. Next summer, you can get your recommenders together, study for the GRE and get it out of the way, draft your SOP and CV. <BR/><BR/>Another alternative is to look at low-res programs that allow you to start in the middle of the year. Some of them have later deadlines for fall apps, too.Bolivia Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888682134585210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-17528875116207425392007-11-08T06:37:00.000-08:002007-11-08T06:37:00.000-08:00jonThose are the same statements. Just copy and pa...jon<BR/>Those are the same statements. Just copy and paste your SOP into that box. Make sure you don't change it if you have to send a hard copy to the MFA program since the grad schools often forward that info to the MFA program.Bolivia Redhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16456888682134585210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-27110355914989145542007-11-07T22:17:00.000-08:002007-11-07T22:17:00.000-08:00This is an odd question, but hopefully someone cou...This is an odd question, but hopefully someone could help me out. The official department page of an MFA program requests a personal statement, and the online application for the graduate school ALSO has a little box in which you put in a personal statement.<BR/><BR/>Is this the same statement twice, or do you have to give a different statement to the department and graduate school?Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255495685430522390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-73184643111025374392007-11-07T21:07:00.000-08:002007-11-07T21:07:00.000-08:00Raphe,Opinions about the MFA as a degree leading t...Raphe,<BR/><BR/>Opinions about the MFA as a degree leading to an academic job are varied, and sometimes heated. Drop me an email if you want my view (MFA completed in 2004, PhD expected in 2009). My email is my last name at unr dot edu.Sarah & Orhanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17575293822995582239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-26724542762532625822007-11-07T21:05:00.000-08:002007-11-07T21:05:00.000-08:00Anne, last I knew Montana had scrapped the nonfict...Anne, last I knew Montana had scrapped the nonfiction emphasis while keeping some classes. Granted, this was in 2001, but it makes me wonder if they're as strong in that area as they are in poetry and fiction.<BR/><BR/>A quick look at their site isn't encouraging -- they have three profs listed for fiction, four for poetry, and one for non-fiction. If you don't end up working well with that one person, you'll be in a bind.<BR/><BR/>In general, I recommend checking out nonfiction programs pretty carefully, because some programs list nonfiction as an area but don't actually have many (if any) people who specialize in it. If nonfiction is your chosen genre, it'd be a drag to arrive somewhere and find out it's taught every other semester by someone whose primary work is writing story stories.Sarah & Orhanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17575293822995582239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-37332048394994836232007-11-07T18:37:00.000-08:002007-11-07T18:37:00.000-08:00I'm new the this. The whole lot of it. MFA was s...I'm new the this. The whole lot of it. MFA was something I thought about a while back, when I took a creative writing class in undergrad (which in all honesty I took because I like writing, and I needed the credits). I never gave it much more thought, proceeded to switch from PreMedicine, to Film Production, got my BFA and moved to LA.<BR/><BR/>Fast forward about 3 years and I'm so sick of this place and where my life is going that I'm looking for something different. The only constant through all of this is my writing. No matter what else I was doing, be it creative or academic, I was writing. So that leads me to a career in writing.<BR/><BR/>Obviously, (or not) I think everyone has that idea of writing a few novels a year, an hour or three a day, going on a walk, and spending the rest of you day reading, a la Stephen King. However, I'm approaching an MFA in CW as a means to be in the academic setting. I do wish to write my own things, but also I would be acquiring the degree specifically to earn the credentials to teach at the collegiate level someday.<BR/><BR/>Any advice in general would be appreciated.<BR/><BR/>Also, if I do move forward with the MFA process what should I do to prepare. Taking GRE and preparing SoP's is a must but as far as a CV and recommendation letters. It's been almost four years since anything remotely academic has been a part of my life.<BR/><BR/>Reading these blogs and questions here has admittedly left me feeling a little underprepared and qualified for an MFA. I can guess, though, that I'm not alone.Raphehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13995470875865066711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-42003612466308379812007-11-07T16:56:00.000-08:002007-11-07T16:56:00.000-08:00go with the creative writing guy... Always go with...go with the creative writing guy... Always go with people you have taken cr classes with even if they are not as famous.Meredith Ramirezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065004371057515813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-70994192316380811472007-11-07T16:41:00.000-08:002007-11-07T16:41:00.000-08:00My question is regarding recommendations. One of m...My question is regarding recommendations. One of my recommenders in the Director of the Creative Writing Program where I was in undergrad, and another is my boss (I'm a teacher), so pretty strong ones. For my third one, I asked my former Lit teacher...he e-mailed me and told me he'd be happy to "testify to my intelligence, energy, good-heartedness, and success as a critical reader, plus append a good faith endorsement that I'll succeed." But he also said that since he hasn't read any of my fiction, it might not be a strong reference. He is, however, very revered in the university for Lit and has been teaching forever.<BR/><BR/>Does anyone have any opinions on this? I really have no other creative writing profs to ask except for one who is about 26 years old and had just graduated from grad school when I took his class. I know he'd give me a great rec, but he hasn't really established himself within the university. Which one do I go with?! Any thoughts would be helpful!Brittanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14233257934282903906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-71588939864863614572007-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:002007-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00mike, i would say something in my sop along the li...mike, i would say something in my sop along the lines of, "after spending so and so time in so and so program and doing well, i realized that i am much more drawn to poetry," or something like that. i think it looks weirder if you don't say anything about it than if you do.<BR/><BR/>as for sending the transcripts, i think you technically should. i have no idea if they penalize you for not doing so but it might look strange especially since one of your recommenders is from the program so they would know about that aspect of your background.Meredith Ramirezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065004371057515813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-84502171529175554032007-11-07T10:56:00.000-08:002007-11-07T10:56:00.000-08:00Here's a question about applying to MFA programs a...Here's a question about applying to MFA programs after having dropped out of another (non-MFA, non-English) graduate program.<BR/><BR/>I attended an intensely academic graduate program at a prestigious university, had a 4.0 GPA, and dropped out after a semester and a half... Um, because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life writing conference papers on that subject.<BR/><BR/>And as I'm applying to 8 schools for an MFA in poetry and 2 for an MFA in literary translation, I sure would like to save the money and not have to send transcripts off.<BR/><BR/>So what do people think? If you're a no-good dropout is it actually *more* important to include your transcripts from the program you quit, thus proving that you're much better than no good? Or does it not matter, since I never got the degree?<BR/><BR/>And how important is it that I explain this previous dropout? One of my recommendations is from a professor from the program I quit. Is that enough or would a person like me need to do more 'splaining than that?Frode Barth-Winslowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388457618979041075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-22345197903043651372007-11-06T20:51:00.000-08:002007-11-06T20:51:00.000-08:00vinny--depends on the program. i would include the...vinny--depends on the program. i would include the flash fiction at less traditional places like columbia, umass, brown, and michigan and send two/three long pieces to places like cornell, iowa, and hopkins since i'm assuming stephen dixon isn't looking at manuscripts anymore. i'm not with tom on the sending the same manuscripts to everywhere idea... i think tailoring manuscripts is good as long as you have reliable information and know the faculty/alum's work.<BR/><BR/>as for the recommendation issue, i would take the solid recommendation in the field over the rave. a great anthropologist does not necessarily make even a decent poet.Meredith Ramirezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065004371057515813noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-85866275706675660242007-11-06T15:03:00.000-08:002007-11-06T15:03:00.000-08:00just to echo m.'s advice about transcripts. i've s...just to echo m.'s advice about transcripts. i've sent emails and even called one school about transcripts and was told, across the board, send transcripts for credits that counted toward any degrees. i would guess sending other non-credit or non-degree transcripts wouldn't hurt, but the schools i spoke with didn't need them. they did, though, need everything from the school i got my degree from and also from a year of studies that got counted toward that degree from a different school. <BR/><BR/>i don't know, maybe i did this wrong. <BR/><BR/>?Jensen Beachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015685995777136003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-91873670212368074842007-11-06T14:40:00.000-08:002007-11-06T14:40:00.000-08:00Hi everyone,In terms of recommendations, what do y...Hi everyone,<BR/><BR/>In terms of recommendations, what do you personally think would be stronger: a solid recommendation by someone in my chosen field (poetry) or a rave by someone in another academic discipline (anthropology, cultural studies, philosophy)?mysticdomesticahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08678692482390681321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15642985.post-74428207464513250292007-11-06T10:52:00.000-08:002007-11-06T10:52:00.000-08:00Thanks for the advice on my transcript issue. Look...Thanks for the advice on my transcript issue. Looks like I'll be contacting every single institution that has ever given me a credit, and spending quite bit of money in the process. <BR/><BR/>Whatever it takes, right?nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03122800784864342908noreply@blogger.com