Should I Apply for an MFA? Things to consider...

For many, the decision to pursue an MFA degree is a very personal one. So far, I haven't met anyone who applied for a Master of Fine Arts degree in writing (or in any field) for the money. Honestly, by the time you're considering two or three years of graduate study in fiction or poetry, you're in this for something more than financial security. Optimistically, I like to think it's a way of fostering the soul through creative inspiration and mentorship. Reality-wise, though, there are many possible factors at work: dissatisfaction with "the way things are," frustration with life or work, a desire to prove that "I could have" will instead be "I might just..."

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you're considering applying for an MFA, even if it's just a vague possibility at the back of your mind. Or maybe you've already applied or, better still, you've made it in and are on the road to graduation and beyond. Wherever you are on this continuum - from "in my wildest dreams" to "packing my apartment like a fiend because class starts next freakin week!" - it's good to take a moment to consider what it is you're looking for in this experience. And be honest with yourself. Do you have doubts about the kind of sacrifice it might take? Are you worried about how you might "measure up" with your classmates? Or even how the professors might see you?

Don't worry - hesitation is natural. It might not help the cause of inspiration (and it certainly doesn't help when you're writing essays for Iowa/Hopkins/Texas/etc...), but it will tell you about yourself. Sometimes - particularly in writing - the goals we seek are as much defined by what we want as what we're trying to escape. Although the MFA degree offers new career opportunities and a real chance for two or three years of intensive writing, I think it's safe to say that most of us apply for an MFA more because it sounds like something more fun than what we're currently up to (or certainly more fun than entering the job market right after college...)