3 Steps to a Kick-Ass MFA Program Application

As someone who formerly worked as an Assistant Director of an MFA program, I was often surprised that people did not always understand what they were applying for or what they would be getting into, or the application process worked. I'm here to clarify that situation, and prepare you to put your best writing forward.

Step One: Do Your Homework

You should understand the following before applying:

• Whether or not you want a full-residency program, where you actually move there and take classes on campus for two years; or a low-residency program, where you attend residencies that average about 9 days once or twice a year (this varies among programs); or if you want an online-only program.

• What genres they offer: Common ones are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children/young people, screen-or-playwriting. Some programs have a focus on popular or genre fiction, nature writing, graphic novels, technical writing, or other niche. Some offer special certificates in teaching, publishing, editing, etc. which may be added value to you.

• Who the faculty are: Read some of their books to get a sense of what they write. Note that you can learn a lot from writers who are not doing exactly what you are doing, but do you like their work? What are their sensibilities? What is their diversity?

• What kind of funding the program offers: Do they have scholarships, stipends, teaching assistantships, or other types of financial aid besides loans? Think of the total cost of the program, not just tuition: the cost of moving and the cost of living in a new place for a full-res program; the cost of travel to/from and staying on-campus or nearby during residencies for low-res programs

• Size, location, and reputation of program: A few are consistently ranked at the top, but that doesn’t mean they are the best program for you. None of them are the magic ticket to a writing career. Size may matter: do you want a small, intimate program or a large writing community? Do you want a program in a city or tucked away in a rural location with fewer distractions? There are pluses and minuses to each. Have the alumni published? Where? This can be an indication of both teaching quality and overall student quality.

• Have you talked with someone from the program, and do you feel you understand the program’s ethos and structure? If you’re accepted, if not before, you will have the opportunity to talk with current students, alumni, and faculty. If the program doesn’t offer this right away, it might not necessarily be a red flag — programs get hundreds of prospective student requests and may need to limit some access to accepted students. However, you should absolutely talk with these people before you choose which program to attend.

• Finally, are you ready to get all you can out of an MFA program? Have you learned all you can through other means? Have you experienced workshop/critique before?

Step Two: The Application

You don’t need to apply to 10 programs; in fact, I would say, apply to no more than 3–5. The application fees can add up, for one thing (although they may be waived if you call the Admissions office and cite financial hardship). Also, it can be time-consuming, since each program will likely have slightly different essay questions to answer or other hoops to jump through.

Once you have your top 3–5 choices, you can start the application process. Always remember, you can ask someone in the Admissions Office or the Program Office if you have questions! It is better to ask than to do something incorrectly.

Again, some of these may seem obvious but they are all things I’ve noticed over my years of looking at hundreds (maybe thousands?) of applications.

General Considerations:

• Read the instructions carefully. Submit what’s required, and only what’s required, in the way they want it. They will have a specific number of pages they want to see. Don’t go over that by more than one page, and only then if it means cutting off a sentence (or if your chapter takes another half page to end).

• Adhere to the deadline. Some may accept late applications, but they may have a hard cutoff so it’s better to be safe.

• Make sure your name and the genre are in the header. It is not always easy for readers to know if they are looking at fiction, nonfiction, or writing for young adults. Don’t make them do the extra work of emailing you to ask.

• No pink ink, no fancy fonts. Use 12 pt Times New Roman, 1” margins, double spaced. Proofread! Don’t think you can resubmit later with “fixes.”

The parts of the application, and what the application committee really looks for:

The main parts: application form, fee, writing sample, personal statement, undergraduate transcript, references.

• The writing sample is by far the most important piece of the application. As I mentioned, adhere to the guidelines for number of pages. Make it your best work — not a representative sample. Don’t write 20 great pages and fill it out with 10 that make the readers wonder if they should admit you. It doesn’t have to be published work. The readers are looking for a good grasp of the basics, and overall promise. Do get some feedback on it before submitting, from a critique group or writing teacher/coach. At the very least, have someone proofread it.

• For your personal statement or essay, they may have specific questions they want you to answer. In any case, don’t tell your life story, or say that you’ve wanted to be a writer since birth (it’s the most common cliché of personal statements). Instead, tell what you have been doing to achieve that dream: What you read, what you’re passionate about in literature and writing, what you’ve learned. You don’t have to get wildly original in a way that makes the reader wonder if you’ll fit in. Don’t say things like “I just want an MFA for the credential, I already know I’m brilliant!” (Yes, people really say that, or its equivalent. Remember, readers are looking for promise and teachability. Are you likely to get something out of the program if they admit you?

• Your transcript. What you did your B.A. in doesn’t matter. Neither, generally speaking, does your GPA. It’s just a requirement for a Master’s level program that you first have obtained your Bachelor’s. If you haven’t, all is not lost! There are some programs that will admit you without it. They may require that you have some college-level work, or they may be able to waive it entirely. There is usually a process to go through to make this happen, but if your writing is incredibly strong, they will work with you. Before you apply to a program, ask if they have a Bachelor’s degree waiver option.

• Get recommendations from people who can comment in your writing if possible, such as former professors or writing teachers. If they have a “name,” great, but it won’t necessarily sway the admissions committee. We’ve all seen glowing recommendations from well-known writers for applicants whose writing sample made us wonder if the recommender had actually read any of the person’s work. Don’t use your friends or family as references. If you need to fill out your recommender list, you can try other academic references, or from people such as former employers who can speak to your work ethic, persistence, ability to accept criticism, etc.

Programs can receive hundreds of applications over a cycle. Don’t expect to hear right away. They may be able to tell you their schedule of when to expect to hear back. This can be frustrating because you may be asked to make a commitment to a program before you have heard from all you’ve applied to. If so, it’s fine to call or email and let the programs you haven’t heard from know that you have another offer and ask if they could let you know their decision by that date.

Faculty generally review applications, or at least the writing sample and personal statement. Other program administrators may review the application as a whole. Faculty don’t have time to make comments on applications (again, they are looking at tons of applications per cycle, plus reading and critiquing the work of their students). Do not ask for feedback on your writing sample. If you get in, they will be generous with their comments. They focus on their students — as they should.

Rejection hurts. It’s part of the process for most. It doesn’t mean you’re not a good writer, or won’t improve. Reasons for rejection may be that the type of work you do doesn’t seem like a good fit for the program, or maybe you’re just not there yet in terms of your craft. Remember too that it can be a very subjective process. If you get rejected everywhere, you know you have work to do. If you get accepted at your second or third-choice schools, think about if you want to settle, or wait a year, work hard, and reapply to your top choice. (I’ve seen faculty be very impressed with applicants who were rejected once, then clearly did a lot of work before re-applying, and got in. It shows for one thing that you have the growth mindset, so important for a writer.)

Step Three: The Decision

If you get several offers, it’s okay to take the time to weigh them, but be honest. Let the programs know. This is the optimal time to ask to talk with faculty, alumni, and students, or to ask about scholarships and funding. Don’t assume they will offer! If they don’t, it does not hurt to ask. If they really want you, they may be able to find something for you.

Once you’ve talked with everyone you can, and taken all the factors into consideration, it’s time to make your decision. If no one clear choice emerges, go with your gut. Know that every program will have its pros and cons. You will learn a lot if you are open to the feedback you receive, and committed to learn all you can from seminars, workshops, panels, and other events. If you are truly unhappy, you can always switch to a different program. Remember, just because a program is the best program for someone else, doesn’t mean it’s the best program for you.

There you have it. Like anything with writing, there are no guarantees, but following these steps will prepare you to understand the process and create the best possible application to get into the best possible program that will work to help you achieve your writing dreams.

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