🚀 go-pugleaf

In article 8795@remus.rutgers.edu, zelek@remus.rutgers.edu (Grey Wolf) writes:
> arc2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (AMY CHARLES) writes:
> 
> >Anyone out there done an MFA program?  If so, where, and what was your take on
> >it?  Helpful?  How?  Worth the time and cash?  Thanks -- Amy Charles
> 
> 
> 
>    If anyone has info to send about this [except for John December, I have
> your file -- Thank you for sending it when you did. :) ], I would love to
> see it, too, as I am graduating next year ['94] and intend to at least
> apply for admission to an MFA program somewhere; affording it without some
> sort of compensation is unrealistic.
> 
> Chris [zelek@aramis.rutgers.edu]


For those looking at MFA programs:
I graduated from the Brooklyn College (CUNY) fiction MFA program in 1991. It's
a two-year deal (if you stick to the schedule) and the price is right (roughly
$900/semester). There are also teaching/adjunct/assistant opportunities. Also,
classes are late afternoon and evening, so if you must hold down a job (as I
did) you can, and still feel like you're a grad student.
*Pros: good give-and-take with (predominantly) NY-based writers, weekly one-on-one
tutorial each semester with published writer; access to info about contests,
fellowships, journals etc. 
*Cons: Short on practical info such as agenting; tendency to favor ``meta-fictionists''
over traditionalists (although this doesn't preclude acceptance into the program);
some pompousness at the top (but it's probably that way everywhere).

Two people I know from the program have had books published since. I had a short
story published, and another classmate won some big grant. It's definitely
worth looking into. The head of the program is Jonathan Baumbach.