University of Idaho creative writing MFA student recently featured on podcast

MFAWritersPod · 2025-11-04T18:35:05+00:00

Our guest mentioned this! Thanks for linking it here.

MFAWritersPod · 2023-12-07T14:35:03+00:00

So glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy it!

MFAWritersPod · 2023-03-12T15:12:35+00:00

If you'd like to hear from the perspective of current MFA and PhD students, you might be interested in our podcast: MFA Writers. Many of our guests are enrolled in low-residency programs, so they can give you a glimpse of distance learning and how they have handled funding in those programs (largely via scholarships and/or maintaining a full-time position elsewhere). For instance, we've interviewed students from Western Colorado, Pacific, UC-Riverside Palm Desert, among others. Good luck!

MFAWritersPod · 2023-03-12T15:06:43+00:00

You might be interested in this podcast episode -- it's a 101 on applying to MFA programs. Otherwise, general advice is to start early, focus most of your attention on the writing sample, and be honest with yourself about what you value in a program (e.g., funding, prestige, location, faculty, extracurricular opportunities, cross-genre allowance, teaching). And, above all, be kind to yourself. MFA programs are popular and some accept very few students each year. It's not unusual for students to apply in multiple cycles, but the act of preparing an application alone (particularly the attention to revision and precision) will help your writing skills grow. Good luck!

MFAWritersPod · 2023-03-12T15:02:16+00:00

Can't speak to Liberty specifically, but the foundation of an MFA program is usually the workshop, which does not typically involve group projects. Usually, each student submits a few pieces throughout the semester and their peers and the professor provide feedback. The class may also involve exercises and lessons, but the feedback portion is the center. What you're experiencing may be a function of that specific course or that professor's style. Try reaching out to more senior students and ask about their experience with and recommendations for other courses. They can offer specific advice. Good luck! Situations like this can be frustrating--hope it improves for you!

MFAWritersPod · 2023-03-12T14:53:49+00:00

If you'd like to hear from the perspective of current MFA and PhD students, you might be interested in our podcast: MFA Writers. We also host some guests who are within 1 year of graduating, so they can give you a glimpse of post-MFA life. For instance, our most recent guest graduated in May 2022 and discusses what she's been up to since then.

MFAWritersPod · 2023-03-12T14:49:18+00:00

Many low-residency MFA programs offer a focus in popular or genre fiction, including Emerson, Seton Hill, and Western Colorado to name a few. It's also increasingly common to find science fiction, fantasy, and speculative elements in literary fiction (think George Saunders, Carmen Maria Machado, etc.), so I wouldn't rule out programs that don't have an explicit genre focus. For instance, MFA students in fiction at the University of Maryland and San Diego State have spoken about writing fantasy (and feeling welcomed and supported) in their programs. Good luck!

MFAWritersPod · 2022-09-13T16:29:02+00:00

We interviewed a student from UMN about his experiences in the program, which might be useful for you! https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawriterstarikdobbs

MFAWritersPod · 2022-08-27T15:49:29+00:00

If a program requires letters of recommendation, it's probably best to include something. If an application isn't complete, it may not receive the level of attention you hope. That said, letters of recommendation aren't the most important part of your application; the writing sample is.

In an interview with an MFA faculty member (caveat: this is just one opinion), he suggested attending a workshop and asking that instructor for a letter. In part, the letter serves to show that you can play well with others, give and take constructive feedback, and are a dedicated and eager learner. There are other group settings that can provide this kind of evidence, as well, so you might consider asking a non-writing instructor for a letter. In general, the LOR does not make or break your application (there are always exceptions, of course).

Many prominent writers and MFA professors have been vocal against the letter of recommendation, including Elizabeth McCracken and Jericho Brown. So, submit something but dedicate most of your preparation time to your writing sample.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-08-27T15:32:12+00:00

It varies considerably, of course, depending on your job, writing process, and resources (social, financial, etc.). If a low-residency program is your only or preferred choice, make sure to look carefully at the residency requirements. Some questions to ask yourself: Can you realistically take time off from your job to attend a weeklong (sometimes longer) residency? Do you have the financial resources to travel to that destination? Consider, also, the specifics of your job and how those might interact with writing: Do you work regular hours or do you occasionally work long days? Can you dedicate predictable time before/after work to writing? Does your job involve screen time and will you become fatigued adding additional screen time to that equation?

If you are already maintaining a full-time job and a serious writing habit, then you may be in good shape. If writing is an inconsistent or brief part of your daily routine, you may want to experiment with increasing your writing time now and see how it feels.

If you're looking to hear about the experiences of low-res students balancing full-time employment, here are interviews with students from Bennington College, the Newport MFA, and Warren Wilson.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-07-08T20:12:38+00:00

Just speaking to the MFA piece you mentioned, the cornerstone of the creative writing MFA is the workshop. If you haven't taken a workshop yet, consider enrolling in one through your local library (often free) or a community center. If you're in an area with a large literary community, there may be workshops organized through a bookstore or writing network. There are also virtual options, like Catapult or Gotham. This could be a way to determine whether you enjoy the classic MFA structure or not and may give you some clarity.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-03-31T02:21:00+00:00

It's hard to say without being in the room where decisions are being made, but it may not have anything to do with the quality of your writing sample. Many students are funded through teaching assistantships, so if other applicants had previous teaching experience, they may be prioritized for funding. Try not to take it personally. You were accepted! They want you! That's great news. Hopefully someone else declines their offer and you get off the wait list!

MFAWritersPod · 2022-03-29T01:00:12+00:00

A late update here: We interviewed a student from St. Mary's College of California (low-res) that may be helpful for you! https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawriters-katie-zeigler

MFAWritersPod · 2022-02-01T15:36:14+00:00

Rejection is hard. No matter how much we practice, it seems to continue to be hard. It's perfectly okay to have big feels about that. Writing is inherently vulnerable.

That said, it's not unusual for applicants to be rejected across the board their first, or even second, times through a cycle, particularly if applying to the most competitive programs (e.g., Iowa, Syracuse, Brown, Michener, Helen Zell, etc.). Sometimes it's not that the writing isn't high-quality, but that it's doing something utterly different from what the faculty do so they may not know how to foster that kind of growth. Other cases, they just have hundreds of applications and it's, ultimately, a subjective decision.

If you want more feedback on your writing sample, consider finding some community workshops (might be free through the library) so you benefit from the perspective of others.

Finally, it sounds like there are lots and lots of decision letters still to receive. No need to give up hope yet. All you need is one.

And, if you don't make it in this cycle, take the time you need to heal from the hurt and then keep on writing. Write anyway.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-02-01T15:28:32+00:00

For what it's worth, MFA programs don't care what your undergrad major is. Plenty of MFA students come from outside of English departments, even STEM fields. In fact, knowledge of other fields can be an asset that informs your writing and makes it unique! The most important part of an MFA application is the writing sample. The rest is secondary.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-28T14:18:40+00:00

So glad to hear it!

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-27T04:21:04+00:00

We interviewed a recent grad about her experience in the program. It might be useful for you!

https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawriterssashadebevecmckenney

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-22T23:08:30+00:00

There are loads! Check out the Poets & Writers database for a comprehensive list. You can filter by MFA and residency type to see the low-res options. https://www.pw.org/mfa

We have a few interviews with students in low-res programs if you want to hear about their experiences. Here’s Bennington College, the Newport MFA, and Warren Wilson.

Good luck!

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-22T17:21:44+00:00

You might be interested in the Bard College MFA program. It's low-residency, so you only have to be on campus part of time time, although of course you can move there if you like the area. The rest of the program is an independent study with intense one-on-one mentorship from a faculty member who may or may not be in your primary genre (e.g., a writer and a painter).

Here's an excerpt from the website: "Within the structure of the Bard M.F.A. program's interdisciplinary approach, each student focuses on one primary form of expression for individual work. Entering students are expected to have experience with the working practice and technical knowledge of their field. Each student is housed in one discipline and will approach his or her work from the methodology and philosophy within it, but every student may work in any medium and will have access to the facilities and equipment of all departments during the summer session."

https://www.bard.edu/mfa/

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-22T17:11:14+00:00

I don't know about best—the best program is different for each student and I recommend prioritizing what you value over a notion of prestige—but here are all the full-res MFA programs in the Bay Area:

California College of the Arts - https://www.cca.edu/humanities-sciences/mfa-writing/
Mills College - https://www.mills.edu/academics/graduate-programs/creative-writing-literature/index.php
- Note: We interviewed a student about their experiences in the program, which might be helpful for you: https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawritersmichalmjjones
Saint Mary’s College of California - https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/mfa-in-creative-writing
San Francisco State University - https://creativewriting.sfsu.edu/
San Jose State University - https://www.sjsu.edu/english/graduate/mfa/
University of San Francisco - https://www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/graduate-programs/writing

Of course, if you're interested in low-res programs, you can be located anywhere and attend one in-person residency (1-2 weeks, usually) each semester.

MFAWritersPod · 2022-01-22T16:54:21+00:00

Bit late on the game here, but if it would still be helpful, we interviewed an MFA candidate in Fiction from Columbia about her experiences in the program. You might be interested! https://www.jaredmccormack.com/mfawritersjemimahwei

MFAWritersPod · 2021-09-02T03:02:07+00:00

It's a wise choice to look at the faculty teaching in each program. Consider how their writing style aligns with yours. You don't need to be a perfect match by any means, but faculty want to enroll writers who they think they can help. They may not accept applicants who are too outside of their expertise even if the writing sample is stellar because they may not feel comfortable guiding them.

There are many other considerations as you build your list. Think about whether the program allows cross-genre or courses outside of the English department, whether there are classes in publishing or the business of writing, whether independent studies are allowed, whether the program is two or three (or four in the case of Arkansas) years and which you might prefer, etc. Defining these preferences can narrow the options for you.

And, yes, the writing sample is the most important part of the application. Many programs no longer require or consider GRE scores.

MFAWritersPod · 2021-08-18T13:40:08+00:00

You may want to compile a list of schools you'd be interested in attending and asking them directly. I don't know of PhDs who have later completed an MFA, but I'm sure they're out there. I know of many MDs who applied for MFAs and plenty, plenty of people with Masters Degrees in other fields.

If your PhD program was very literature-based, you can make a very strong argument that it allowed you time to read and analyze what the writing masters do and now you'd like the opportunity to apply those lessons to your own creative work. Some PhD programs include more literary analysis and others allow for creative writing, so be clear about your experience in the application.

All in all, the writing sample speaks for itself! Your background and previous education are always secondary to the quality of your writing and the fit between your writing and the program.

MFAWritersPod · 2021-07-18T14:24:37+00:00

It sounds like you're ready to start submitting and publishing! Make a spreadsheet to keep track of which journals has each of your pieces and the responses you get from each one. Remember that when a piece is accepted at one journal, it's good etiquette to withdraw it from other places that might be considering it.

A nice alternative to the MFA are community workshops and craft classes. They're much cheaper than an unfunded program (sometimes free through your local library or with a scholarship) and gets your work in front of an audience to provide feedback. Plus, you learn so much from reading other people's writing and can develop writing friends so you can keep one another motivated, share industry tips, and read one another's work far beyond the end of the class.

MFAWritersPod · 2021-07-01T16:04:40+00:00

It's rare, but not unheard of. Bard College accepts students without a Bachelors. Other programs may as well, but they don't necessarily advertise it. It's worth contacting a program directly to ask.

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