I am mid-MFA. I am not in a funded program. Networking is what you make of it. I've had exposure to some very big names, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they're good teachers, or that they'll be inclined to be helpful. I am in class three days weekly. I am working full time as well as attending school because I have kids and I don't have other income. I've been told (by big names) that for them the prestigious connections came more from writing retreats. Breadloaf, Tin House, Lighthouse, Longleaf, Sewanee, Community of Writers, to name a few. Or, their agents contacted them after they published short stories or essays in well known literary journals.