How to Choose an MFA in Creative Writing Program: Cost and Benefit

I’ve toyed with the idea of pursuing a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing. But every time I try to wrap my head around it, I can never quite narrow down what it is exactly that I’m trying to accomplish. If you’re struggling with the decision too, here are some things to consider.

What’s Your End Game?

I don’t doubt that the process of obtaining an MFA is great for your writing. The instruction, accountability, and feedback can only help, right? What’s less clear to me is what happens after you’ve got those letters behind your name. Are they important?

Writing

If you are concerned more with craft than commerce, and you have the time and money to embark on the extended study and work required in any MFA program, then the process will probably be more valuable than the credential itself. A key consideration is the actual curriculum. Keep in mind that in smaller schools you may have stronger ties will a few professors, but the downside to that is there are fewer opportunities to make those critical connections.

Teaching

If you plan to teach, getting an MFA qualifies you for entry level positions. However, you should not assume that the degree will automatically get you a job. There’s fierce competition out there. Are you willing to teach grade school or high school while you wait for a coveted university position? Most low residency program focus strictly on writing. You may want a traditional on-campus experience that usually includes instruction on how to teach and opportunities to instruct undergraduates.

Publishing

If your end game is to write and sell commercial fiction, there are only a handful of MFA programs that will suit your needs. Literary types tend to raise their noses at the whole nasty business of actually selling books. Theirs is a higher art. While the right program will be invaluable to mainstream fiction writers, the wrong one will do nothing but frustrate. Check the publication rates for schools because many well established programs actually don’t produce published authors.

Can You Afford It?

Higher education is expensive, no question. As of this writing you can’t find an MFA program, either on campus or low-residency, for under $25k. And most of these programs will require at least twenty hours a week of your time – if you want to get the most out of it, and you do because you’re spending all that cash! Price is not the only consideration, but for many of us it’s critically important.

Think about the tuition as well as the time spent that you could otherwise be working. And financially speaking, in most cases an MFA is not really an investment. Unlike going for a nursing degree or an MBA, an MFA is not likely to increase your income post graduation. The exception would be if you already have a teaching position and you need the degree to advance. You may want to seek a program that offers the opportunity to be a teaching assistant.

Once you’ve narrowed down MFA programs by what ultimate benefit they provide and the cost, it’s time to start considering instructors.

Image Credit: tnarik, Flickr