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[quote=Anonymous]I know a lot about this field so here's my two cents, but first, a question: do you want to go away to a live at a university to study, say, to relocate to Iowa or Texas for two years? That makes a huge difference in where you would apply.

There are a lot of programs around the country so you may be able to find one you could commute to.

There are a lot of programs so I would start with whether you are staying where you are or applying outside the area. Then look at the programs and see who teaches at them. Read their work and see if you like it. There are often guest writers who teach for a semester or two as well, who can be just as good as the regular faculty. It's also good if they have a reading series where writers visit, give a reading and maybe a craft lecture to students. You can learn a lot and it's one of the best things about the programs.

The most important thing for admission is your manuscript. That's how they pick students. You also need a BA and may need GRE scores. The manuscript is key and if you want financial aid, it's also given on the basis of the manuscript.

The workshop setting means you will hear from the other students, a lot. Having good fellow students is a huge factor as to whether or not you will enjoy the program. I went to a large program and therefore met lots of people and got lots of different takes and points of view. I have friends who went to small programs (7-10 people) and they got sick of hearing fron the same people. If someone in a group of seven goes off the rails or something, it's all very noticeable. Remember too that the students in these programs will be mostly between 21-30. In my program, most people were about 28. Out of school a few years, worked, then went back. So these students may or may not be good critics for an older person's work because they don't have the same maturity level. Keep in mind that the other students are a huge part of the program.

Anyway, a lot of programs sell the idea that a small group is preferable but I disagree with that, because students are so much part of the workshop style of class. However, if you like the location and the professors, I would still consider such a program.

A lot of programs now offer a Ph.D. instead of an MFA. I think you have to do extra coursework for that but it's still a workshop style and the manuscript is still the key.

There are now a lot of low-residency MFA programs. This means you write and correspond with a professor-writer who critiques your work and you only attend class (workshops) one or two times a year when  the whole group of dispersed students comes together. The one I'm most familiar with is Warren Wilson. People I have met who went there seemed happy with it. They seem to have good networking opportunities too and they get very good writers as faculty in the program. There are now dozens of these programs. IMHO, I think they are ways for a school to make money (students come to the site visits during academic breaks). Other than that, I can't speak to their quality. Low-residency is a good option for working adults so I see the draw. Besides Warren Wilson, if Bennington still has a low-residency, I know people who liked that too, and the faculty was good.

There are also writing centers and summer programs where you can take workshops. Be cautious about these. Read the NYT article from last year about the writing space in Boston. I believe it was called Who is the Real Art Friend? That exposed some of the drama and odd things you might find. It was so contentios that I hesitate mentioning it, but I think ot exposed some of what's wrong with the business of creative writing. There is a dark side, which involves everything ugly humans can do to each other.

If you live near universities, start looking at their programs and who teaches there. Any metropolitan area with universities will have some with creative writing master's programs.

Good luck and polish your manuscript. And if you do it, have fun and use it as a spur to write a lot and enjoy the opportunity to devote a chunk of your life to it. It gives you a reason to produce the work and it's wonderful to have the time to do so.

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