Was my MFA worth it??
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 12. 05. 2020
- In this video, I describe my experiences in an MFA program and discuss 4 main topics one should consider if they want to get an MFA: Cost, Professors, Networking, and Time to Write.
Information on my alma mater:
đNYU: as.nyu.edu/cwp/graduate.html
CZcams channels that discuss MFA Programs:
đAlexa Donne: âą Do You Need an MFA to ...
đBookish Pixie: âą Are MFAs Worth It?
đDimitri Reyes Poet: âą Questions to Ask Yours...
đThe Aspen Institute (Featuring Elizabeth Acevedo: âą Elizabeth Acevedo at T...
Articles about MFA programs:
đBroad Understanding of what an MFA is: www.usnews.com/education/best...
đWriters' perspectives on the MFA: www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/ed...
đHow MFAs impact novel writing: www.theatlantic.com/entertain...
đGenre Writers and MFA Programs: www.wired.com/2019/06/geeks-g...
Links:
đ° My Amazon seller account: www.amazon.com/shops/shellyflowersbooks
đ·Instagram: @shellyflowers
âđŒMy Book: www.finishinglinepress.com/pr...
đGoodreads: @shellyflowers
đ»Tumblr: @shellyflowers
Congrats! I graduated from NYU Creative Writing MFA as well. Loved every minute of it, miss it so much.
Thank you so much for sharing!!! As someone looking into MFA programs (particularly NYU), I really appreciate you sharing your input!!
No problem! Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions.
I've always thought I would love to go back to school, but I have to be SUPER SURE that it's a field I'm passionate about and want to stay in to make it worth the debt. This video was really helpful. Thanks for the work you put into it and the other resources you've provided.
Eryn Brought a Book Exactly. Education is an investment in the US, so we have to do our due diligence to make sure the investment will pay off. Iâm glad you found it helpful!
This was the best video I've found so far talking about this topic. So engaging and informative. Thank you so much for taking the time to create this video.
Oh, thank you so much! Iâm glad you found it to be helpful.
WOW CONGRATS ON PAYING OFF YOUR STUDENT LOANS!!!! THAT'S INCREDIBLE!
Eryn Brought a Book thank you!! It took a while but Iâm so glad itâs over!!
OMG your book in the back!!!đ
Thank you so much for your advice and this video. Itâs kind of crazy because everything you you went through is what Iâm going through. I just graduated with a B.A in English Lit and I have no idea what I want to do for work. I want to write books for a living but you know thatâs incredibly impossible to do so I wanted to find a job to support myself while I write. No luck there so far, so I decided to apply for a MFA in creative writing and NYU is one of my choices (luckily I already live in nyc). Similar to your situation, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last year so I had to delay my process for a bit while she got her treatment. Her recovery is going great but itâs still up in the air. Iâm grateful for your advice because it made me think more about my future and what I want to do. I think Iâm still going to go forward with the MFA (my mom really wants me to lol)
Oh my goodness, thank you so much for sharing this! It seems like youâve put a lot of thought into your decision, which is the best route to take. Iâm sending positive thoughts your way for both you and your mom.
The great thing about an MFA is that itâs very different from other âacademicâ and research focused degrees. You can always get a second masters or a doctoral degree later on if you realize thatâs what you want to do.
Best of luck!!
Hi; Iâm also currently trying to get an mfa from NYU, can I get in touch with you?
Fellow Nole here! Currently considering getting my MFA and loved this insight so much. Thank you!!
This is a great rundown. Solid. I've been to college 1.25 times. Grad school is not for me lol.
But it's great to hear from someone who has had a positive experience. I've heard a lot of mixed responses. Though I will say the people who have been able to pay off their loans have been more positive, and congrats to you on that!
This is a hell of a time for networking though isn't it? Smart to get creative with CZcams these days.
M. Ruby yes! I think overall I loved my MFA program, but itâs so important to note that itâs not a necessary experience that will instantly make you the next authorial sensation.
Iâm trying my best on this CZcams thing... but I definitely feel like that old dude at the freshman party đ
Thanks for your feedback!
This was very helpful. Thank you.
Awesome! Iâm glad it was.
"You make you a writer" YES!!!!!!!
12:55 Let me just say that this is THE thing to do when going to university. Any event providing food, I signed right up. And sometimes get to treat myself to pretty interesting lectures from visiting faculty.
Itâs honestly a win win.
Loved hearing your thoughts and experiences about this topic (except for that one professorâŠ)! I think we share many similar opinions. Also, congrats so much on paying off your loans! I think I might do a debt pay off video series for my MFA loans.
Ohhhh yes! I love this idea! I think itâs important for creatives to understand the intersection of art and finance!
@@ShellyflowersReadsandWrites Totally agree, friend! Thanks again for bringing such a thoughtful perspective to the conversation.
This is super informative and helpful! Could you make another video of publishing? And tips on networking?
Sure! Iâll be honest, Iâm still very new to both of those concepts. But Iâll do my best to share my journey!
Thank you so much for this video. I'm actually drowning in all the information you've got to take into account before seriously considering applying for a MFA, specially since I'm not an US citizen, and this video is by far the most complete review of the whole thing. You helped me understand why I felt so inadequate in my undergrad when you talked about academic spaces designed by and for cis white males, thanks for that as well.
Im so glad you found this to be helpful. It is indeed a stressful process, and Iâm sure being an international student only complicates it even more. Have you considered online MFA programs?
@@ShellyflowersReadsandWrites I'm just starting to consider those kind of MFA programs, thanks for that heads up!
Hello, I also want to apply for an MFA in creative writing as an international student. I'm really lost in the process and I wondered if you have any tipps? Do you think it's harder to get accepted when you are not from the US? Greetings from Germany :)
I'm glad you were so open about all the aspects of the MFA program you did. Every so often I consider returning to school to do an MFA because I loved my undergrad experience and it's really nice to get honest opinions on the value of taking that further.
Kaye Spivey definitely! I think theyâre value in the degree, I just donât necessarily think itâs worth more than a 10k price tag, especially if you come from a low income or lower middle class background
Iâm in my second (and final) year of my MFA program at Columbia University, but I wonât hold my alma mater-to-be against you. đ
Hahahah just a couple of nerds and rivals I guess đ
Thanks for the helpful video! Iâve been contemplating for a long time whether or not to pursue a MFA but in the end I decided itâs something that Iâd like to do! New York Universityâs program in particular is one of my top choices and I was wondering if you happened to have any advice concerning applications for it?
I applied over 10 years ago, so Iâm not sure how helpful my advice would be, but Iâd say, focus primarily on your Writing portfolio. Make sure itâs a strong presentation of your point of view as a writer. Iâd also say, get recommendations from professors or writers in the industry when possible.
@@ShellyflowersReadsandWrites Thank you so much for the advice! Hopefully my portfolio right now will be good enough đđ»đđ»
@@aiai061818 yes, good luck!
Whoa, MFA from NYU. I've heard that's one of the more prestigious places to get an MFA from.
It is, however like I was saying in the video, prestige only goes so far. Itâs really more about your ability to network and your ability to make community. There are people who have no MFA who are much more successful in their career than I am. So donât let the fancy name for you. Still takes a lot of work no matter where you get your degree from.
To start an MFA is a terminal degreee meaning that is highest degree someone could complete. Second normally when someone is completing an MFA one of the goals is to teach at a university, third it is wisely to apply for a scholarship and work as a Graduate TA or try to apply to a university that is not astronomical expenses, and a university that is "less" expensive. By the way I am interested to apply an MFA either in Film making or Photography so I could teach film and photography at a university level.
Hey did you have to get a teaching certificate for Florida and New York?
I actually first got my teaching certificate for TN, then used reciprocity to get my Florida teaching license.
@@ShellyflowersReadsandWrites I currently live in Tennessee with the military and I want to get my teaching certificate so that I can have more job opportunities. My BA is in Business Management.
@@donnapearson89 if you check Tennesseeâs department of education website, theyâll have specific instructions on how to get your certification. I joined an alternative certification program ( Teach For America ), but there are plenty of others out there.
There are plenty of fully funded programs too, so you don't necessarily have to go into debt to get an MFA
This!!! A free MFA is better than one you have to go into debt for.
@@Ladyblogtest I canât post a link here Bc it will get deleted, but I just googled âlow cost MFA in creative writingâ and quite a few links came up. It will probably take some digging, but itâs worth it!
Thank God I got my Certificate in Creative Writing while I was still an Undergrad. There's no way in hell would I pay $41,000 for an MFA in Creative Writing!
I have an undergrad degree in creative writing that was free. Shout out to scholarships. My goal at that time was to become a professor, which is why I went the MFA route.
@@ShellyflowersReadsandWrites I see.