Culture: 6 Ways To Spend Your Summer Before Applying for M.F.A. Programs

Do Grad Apps in Your Bikini

By M. Alouette

​Yay, it's the summertime! You can go to the beach and...work on applications for M.F.A. programs. At least, it's an option. Get a head start instead of leaving everything for the fall (many deadlines fall around December and early- to mid-January.) Then you can spend the fall fine-tuning your application instead of rushing and fretting. Should you choose to be an early bird and not procrastinate, there are several ways you can spread out the hefty workload. Here are 6 actionable steps you can take right now:
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​1. Research programs. There are so many M.F.A. programs in just about every creative field imaginable. Poetry, fiction, playwriting, directing, ceramics, lighting design, new media, painting, etc.—if you can dream it, there's probably an academic program for it. That doesn't mean you should apply for every program in your field. Be honest with yourself about finances, geography, program focus, faculty work, student demographics, and more. Think about where you want to spend two or three years developing your craft. Then ask the tough questions: Are the students and professors at that school doing work that appeals to you? What is the average amount of debt alumni have within three to five years of graduating? What are most alumni doing now? Are you willing to move or can you stay in your current town or city? Can you continue working the job you have now or does the school have a work-study options that suit you? Does the program have tuition scholarships, teaching assistant fellowships, and travel funding? And many other questions! Dig deep. Doing an M.F.A. should not be a casual decision.
 
2. Develop a funding plan. Minimize your debt for an M.F.A. program. Ideally, you will graduate with zero debt. Look into funding options for all of your programs. If they are not candid about funding packages, email the program contact for answers. Also honestly assess your savings. Don't have any or need more? Pick up a side hustle now. You will need the extra cash if you end up doing an M.F.A. This will give you the freedom to take on slightly less paid work when your coursework is particularly demanding. Think realistically about what kind of job you can work during your M.F.A. You have to survive, but you don't want to burn out, either. Find scholarships from outside your intended program and apply for those, as well. Many private organizations, from non-profits to corporations to trade unions and guilds, offer scholarships for different fields of study. You can apply for some before you begin school, but many are only available to active students. Make a list of scholarships you may be eligible to apply for once you're enrolled in an M.F.A. program. Save this list for when you begin your M.F.A.
 
3. Narrow down your portfolio. Think carefully about which pieces represent your best work. Some of this work may be published and/or award-winning; some of it may not be. (And some programs specifically ask that you avoid including previously published work in your application. Double-check.) You might have trouble deciding between pieces, so ask yourself this: What is in the spirit of the kind of work you wish you continue doing—but improving upon—during an M.F.A.? Does this kind of work align with what professors and students in that program do?
 
4. Refine your portfolio. Now is the time to polish your final selections. Are you applying for an M.F.A. in creative writing? Get serious about those revisions. Are you applying for an M.F.A. in studio art? Re-photograph or re-scan any samples that look unprofessional. For most programs, your portfolio is the most important part of your application. Make it the best it can be. Sure, you're hoping to do an M.F.A. for the time, focus, and mentorship that will allow you to improve your craft. Students are meant to learn and make progress. But there's still a certain level of quality that will be expected from successful applications. If possible, have a trusted mentor or colleague review your selections and offer feedback.
 
5. Write your essays. Most programs require at least one essay: a personal statement or statement of intent. Basically, they want to know who you are, what your work is about, and why you're interested in that M.F.A. program. You might have to write additional essays, too. Common prompts include: Which faculty member do you wish to have as a mentor? What about the program faculty's work attracted you to this program? Do you want to be a teaching assistant and, if so, why? At many schools, this essay is the second most important aspect of your application. At some schools, it is weighed equally with your portfolio. Take this essay seriously and put forth your best effort while allowing your personality to shine through! The admissions panel wants to get to know the students they may be mentoring in the coming year.
 
6. Contact references. Be courteous and give your references as much notice as possible. Getting started on your application in the summer gives you plenty of time to reach out to former professors. If you've been out of college more than five years, the program may allow you to ask for professional references instead. (Just know that many programs prefer faculty references.) Be choosy and try to ask references who know you in a capacity relevant to the M.F.A. program you hope to enter. Since many M.F.A. programs don't make their applications ready until September, you probably can't have your references submit letters in July or August. But you can still ask them now! Have them send the reference once the link or form becomes available.  
 
Good luck with your applications!