Competition

What happens when the faculty in charge of accepting and rejecting applicants from MFA programs voice their process on the MFA Blog? You get one of the most informative and insightful comment sections you'll ever read on the extremely subjective process that is deciding who gets in and who doesn't. I don't think it's any exaggeration that if you've already applied to MFAs this year or are planning on applying for next year, that this post is a must-read.

The comment that really caught my eye was Mr. Porter Shreve's (of Purdue University) observation: "Based on what I’ve seen thus far we’re looking at record numbers and one of the most talented pools of applicants I’ve come across at the four schools where I’ve served on admissions: the University of Michigan, the University of Oregon, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and here at Purdue." First off, it's a very frightening comment. But, as I had previously noted on the Speakeasy Forum, and in a previous blog post, it's also not surprising in the least. I've been researching MFA programs since the winter of last year in preparation for this season, and nearly all the resources -- the relative popularity of Tom Kealey's MFA Handbook, his website, funding opportunities, etc. -- and articles I've read suggest that MFAs are a hot item. Frankly speaking, applications to MFA programs have been increasing for years, and will continue to increase without plateau, much less decrease, for the near future. Which, of course, means more competition.

It's not terribly surprising. The money's there. As long as schools are fully funding students to do nothing but teach and write, I can't imagine a situation where this idea won't be appealing to people out there -- both the talented and untalented. Creative writing and poetry hold a romantic spot in the hearts of many in the United States -- how many times have you heard "oh, I have to finish that book" from total strangers, characters on TV, in movies? Why couldn't they do it for real? And as a poster on the Speakeasy notes, in this economy, it stands to reason that there is much more incentive for people to reconsider their options on "doing it for real." Why not weather the economic storm with a writing program? Sure, you'll be making peanuts, but you'll love what you're doing, which is more than you can (probably) say about your current job, which you may or may not have by the end of this year. It simply makes sense.

I know I sound like Debbie Downer right now. But I think adjusting expectation is one of the most important things to keeping sane during this trying time of year. Does this mean you can't have hope? Well, no, not necessarily. Hope is a good thing. It's what gets me through my days. At this point, all I'm trying to avoid is delusion.