Congratulations on your bachelor's!
I went to the University of Central Florida. I definitely wouldn't recommend it for undergrad, it was a terrible 4 years where I barely learned anything and spent most of my time smoking weed or yearning for New York. I had cool professors and made the most of college but, eh, it really was not the right place for me.
THAT SAID, for an MFA, they have good faculty, my undergraduate thesis chair is an amazing person, and some of the professors there try to teach you things like The Business Of Being A Writer, something crucial and not-well-talked about, even in MFA circles.
I definitely think their MFA program is solid, but when it comes to your MFA, it's better two think about three things:
- What are you trying to accomplish in your MFA? Obviously, you want to become a better writer, but what do you want to write? And are you looking for connections? Do you want to stay in academia? What do you hope to do accomplish after you get the degree?
- Who are the faculty at the schools you're considering? And not necessarily how famous are they, but do they have faculty who work within the kinds of writing you want to accomplish? Have they mastered something you'd really like to do well in? Do you like their writing?
- What does funding look like? How much funding does the school offer? What are their scholarship and fellowship programs like? What is the likelihood you get a fellowship, and what are the requirements? How much debt do you think you'll take on? How much are you willing to take on?
The only reason I went to UCF was because I got a full ride there, and the only reason I can afford to live in New York is because I don't have student debt. Obviously, it's stupid that money should be a factor in deciding where you study and whom you study under, but the career opportunities for MFA graduates are less than ideal, and a lot of the careers out there do not pay the bills at first.
I say all this because, an MFA is an amazing opportunity. 2+ years just to eat, breathe, and shit writing with other writers? It will certainly change your life. But the best thing you can give yourself as a writer is stability, and you want to be sure your MFA is in service not just of your creative potential, but also your ability to create a life in service of writing.
I might have gone off track from what you asked me, but I hope this helps! @runaway-horses
