MFA Program Reviews

We’ve been unofficially calling this page “The Straight Dope on MFA Programs,” because that’s what we aim to provide here. There exist plenty of directories of MFA Programs in Writing, but most don’t say much beyond name, address, and maybe a faculty list. They don’t tell you what it’s like to be a student there; how good (or bad) the faculty really are to work with; what student culture is like. We saw the void, and leapt in to fill it.

Here you’ll find student-written reviews of MFA Programs in Writing. Some are positive; some aren’t. All are honest. This is a work-in-progress; we’re constantly soliciting more program reviews. So if you don’t see a review here of a program you’re interested in, check back soon; and if you’re a student at a program we haven’t reviewed yet, drop us a line. We offer a free one-year Chapbook Membership to our reviewers.

Columbia University (Creative Nonfiction)

By Kao Kalia Yang

A second-year nonfiction student reports on her experiences at Columbia.

Iowa Writers’ Workshop (Fiction)

By Anonymous

A second-year fiction student describes her experiences.

New Mexico State University (Fiction)

By Amy Smith

A second-year fiction student reflects on her experiences.

Queens University of Charlotte (Fiction)

By Clifford Garstang

A fiction student muses on his time at Queens.

Queens University of Charlotte (2)

By Sylvia Hoffmire

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

By Odie Lindsey

Spalding University (Creative Nonfiction)

By Kaylene Johnson

A writer of nonfiction reflects on her time at Spalding.

University of Arkansas (Fiction)

By Amy Letter

A fiction student sums up her time at UA.

University of Arkansas (Poetry)

By Cherri Randall

A poetry student muses on her four years at UA.

University of Maryland (Fiction)

By Carisa Coburn Pineda

A fiction student reflects on her time at Maryland.

University of Maryland (Fiction)

By Robert Gardner

A fiction student reflects on his time at UM.

University of Michigan (Fiction)

Reviewed by an anonymous second-year student.

University of Mississippi, a.k.a. Ole Miss (Fiction)

A third-year student muses about the program.

University of Oregon Literary Nonfiction Program (Nonfiction)

By Whit Sheppard

An essayist reflects on his time at University of Oregon.

Vermont College (Poetry)

By Chivas Sandage

A second-year student reflects on her Vermont experience.