Is An MFA Worth It?
The MFA. More than any other subject, questions about getting an MFA (master of fine arts) are the most common ones we see. People dream of becoming a writer and these programs seem devoted to making you one. However, with price tags that can end up near $100,000 when all is said and done, deciding on whether or not you want to do an MFA is no easy decision. These programs are a full-time committment, from the financial burden they add, to the stress they entail in completing your degree and achieving your dreams as a writer. The ultimate question surrounding these degrees? Is an MFA worth it?
This is a question that honestly, doesn't have a yes or no answer. While I'm sure people considering the degree would love the validation that would come from us saying "YES, get an MFA degree!" but really, it comes down to your position in life right now and what the degree would mean for you. To help you evaluate the situation, we've tried to come up with a list of the pros and cons of getting an MFA degree.
Benefits of an MFA
Network With Fellow Writers
Oftentimes, you will hear one of the major benefits of an MFA degree being described as the networking opportunities. However, you have to keep in mind that these connections you will make are not the ones that directly lead to you getting published. Even if you know someone through the program who is published, or is an award winning author, ultimately, the quality of your work will get you the deal you want. However, by doing an MFA, you will get to meet other writers who are at the same poitn in their writing career as you. Meeting these people and keeping contact, you will benefit through your relations. The competition that you will feel yourself experiencing as you try and keep up with the friends you make, the feedback they offer on your work. These are the types of benefits you will receive from the networking you make in an MFA program.
Explore Arts and Grow Culturally
An oft overlooked piece of the MFA program is the experience you will have with the arts. Remember the degree stands for Master of Fine Arts. In doing the program, you will read a ton. You will likely read books on writing, books by authors you never heard of, books by aspiring authors, and more. The program will show you writing in a way you never expected to see it, and through these experiences you will be able to grow culturally. This can help your writing tremendously as you will have the knowledge to draw on the experience of other writers that have come before you.
Commitment to Writing
Many people tell you that one day they will write a novel. Others tell you they dream of being a writer. Signing up for an MFA kicks you in the pants and makes you pursue that goal. Attending the classes and workshops, having due dates for your piece, you will be required to tackle your writing now and stop pushing off the projects. While some people might scoff at this, and say they already are pursuing their goals of becoming a writer, the level of immersion you get in an MFA pushes you to a whole new level in your pursuit of the dream.
Financial Aid Lessens Cost
One big critique of MFA programs is that they are expensive. This is unfortunately true, there is no getting around it. However, the MFA does come with financial aid offers in many universities, ensuring that you'll be able to find a way to finance your pursuit. While a lot of this money will eventually need to be paid off, it does not have to come out of your pocket at that moment. And with the chance at pursuing a job in a field you truly enjoy, this cost can be worth it.
Downside of an MFA
Opportunity Cost of the Degree
The main argument against an MFA is about its opportunity cost. Sure, the degree helps you become a better writer, and you get to meet other writers. However, if you were willing to commit two years of your life without going to the schools, you would also be able to improve your writing. What's more, you would have saved yourself the thousands of dollars the program would have cost. This money can be spent instead on other interests that might grow your writing even further. You can use it to subscribe to literary magazines, to travel the world, and to attend conferences in writing. All of these excursions will give you the same benefits of an MFA, without the cost of the degree.
MFAs Institutionalizes Writer
Another common criticism brought against MFA programs is that they hamper your ability to grow as a truly creative writer. When you attend an MFA, you are no longer moving in your own direction as a writer. Instead, you are subject to the opinions and views of the teachers, often a more academic view of the writing art. In this way, writers who pursue an MFA will become stuck in a mold, and will lose their unique approach to writing as a result.
Professors Make or Break Program
A danger of MFA programs is that you are truly subjected to whatever the professors in the program believe is the right and wrong way to be a writer. Under their guidance, you are going to be influenced by them, whether you like it or not. As such, if you don't really like the professors in the program you attend, you are out of luck. With the cost and requirements to get into an MFA, this can seriously stunt your opportunities, and it is completely out of your control.
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