In the process of considering what my future prospects maybe, I have decided to take on the task of pursuing further study. Till this day I remember telling my father, "Dad I know what I want to be when I grow up", and getting the shocking response, "You want to be a writer! How will you survive?"
The stigma in Arab societies around cultural production is one that needs to be shattered. Not that I am going to be doing much shattering by acquiring an MFA. In fact, I find it to be a nice comfortable middle ground between my fathers engineering background and my stubborn will. I hope to get into a program that will fund my obnoxious writing habit, while potentially providing me a future career as both writer and educator. Though I will not be able to get very far outside of the states with an MFA, I believe it is a viable option for those who chose to remain within the U.S.of A's borders.
God knows where I will be in five years time! I've learned the hard way that planning doesn't get you very far, but for my sanity I am ever so persistently planning and researching a future in writing.
The following page is a compilation for those who like me, willing succumb to living off of below average pay for their art.
I have accumulated, through statistics and personal research, a list of some of the MFA programs that interest me, and some that are just conveniently located.
I have two tables; in the first I include: the length of the MFA program, if it funds or not, the amount of stipend it offers, its location, its rank in poetry, its size, application fee; and in the second table I have: a list of alumni and faculty for each of these universities. This just may improve your chances of getting in, and mine too (crossing my fingers).
Check out this LINK for the top 50 MFA programs in the states to date.
Also these books are suggested reading for Poetry MFA's:
Read FURTHER for the Tables:
#
|
University
|
Length
|
Funding
|
Stipend*
|
Location
|
Poetry Rank
|
Size
|
App Fee
| |
1
|
Purdue
|
3
|
ALL
|
$13,000
|
West Lafayette, IN
|
24
|
XS
|
$55
| |
2
|
Cornell
|
2
|
ALL
|
$23,000
|
Ithica, NY
|
5
|
XS
|
$75
| |
3
|
Bowling Green State
|
2
|
ALL
|
$9,000
|
Bowling Green, OH
|
43
|
S
|
$30
| |
4
|
George Mason
|
3
|
ALL
|
$12,000
|
Fairfax, VA
|
L
|
$65
| ||
5
|
Washington Uni
|
2
|
ALL
|
$20,000
|
St. Louis, MO
|
8
|
S
|
$45
| |
6
|
Vanderbilt
|
2
|
ALL
|
$20,000
|
Nashvill, TN
|
15
|
XS
|
$40
| |
7
|
The New School
|
2
|
Not ALL
|
New York, NY
|
47
|
L
|
$50
| ||
8
|
Mills College
|
2
|
Not ALL
|
$6,000
|
Oackland, CA
|
77
|
L
|
$50
| |
9
|
Roosevelt University
|
2
|
Not ALL
|
varies
|
Chicago, IL
|
102
|
M
|
$25
| |
10
|
University of Austin
|
2
|
ALL
|
$20,000
|
Austin, TX
|
96
|
S
|
$65
| |
11
|
Michner Center
|
3
|
ALL
|
$20,000
|
Austin, TX
|
13
|
XS
|
$65
| |
12
|
Hollins University
|
2
|
HALF
|
$7,000
|
Raonoke, VA
|
46
|
M
|
$40
| |
13
|
Amherst University
|
3
|
90%
|
Amherst, MA
|
86
|
$50
| |||
14
|
Ohio State
|
3
|
ALL
|
$12,000
|
Columbus, OH
|
32
|
S
|
$50
| |
15
|
Brown University
|
2
|
MOST
|
Providence, RI
|
7
|
S
|
$75
| ||
16
|
Rutgers-Camden
|
2
|
Partial
|
$21,000
|
Camden, NJ
|
82
|
S
|
$65
| |
17
|
Western Michigan Uni
|
2
|
MOST
|
$11,000
|
Kalamazoo, MI
|
$35
| |||
18
|
University of Ann Arbor
|
2
|
ALL
|
$16,000
|
Ann Arbor, MI
|
2
|
M
|
$65
| |
19
|
New York University
|
2 to 5
|
Most
|
$20,000
|
New York, NY
|
18
|
L
|
$90
| |
20
|
Boston University
|
1
|
ALL
|
$10,000
|
Boston, MA
|
37
|
M
|
$70
| |
21
|
University of Wisconsin
|
2
|
ALL
|
$11,200
|
Madison, WI
|
6
|
XS
|
$56
| |
22
|
University of Virginia
|
2
|
ALL
|
$16,000
|
Charlston, VA
|
3
|
XS
|
$60
| |
23
|
Indiana University
|
3
|
All
|
$12,000
|
Bloomington, IN
|
11
|
M
|
$55
| |
24
|
University of Houston
|
2 to 5
|
ALL
|
$9,300
|
Houston, TX
|
11
|
S
|
$50
| |
25
|
University of Illinois
|
3
|
ALL
|
$10,000
|
Champain, IL
|
21
|
XS
|
$70
| |
26
|
Virginia Polytechnic
|
3
|
ALL
|
$13,000
|
Blacksburg, VA
|
16
|
XS
|
$65
| |
27
|
Southern Illinois
|
3
|
ALL
|
$11,000
|
Carbondale, IL
|
27
|
XS
|
$50
| |
28
|
University of Note dame
|
2
|
ALL
|
12000**
|
Notre Dame, IN
|
39
|
L
|
$50
| |
29
|
Northern Michigan Uni
|
2
|
SOME
|
Marquette, MI
|
109
|
$50
| |||
30
|
Northwestern Illinois Uni
|
2
|
Partial
|
$3,000
|
Chicago, IL
|
109
|
M
|
$75
| |
31
|
University of Massachusetts
|
3
|
80%
|
$3,000
|
Boston, MA
|
85
|
XS
|
$60
| |
*
|
For about 9 Months of Study
| ||||||||
**
|
Only five out of 22 students receive stipends
|
#
|
University
|
Notable Alumni
|
Notable Faculty
|
Deadline
|
1
|
Purdue
|
Mairead Byrne
|
Marianne Boruch
|
15-Jan
|
Henry Hughes
|
Mary Leader
| |||
Gretchen Steele Pratt
|
Donald Platt
| |||
2
|
Cornell
|
Diana Ackerman
|
Alice Fulton
|
1-Dec
|
Amy Carroll
|
Lyrae Van Clief-Stephanon
| |||
Junot Diaz
|
Joanie Mackowsci
| |||
Mark Doty
|
Robert R. Morgan
| |||
3
|
Bowling Green State
|
Megan Ayers
|
Jennifer Chang
|
15-Feb
|
Toni Aridizzone
|
Larissa Szporluk
| |||
4
|
George Mason
|
Brian Barker
|
Jennifer Atkinson
|
2-Jan
|
Carrie Addington
|
Sally Keith
| |||
Perry Epes
|
Susan Tichy
| |||
5
|
Washington Uni
|
Jason Strumpf
|
Mary Jo Bang
|
15-Dec
|
Eileen G'Sell
|
Carl Phillips
| |||
D. Haines Eason
|
Jennifer Kronevet
| |||
6
|
Vanderbilt
|
Rick Hilles
|
Beth Bachmann
|
15-Jan
|
Lorrain Lopez
|
Kate Daniels
| |||
Cundeiff-Pexa
|
Rick Hilles
| |||
Mark Jarman
|
Mark Jarman
| |||
Kate Daniels
|
Sandy Solomon
| |||
7
|
The New School
|
Shanna Compton
|
Mark Bibbins
|
15-Jan
|
Carol Goodman
|
Elaine Equi
| |||
Justin Marks
|
Jennifer Michael Hecht
| |||
Rachel Zolf
|
Megan O'Rourke
| |||
Amy Lawless
|
Laurie Sheck
| |||
8
|
Mills College
|
Sarah Trott
|
Elmaz Abinader
|
15-Dec
|
Romney Steele
|
Juliana Spahr
| |||
9
|
Roosevelt University
|
Niaomi Shihab Nye (visiting)
|
1-Feb
| |
Scott Blackwood
| ||||
10
|
University of Austin
|
Nora Baxter
|
Dean Young
|
15-Dec
|
11
|
Michner Center
|
Marlys West
|
Judith Kroll
|
15-Dec
|
Michael McGriff
|
Thomas Whitebread
| |||
Carrie Fountain
|
Kurt Heinzelman
| |||
12
|
Hollins University
|
Annie Dillard
|
Cathryn Hankla
|
6-Jan
|
Wyn Cooper
|
R.H.W Dillard
| |||
Mary Ruefle
|
Elizabeth Poliner
| |||
Susan Rebecca White
|
Nathasha Tretheway
| |||
13
|
Amherst University
|
Mathew Zapruder
|
Noy Holland
|
15-Dec
|
Steve Healey
|
Lisa Olstein
| |||
Michelle Hoover
|
Peter Gizzi
| |||
Heather Christle
|
Dara Weir
| |||
14
|
Ohio State
|
Erin Belieu
|
Andrew Hudgins
|
5-Dec
|
Drew Blanchard
|
Henri Cole
| |||
Nancy Kuhl
|
Kathy Fagan
| |||
15
|
Brown University
|
Alan Sondheim
|
Forrest Gander
|
15-Dec
|
Renee Gladman
| ||||
Michael S. Harper
| ||||
Cole Swenson
| ||||
C.D. Wright
| ||||
16
|
Rutgers-Camden
|
Susan Muaddi Darraj
|
Patrick Rosal
|
15-Jan
|
Kate Delaney
|
Elaine Terranova
| |||
Barbra Daniels
|
J.T. Barbarese
| |||
Gregory Pardlo
| ||||
17
|
Western Michigan Uni
|
Bonnie Jo Campbell
|
Richard Katrovas
|
1-Jan
|
William Olsen
| ||||
18
|
University of Ann Arbor
|
Bolina Jaswinder
|
Lorna Goodison
|
1-Jan
|
Lizzie Hutton
|
Linda Gregerson
| |||
Joseph Zilka
|
Khaled Mattawa
| |||
Francis Vievee
| ||||
Randa Jarrar
| ||||
19
|
New York University
|
Stephen Weiss
|
Yusef Komunyakaa
|
18-Dec
|
Matt Donovan
|
Sharon Olds
| |||
Solmaz Sharif
|
Zadie Smith
| |||
Joanne Diaz
|
Anne Carson
| |||
Kazim Ali
|
Charles Simic
| |||
20
|
Boston University
|
Elizabeth Alexander
|
Louise Gluck
|
1-Mar
|
Taylor Altman
|
Leslie Epstein
| |||
Dan Chaisson
| ||||
Robert Pinskey
| ||||
Rosanna Warren
| ||||
21
|
University of Wisconsin
|
Traci Brimhall
|
Amy Quan Barry
|
15-Dec
|
Diana Middlebrook
|
Sean Bishop
| |||
Rebecca Hazelton
|
Judith Claire Mitchell
| |||
Ronald Wallace
| ||||
22
|
University of Virginia
|
Katherine Larson
|
Debra Nystrom
|
15-Dec
|
Dave Lucas
|
Lisa Russ Spaar
| |||
Temple Cone
|
Paul Guest
| |||
Lauren Graham
|
Gregory Orr
| |||
Paul Legault
|
Rita Dove
| |||
23
|
Indiana University
|
Ansel Talvikki
|
Cathrine Bowman
|
2-Jan
|
Rebecca Black
|
Richard Cecil
| |||
Daniel Borne
|
Ross Gay
| |||
Khaled Mattawa
|
Maurice Manning
| |||
Carol Guess
|
Alyce Miller
| |||
24
|
University of Houston
|
Eric Ekstrand
|
Nick Flynn
|
15-Dec
|
Samuel Amadon
|
Martha Serpas
| |||
Lauren Berry
|
Susan Sontang (past)
| |||
Hayan Charara
|
Mark Doty (past)
| |||
Farnoosh Fathi
| ||||
25
|
University of Illinois
|
Michael Madonick
|
17-Dec
| |
Bridget Kelly
| ||||
Leanna Howe
| ||||
Janice Harrington
| ||||
Philip Graham
| ||||
26
|
Virginia Polytechnic
|
Rania Fields
|
Nikki Giovanni
|
1-Jan
|
Erica Meitner
| ||||
27
|
Southern Illinois
|
Rachel Furey
|
Beth Lordan
|
17-Feb
|
Nick Ostdick
|
Allison Joseph
| |||
Judy Jordan
| ||||
Rodney Jones
| ||||
Pinckney Benedict
| ||||
29
|
University of Notre dame
|
Sarah Bowman
|
Joyelle McSweeney
|
2-Jan
|
Nora Edwards Dethloff
|
Orlando Menes
| |||
Jessica Martinez English
|
Johannes Goransson
| |||
30
|
Northern Michigan Uni
|
Mathew Frank
|
1-Feb
| |
Danielle Gocella
| ||||
Jennifer Howard
| ||||
Ronald Johnson
| ||||
Jason Markle
| ||||
31
|
Northwestern Illinois Uni
|
Alice George
|
15-Oct
| |
Reginald Gibbons
| ||||
Ed Roberson
| ||||
Sheila Donohue
| ||||
Susan Harris
| ||||
33
|
University of Massachusetts
|
Barbra Perez
|
John Fulton
|
15-Jan
|
Jenn DeLeon
|
Jill McDonald
| |||
George Kovach
|
Joyce Peseroff
| |||
Lloyd Schwartz
| ||||
Fanny Howe
|
GOOD LUCK
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