Creative Writing Masters

[EMC]

Is anyone on the forum doing the above and if yes what do you think about your program?
I'm doing one and it's just increased my anxiety re my writing above and beyond what I thought was possible!
Would love to hear from others.

Cheers,
EMC

[polymath]

I expect to start an MA writing program next fall. I've already plumbed all I can find out about the program's faculty, course syllabi, thesis requirements, etc. I have a creative writing BFA. The primary difference I expect is the book-length thesis requirement and elevated workload, reduced class time. The BFA thesis was a thirty-page portfolio. Nine hours is full time for liberal arts graduate studies hereabouts. Two years, four semesters, once and done. I'm preplanning for the thesis, working my way through the literature and writing reading list, and stocking up on, researching, and developing inspirations for the workshop assignment requirements. Plus preparing for literature coursework responses.

One prompt that applies equally to literature coursework and writing workshop, forms, and research skills requirements that served me well in undergraduate studies and will as well in graduate studies is universal for liberal arts. Take a conscientious stand, make a credible point, and concisely support it. Everything else is just doing the work timely and conscientiously and showing up and participating in class.

My added burdens though are paying for it and healthcare and emotional and health well-being concerns. It's not a sure thing done deal yet.

[EMC]

Can I ask what uni P?

[polymath]

I'll private message it to you. I won't post it publicly. I'm superstitious that way and concerned about privacy protection.

[sierramcconnell]

Considering my age (29) and the fact that I have an Associates in Computer Science, I don't know if it would do me much good to start school over at this point. Plus, there's always the money. It's far too expensive to pay for school and no one is going to give me money to go back for that.

[polymath]

Many colleges have assistantship programs that pay for attendance to graduate and post graduate study. There's fellowships, scholarships, grants, work study, too. The U.S. Pell grant program pays a grant for up to one bachelor's degree program, even if a student has a preexisting associate's degree. It's not enough funding in and of itself for a full university program. But there's the Direct student loan program and Stafford loans for undergraduate and graduate study.

An IT associate's might not transfer many college credits, but it's a completed associate's and many colleges recognize an associate's as equivalent to basic studies completion. The college I went to, for example, I completed an associate in arts with basic studies requirements, math, hard and social science, technology, English literature and composition. I skipped right into my junior year without any question of credits transferring. I only needed one semester there in beginning writing and literature survey coursework to qualify for enrollment in the creative writing program. And a writing sample portfolio.

The college I'll be attending for master's studies has a work study program of assistantships, teaching, research, writing center advisors, and so on. For up to twenty hours a week, nine hours classroom contact for teaching assistants, they pay up to $11,000 per semester. I'm also eligible for scholarships and grants, which I'll find out about how much once I'm admitted and qualify for financial aid. I'm also pursuing private sector scholarships for aid. I'd rather not borrow from student aid programs, but I will if push comes to shove.

[sierramcconnell]

Yes, but many of those scholarships, grants, and so on (especially Pell) will only pay if you're of a certain "monetary level" or "background" so to speak.

I went through all that before when I had to bust my butt working at KFC to get the first degree. I got a half-scholarship with grades and an ACT score of 22 (tried three times but just couldn't get that 23 I was aiming for).

Being an old white female who lives in a house with two other people (one who makes far too much money) I wouldn't be able to get anything. ;3

[Margo]

Considering my age (29)...

Hey now! I went back to school for my grad degree at 36. Most of us were older students, as the school catered to working adults (night and weekend classes, etc). No offense to the many bright 20-somethings on the forum, but I found the other older students to be much more reliable presentation/project partners. That was important, as we had to do about 20 of them, besides individual presentations/research projects.

But, yes, it was very expensive.

[polymath]

I was the oldest student in all my classes. More than half my instructors were younger than me by at least a decade. One made a point of asking my birth date in front of the class and then made a frequent point of holding me below him in pecking order for me being two weeks younger. But then, his emotional maturity was another matter.

[sierramcconnell]

Considering my age (29)...

Hey now! I went back to school for my grad degree at 36. Most of us were older students, as the school catered to working adults (night and weekend classes, etc). No offense to the many bright 20-somethings on the forum, but I found the other older students to be much more reliable presentation/project partners. That was important, as we had to do about 20 of them, besides individual presentations/research projects.

But, yes, it was very expensive.

Sorry, I have a slightly different view on age considering how I feel everyday. Since I hit 22 (or should I say it hit me, considering it was a car accident? XD) I've never been the same.

[sierramcconnell]

I was the oldest student in all my classes. More than half my instructors were younger than me by at least a decade. One made a point of asking my birth date in front of the class and then made a frequent point of holding me below him in pecking order for me being two weeks younger. But then, his emotional maturity was another matter.

That reminds me of an older teacher I had.

I had a Cultural Anthropology teacher (back when I tried to get a BA in History but soon found the U of A Fort Smith had crap for history classes) who was amazing. First day she stood in front of the class and proudly proclaimed, "I'm old. When I was younger I did a lot of drugs and listened to a lot of loud music. If you see me up here shaking it's not because I'm scared, it's because I have nerve problems. Also, I can't hear you a lot of the time so you'll probably have to repeat yourself and speak up."

And she did twitch a lot, but she was so super intelligent it didn't matter. She used to go on digs and stuff and it was cool.

She's up there with the guy who dressed in turn of the century clothes (complete with pocket watch) who had the curly hair and brought in the armor and swords and taught proper swordfighting. He would go into all the gory details about slashing and stabbing and horses biting heads off. I'm not sure what that had to do with Western Civ II, but I always made sure to sit right up front. XD

Ah, I miss college. It was full of fruitcakes. My kind of people.

[Margo]

Since I hit 22 (or should I say it hit me, considering it was a car accident? XD) I've never been the same.

I can relate to that. I'm up to about three days a week using painkillers after unwittingly driving into a police chase in 2000 and getting smeared by the suspect vehicle. My bad days are really bad, but it sounds like I got off easy compared to the problems you've had.

[polymath]

All my professors had quirks the younger students poked fun at behind their backs. I overheard more than one taking cracks at me too. If they only knew, how quirky they themselves are, they'd be less inclined and more respectful. They sure couldn't take it from their peers as much as they dished it out. Oh the misguided invulnerabilities of youth.

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle.

[sierramcconnell]

All my professors had quirks the younger students poked fun at behind their backs. I overheard more than one taking cracks at me too. If they only knew, how quirky they themselves are, they'd be less inclined and more respectful. They sure couldn't take it from their peers as much as they dished it out. Oh the misguided invulnerabilities of youth.

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle.

I was the one who always had food. I always had snacks and candy and asked everyone if they wanted any. It was so well known that one of the girls (I say girl, she was the mom of another student so she was older than me, but hey, we're all girls. XD) said, "Hey, I dreamed about you while I was sick. You fed me a four course meal from your backpack!" XD

If you're not quirky, you're boring. If you're boring, you might as well be dead. O_O

[polymath]

I was the one who always said no thank you to food offerings, and labeled antisocial for it, all the while salivating and wanting to say yes, but, no, deviating from my carefully planned diet is harmful. Even the twenty-gram carbohyrdrates of a Lifesaver hard candy throws me off budget. When pressured, I explained why, and further alienated my cohort from being labeled a health complainer and as if a noncontagious disease is communicable. Can't win for losing. I've been working on figuring out better ways to say no thank you. Like, no thank you, momma says it'll spoil my dinner. All the people who offer me beers, no thank you, doctor says it doesn't mix with my pain medicine.