Mills College, Department of English

Reviewer's Name:

Tanita S. Davis

Review Date

January 27, 2010

Year of Graduation:

2004

Review Title:

More Than Just a Girl's School

Full Review of the Program:

The Master of Fine Arts Degree in English and Creative Writing which I received from Mills was the cherry on the top of two really challenging, good years.

I chose Mills because I wanted an MFA, because it is the alumnae home of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and because I really wanted to face my fears about writing and being critiqued in a supportive environment. Though Mills has a good amount of smart, talented men in its graduate courses, being surrounded by a lot of confident, friendly, brilliant women was a tremendously powerful and positive experience for me. I wish I'd been a little more bold, maybe taken part in a bit more of the social life outside of the Academic world, but I am so very glad I went. I came away with confidence and friends I will have for life.

Advice to Prospective Students:

Take a tour. Stop and snag random people not wearing shiny badges and say, "Give it to me straight - what do you love? What do you hate? Older students, talk to the "Resumers" -- 20% of the school's students are over the age of 23, so if you had kids first, or are just getting around to your college education, there's no need to feel awkward or too old. Loll on one of the lawns for an hour one afternoon. Catch a lunchtime musical performance in the Mills Hall living room. Hang out for a day, and see if you can't imagine yourself there.