University of San Francisco MFA in Writing Graduate Program

Reviewer's Name:

Abeer Hoque

Review Date

February 20, 2009

Year of Graduation:

2003

Review Title:

lovely critical writing experience in the most beautiful city in America

Full Review of the Program:

I joined USF's program not just for its location (which was important to me) but also because it was one of the only MFA programs out there at the time that allowed learning across genres. I applied in poetry but wanted to take prose workshops. I also applied to schools in New York (the other city I wanted to live in) but since the poetry programs in those schools would have limited me to studying only poetry for 2 years, I decided to go west instead. I'm so very glad I did. I ended up writing a mixed genre book of nonfiction and poetry which used fictive techniques - this was possible only because of all the various genre classes I was able to take in my 2+ years at USF.

This flexibility should be built into every program, IMHO, and not just allowed, but encouraged. Everyone, regardless of their chosen genre, should have to take at least one poetry, nonfiction, and fiction workshop. It only broadens your experience of writing. Unfortunately, USF has limited this option now.

USF's MFA program has some stellar regular teachers: Aaron Shurin (poetry), Lisa Harper (nonfiction), Kate Brady (fiction), and my favourite, Stephen Beachy (fiction and nonfiction). New lecturers are rotated in every year.

While there is a nice weekly or month writing lecture series where established and rising writing stars are invited to speak to students, I feel one of the major drawbacks of USF's program is its lack of support post-MFA. We had not one single agent come our way, no magazine editors, no discussions on how to get published, no help AT ALL in this domain. I thought perhaps this was the norm, but then after speaking to Iowa and Columbia students post graduation, realised that we were just deprived.

USF doesn't have the same kind of cache as those other schools, but it certainly could put some effort in inviting local or even national agents and publishers and editors to come speak to students. Or even just have faculty discuss their process and experience, but it was as if it were a taboo subject at school. One couldn't even begin that conversation.

But publishing aside, I have no regrets and I learned tons in school. I learned about the craft of poetry and prose. I made a huge new group of writer friends, most of whom are still very close to me 5 years after graduation. I learned about giving and receiving feedback (it's a difficult and vitally important life skill I'm still learning). And I wrote a book. Of sorts. At least the backbone of one. And all this at Lone Mountain campus which is set atop a windy hill in San Francisco, the prettiest city in the country.

Like many other MFA programs (but not all, ahem Columbia), the classes were twice a week in the evenings, allowing many of my classmates to continue working full time while getting their degree. I worked part time so as to have enough money for rent and food, and more time to write. It was a great arrangement though I ended up with a chunk of tuition debt at the end. I'm still not sure why MFA programs have to cost so much since artists don't usually end up rich. USF's tuition wasn't as bad as some other schools - about $25,000 for the entire program. I believe Columbia's is at least triple that. They have some limited merit scholarships but not on par with schools like Iowa (who funds all their students) or Irvine (who pays by making their students teach from day 1 - I'm glad I didn't go there either because not only would it have been too much for me, but I also don't want to teach).

Of course, one doesn't need an MFA to learn about writing, but for someone like me, who was changing careers (from business to writing), who wanted a community of writers, who needs deadlines and goals to get going, it was the perfect jumpstart to my new life. And the cross-genre learning and location made USF in particular a cinch.

Advice to Prospective Students:

Your choice of MFA program depends on your goals. If you're interested in getting some writing done and meeting other writers, then any MFA program might do. If you're looking for flexibility in study, then look carefully for that. If you're interested in publication, then go to the top schools that draw agents and publishers and editors. If you want to keep working or need financial assistance, many schools have night classes and some give scholarships.