University of Idaho MFA in Creative Writing

Reviewer's Name:

Anonymousforprofessionalprotection

Review Date

January 15, 2011

Year of Graduation:

2011

Review Title:

I was stabbed in the back by people who used to support me

Full Review of the Program:

If you wish to become an overworked TA, rather than have a sufficient amount of time devoted to your writing, then by all means, come here. U of I's MFA program is for teachers, not for writers.

The ONLY form of support is a TAship. I began the program with a full stipend and a TAship. I knew teaching would be no walk in the park, but I was not trained adequately by the Director of Writing. What was automatically assumed to be true, was that because my GPA was decent coming in from undergraduate work, and that my creative and critical sample were good, that MUST nessesarily translate into teaching. Swing and miss, on behalf of the department. I admit I was not good at teaching, but Idaho is so poorly funded, the only way funding is acquired is through TAships. But the worse part of it is, not that the funding system is atypical, many MFA programs can only fund with TAships, but that those without TAships are meant to feel as if they do not matter, as if they are not part of the program. I had so much trouble teaching, the program didn't renew mine. By that time, I was so stressed out by the IMMENSE load no one ever discusses, 2 very full classes one semester and 1 class the other. It wasn't an immense load for everyone for sure, but there were no alternatives, no parial TAships, no working with kids in schools or juvenile hall programs (as some TAships in MFA programs offer.) It was all the same kind of support, that if you cannot complete, then there is no alternative. Also, there are no grievences in which a person can appeal to. You either are a teacher or your not a poet. And of course I know a poet need not be a good teacher. I also know it isn't about the money, but Idaho's MFA program seems to want you to think so by only caring about fully-stipened grad students.

Advice to Prospective Students:

Avoid U of I's MFA program if you are serious about writing. Writing does not nesserily translate well into teaching. This program is essentially a training ground for teachers, not writers.

Sure a few people get great publications, but the only person I recall getting success aquired that sucess from being the child of a famous poet. More meritorious poets, (I am NOT including myself here, but every other person in the program) were not recognized simply because they were not already pre-entitled.