Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe, Grad School Article

I spent a grueling three weeks deciding between four graduate schools, and waiting to see if my top choice would take my application off the wait list and onto the pile of acceptances. I felt proud and lucky to have my pick between a good number of MFA (Master of Fine Arts) programs in creative writing, but there were many factors to consider, both on a professional and personal level. In the end I chose West Virginia University for a number of reasons. One of the biggest facts in my decision was being offered a stipend to teach freshmen composition. The faculty also went out of their way to let me know how much they looked forward to my presence as a graduate student. My mentor at West Virginia University, Kevin Oderman, wrote this to me in an e-mail before I had made my decision: "MFA programs are about working closely with one professor, and those few close friends in your discipline." I believe that to be true of most graduate programs. And I have found both of those attributes at West Virginia University. Reputation The decision factors I weighed incessantly last April probably go through everyone's mind when selecting a graduate school. The biggest factor, and the hardest to determine, might be the school's reputation. Professor Hershey Friedman, Deputy Chair of Economics and Director of Business Programs at Brooklyn College, says that the reputation of the school is very important, even more important than undergraduate. "The school's reputation becomes crucial when looking for a job." Jim Harms, Director of the MFA writing program at West Virginia University, takes a different stand. "I think reputation matters, but often times a school's reputation is out of date or over stated." Dr. Mary Atwell, Radford University's Criminal Justice Graduate Coordinator, says that reputation depends on the kind of discipline you wish to pursue. "If a student is looking toward a PhD in a traditional discipline (history or chemistry, for example), he or she will want to think of the school's reputation in the academic community. With a program like ours, the reputation with professionals in the field is most important." Clearly reputation is going to weigh in differently for each person and each discipline. Think about how important this factor is in terms of your future goals and networking on the job market after graduation. The Perfect Fit Both Harms and Atwell advise that choosing a graduate school is all about making the perfect fit. But how do you know if it's the right fit? One way to find out is to visit the schools. There's no way to get a better sense of the academic community and energy of the program than taking a look for yourself. If that's not possible, then contact as many professors and students in the program as you can via email or phone calls. Friedman advises: "Schools always want to show themselves in the best light, so it's best to speak to students." Atwell believes that the right 'fit' has to do with academic interests, and says to ask candid questions of students in the program, such as: "Does the department offer the specialty you want? How accessible are faculty to grad students? Is there a sense of community among grad students?" Harms says that students should go where they are wanted. "If the school is offering an attractive assistantship and are in regular contact-in other words, if they seem to actually care-it's a good sign." Another idea is to read the books and/or research articles the professors in the program have written. Do you admire their work? Could you see yourself working with this professor in an independent study or as a thesis advisor one day? Have they earned any awards or grants? Are you interested in the kinds of research the professors have conducted? Is there an internationally known scholar in the field? Harms warns not to get too caught up in the lure of famous professors, though. "Faculty will often take sabbaticals or leaves of absence, which can and should affect a potential student's decision. Can you imagine showing up at a famous program and not being able to work with the writer who attracted you there?" Do your