Treelike

Hello all! I'm beginning my MFA at Cornell in the fall. I never thought I'd consider the Phd, but it's looking like a possibility. So I thought I'd start gearing up even if my app season is 2-3 years away. I studied political science in college (quite a few years ago) so I feel like a fish out of water in academic/research circles. Any advice moving forward? I''m already sleuthing on Cornell's databases and building reading lists for my interests (Latinx literature, 19th and 20th century novel, narrative theory, testimonio literature) Also - is it common or uncommon for MFA graduates to switch lanes into academia and research/criticism? I picked Cornell over other programs because to my understanding it was a bit heavier on the critical side of things.