samlyn

Keep an eye on the programs teaching load -- if a school is having you teach 2/2 (two classes in fall, two in spring) for funding, then you are not going to have time for a side gig. Not many schools are 2/2, most are 1/1.
 
But also, many funded mfa's have a thing in the student handbook saying 'you agree not to have a side job while we fund you - your focus is our program.'

Thank you for reminding me Stony Brook has a writing program! My sister briefly attended there for undergrad and liked it a lot, though she ended up transferring for unrelated reasons   Their main campus is a bit far from me, but the Manhattan extension would be doable. I am really interested in teaching opportunities (tutored writing in undergrad and loved it), so I'm a bit wary that those opportunities may only be available on their Long Island campus, but I still think it's worth applying. They are not fully funded but offer funding to a few students a year I think.
I'm actually originally from Upstate and have a lot of love for the region. Tbh Syracuse would be top of list if it were feasible for me to move again, if for no other reason than for the potential to work with George Saunders. Maybe I'll consider it if I reapply in a few years, but right now I can't ask my partner to uproot her personal and professional life again. Lots of good options up that direction though - Cornell also comes to mind, which I see is on your list!

Seriously. Has anyone ever heard of anyone who got funding at Columbia? Some people I really like came out of there, but who can do 200 - 300K in loans for an MFA?

Thank you for reminding me Stony Brook has a writing program! My sister briefly attended there for undergrad and liked it a lot, though she ended up transferring for unrelated reasons   Their main campus is a bit far from me, but the Manhattan extension would be doable. I am really interested in teaching opportunities (tutored writing in undergrad and loved it), so I'm a bit wary that those opportunities may only be available on their Long Island campus, but I still think it's worth applying. They are not fully funded but offer funding to a few students a year I think.
I'm actually originally from Upstate and have a lot of love for the region. Tbh Syracuse would be top of list if it were feasible for me to move again, if for no other reason than for the potential to work with George Saunders. Maybe I'll consider it if I reapply in a few years, but right now I can't ask my partner to uproot her personal and professional life again. Lots of good options up that direction though - Cornell also comes to mind, which I see is on your list!

Hi all! I'm hoping to apply to a few MFA (Fiction track) programs for the first time this year, just to see. For this round I am only planning to apply to schools in New York - my partner and I have moved around a lot recently and I'm going to need a few years before I consider uprooting my life for the Midwest again. Right now my list is Hunter, Brooklyn College, and NYU. I might also apply to the New School, but I don't think they have the teaching opportunities I'm looking for, and I'm still trying to figure out if Columbia offers anyone enough funding to avoid 20 years of debt hell.
Looking forward to this journey with all you cool people - good luck everyone!