Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Caela's GRE vocab list

Here is the GRE Vocab in this link. Caela made this list herself, but thought it might be helpful for anyone looking to access it. As mentioned before, GET THE GRE BOOK. Use the CD-ROM and take the practice tests. I didn't really practice for the SATs, but wish that I had. The GREs are different and you NEED TO PRACTICE. So check if your school requires them and then get reading! And once again, thank you to Caela for sending this :)


Caela Provost and her Application Tips to Live By

I had the pleasure of taking classes with Caela Provost. Currently studying at the University of Limerick in Ireland for graduate school, Caela graduated from Marist in 2010 with her BA in English. Caela was in my poetry class and also told how she had a wish to write some form of fiction when she graduated. She always had helpful comments for her workshopping peers, which made her an excellent person to turn to for advice.

Caela actually sent me a formatted, long letter of advice to future graduate students. I’ll abbreviate much of what she wrote, but all her advice was actually emphasized in my meeting with Pat Taylor and by many friends who had gone through the application process.
                
 Caela said her “main piece of advice is to STAY ORGANIZED” (I believe I highlighted this in a previous post). Interestingly enough, Caela took a year off to do volunteer work with AmeriCorps (Dr. Graham recommended taking time off to travel or just do what you want and take a short break. Then when you're come back to school, you're really ready). Upon hearing this, I relaxed a bit at the thought of considering waiting some time to apply. However, she definitely notes how you need to stay organized and on track even in this year off.
                 
My favorite piece of advice from her, which I will have to relay to my brother who leaves all things to the last minute, is to set dates earlier than applications are actually due. I really like the idea of being able to procrastinate, but you’re still early. It’s the best of both worlds really. Thanks, Caela! Caela wrote about how she was balancing grad applications, work and down time. So really, grad school should be something that works into life. Not something that you need to reinvent your life around.
                 
Caela supplied me with a “Top Application Rules to Live By”. Some of the things she mentioned, have already been brought up, which made me feel as though I was doing something right in my ongoing search. However, she had some great advice as well. I’ve shortened some of these and added in what I’ve picked up from meetings around campus and other people.
1.)    Stay organized and make lists (just as she mentioned first thing)- Calendars are vitally important! I like to make lists, as does Caela. And while many people hate lists or find them tedious, I like being able to cross things off and they help me stay on task. AND BE AWARE OF DUE DATES!
2.)    Study for and Take the GRE – Caela sent me a list of important vocab, which was extremely helpful. The GRE can be daunting. My housemate just took it and wanted to rip her hair out by the time she got home. I don’t blame her. The calculus and other math sections would be enough to send me home.  However, Pat Taylor recommended getting a practice book and disc. Caela recommends the same. Practice, Practice, Practice. They are pricey, but “being prepared for the GRE is far better than going into the test center having looked nothing up about the test,” Caela said.
3.)    Letter of Recommendation – Before speaking to Caela, I was really fretting over who to ask. She notes that you need to think about who to ask BEFORE you even fill out the applications. Caela’s advice: “ask a person who knows you as being the ‘total package.’” Usually, schools just ask for two or three letters and don’t add any specifications. Students are required to research the program and see how they would fit and choose their recommendation writers off what they will be studying. Also, students should look to teachers who taught their classes that pushed them toward considering grad work. Caela warns against asking a teacher just because you got good grades. Ask because they saw you as that dedicated student with your hand up and constantly involved in discussion. Again, do not leave this to the last minute.
4.)    Writing samples and the personal statement – The dreaded personal statement. Caela confirmed what I already knew. “No matter what program you’re applying to, you need a STELLAR personal statement,” Caela said. What is a personal statement? Well, Caela finally gave me a great way of looking at this. She explained that the personal statement should tell the reader what you’ve done and what you hope to accomplish someday. Readers want to see that you will be utilizing the program to succeed in the future. She noted that naming a laundry list of all the honors and awards you received will not get you into that graduate program. As for the writing samples, take the time to pick out the right ones. Caela’s was picked out a month and a half beforehand. I also want to add that whichever one you DO pick out, go through it and revise. Show it to a professor and get some feedback. Show it to a friend or classmate. GET feedback. Some revision work on a piece you may not have looked at in a while will always help.
5.)    Picking a program: Look at NOW and the future – Caela states, “you need to pick a school that’s a) what you want to study and b) what will help you later when you’re looking for jobs.” She also notes that you shouldn’t “let people sway you.” Caela had a desire to study in Ireland. After applying to six schools, three of the four she was accepted into were in Ireland. She chose Limerick because she felt it would make her the “most marketable.” The program also included all the aspects she hoped to study – editing, writing, publishing, comparative literature, and theory. She looked for exactly what she wanted. It helps to have a clear idea of where you want to go with your graduate studies.
6.)    Do you need financial aid? – If you are me, then yes. Caela needed financial aid and knew this from the start. And it’s just like being back in high school! Remember the FAFSA form? Well, fill it out again for all you financial aid needing individuals. And a vital piece of advice from Caela – go to the .gov site because the .com is not secure. Once it’s filled out, you receive a PDF form and this NEEDS to be sent to the graduate studies office for the programs you’re looking into. No FAFSA, no aid.
7.)    Accommodations and Endurance – Check out living quarters ahead of time. Caela has the privilege of having her own room, bathroom  and shower. Her friends are not so lucky. They waited until a month after receiving their acceptance and have to share everything. So check out the area early. In my case, I’m looking into Low-Res. But if I decide to move, it’s good advice to heed. In terms of Endurance of the program, Caela’s MA will take exactly one year. That sounds great to me in terms of saving money. However, her summer will be spent writing her dissertation. A lot of work all at once. That doesn’t work for all people. SO BE AWARE OF YOUR STUDY HABITS and pick a program that meets when you’re comfortable working. It may be a traditional college setting.
8.)    Caela’s Final words – STAY CALM! “Stressing out doesn’t help you,” she said. She recommends down time with friends and working out 3-4 times a week. That’s an easy one for me! X-Country and Track keeps me well-exercised. I also have a great group of friends. Sorry you guys for all my outward thoughts about the future!

Caela was a GREAT person to talk to. Unfortunately, I could only speak to her through Facebook and e-mail, but everything she sent me was wicked helpful. She’s currently searching out jobs early to get a head start. She’s a great example to all potential grad students. She’s a really sweet person and if anyone wants more advice, she left her e-mail for people to get in touch. Despite being super busy, she still took the time to help me compose this blog post of helpful tips and include her own experiences with the process.

Caela’s e-mail:
Caela.Provost1@marist.edu

Side note: Thank you to Caela, again! I wanted to post everything she sent me, but the post would have been miles long. I will be posting her sample GRE vocab list in the next post. 

Monday, September 26, 2011

Making Lists, Making Moves

One of the things I highly recommend, and my professors have too, is getting started to look for appropriate programs. I started last year just browsing around trying to find programs that would suit my needs. Many M.F.A. programs only offer Fiction and Poetry, whereas I am looking for something in the Nonfiction field. I stumbled upon a program at Central Connecticut State University. Great, it’s close to home. Around 2 years to complete. Perfect. I’d save a little money since I’d be an in-state student. But hold on, it’s a LOW RESIDENCY program. What exactly is that? Well, a low-res program allows students to complete the majority of their work from home. They then are “on-campus” or at another location with their community of writing grad students for a 10 day period in the summer and then again in the winter. So a total of 40 days over 2 years. This really caught my ear. And while I’m still drawn to the Syracuse program because I’ve always dreamed of writing fiction and going to a traditional graduate school program, the low-res is more feasible. Then, as I searched further, I found an amazing M.F.A. through Fairfield University, also in Connecticut. And the 4 times that the students meet are at Ender’s Island off the coast of Mystic. Amazing atmosphere to write. Here’s what their website advertised on the main page:
“Fairfield University's 2-year low residency MFA in Creative Writing Program leads to a Master of Fine Arts with concentrations in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screen writing. The program involves four exciting and rigorous 10-day residency periods at inspirational Enders Island, off the coast of Mystic; between residencies, you'll spend the 5-month terms developing your craft under the guidance of a skilled and caring faculty mentor while at the same time allowing you to maintain the continuity of the rest of your life - your community, career, and family.”
I ultimately made a list of pros and cons.:
Pros:
1.) I can work on the side while I’m at home.
2.) They offer the fields I’d love to work in (nonfiction) and includes my newfound interest in screen writing.
3.) I’d be saving a little money by not having to live somewhere else.
4.) It’s a great program in a great location.
5.) If I did decide to travel or live somewhere else, I’m not tied down to the campus.
Cons:
1.) Still pricey.
2.) I really enjoy a classroom setting, so working on my own all the time may be a bit daunting.
3.) I need to decide when I want to start the program. Will my writing still be up to par for acceptance if I wait a semester?
4.) It’s competitive
I recommend making a list of pros and cons for EVERY school. Look into the areas where the schools are located, but don’t let that determine your decision. That’s the beauty of the low-residency M.F.A. I’m not looking into location at all. Ender’s Island is an added bonus. I’ll do one more example of the pros and cons.
Syracuse Pros and Cons:
Pros:
1.) Excellent reputation and fully funded with a stipend. A great community of writers that both visit and are on staff.
2.) Fiction program
3.) Traditional grad school setting.
4.) In an area I would really like to live.
Cons:
1.) Only accept 12 students per year, so it’s EXTREMELY competitive.
2.) Fiction is an area I haven’t fully explored so I’d be waiting a year before I could actually apply.
3.) Far from home.
4.) Time consuming. Would I still have time for a side job and running?
READ the FAQS!!!!! I cannot stress that enough. The Fairfield FAQ page really helped me when I was worrying about the application process and applying later. Many times they say that their students are older and already have full-time families or careers. It was informative. They provide tuition costs and what to expect from the program. For example, I need to understand that I will be dedicating 25 hours a week to writing when I’m not there for my residency.
My next recommendation, LOOK AT THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS. Some schools require you to take the GRE’s. Other schools do not require it. Some require multiple writing samples , a personal statement and then an extra essay. And don’t forget letters of recommendation. Some schools require two, some require three. And stay on deadlines. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get all the work done.
Final Recap of this post:
1.) Start looking at schools EARLY; and delve deep into the website’s details about what the program offers, classroom setting or residencies, application process and FAQs.
2.) Make a Pros and Cons list for each school. I only did 2, but I automatically do one for each school I find.
3.) Watch your deadlines!
4.) Do a little every day, even if it’s just pulling up the website.


Great video I found about the Fairfield program:

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Meeting with Career Services

 First post! Here we go! Hopefully this blog supplies readers with some interesting insights :)

I finally had my graduate school appointment with Pat Taylor at Marist Career Services. One comforting thing she said: “your heart is in the right place.” She was an extremely helpful resource for this stressful time. I showed her my narrowed down list of colleges and she told me to open it right back up. I’d been doing my homework since the summer, looking for schools with programs that offer the genre of creative writing that I want to work within.
                 
“Don’t narrow down your search,” Taylor told me. “Cast your net wide as this will also leave you open for some juicy funding options.” Taylor also informed me that the leg work is up to me. I need to search through these programs and ask the hard questions. I need to ask where their alumni have gone after the programs and I need to look into the classes they have to offer. “Don’t look at the school, like you did when looking for undergraduate schools,” Taylor said. “You really need to look at the specific program, your area of study.”
               
In a later post, I will elaborate upon my visit with Dr. Lea Graham, who was a tremendous help as well. However, she steered me in the direction of creative nonfiction. I love nonfiction. I would love to continue working in it. However, I still have a love for fiction writing. I have yet to really write fiction pieces, other than in my introductory creative writing class and play writing class. The problem comes in because Syracuse is one of the top programs I am looking at. Taylor agreed with me that maybe I should wait a little while before applying there since I might really want to be in their fiction program after taking the course here at Marist.
               
There are many variables that go into this process. Some schools require a GRE to be sent in. It’s a standardized test, much like the SATs, but with a more specific purpose. 
Here is a link to the site that allows students to register and learn more about the GRE:
http://www.ets.org/gre

Taylor helped me figure out where to take one and how to prepare for it. She highly recommended buying the prep book, popping in the disk and practicing multiple times. She compared it to Carnegie Hall: “practice, practice, practice.” Also, I had been worried about the personal statement that is meant to accompany my portfolios. Not only did she tell me to e-mail my statement to her for review, but told me to come back in for another appointment to speak about it.
               
Taylor also put emphasis on how my portfolio is one of the main aspects in my application. The programs will be looking for strong, well done portfolios. Another reason not to rush into just any program and to do the homework in researching what each program offers and expects from their students.
                 
The main purpose of this post is to emphasize the importance of school services. Marist Career Services helped me breathe a sigh of relief. I have someone to turn to. Taylor told me how she loves to read and how she would be my eventual audience. She told me she was supporting me and wants to see me placed in an appropriate program. This meeting encouraged me to continue working and seeking out the program where I would fit best. I am still considering a few Low Res Creative Writing M.F.A. programs such as Fairfield, Pine Manor, and West Conn. However, I have added, alongside Syracuse, University of Pittsburgh. There will hopefully be more to come as I continue to research. This process is ongoing. I’m still completing writing samples and working on my personal statement. But there are resources to help and smooth this stressful process. The best thing to do is just talk to someone.  Start looking early, be thorough and don’t rush!

Here’s a link to Marist Career Services site. The best thing I have done as of yet, was to send them an e-mail to set up an appointment: