Top Two and Getting Down to Business

Converse College offers no real financial aide to grad students in the MFA program.  They have the cheapest tuition hands down and they do lend financial aide to students going to large conferences in order to meet authors and agents, etc.  They require only two letters of recommendation and they ask for a personal statement of up to two pages and have a specific prompt for this statement.  I did speak to a woman at the college today.  Things I like about this college are that they are inexpensive.  On the whole I believe that this one is definitely off the list.

Queens University does not seem (as per what I can find on the website) to offer any financial assistance beyond the FAFSA.  I still need to talk to the college because they apparently offer fellowships.  They have inexpensive tuition.  They require a one page personal statement essay and they only require one letter of recommendation.  I was unable to get in touch with the appropriate parties today.  I know that this is a two year program but I do not know the credit total for the degree.  Things I like about this program are the 'one book/one editor/one semester' deal, and the Paradoxical Truth About Writing.

Naropa does offer scholarships.  They require two letters of recommendation and a three to five page personal essay and a two to four page creative writing essay.  Both of these essays have prompts.  This college is located in Boulder, Colorado which I am rather familiar with.  The college itself is geared toward artistic and activist type personalities.  This program spans three years with residencies lasting a month each summer and the total of credits is 49.  I have requested supplemental information from Naropa as of today.  Things I like about this programs are the fact that it's in Colorado, the name of the Summer Writer's Program (Jack Kerouac School for Disembodied Poets), and the fact that they have so many scholarships for the SWP.

Pine Manor College does offer scholarships and fellowships.  The personal essay (based on a specific prompt) can be up to, but should not exceed, five pages.  They also require three letters of recommendation.  This program spans two years and 60 credits.  Things I like about this college are: they are five miles from downtown Boston, they allow for cross-genre study in the second year, and they have alumni assistanceships to get experience in teaching at the seminars and workshops.  I have sent a request for more information as of today.

I need to speak directly with all reps from all of these colleges but since I am leaning toward Naropa and PMC, my goals for Friday are to have written all three required essays (two for Naropa and one for PMC) and get the necessary information to three people for the letters of recommendation (three at the least).  For this week I may count the essays as part of my word count goal.  I am going to try and get out five thousand words every week while concentrating on my novel/s, however I am probably going to work primarily on grad school papers and polishing writing samples.  For both colleges the sample can be up to 25 double spaced pages.  For Naropa the sample can be cross-genre but for PMC it must be fiction.