You’ve decided to go back to school to earn your MFA in creative writing. Congratulations! That’s amazing! Now you have the pleasure of researching and determining where you want to apply and what type of program is right for you. Will you choose the standard MFA or the low-residency? It’s a tough choice to make, but an important one that will impact the next two years of your life. You want to be successful and gain the most from your graduate experience. Before even looking into colleges, it would be helpful to sit down and think about what you hope to gain, while keeping an open-mind to the realities of your day-to-day life. What works best for one, won’t necessarily be the best for someone else.

What’s the difference between low residency and regular? A low residency program is one where you go for ten days twice a year. The remaining coursework is completed on your own time and submitted online. A regular program is going to be like the undergrad years with a loaded schedule of classes two to three days a week at various times throughout the day, depending on what you sign up for. There are many things to consider before choosing a program. When doing research, you may struggle with what will be best. Here are some pros and cons that may help.

A regular MFA program requires you to maintain a schedule of coming and going from campus throughout the week. With this structure, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself into your coursework and partake in activities at school. It’s a program designed to get you in a class setting with other students where your creativity can soar. Pro.

However, for those of us with full-time, 8-5-type jobs, this type of schedule may pose a challenge. Some employers may allow for flexibility, but not all will. Maybe you plan to take evening classes so as not to interfere with your work or hours. This may create an extended period of schooling because you aren’t taking a full class load and won’t get the same experience as someone who is able to be on campus for more hours during the day. Con, con, con.

A low-residency MFA program allows you to go to school for ten days twice a year. They will be an intense ten days with workshops, seminars, and readings. The remaining schooling is done on one’s own, submitting assignments and receiving feedback online and via email. The feedback comes from your mentor who will be your only ‘teacher’ for the semester. It’s as many one-on-one conversations as you need. This structure allows one to keep their current job without having to alter their every day schedule too much. If you are lucky, you’ll have PTO time that can be used while you are away at school. Get paid to go to school. Thanks boss! Pro.

However, this program doesn’t allow you to have multiple classes and many professors. You will not see classmates throughout the week to study and bounce creative advice back and forth with. The opportunity to participate in school functions may be difficult if you live far from the school. Con.

These are only a few pros and cons to keep in mind. It’s not hard to find information online about the programs that exist out in the world and you’ll be so excited at the prospect of all the different choices. Don’t stray too far from your reality though. Focus on what you want from your program and how it will fit into your life.

I decided on the low-residency route. I was torn at first. My local university has an amazing regular MFA program. However, my work schedule is not one that would easily be flexible. Evening classes would mean driving across town in rush hour traffic, lots of late nights stressing over assignments, and early mornings darting to work exhausted. The thought alone makes me overwhelmed and stressed.

The low-residency program I picked and was accepted into is working out splendidly for me. My day-to-day schedule is mostly the same. I take two PTO “vacations” a year to go away to school. Each residency is intense, but it’s nonstop talking about writing and stories. There are author readings every night. I’ve met the nicest people. But the most important thing is I’m writing more than ever before and making the time to do so. I’m getting exactly what I want from my Creative Writing MFA Program and that is the whole point.

Ask yourself why you are going back to school and what you hope to gain from it. The time and effort will be worth it. Good luck!