MFA Application Advice Needed!

Hello fellow writers,

I'm looking into applying for MFA programs this fall, and I am really concerned with the recommendation letter requirement. As a "mature" applicant (I got my B.A. in 2004), I just don't know who to go to for my three rec letters. My creative writing professors from college will probably not remember me (it was not my major), and I haven't been involved in any writing programs post-college -- I've just been working and paying the bills.

What little advice I've found on the topic discourages asking your boss for a letter, and apart from a few writer friends (friends are also not ideal as rec letter writers, for obvious reasons), I'm at a loss.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, how did you handle the rec letter requirement? Most places ask for a minimum (!!!) of three letters. Help!

Medievalist said:

Have you got any of your old work you can send them? Write them an email, and enclose the work as a reminder.

I get letters from students I had twenty years ago, looking for a ref, and often, I can remember them from their papers.

Also: we keep notes on students as part of the grade books, and we keep our grade books.

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This is good to know -- I wouldn't have thought a professor would remember me from so long ago, but I will give contacting one of my teachers a shot! He wrote me recommendation letters when I was just graduated (though I ended up not entering any programs at the time), maybe he'll remember those, too.

Thank you for the advice!

lorna_w said:

I was maturer than thou when going for my MFA, and I got three recs from writers at a writing workshop. Find small personal ones, local community education courses through parks/rec departments, a six-week summer course at a community college (I'm talking about the US here; translate to meaningful terms for your own nation, if different). Huge weekend-long writing conference where you're one of 100 clamoring for attention won't do. You need a little bit of a time and a low student: teacher ratio. You probably have until Feb 1 or so to get most of this together (again USA dates), so you have time to make those contacts.

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Yes, most programs I'm looking at have an Oct.-Jan. admissions window (I'm in the States), so hopefully I'll be able to get involved in some workshops in time. Thank you for the good advice.