Understanding MFA Programs and Creative Arts Education

The speaker reflects on their experience with an MFA program at Columbia University, acknowledging the personal connections and friendships formed. They express mixed feelings about the value of an MFA, suggesting that a more substantive education might have been beneficial. The speaker discusses the challenges of becoming a professional writer and the limited career prospects for MFA graduates. They also touch on the ethical concerns of teaching creative arts, where many students may not achieve professional success, drawing parallels with the field of jazz music.

What is the speaker's overall sentiment towards their MFA experience at Columbia University?

• They consider it the best decision ever.

• They have mixed feelings about it.

• They regret it completely.

• They found it entirely useless.

What is the speaker's relationship with their MFA classmates?

• They dislike all of them.

• They never met any classmates.

• They have lost touch with all of them.

• They are still friends with some.

What did the speaker feel they needed most in their early 20s?

• A degree in history

• A stable job

• More writing skills

• An audience for their work

Why does the speaker feel they should have pursued a different education?

• They were interested in science.

• They felt a need for a more substantive subject.

• They wanted to study abroad.

• They disliked writing.

According to the speaker, what is a common outcome for most MFA graduates?

• They become successful novelists.

• They switch to other careers.

• They often struggle to become professional writers.

• They easily publish in top magazines.

What does the speaker say about the nature of MFA programs?

• They are essential for all writers.

• They are affordable for everyone.

• They guarantee success.

• They are indulgent and middle class.

What feeling does the speaker express about teaching creative writing?

• Pride

• Excitement

• Guilt

• Indifference

What comparison does the speaker make between creative writing and jazz music?

• Both are highly lucrative fields.

• Both have abundant career opportunities.

• Both are easy to teach.

• Both have limited career prospects.

What does the speaker's husband do for a living?

• He is a novelist.

• He is a jazz drummer.

• He is a painter.

• He is a history professor.

What does the speaker imply about the future of jazz students?

• They will become famous musicians.

• They will likely become jazz instructors.

• They will switch to classical music.

• They will leave the music industry.