Is an MFA worth it?

Found this huge (if a bit outdated) Salon thread about the whole subject.

Let's leave aside the relationship questions that that column raises. That controlling husband reminds me of my parents' marriage. Let's not even go there.

But the meat of the question: Is an art degree worth it? Granted, I've only read a page and a half of the huge comment thread, but (as usual) I have my own opinion on the subject.

It took me four years to get into grad school. Just about a year ago, I got my MFA in creative writing from St. Mary's.

I was damn lucky to have had a career in place when starting school. I won't speak for anyone else, but I can't see where having an MFA makes you marketable enough to justify the expense. Okay, if you're teaching at the academic level, sure. But an MFA won't make or break your success in any other profession. It may help, but it's a studio degree, not a practical one in the eyes of employers.

Will getting an MFA make you a better writer? It certainly helped my writing. I'm a more self-aware writer, more careful and self-critical. That's good for the most part ... occasionally I feel constrained by my own higher standards, but it serves the writing well.

The MFA certainly made me a better critic. I look at everything for craft. I can pick out the craft at work, and apply it to my own writing. Definitely a plus of the degree.

Does an MFA offer you a writing community? Not too sure about this. St. Mary's did a great job of pulling together an awesomely diverse group -- a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and styles. We were all amicable. But was it a community? Not really. We were a group of people who came together to talk about writing. I met a few good friends through the program, but that's not the same as a writing community. I don't blame St. Mary's, though -- these things are organic, can't be forced.

Many of my professors bent over backwards to help us. They were generous with their time and talents. You can't have a 100 percent winning team, but I met some real talents through the program. What they taught me will show in my writing for years to come.

Then there's the lit crit, the workshopping, the politicking, the sad state of affairs when it comes to financial aid. Enough said.

As I was telling Sophie the other day, you wade through 85 percent of Whatever to get to the good stuff. A year out of school, I'm trying to focus on that.