I wrestled for a few years about whether to go for an MFA. With twenty years as a magazine editor and a few books under my belt, I wasn’t particularly worried about getting in, but I did have concerns about seeing the time and money invested pay off down the line. Ultimately, I knew I was procrastinating and that for my writing to evolve further, I’d need outside help—and that meant grad school. With that in mind, I zeroed in on Hofstra in part because its new creative writing MFA starts inaugural classes this September, so it doesn’t have a reputation, good or bad. Some might say going with an unproven program is a gamble, but the department clearly has a vested interest in building a respected degree program, and I can only stand to benefit from the faculty’s determination. In advance of the start date, I’ve been taking English courses that will be applicable to the degree’s requirements; while admittedly they’re only a small indicator, I’m pleased with my choice so far.