Finding an MFA that’s right for you: Cornell
The ivy league MFA, at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. This is a highly selective program that only accepts 8 students each year, 4 in poetry, 4 in fiction, from a pool that varies from 280 to 500. The program has a rotating chair, but with Alice Fulton in that rotation, you know you’ll be safe. They do not offer non-fiction classes, though screen writing classes are available through their theater department. Each admitted student gets two faculty advisers who will help the student decide with what focus their coursework will take. Every student enrolled is offered a teaching assistantship which brings them not only experience right away, but also health insurance, full tuition waiver (and at a normal $32,800 that’s not cheap) as well as a stipend of $10,000 a term, ($3,475 in summer) and a unique plan. First Year you are just a reader for the spectacular journal Epoch then in the summer you teach your first 
class (that’s right, full year assistantships with stipends and everything. Fold up your aprons and toss them with the non-slip shoes into the back of your closet. No taking dinner orders for quite some time.) In your second year you have a standard teaching assistantship (most likely teaching lower level English to freshmen who are definitely more concerned with which frat’s throwing the party that night than whatever the hell iambs are, like at any other university, but hey, it’s experience in a safe environment for you). They even offer a summer assistantship after your second year, (if you want to stick around a little while, send your resume around a bit for the fall semester, or you just don’t want to look for any sort of job after finally graduating, but need to still make some money) and though it’s not guaranteed, their website indicates that they see no reason why it won’t continue. Many students stick around for a third and fourth year as lecturers, which is sweeter than a Wonka’s Scrumdiddiliumptious bar. They also offer a unique MFA/PhD joint program which drops you straight off the MFA train in PhD’sville. Very nice. For the application process (due Dec. 15) in addition to the standard 3 letters of recommendation, transcripts, writing sample (at least 6,000-12,000 words for fiction writers, or at least 10-12 poems) Statement of Purpose, you must also submit GRE scores. OK, now another thing to
consider is cost of living. According to CNN’s cost of living calculator, well, you can see:
Salary in Los Angeles-Long Beach CA:
$20,000
Comparable salary in Ithaca NY:
$14,336.03
If you move from Los Angeles-Long Beach CA to Ithaca NY…
Groceries will cost: 16.466% less
Housing will cost: 56.542% less
Utilities will cost: 29.377% more
Transportation will cost: 0.259% less
Healthcare will cost: 7.95% less
Or in reverse, the money in stipends received would be equivalent $32,750 salary in LA, (and if you add in tuition, $70,550. Nice chunk of change if you look at it from the right light, which would be that there’re no loans to repay.) This is just from the LA area, so that’s the major difference in housing. From the national average except housing (20% below average) and utilities (32% above) every aspect mentioned on bestplaces.net are within 5% of the national average. A typical apartment goes for around $600 a month 1BR ($800 for a 2BR), and though the city’s relatively small (around 30,000), roughly 14,000 Cornell students funnel in during the school year, and quite a few stick around during the summer. While in town check out Madeline’s Restaurant, which won, among “Best Martini” and “Best Continental Restaurant” the coveted “Best place to pretend you’re somewhere other than Ithaca” award from the local paper. It’s at the corner of N. Tioga and State. The Chapter House Brew Pub is also a popular spot for a pint. As far as the nightlife goes, well, it’s not Duluth, MN, but it sure ain’t New York City, though NYC is only 250 miles away if you’re really jonesing for some skyscrapers. The abundance of college aged kids insures that there are plenty of bars open late, but perhaps not the diversity you would see in a larger city. But you’re there to study not party, right? In the words of Sean Daley “The nightlife ain’t all that, but that’s OK, / I don’t need to be distracted by the devil everyday.”
The numbers straight:
Accepted Students a year: 8 of 280 applications
Length of Program: 2 Years
US News Rankings: 10
Tuition: (with TAship) $0.
Funding: $23,475 in stipends a year, plus tuition and health insurance.
Funding Availability: All enrolled students are offered TA positions.
Average local apartment: $600
Not paying a red cent for an Ivy League degree: Priceless.