A First-Hand Guide for New MFA Students at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

I wish someone would have sat me down for a real, honest-to-goodness talk about what it would be like to earn my Master of Fine Arts in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a venerable, world-class graduate school for the arts, the name alone was supposed to guarantee I would get my money's worth. Instead, it took me a whole year to figure out that I wasn't get much from the program because I wasn't working the system. Here's what new students should know about how to get a quality education from SAIC.

1. Be interdisciplinary.

At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, master's degree students can take classes in other disciplines and have them count as credits toward their degree. The structure of the program allows for one graduate level elective class every semester, and students have a ton of flexibility.

While many students use the elective credits for more classes in their chosen field of study, it's possible to get your department head to sign off on any class you want to take. Don't be afraid to make some noise or fill out a form. I was never happier at SAIC than when I broke out of the confines of the writing program and took bookmaking classes instead.

2. Make the most out of your thesis.

SAIC is famous for not giving out grades and taking a liberal, process-based approach to art-making and writing. This academic freedom allows students to experiment with different genres and discover new interests safely, without fear of failure.

On the other hand, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's lack of emphasis on traditional academics means that graduates of other MFA programs leave with a stronger, more polished body of work. SAIC might not act like it's a big deal, but your thesis can be the thing that breaks you into the professional world. Or it can be something you threw together at the last minute to fulfill a requirement, because--let's face it-they'll sign off on anything. Don't think of your thesis as a huge pain, but rather as an opportunity to do focused work while people still care enough to guide you through the process.

3. Network for real, even if it feels lame.

The people you graduate from the School of the Art Institute with are going to go out into the world to start theater groups, galleries, performance spaces, and reading series. Some will go on to work for publications. Be friendly to everyone, and show up at the events. You never know who you're going to have to rely on later to get a leg up, especially if you stay in the Chicago area.

4. Don't let your critique panels make you hate your work.

In lieu of grades, SAIC has something called "Crit Week." During these critiques, a panel of professors and visiting artists look at your work and offer commentary. These are sometimes very helpful, but they can also sink into the realm of the cruel or absurd. As an example, I'll offer a few nuggets of wisdom I received during my critique panels at SAIC:

"You should make this shorter and longer."

"I like the circular motion of the story. You need to give it a definite ending."

"How would you sing this story?"

"I think this would be great if instead of this story being about a mermaid, you made it about a gay scientist who wants to save the ocean."

Of course, I also received valuable support and publication advice. And I only cried once, and that was in the bathroom where no one could see me.

The dynamic of the group makes all the difference in the world. It's a given that you'll have good critiques and bad critiques, but don't ever let them get you down or change who you are as an artist. Think of them as something you have to show up for and sit through to fulfill graduation requirements, and if it goes well, that's an extra bonus.

5. Choose your graduate advisors carefully.

Your graduate advisors will meet with you once every two weeks to check in and talk about your work. Ostensibly, you should use this time to work on your thesis project or work that isn't directly for a class assignment. The course load at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago is pretty heavy, especially if you have to work, so often you'll end up turning in class work to your advisors also, just to have something to show them.

However you and your advisor structure your time together, the work that you show to your advisor should be the work that you care the most about. It is absolutely crucial then that you choose graduate advisors at SAIC that you know will help you develop your voice and you can stand to sit in a small room alone with. A bad advisor can waste a semester of your valuable time.