From Anette (she/her):

For a director who just graduated with a BFA and moved to NYC, what are the key things to experience/achieve/action items to set me up for applying to MFA directing programs?

‍

--

Dear Anette,

Take at least 5 years in the real world before grad school. Trust me. Go make performances and figure out what you want to do and what your artistic voice might be, then use grad school to hone that foundation that you’ve already built. Grad school is not a place to explore, AND it should only be a goal if you want teaching to be an income stream in your future. The grad students who know what they want out of a program, and know how to only listen to the feedback that actually serves them, are the ones who succeed.

Should you pay for grad school? I did.

Do I regret it? Not really, but I’ve been in Pandemic and SAVE forbearance for 5 years, so none of it feels real. My school paid me to teach, and I taught every semester. I mostly have loans because I didn’t want to live with roommates.

The free programs feel like a trap, because those students have to teach as part of their fellowship and don’t get paid for it. And you still have to cover living expenses.

No matter the program, grad school is an investment in you, and you need to find the program that makes you feel like it’s going to let you invest in your future.

There’s no right way,

Fefu

‍