Located in Iowa City, the University of Iowa's creative writing master of fine arts program is widely considered to be the best in the nation. In 2010, Poets and Writers Magazine ranked Iowa No. 1 in the country for poetry, fiction and nonfiction writing programs. Former Iowa faculty include John Cheever and Philip Roth, and alumni include noted author Jane Smiley and novelist Flannery O' Connor. Also called the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the program requires that applicants send in a manuscript of their work, a personal statement, official transcripts and no fewer than three letters of recommendation; GRE scores are optional.
Known for its selectivity (only eight students are admitted each year) and the Lounge Hour Reading Series, Cornell's master of fine arts program is frequently at the top of the creative writing rankings for both prestige and funding. In addition, Cornell's literary journal, Epoch, has won numerous awards. To apply to the program (either for poetry or fiction---no nonfiction concentration is available), applicants must submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, transcripts and writing samples; GRE scores are also required.
Just as the dark gray skies and open fields around Cornell and Iowa breed the kind of introspection that seems to lend itself to great writing, New York University places its students firmly in the midst of the tortured-artist landscape that fills the expanse of Lower Manhattan. The program requires that applicants submit transcripts, a statement of purpose, resume, writing samples, letters of recommendation and general GRE scores. Master of fine arts candidates at NYU may be taught by faculty members E.L. Doctorow and Zadie Smith, or Susan Orlean, among numerous other high-profile names, and the school is known for fostering an atmosphere of creativity.