<p>My D is a high school junior and we are beginning to look around at creative writing programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Does anyone have insight about the creative writing program at Goucher?</p>
<p>My son (a senior) is also interested in creative writing and he has applied to Goucher. It looks like they have a good selection of classes - different levels and different topics (short story, poetry, etc). When we visited last spring, he sat in on a class and enjoyed it. I know that they have visiting writers each year as well. Perhaps someone with more experience/knowledge about the program can post about their experiences for you as well.</p>
<p>Hello. So, as a second-semester Freshman, maybe I don’t have the most experience in the world, but here’s what I can tell you:</p>
<p>First off, at Goucher, students will not major in creative writing. Rather, they will major in English with a creative writing concentration. Unlike most schools, Goucher does not offer a Creative Writing major because those sorts of programs tend to be focused, quite obviously, on writing, in a very one-sided manner. Goucher’s English department believes that students cannot write in a vacuum, and that they need to be well-read in order to write well. </p>
<p>That said, the Creative Writing program is thought to be amongst the strongest Goucher has to offer. Notable professors that students can look forward to working with include Kathy Flann, who has published works in several acclaimed journals and won the 2008 Serena McDonald Kennedy Award, and Johnny Turtle, whom I’ve never taken a class with but whom all students, even those who don’t plan on participating in the creative writing program seem to love. Also, Madison Smartt Bell, who I believe is currently on sabbatical, due back in a year or two, is a really well-known writer whom students also seem to like. His novel on Haiti was a PEN/Faulkner finalist.</p>
<p>So far, I’ve been pleased with my courses at Goucher, and they come highly recommended by myself to interested students.</p>
<p>ci0616,
Thank you for the details on the creative writing concentration. Are you an English major? All your insights are much appreciated!</p>
<p>You’re welcome Shulamit. Yes, I am an English major.</p>
<p>Can you tell us why you picked Goucher (maybe what other schools you considered) and if you are happy with your decision? Your feedback is very helpful!</p>
<p>Shulamit: Sure thing. Well, I knew I wanted to go to a small liberal arts college from the get-go. I’m kind of a quiet kid, and I knew I’d get lost in the crowd at bigger universities. i applied to several schools, and it wound up coming down to a choice between Hampshire, Wheaton (MA), and Goucher. I visited each school, and, at the end of the day, I just felt the most at home at Goucher. During my visit, several students came up to me and talked to me and made me feel welcome. The campus is beautiful and it’s near a big city, which is a major advantage, and after about 2 hours on campus it was just like “where do I sign?” In addition to an awesome study abroad program, a good Creative Writing program, and several other factors, I think the community at Goucher was just the icing on the cake. I would say I’m happy with my decision overall. I love the people here, I love Baltimore and Towson, and the academics are really top-knotch.</p>
<p>Thank you for your insight! I am looking forward to accepted students’ day. I hope my son (who sounds similar to you) has an equally good sense of “home.”</p>