Personal Statement for MFA programs

I want to attend this M.F.A program because I want to live the writer’s life. I wish I could say that this is what I’ve always wanted to do but that would be a lie. When I was young I wanted to be a judge, then a ballerina, and up until my senior year of college, a professor of history. I loved history because I wanted to learn something interesting and important about people. Writing historical papers was never difficult for me, but it was difficult making them interesting. That’s why I initially took a creative writing class, to help me construct narrative better. I though it would teach me how to create this beautiful prose that would make Cold War culture read more like The Master and Margarita. Besides, reading and writing had always been a hobby for me, it seemed like fun. That class taught me three very important things. The first was that creating stories was much more fascinating then retelling old ones. Second, I realized that stories that I read and created taught me more important things about people and life and experience than any true thing I ever researched. And the third and most important thing I learned was that writing could no longer be a past-time for me, it had to be everything.
There is nothing I want more than to take this time and commit to writing. I know I would benefit greatly from the interaction with other writers and the chance to participate in workshops. Some of the best lessons for my writing were from comments on a classmate’s story in workshop. I also look forward to relationships with faculty that can open me up to new ideas and directions.
After graduation I would like to continue working on my writing in a Ph.D or Fellowship program. Ultimately I would like to teach while continuing to send out work. I don’t have unrealistic dreams of a lucrative book deal or tenure-track position after graduation (although I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to either). But it is important to me to do this so that writing becomes my craft, not my diversion.
I’m dedicated, I’m serious, and I’ve had enough jobs to know that money is not what’s going to make me happy. I won’t waste this opportunity.