When I began looking for colleges to apply to about two years ago, there was one criteria at the top of my list: the school needed to have a creative writing program, preferably a major. Creative writing majors are uncommon at best, and finding a program that seemed well-planned and comprehensive was even more difficult. Out of the colleges I was accepted to, Oberlin was the only one to have a creative writing major that required an application, but it also had the best program. I was well aware upon deciding to come here that I would need to apply to my desired major, but I was unaware of the culture surrounding this application (because, really, how could I have known before committing?).
The first Creative Writing class I took here was Introduction to Fiction Writing. One of the first lectures our professor gave us was a little flowchart on where to go after the course. The professor’s most emphasized conclusion was that none of us needed to major in Creative Writing to continue being writers. Of course, the professor was completely right, but I could immediately see new students, who had previously been eager to become CRWR majors, biting their nails. Many of the members of my PAL group were eager to be Creative Writing majors, and by the end of our first semester on campus, most of them had changed their minds. In my opinion, this is largely because the Creative Writing faculty and other professors on campus perpetuate the idea that the Creative Writing major is not worth pursuing because of the application process.
As far as I can tell, the application process exists for this major because the major itself concludes in a capstone project. Each student is required to complete a capstone project with an advisor in a hands-on, months-long process. Because each advising professor needs to give their students personalized attention, there can only be as many Creative Writing majors as the faculty can handle in the capstone process. However, it feels like the amount of professors is actively declining instead of increasing to meet this demand, and countless students who came specifically to Oberlin to major in Creative Writing are met with disappointment.
Many, if not most, of us are paying thousands of dollars a year to attend this school. With that level of financial commitment, I feel that we should be able to study what we want. Upon being accepted to Oberlin, I was personally encouraged by my admissions counselor to come to Oberlin because I would be a “great fit for the writing program.” But at every turn, I’ve seen professors discourage students from pursuing their major of choice because of its selectivity. The school continues to admit large first-year classes every year, but seems unable to solve the burgeoning problem of the department. It is unable to keep up with the demand for classes or prospective majors and is leaving many students to find other avenues to pursue.
I personally believe that this is wrong. While it may seem cool and even a bit elite to be personally accepted into your major of choice, there is an undeniable sting of rejection waiting for countless others. Literature and storytelling are a cornerstone of society, and we should be continuously encouraging its expansion. But here, only a select few will even have the chance to participate in writing workshops because of the small number of class spaces. I completely understand that it is a major that requires more attention to its students and more personalized assistance. But I don’t think that the solution is encouraging students to pursue different avenues of study. Everyone should feel like they have a chance to get in and participate rather than feeling like they’ve been shut out.
The school knows that a major draw to coming here comes from its stellar Creative Writing program, and I just wish that there was more effort toward its expansion. I’m sure the professors are trying their best to develop the Creative Writing department, but the eagerness I see in my peers seems to be decreasing as we come closer to applying. There isn’t a single other major in the College that requires an application, which only seems to increase the judgemental energy surrounding the desire to major in Creative Writing and the application process.
Our school has a near-constant emphasis on inclusivity in all aspects of life, yet one specific major is encouraged to be as exclusive as possible. Doesn’t that feel off?
