I have two questions from a prospective MFA student which I'll answer here--both because other people might be interested, & because other people who read MFA apps might want to agree or disagree with me.

1. is it better to submit a novel excerpt or short stories for a fiction program?

This is a tricky one. I *love* novel excerpts. Specifically, I love the openings of novels as a submission. There are brilliant & highly successful novels I read for the first time in an MFA application.

However, I have more than once served on a committee where somebody has said, "You can't tell anything from a novel excerpt."

& it is true that a really well done short story, with an arc, will be more satisfying than a novel excerpt.

So I will go with that old standby: submit your best work. This might not be the work you're most excited about--that work might yet be too rough or confusing.

. @elliottholt has added: one great story, or add another story? Generally, one great story. If the page limit is 30 pages & your great story is only 10 pages, that might not be enough.

My gut feeling is that the ideal fiction application is a complicated long story, if you happen to have one.

But if your best work is a novel, or if you're working on a novel & don't have a short story, absolutely apply with a novel.

2. How important are letters of rec? This is one of those questions I definitely cannot answer for other people. For me: they aren't.

Occasionally they will help me overcome a small worry I've had. EG from some years ago, somebody who'd dropped out of college & returned. All of this candidates teachers talked about what an exceptional student & community member the person was.

I don't care whether I've ever heard of your recommenders. I don't care what they think about your work: I have your work in front of me.

To the extent that I care about letters of rec, I care whether the writer thinks the subject is good company & a good colleague.