I am 42 and thinking about applying to MFA programs in the next 1-2 years. I have a bachelors in Graphic Design, but have not ever worked in any art field. In fact until recently I made very little art of any kind. My undergrad gpa is pretty low, and I don't feel it accurately reflects where I am in my life now.

My style has evolved significantly and I have a more consistent artistic practice. I definitely have a more distinctive style.

I know I don't need an MFA to be an artist orvto work as an artist, but it's somethimg I've always wanted and it's something I want to do for myself.

I don't care about teaching, I am not particular on getting into galleries, or even furthering my career. My interests are in becoming the best, most brilliant artist I can, to create a huge body of work, to get feed back that pushes me to evolve, expand, and inprove, and to connect with other artists.

I don't have any real exhibition experience, and right now I don't want to sell my work. I'm thinking about taking some more undergrad classes to build some of my technical skills and make connectioms. I'm in contact with a gallery about displaying my work.

Is getting an MFA worth it? What can I do to present myself in the most compelling way? What else can I do to improve my chances of being accepted?

I'm currently looking at CMU as my top choice because they are fully funded and are only a couple hours from where I live. Though I read some reviews here on reddit that it's not a great program. Any other suggestions for programs that are fully funded?