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Post by cassiroll on Apr 16, 2014 17:13:28 GMT -6
For any of my post-secondary schoolers out there and beyond, I've got a kind of serious question for you.
I'm a senior in high school right now, and after strong encouragement from teachers and visiting colleges, I decided to pursue animation . Now, that's not really the thing I want to talk about, since besides animation I'd just end up studying film, but I just thought some background might be nice before I dive into it.
I decided I wanted to go to art school this year, and I'm choosing between two. Both are expensive, and both offered me as high or close to as high scholarships that the school allows. The one I want to go to more is of course more expensive. Either way, I'm looking at 10 or 20 hours a week working, the 10 being my second choice college and the 20 being the first. So, my question is this:
Should I consider going to the school of my dreams (possibly working way too much and/or not earning enough) or go to my second choice (still tight with money, and not really as nice-feeling, but more realistic)?
Now, before anyone says to go to a state college: I checked. There isn't a single college (besides a two year degree for 3D work) that offers animation as a major. And when people say to wait and attend a different school first to get basic credits out of the way, I'd miss out on the foundation year of school and run the risk of having to repeat a year because I wouldn't be able to take classes that are required for my major at other schools. Also, I'd lose the scholarships I have, and in a few years may not get anywhere near what I have now due to rising costs and I won't have freshman priority.
So yes...sorry for the serious question and life story ^^; If you couldn't tell, I'm a bit freaking out, decision has to be made by May and all that.
If anyone has any insight, I'm dying to hear it ;A;
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Post by mermaiden on Apr 16, 2014 18:54:26 GMT -6
Have you applied to both? If you haven't I'd suggest that, since depending on weather or not you get accepted to both, getting accepted into one of them could make the decision for you.
If that doesn't matter at all (I don't know since I have yet to start anything college related.) I'd try looking at what you think will being going on during the school year during your time there. If you feel you'll be overworked is there a way to help with that, if money is going to be a problem, how much of one? Will you have enough to eat when you need to?
Another thing I might suggest is if you can, to maybe visit the schools?
Sorry if this sounded strange, I'm still in my second to last year of high school, so I'm not the most versed in college related things.
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Post by cassiroll on Apr 16, 2014 19:33:57 GMT -6
I've visited both schools (one of them twice) and yes, I was accepted into both ;A; My parents won't co-sign, which is the major problem. They are both private schools (expensive...) and I can't take out a loan without a co-signer, which is why I'd have to work so much no matter where I go.
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Post by not u on Apr 16, 2014 21:14:42 GMT -6
I'm on the train right now, so I can't give you a detailed answer until I get home. If you are absolutely, 100%% sure that the expensive school is not only the school of your dreams, but also you are 110% sure you will stick with animation, go for the more expensive school. If you don't mind me asking which two schools are they?
However if you ate not 100% sure on either of those areas, go with the cheaper school. I went to one of the best but most expensive schools in the country for my initial degree that I wasn't 100% sure on, which I ended up transferring out of and now I'm stuck with $15,000 of loans on a degree I didn't even get at a school I spent one year at.
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Post by cassiroll on Apr 16, 2014 22:11:16 GMT -6
Oh no, I don't mind ^^ Kansas City Art Institute and Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
Luckily, I don't have to declare a major my first year, and both colleges have my second choice major of film. So major-changing wise, I'd be okay.
MCAD felt a lot nicer and cleaner when I went there, even for the foundation year (which is all over the place since you do a bit of everything), and I prefer it to be tidy in the area I work...KCAI was pretty cluttered and messy, almost unnecessarily so. I visited KCAI twice because I was hoping I just got a bad read on the place, but it still feels weird. I /want/ to want to go there, because it's cheaper, but it's hard. Especially with one parent pressing me to make choices in favor of money and the other in favor of career. >.>
And oh goodness, that sounds awful :C
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Post by Kisaka on Apr 16, 2014 22:32:22 GMT -6
Geez, it really sound like you're in quite a pickle, especially with your parents... I'd be almost offended if my parents wouldn't co-sign if it were me though... Do they think you're not good with money, can they not handle the stress of knowing if something were to go wrong that they'd have to be held responsible and don't want to take that chance...? Either way, it sucks that you're in this predicament but I am glad you got accepted to both places with scholarships as well!
Considering all of what was said, I think you should make the choice off of what you think you can handle. Can you handle working a lot and going to school? Do you know that you can tough it out and be able to focus on school work as well as work? That's a very important thing, especially pursuing the career you are. Art school is tough as balls. Or so I always hear. It's rather demanding, so if you're doubting you'll have the energy and enthusiasm to be able to get through both school and work without wavering and/or dropping either one, I would say go with the cheaper one. After all, you don't want to dig yourself in a hole and end up unhappy because everything piled on you :C Do what makes YOU happy, in every sense you can control if you can!
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Post by not u on Apr 16, 2014 22:47:56 GMT -6
Oh no, I don't mind ^^ Kansas City Art Institute and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Luckily, I don't have to declare a major my first year, and both colleges have my second choice major of film. So major-changing wise, I'd be okay. MCAD felt a lot nicer and cleaner when I went there, even for the foundation year (which is all over the place since you do a bit of everything), and I prefer it to be tidy in the area I work...KCAI was pretty cluttered and messy, almost unnecessarily so. I visited KCAI twice because I was hoping I just got a bad read on the place, but it still feels weird. I /want/ to want to go there, because it's cheaper, but it's hard. Especially with one parent pressing me to make choices in favor of money and the other in favor of career. >.> And oh goodness, that sounds awful :C Yeah you're definitely in a tight spot. My professor encouraged going to the schools of our dreams if we can manage it (for grad school in our cases since we're college seniors!) However, I will tell you right now art school is what you make of it. While some schools might have better facilities than others, and better staff, you get out what you put into it regardless of all of the material niceties. My art department has HORRIBLE facilities, and yet many of my classmates are putting out top notch work competing with the more renowned art schools in the area because they were determined and put in the work. So, if you believe that you will not be able to handle working while going to school, then I don't think it's the worst loss in the world to attend the school you like less. Especially because there's always grad school if you want to further your education. This is only undergrad. I'm going to forewarn you since Kisaka brought this up. Working while attending art school is hard. It is not impossible. One of my friends works 30 hours a week while taking 18 credits per semester. However, her life is a very precarious balance. When she needs to work extra hours, or when she attempts to have a social life, her grades tank, and vice versa. I personally worked full time my first year of art school, but I could only manage 12 credits per semester at that time which but me in a gross spot credits-wise this semester. I quit my job and now work from home only during weeks when my workload is light. Art school is a ton of work and a major time sap. So take that into consideration if you know that you will have to work long weeks in order to pay off the other school. And don't worry I'll manage, I just wanted to forewarn just in case, because things with college can be costly mistakes ;u; |
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Post by cassiroll on Apr 16, 2014 22:56:57 GMT -6
Geez, it really sound like you're in quite a pickle, especially with your parents... I'd be almost offended if my parents wouldn't co-sign if it were me though... Do they think you're not good with money, can they not handle the stress of knowing if something were to go wrong that they'd have to be held responsible and don't want to take that chance...? Either way, it sucks that you're in this predicament but I am glad you got accepted to both places with scholarships as well! Considering all of what was said, I think you should make the choice off of what you think you can handle. Can you handle working a lot and going to school? Do you know that you can tough it out and be able to focus on school work as well as work? That's a very important thing, especially pursuing the career you are. Art school is tough as balls. Or so I always hear. It's rather demanding, so if you're doubting you'll have the energy and enthusiasm to be able to get through both school and work without wavering and/or dropping either one, I would say go with the cheaper one. After all, you don't want to dig yourself in a hole and end up unhappy because everything piled on you :C Do what makes YOU happy, in every sense you can control if you can! Oh no no no, it's not because they don't trust me. My parents are in a tight spot too. They will be having three kids in college at the same time, and they just can't afford one of us skipping out on the debt. My sister didn't get a co-signer, and though she's only getting a two year degree at a community college, it would be unfair to her and my brother if I got a co-signer and they did not. My dad tends to pick favorites, so he probably would cave in and co-sign, but his business just tanked and he's fishing himself out of bad credit right now. All in all, I just didn't choose the right family to be an art student in haha. |
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Post by cassiroll on May 3, 2014 9:24:53 GMT -6
(gah sorry if this counts as a double post)
Just wanted to thank everyone for giving me their input on this matter ^.^ I think I made the correct choice (which I don't think I'll say which for privacy purposes) because the other college's representative kinda bashed the college I chose once they knew I wasn't going there, and all in all made me feel like crap and that I made the wrong choice. Which made me feel like I totally made the /right/ choice because I'm a 17 year old high schooler who just wanted her deposit back and being rude about it really wasn't necessary. I think he took it personally because he worked with me so much...but I did that with all my colleges meh.
But yes, thanks everyone! this thread is probably dead now ovo I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it.
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