<p>I posted before about merit-based aid at art schools; this is a different question. My daughter is a high school senior and is going to be taking a gap year to research art schools, work on her portfolio, get a job, etc. We?re looking at MICA, which is a natural choice because we live in Maryland. However, she has several criteria (realizing that not all will be met) which may make MICA less desirable. She will be probably be joining this discussion directly, but I?ll just put out some factors for consideration to get the discussion going. I?ve read through many of the threads here already, but have not made it through the multiple pages of the Visual Arts? thread, yet. D is not necessary looking for the ?best known? art school. She would like to be able to get outdoors, walk around in a natural environment. She would probably like a small school. She is a painter but wants to explore other media, particularly fiber and clothing. She may want to have a minor, so an LAC may be considered. She is out of the main stream politically, and is pretty much a self-described hippy. So the atmosphere of the school is important. She is planning on starting a small T-shirt business this summer and one of her long-term goals may be to own a store/gallery. She has excellent academic credentials. Cost is a factor for us, i.e., four years at MICA will not be possible without substantial financial aid, so some FA will be required at any private college. I have noted that some of the other art schools are substantially less in total cost of attendance than the typical $40K/yr of many private colleges. We are not limiting the choice geographically (yet). Any suggestions will be appreciated!</p>
<p>Alfred University? I know about it only from what I've read, and I don't know what (if anything) they offer in the way of fiber and clothing. But they're a small liberal arts school in a rural part of New York State and their art program is well respected. Although they're not a state school (there is an Alfred State in the same town, but they're different institutions), their art program is state-supported in some way (like Cornell's Ag program and Syracuse's forestry program). So the tuition for art students is lower than at a typical private school.</p>
<p>JDSmom,</p>
<p>I also thought about Alfred. Peer of my D got a decent merit offer from there, although I think ceramics was her specialty.</p>
<p>Closer to home, how about Goucher?</p>
<p>Oberlin in Ohio?</p>
<p>Kansas City Art Institute?</p>
<p>Tyler School of Art @ Temple?</p>
<p>Alfred University would be a good choice. Also consider Skidmore and Suny Purchase.</p>
<p>Towson University has a brand new art building that is quite good. Also, some of the MICA teachers teach at Towson. This might be a very good low-cost alternative.</p>
<p>I don't know anything about art schools. My son just decided this past year he wanted to study art. He will possibly do the same thing and take a gap year or decide to attend a liberal arts college and then transfer if he feels the need.
I have a friend who is similar to your D. She has been accepted to Mills College in Oakland with good merit aid. Mills students can take classes at a art school in Oakland whose name right now evades me. They can also take classes at Berkeley.</p>
<p>I've also heard great things about Towson. The new building is fabulous, and I've heard good things about the staff and art program as well. I think it will become more prominent on the radar in the next few years.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. We will certainly check them out. She is going to look at Towson, it sounds encouraging. I didn't know that some of the MICA people taught there. Any others are welcome!</p>
<p>handemom - What have you heard about Towson? I posted in the Towson forum asking about the art program and got no response. My daughter suddenly decided she probably doesn't want to attend a stand alone art school so is seriously considering Towson. It's the only school of the few she applied to that we haven't visited. Hard to believe since my husband and I grew up in Baltimore and both went to College Park. We have tours set up for Towson on Monday. She's actually excited for the visit (thank goodness!) and even told me this morning that she has a feeling she will really like it. It does sound encouraging that some MICA professors teach there and from most comments it sounds like the school has a nice campus.</p>
<p>A friend of mine who chairs a graphic design department at School of Visual Arts in NYC, is an Art Director for a major newspaper as well and has published many books on design, has met with art faculty as Towson recently and was very impressed with the faculty, facility and programs they offer. He knew we were looking into such programs and recommened Towson. My D's college advisor recommended it as well. </p>
<p>I have also heard from people that live in the Baltimore area and involved in the state university system, that Towson is putting lots of resources into both visual and performing arts, and wants Towson to be the Premier school in those areas in the MD U system.</p>
<p>That's good to hear. Now it's up to my daughter as to what she thinks after our visit. Sounds like if she decides on Towson, she will have made a good choice. Thanks for your input.</p>
<p>One thing though, when we toured, they did not show us any art rooms. We returned to visit for a voice audition as well (my D considered this for a minor), which was in the arts building so we walked around on our own and peered into the art rooms. Unfortunately, the school was on break at that time, so we didn't see much. I have to say that the faculty in the music department seemed very nice and approachable, but I can't speak for art dept faculty.</p>
<p>We signed up for a group campus tour but I also called the college of art and set up an individual tour of the facility so we should be able to see the art studios. And they just had spring break last week so classes will be in session.</p>
<p>Good idea! We probably should have done the same.</p>
<p>Just for the record, Towson just built a new, state-of-the-art building for both performing and visual arts. It is quite nice. I also believe that Towson will be rising higher on the radar for these disciplines.</p>
<p>Wellllll... if she is a hippie type, she might like Rocky Mountain College of Art. It's small. Denver has great weather, mountains and there is the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater to sell t-shirts at as well as a thriving art scene in Denver.</p>
<p>Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Not merely an art school, but a liberal arts college with a strong studio arts department, is a beautiful, rural campus. However, it is expensive, but they do offer aid. My son is a freshman studio arts major there this year. My son has taken two art classes from two world-renowed artists and his advisor is one, also. Bard is small, approximately 1600 undergraduate. Where are you in Maryland? That's where I live. Feel free to contact me if you have questions</p>