<p>I know that I want a BFA in Graphic Arts/Communication Design at a school with a strong program that will expose me to other artistic fields as well.</p>
<p>My stats are decent: 4.1+ GPA, 2000 SAT, 4s on AP exams so far, leadership roles, etc.
And my portfolio isn't particularly outstanding, but I would say it shows potential and a variety of mediums.</p>
<p>However, I am thoroughly concerned about paying for a good school's tuition (who isn't?) let alone getting accepted.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid might go, my dad is in the military, <$50,000 a year, and I have four siblings.</p>
<p>I am planning on applying to RISD, Pratt, MICA, Parsons, and MCAD.
They are all private schools, and they are not cheap.
Am I crazy to consider MCAD as my "safety" school? Are the others a too far reach?</p>
<p>Does anyone recommend any public colleges that have exceptionally strong graphic design programs?
I really don't want to end up focusing on "commercial art"...</p>
<p>I can’t believe I spelled colleges wrong in the thread title…
Bad sign, right?</p>
<p>Also, I’d like to note that for various reasons, I will barely benefit from my Dad being in the military, partly because he will retire at the same time that I plan to go to college…</p>
<p>My D was is going to MCAD this fall with a merit scholarship and her stats weren’t as strong as yours. So maybe if your portfolio wasn’t as strong it might balance out. Check out their website to see what other students are doing. Have you been to any NPD’s?</p>
<p>Your stats are very good, and if your portfolio is strong, I’d say scholarships are a good possibility. From my own experience, MICA offers many (my D applied there).</p>
<p>Some state schools that have graphic design programs, and were recommended to me, back when my D was applying are Mass Art and Towson. They were recommended by people in the field, both in practice and in teaching (at college level).</p>
<p>It is too late for this bit, but if you notice the mistakes within few minutes like you did, you could go “edit”, copy what you wrote as post, then chose"delete" they’d ask you if you really want to delete, check it again, then whole post goes away.
You could again chose “reply” in the end of thread page, paste what you copied, give new title for the post if you want.
I have not done after starting new thread but it should work the same.
I have to do that every so often so I won’t look like total idiot.
Some reason I can not see what I wrote wrong until it shows on the page.</p>
<p>redbug can answer regarding MCAD
Do you mean you don’t have in-state school? How that work?
Out of state COA could be as high as private school with aid.
In other hand, some in-states have really nice accredited art program for graphic design BFA for fraction of private school prices, not only fine art LACs tend to have and often BA. Typically you do not choose major until end of Soph year, some won’t even ask for portfolio until then, but good grades and test score put you in honor track. win-win-win.
I read up some schools in Ohio, Illinois and Idaho recently and pretty impressed. did not visit any of those schools though, it is chance you might have to take as well.
I became prestigious tippy top private art school doubter after spying and chewing around.
If I’d go by so and so went there, I’d totally chose dartmouth ( Dr. Seuss) Evergreen State ( Mat Groening) No college at all (Basquiat), doesn’t help anyone at all.
I do understand kids looking into grad school saying “Yale Columbia UCLA or else” but when 17, 18 out of HS and for UG, you really shouldn’t limit yourself or hold to much of hi hope, unless you are dead set on stand alone art school art art art.
You learn the most when mess up and try to fix it. If you never able to get to do that while you are young, cute and shameless, it get harder as you get older.</p>
<p>Try University of Cincinnati/DAAP. They don’t look at portfolios and you may qualify for Cincinnatus Scholarship (especially if you have done community service). It is possible to establish residency there and the tuition really goes down after that.</p>
<p>How does residency work in general for military families? Is there some kind of exception? Can you get in-state tuition anywhere?</p>
<p>Also look at SUNY Purchase and New Paltz for Graphic Arts. </p>
<p>My son had similar stats to yours plus a very strong portfolio and got great aid from RISD. Mind you they don’t consider it a scholarship. It is based on need. But I do think they look at the whole picture.</p>
<p>Syracuse U. has a strong visual arts program and they give aid and scholarship. Also add Carnegie Mellon School of Art to your list. They also give good financial aid. BUT both of these want a strong portfolio. (CMU counts 50/50 stats and portfolio). </p>
<p>It is only August. Most of these schools don’t need to see the portfolio until after the new year. Can you get focused on building up your portfolio? Can you get a mentor or teacher to help you get it together? My son did a tremendous amount of work in the fall before portfolio submission and it really came together in the end.</p>
<p>It will be highly unlikely that most of the private art schools (Pratt/Parsons/CCA/MICA/SAIC) would give you more than ($12-20k) per year. MICA might? be an exception. They mostly give out merit scholarships and not a lot of financial aid. But it doesn’t hurt to try. You might want to look at SCAD too.</p>
<p>Consider Wesleyan (for bears and dogs). For many reasons. Generous financial aid, little ivy but looks at the whole person for admission, not just numbers. Arty atmosphere. Small but relatively strong and well rounded art program. A GREAT education and environment to be a young person in. Small and supportive and a good mix of kids.</p>
<p>(Can you tell I wish my son wanted to apply there?)</p>
<p>My son is a graphic design major at SUNY New Paltz and the program has a strong basis in the arts. He has a good deal of leeway when it comes to choosing studio classes so he has been exposed to a lot of creative options. He loves the school. I have heard they are good on scholarships and aid and the tuition is relatively low to start so might be a cost effective choice for you. The art school is very highly regarded. It’s also nice to go to a liberal arts college with exposure to many other aspects of college life and all types of people. If you have any questions feel free to ask.</p>
<p>I agree with drae27 about checking out Wesleyan as it is one of the few LACs offering graphic design. Wesleyan will meet your full demonstrated financial need for aid but it does not offer any merit aid. Compared with the other schools on you list, will not have a BFA – but you will receive a terrific education where you can integrate the liberal arts with your studies in the studio.</p>
<p>thank you drae for the support.
for this, I will roll umeboshi sushi roll for you with dorayaki for dessert. - anyone following squee* thread now turned into “weird Japanese food and what to do with them?”</p>
<p>second studiomom
and let me add, anything hanging or posted in Usdan or around campus were rather nicely designed and well written, smart, neat. notice for live events, film screening, club meeting, etc. while what were in SUNY Purchase cafeteria reminded me of closeout store’s tacky banners. (Purchase doubter with personal bias here, don’t mind me)
It tells general student body - not only limited to art major -'s good taste and high brain power.
someone, anyone, please go. and become rich and famous. and remember me.</p>
<p>University of Delaware, I go here. UD is up and coming to having one of the best graphic design programs in the country. You can check out this list to get an idea of other schools: [Top</a> 10 Graphic Design Schools Ranked](<a href=“GoDaddy Corporate Domains - Protected”>GoDaddy Corporate Domains - Protected)</p>
<p>If you’re interested in knowing more about UD’s program, feel free to message me :)</p>
<p>^ U of D!! how are kids and life in general?
because I only hear not so good things, not about art dept, though, no offense,
I am sure it is every state big schools’ issue: the size. alcohol, jock culture.
and this is kind of sad - funny one.
My kid’s friend’s dad is an alum minority jock and very controlling in subtle way, you know the type. The kid went to accepted openhouse sleepover and they ( school ) put the kid in minority room in minority area with other minority kids to do minority schedule to make the kid accustomed, welcomed and fit in.
Irony is that he is multiracial and his mom is this snow white, his dad is this executive of well known company with three houses and all that, only his look ( dominate genes) and last name suggest the poster kid minority. Nothing in the kid’s upbringing was what the college assumed and the occasion to make the kid accepted had total opposite effect.
The kid have gotten this sort of experience entire life and Ok with it, mom is a good spot and had good laugh, let’s not mention how dad was, it was how he grew up, worked so very hard to escape from, succeeded, and avoided dealing with it by insulating his family.
The story spread like wildfire within nosy parents. people are funny that way, as parents, they wanted the kid to be happy but also suspect that he is not totally OK, otherwise their value system would collapse. If anything goes wrong, controlling rich dad is the one to be blamed. I watch and learn, and wonder.
I can not forget my kid’s grade school birthday party, how much fun they had, free, careless every kids were, especially the kid beating up fallen dorky pinata to last fringed paper pulp, acting just like any naughty rowdy nine year old would do.
I can hear some people saying what beating pinata has anything to do with big state U’s diversity issue,
you are lucky not to have to worry about it.</p>
<p>Sorry, that wasn’t clear, need to read before I post - D definitely IS going to MCAD. She only applied to 3 schools (MCAD, NHIA and KCAI), and got accepted and merit aid for all. NHIA had the best aid, plus there tuition was much less. But KCAI and MCAD were her 2 top choices. She got more merit from KCAI than MCAD, but she liked MCAD better and the housing (no meal plan) was cheaper, so it only worked out to a little more than KCAI. Hard decision, but I know it was the right one. PM me for more info if you like.</p>
<p>I’ll definitely be working on my portfolio during the coming months, so hopefully I can round out my applications. </p>
<p>I did look at a number of the schools suggested here. In particular, SUNY and the University of Delaware. They are quite a bit cheaper than the other schools I fully intend on applying to, and they seem like good schools.
But I just can’t see myself going to either of them at all. I truly just don’t feel like applying to them. But maybe this isn’t a place for feelings?</p>
<p>If I do end up lacking financial aid, maybe I could just aim for an internship at a top design firm; kind of like bears and dogs said, that many artists/designers don’t go to college.</p>
<p>How much should I be okay with going in debt from student loans on my own? Especially considering the field I’m aiming for…</p>
<p>As for Cooper Union, I’ve considered it. But, as far as I know, admission is almost purely based on ability. Correct me if I’m wrong.</p>
<p>YOu have good stats, you modestly say you have some art ability and you are from Guam…are you pacific islander? Lots of schools would love to have the geographic diversity…guam is intriguing…and you seem to have the scholastic and, possibly, the art aptitude to survive in some pretty rigorous programs. I think schools care quite a bit about scholastic achievement because it indicates perseverence, decent reading skills and at least sometimes meeting external expectations–all important for successful artists. Don’t give up on a school because you aren’t sure you are qualified…no harm in applying…but you are right to find economic and academic safeties…try Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA (very good art program, half-way good uni) …during a visit we met a kid from Portugal there who came from a missionary family with extremely limited financial resources…he had a lot of support from the Uni and was very happy.</p>
<p>I would say Cooper is looking for ideas/concepts even more than ability. Don’t rule it out. Bears and Dogs posted here an example of what Cooper asks for on the home test. I can’t search the link right now. Bears would you grab it? </p>
<p>Check it out. If you can imagine yourself coming up with some cool stuff in response to their prompts you could conceivably wow them with even just a decent portfolio. Just do better stuff than “Work of Art” on the Bravo channel, please.</p>