<p>Now, im about to apply for college, my high school GPA is gonna be about 4.3(this year 4.7, last year 4.0). I took SAT2 chem and got a 790, im gonna take Math2 in april, and hopefully can get around 780. I didnt take any SAT1 yet, but im sure i can get above 1800(750 math, 600 writing and 450 CR). I had about 40 hrs of volunteer, and im still looking for more in this summer. Im pretty good at math and physics(im taking AP physics C mechanics, thats why i didnt take SATII physics, cuz we won't cover electricity this year).</p>
<p>The thing that bothers me is that I cannot make up my mind whether to take an pofessional art school or a regular university. I'm pretty interesting in art , though i only got 3 on my studio art AP exam. And my parents say that because im so good at math, i still can major in science, which i currently not interested in very much.</p>
<p>So Im trying to find a university(better in california, because its where i live, so i might have a better chance being picked by schools) that has suitable art major for me, but at the same time maybe if i lose my interest in art, i will have an alternative choice to change my major. On the other hand, those art schools seems extremely expensive(20k per semester??!!), which i cannot pay(i consider $7500 is ok) if without scholarship(seems not possible for me to get scholarship), i dont know if there are cheap but still good art schools
out there</p>
<p>So now im looking at UCs, but dont know which one has suitable art major, Im searching on internet and found thousands different version of major lists. which confuses me too much.</p>
<p>So should i go to regular university or professional art schools?</p>
<p>How about liberal arts schools? Since they don't have separate professional schools like, say, NYU (where you can ONLY go to art school or ONLY go to business, etc.), you have lots of time to explore.</p>
<p>Great liberal arts schools in California (dion't know about their art departments, though, you'll have to do some research): Pomona, Pitzer, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Occidental, and Redlands. Also USC, though it's not an LAC.</p>
<p>I say a Regular school with a good art major. Making it in California is seriously a huge constraint. Otherwise, you could check out Brown University who works closely with RISD (Rhode Island School of Design- one of the most difficult art schools in the nation), New School University (Parson's School of Design), Carnegie Mellon (School of Art--great great program)!, Washington University in St. Louis (great art program as well)....</p>
<p>in california...</p>
<p>I can only think of USC, UCLA, and ...
they're not even stand-out hands down stellar in Art</p>
<p>I do not recommend the U.C.'s in general for performing/practical arts (including visual arts) majors. It's not that you'll do horribly there, but the U.C.'s are mostly theoretically-oriented, intellectually-oriented research universities. In the arts fields, they tend to be long on concept, short on practice -- with the exception of UCLA, due to its location. (Fact already noted by one replier) The point is that someone strong in arts would do better to apply elsewhere if elsewhere is financially & practically possible.</p>
<p>Go East, young man or woman, if possible. (Except, again as noted, USC or UCLA). I actually even prefer the E. Coast professional art schools to the W. Coast versions. Often the East has more well-rounded curriculum in addition to the arts curriculum, so that you're getting a good liberal arts background in addition. I've checked out many art schools & art programs on the East & the West Coasts.</p>
<p>Also, at the risk of sounding very non-PC, W.Coast art curricula at a number of schools, is very-very Third World oriented, and/or regionally skewed. Your major choices at some art schools or LAC's with art programs, are California art (yawn), Latino art, African Art, etc. I think it's laughable that this is called "more diverse." It's actually called provincial/parochial/don't tell me about anything not in my backyard. True artists want to see & represent the world: First World, Second World, Third World, whatever. And the E. Coast museums are in a stratosphere that most of CA can't touch. L.A. has Getty, Huntington, but the N.East & mid-Atlantic museums <em>rock</em>, & the Eastern proximity to Europe (oh whoops, I said that nasty, censorable word) & the volume of available art programs, personnel, opportunities, just make it superior.</p>
<p>The OP might want to search out the arts majors forum here on CC for some more feedback. :-)</p>