DS has 9 acceptances, including SCAD and many traditional 4-year colleges. We are still waiting to hear from LSU and VCU Arts. We have ruled out a few colleges already, but now we struggle with whether or not paying big money for SCAD will really put DS in a much better position to launch a successful (and lucrative) career.
Does Art School really put one in a better position to launch a successful career? Obviously it depends on one’s talent level, but with two people of equal talent, will it be an advantage to have an Art School degree? Do they really have better connections and contacts?
DS loved SCAD. We can afford to pay for it. But I’m a believer of the motto “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. And sometimes I think a more traditional college would be a better fit for DS, who is not really “artsy”, he just loves digital art - graphic design, photography, video editing. Otherwise, he’s a sports junkie who loves college and professional basketball and football. I can easily see him buying season tickets to his school’s sports teams to cheer them on. He would do that in a heartbeat over sketching, which he hates.
Anyone else wrestle with this?
Fit is important. If you send your son to a stand alone art program, all of the students will live and breathe art. They will be artsy types. Not to stereotype anyone, but there will probably not be that many sports junkies in the mix.
If you send your son to a 4 year school with a strong art program that teaches to his career goals, it sounds like it will be a better fit. Look to see how many graduates there are in the major and where they end up. See if you can reach out to alumni.
I would speak to the school about career placement and internship opportunities during the school year and summers. A strong summer internship at a graphic design firm will help him network and build his resume. Regardless of where he goes, he can try to find an internship on his own if the school doesn’t offer support. He can spend a summer in NYC and dorm at NYU while he interns.
At a four year college he has the opportunity to double major with business or communications which can also be helpful to his career.
Obviously to late to apply but did your son consider Syracuse? They have a strong graphic design/digital via the Newhouse School (and also via the Visual Arts department) and all the sports culture he may want. Because SCAD is definitely going to have the ‘art school vibe instead.’ 
Hopefully we will get our last two decisions soon and then make a decision. My gut tells me he will choose a traditional college. It’s just a matter of finding one that has a solid Art program, not one that is a mere after thought. Not interested in colleges that have their Art Department in the basement of an old building and outdated facilities. I will be glad when the decision is made and we can move forward.
@sbgal2011 My D is a HS junior but I understand your struggle of art or non-art school. We will not receive any need aid as well. She doesn’t care about the sports aspect, but my H and I would like her to consider non art school where she can study art and another major or minor like history or a language. She wants a BFA and thinks art school is the way to go for her. A number of non-art schools with art departments seem to have a larger staff for art history than studio art. Could you share which non-art schools your son is considering?
@cag60093 There are so many great options out there but much of it depends upon the student’s GPA and SAT or ACT scores. My son had a 2.89 entering his senior year of high school and a 1040 SAT, so our options are much more limited. He applied to, and was accepted by Ole Miss, Alabama, Kentucky, East Carolina, and a few others that didn’t have a strong Art program but I made him apply just in case he would change his mind about a major. We ruled out Kentucky and ECU because the programs weren’t strong.
We are still waiting to hear from LSU, which has a top 25 Graphic Design program, as well as VCU Arts. I doubt he gets into VCU, as the art school is highly competitive and he’s very weak in drawing, painting,etc. - he’s strictly a digital arts guy. Really hoping LSU works out because I think it would be a great match. They requested his fall semester grades and recommendations, which we sent. Fortunately, he had a 3.57 for the fall semester of his senior year and his cumulative GPA went up a good bit, so hopefully that will be enough. If not, we will explore our remaining options.
I don’t know what your DD’s grades are like but if she is a good student she will have plenty of good options. My DS just didn’t have the grades to apply to better schools like UCLA, Syracuse, etc. Tell your DD to keep her grades up and really prep for the SAT or ACT, it will open many more doors for her!
NYU offers merit aid (non-need based) for studio art majors who apply RD. D attended NYU for both her BFA in Studio Art and her MA in Art Education. She loved the BFA program–great faculty and great senior studios program with an amazing honors program. NYU offers talent based merit scholarships in both art and music, most other aid in the school is need-based. Brandeis also has a strong studio art program and merit-based aid without need. Also look at Skidmore for art. Very strong art department. My D considered it and was going to go for their Filene Music Scholarship for merit aid. (She’s an artist/singer.) Syracuse has a good art program with merit aid as well. GW offers studio art and has special merit aid for talent.
Good luck!
@sbgal2011 Thank you for sharing your experience. I wish your son good news and will keep my fingers crossed. Hang in there. The waiting is stressful.
My D does have good grades, not tippy top though. Her UW GPA is 3.75 and W GPA is 4.3. Math is her weaker area but is in the hardest track at her HS. Her ACT is 34 and she’ll take the SAT in April. Portfolio to date is good, but who knows.
@uskoolfish Thanks for sharing about merit aid at NYU and the other schools you mentioned. That’s great to know bc we’re chasing merit aid if they are available. Those schools will be added to her list to research.
@cag60093 Your D should be good academically for any of the schools I mentioned above–especially with the 34 ACT!
@Cag60093, my D cast a wide net. She came to the art game very late, and so applied to some art schools, some LACs and some state schools. Her stats were similar to your D’s - 35 ACT and a 3.8 GPA. We were concerned about portfolio as she had not taken an art class before senior year! She applied to Pratt, MICA and VCU for their art programs and has been accepted to all three. She has also gotten merit $. However, she is really on the fence between Pratt and a non-art school - Drexel. She got a very positive vibe from Drexel’s Westphal College of Media and Design
esp their animation dept, and likes the idea of being at a bigger school with more options and more of a techy side, but is also drawn to the smaller campus and artsy vibe at Pratt. My DH favors the non-art school with a strong art dept, and I would not be surprised if D goes that route as she has always been pretty sciency as well. I think your D will have a strong chance of acceptance with those stats.