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<p>How old is she? Could she have herself declared an emancipated minor? That might give her an edge up in financial aid. Probably too late for the schools she’s applied to, but possibley one with rolling admission for spring.</p>
<p>redbug119: I don’t see that an emancipated minor strategy would work – she’s not a minor, after all. And of course, it’s very hard to get independent student status these days. </p>
<p>Parsons award letter came today. Biggest scholarship yet. (<em>weak cheer</em>) And because of the high COA, another 25-30K loan package. Well, 5K in student loans and a 22K gap. As dismal packages come in, it’s coming down to Chicago. Daughter is sad that she doesn’t get to visit NYC this spring, but with no workable aid packages, there’s no justification for it.</p>
<p>letter was in the mailbox and as expected, it was a rejection.
My kid says now wants to do another HS year anyways, see you soon dear Peter.
I will keep spying and pick on funky kids and/or braggy parents here and there but better go back doing day-night job sewing bear skins for real.
I feel people I cared and felt attached to seem all found good choices, rest is where the heart and $ are (note that totally ignoring RISD here, since more likely no doable $ help)
Lurk you around ! It have been lots of fun and learning experience how to spell L and R words.</p>
<p>So sorry it wasn’t a yes but I’m a firm believer in gap years and extra hs years before getting caught up in adult intensity. Good luck next year and as I said before your spelling is fine and your writing is expressive which is much better than being totally “correct” but boring and your posts bear are never boring.
Good luck to you, your child and your bear skins…</p>
<p>bears - you and your S are well set for next year, whatever direction he goes in. I’m sure he’s learned a lot about himself and what he wants in this process. You too huh?
Think he wants to be a big shot curator? Don’t forget Bard graduate program in Curatorial Studies. Don’t you think Bard would want to take care of one of their own incubated chicks?
Don’t stay away too much…we are going to need to decompress. But yeah…it is time to go back to work. Or forget being able to pay off the loans we are about to take on.
I’ll PM for an outing soon. Want to walk my dog?</p>
<p>it all depends
if it is cuter than this mutt german shepherd (passed away) or french bull (alive)
or fat chihuahua that looks like marshmallows (alive and occasionally milling near Cooper)</p>
<p>Bard CCS was beautiful, if they’d come up with enough landscaping around before he’d make it there or you’d need LL bean boots.
And, yes, if overgrown bearded chickie of my son won’t get kicked out of cocoon.
Pray for us !! or let’s play !!!</p>
<p>out of town and off line for a while and had to read to catch up. So sorry BandD about coopers! Did you know that we made our son drop back not just one year but two years? The school system wanted him to be in 11th grade when he was just 15 and we made the case that he needed growing up time so we refused to promote him an extra grade and actually made him repeat 9th grade …he isn’t so glad about being one of the oldest seniors, but I am sure the extra time was a smart move. If he were to ask for a gap year now, I would be thrilled since I still think he is unsure of what he wants. I hope your S appreciates the extra time in the nest. May drive you nuts, but as that frontal lobe knits slowly you will see the benefits! </p>
<p>Trin…I hope the money comes through. Like you, I wonder what happens when some money gets freed up after kids start making up their minds. </p>
<p>GreenW–my son also rejected from Yale. Totally expected. But…I have no idea how he did this…he found an acceptance letter online and manipulated it, put his name and new date on it and then showed it to me. I totally fell for it but luckily I cursed and said that this really complicates things! He laughed and said april fools…put it on his FB page and elicited some of the funniest reactions…other rejects begged for their own version and so he was doctoring acceptances for all the yale-re-jects. </p>
<p>Switters…congrats on coopers! don’t give up on VCU…I know…why on earth would someone give up coopers or MICA? but…see below</p>
<p>After trip to VCU, have had a bit of a revelation about art school and I think BandD has been saying it but I had to see it to believe it. Foundation is the same where-ever you go and it doesn’t matter if you are smart or bookish or what…as my daughter observed yesterday looking at all the first-years at VCU working overtime to finish projects …she said “it feels just like a summer camp”. Indeed! They were clearly stressed, working hard, but very much a “we’re in it together” kind of feel to it. That and all of the wood and paint and stuff…it did feel a bit like camp. I was very impressed with the first year displays as well as the senior and graduate portfolios that were up at the student gallery. It was not substantially different, but I thought it was actually somewhat better than what we had seen in our tours of RISD, MICA, Tyler, etc the previous year at this time of year. S thought some of it was substantially better than that of first years at CMU, WashU and MICA. VCU foundation students seem to have done really good work in some of the best facilities I have seen, on a comfortable and really pretty campus (hard to believe in Richmond but it is so) for a fraction of the cost of other programs. </p>
<p>Except for the cost, I can’t for the life of me see what is different amongst the programs, particularly for first year students. Foundation students have little or no interaction with students outside of the arts, do little or no coursework outside of foundation, and are taught by people who are convinced that this is the only way to live. It is like being brainwashed into a cult. </p>
<p>Kids will come out loving it or deciding they want to do something different. What is also clear is that it makes little sense to pay a lot of money for this experience when you can go to New Hampshire, Minnesota, Kansas City or VCU for basically the same experience for so much less. </p>
<p>I think we are actually leaning against the CMU experience because of the cost. Even though S is interested in comp sci, etc. he will still be doing foundation just as if he were at VCU…he will be surrounded by the high tech campus but he will be doing sculpture with wood and cardboard, painting with oils, and drawing with pencils…pretty low tech stuff… someone has to convince me that there is a big difference between the private art schools and the big public universities’ foundation and undergraduate experience…I just don’t see it. </p>
<p>Someone tell me why it makes a difference to get a BFA at SAIC, MICA, Pratt or CMU rather than MCAD, cinnci or VCU? Even Coopers for the out of NYC area?</p>
<p>Bears - I’m so sorry! Please don’t go away, we need your advice and insight. If your son takes an extra year, he’ll be back again and has a much better chance that way. You should get a job there in the development or outreach office since you do such a good job promoting the school. </p>
<p>Fineartsmom - you have some great points about VCU vs. CMU and others. Kids (and parents) can have stars in their eyes about certain schools, and it stops their brains from analyzing the evidence in front of them (with the exception of Cooper, which is truly unique). D2 is definitely that way about Brown, which I’ve always suspected is a bit of a slacker school. I want her to go to a place she loves but don’t want either of us to commit financial suicide to keep her there. </p>
<p>Right now, we’re hoping for more money from MICA and then that may be her choice. She started out loving that school a few years ago, and has gone on this long road of exploration but may end up coming right back to MICA. If they make it affordable, I’m very happy with that. Of course, that’s a big if.</p>
<p>“Someone tell me why it makes a difference to get a BFA at SAIC, MICA, Pratt or CMU rather than MCAD, cinnci or VCU? Even Coopers for the out of NYC area?”</p>
<p>It depends on the how the program is at MCAD, cinnci or VCU. The one advantage to my mind having graduated with a BFA from a state college is this.</p>
<p>The higher ranked art schools prepare you for the real world of “art”, they explain how the gallery system works, how the actual business of trying to sell art works. I think the faculty tends to be more involved in the actual world which gives them a different perspective than a faculty that is immersed in the world of teaching fine art at a university. (This is not a hard fact but just a feeling I get) </p>
<p>They also tend to have some pretty impressive guests which can be really exciting. And while graduate schools are going to look at a portfolio just as undergrads, a degree from Cooper or RISD particularly carries some weight. I suspect you could put SAIC and MICA into that category also if you’re talking fine art.</p>
<p>However some liberal arts college departments may be good at this also but they didn’t do this when I was in school. Very little information about where or how to go about using the degree without a second job waiting tables while you waited for your big break. Not that that’s avoidable anyway but this sort of information didn’t start coming out until graduate school and I think the major art schools get into this angle a lot sooner.</p>
<p>The other however is that with the internet there’s a huge shift moving away from the old gallery/auction system for fine art so it’s all up in the air in a way.</p>
<p>And wherever you are, it’s what you make of it anyway. It’s probably just as well I was at a state school because I totally blew off my first two years (discovered dating)! My transcript looks like two different people went to school. 2 years nothing 2 years hard work. And I was a younger student, based on my experience my kid will also be entering college at an older age than I did and I think much more mature and ready for it.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s such a bad idea if there’s a need to watch the cost to do undergrad at a good liberal arts as long as you are dedicated and work hard or even do the first couple of years then transfer. You make a very good point about foundation year, especially those that are very structured. It does seem like a lot of money to spend if it’s foundation for an entire year.</p>
<p>“It depends on the how the program is at MCAD, cinnci or VCU. The one advantage to my mind having graduated with a BFA from a state college is this.”</p>
<p>I think I’m confused. After that statement, you then made it sound like the art schools are a better place to be from the business end of it, involved faculty etc. </p>
<p>Plus, MCAD is not a state school, but an private art school. In addition to the BFA, they also offer a BS in the business end of art. From what I know BFA students are allowed to take classes in the BS program as well.</p>
<p>B&D, please don’t go away! But if you must, please tell me about the bear sewing. PM if you wish.</p>
<p>Hi all
thank you for warm encouragements and good wishes. As bitter evil doer of CC, I don’t feel deserving.
I quitted once before when I had issue with some gatekeeping poster but could not stay away too long. So there.</p>
<p>fammom, that will be a 50K (6,7K plus R&B Cooper only) question, I think famkid will know what is right / important for him.</p>
<p>redbug
that’s what I do for living, make stuffed animals, bears, dogs and dolls. As long as I do what I need to do it’s pretty flexible job and I find myself sneaking off, reading posting spying every so often in odd hours. It became serious addiction toward decision time and most of them are not even my business to begin with !!
Now big day have come and gone and have pile of bear and creature skins need some attention.
I will see you around, in fact the plane with my kid in it just landed MSP.
Now I know that he is off to co-ed apartment/dorm !? where women are all beautiful, children are above average.
Anyone listen to NPR? Minnesota rocks.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m a little tired. I guess I’m saying that I think the art schools for the reasons I listed might be better than the Liberal arts programs, but it depends. The MCAD program sounds great, that’s exactly the sort of thing I found lacking but my school years were quite awhile ago so that may have changed. And also as I said with the internet age things are changing rapidly so old methods may be disappearing.</p>
<p>Let me know how he likes it It’s fairly warm there now. We are way too hot in Florida, wish I was in Minn instead! Garrison Keillor certainly knows what he’s talking about, NPR is the best.</p>
<p>Do you sell your stuff on the internet?</p>
<p>bears and dogs:
6,7K plus R&B Cooper only, you mean 6,7k for what? Cooper should only need to pay room and board by the student. Right? saw a fee per year, which is 1500$ and a 150$ lab fee. didn’t see why 6,7k more.
D got the admission to Cooper, and I am sorry for your S.
Can you help on this?
Thanks!</p>
<p>no, I work for small-sh manufacturing company (and not “working” at this moment as you can see while I really should…)</p>
<p>it will be rain while he is there…at least it’s not feet of snow</p>
<p>wow great!
there are fees, I am looking for view book now for correct numbers, Is your D international?</p>
<p>OK, if you got view book 2009 /2010, it’s on page 28
These are budget which includes average $ 1,800 for surpplies, books and $ 700-sh transportation and pocket money which should not be counted in the same sense above because we were only talking about tuition, fees, R& B for other schools so far.</p>
<p>commuter $7,195
Dormitory resident $ 19,375
Off Campus resident $ 19,575
you should add health service & insurance fee $ 1,466 if you do not have insurance.</p>
<p>if international </p>
<p>Fees $3,400
R&B $13,900 (??? folks, “board” means food, right? cooper don’t feed you though)
Other(below) $4,075
books and supplies $ 1,800
transportation $700
personal expense $ 1,575 </p>
<p>International total budget $ 21,375</p>
<p>now, from 2008/2009 budgets, only 50 bucks there 100 here is raised for internationals. Suppose that much could be higher again comes next fall.
But then, health fee is reduced from $1,629 (2008/2009) to $ 1,466 (2009/2010) so you never know.</p>
<p>Yeah don’t disappear B and D…this has been a nice community of support and we’re not out of the woods yet…I find these postings sooo good for reality check and sympathy. I suspect there will be some down time once kids decide what to do and then it will all start again in the fall with feedback on first year/gap year/applications year…BandD oh my.</p>
<p>Here are some thoughts Ive had going over this process:</p>
<p>All foundation years are not created equal. There is no painting studio class at CMU first year. CMU is very conceptual. MICA will place painters out of foundation level, especially ones who have done AP- also MICA prides itself on its liberal arts, dont know if it holds water, but I know a professor there, and he is a brainiac. Also, all MICA liberal arts faculty hold phds. </p>
<p>I looked to USNWR rankings, VCU had lots of them for graduate school. Wash U STL had none.</p>
<p>The more I have seen of this crazy ride of scholarship applications and so on, the more I think VCU is a really good deal. </p>
<p>loveblue, congrats on cooper! I think there is some 7K fee thingy.</p>