<p>B&D, you’re right about the feelings. D was afraid we’d make her go to a school she hated (big university) and be just about the money. Bummer about the NYer - they don’t know good poetry when they see it. About the zoo: </p>
<p>If you have a yen for the zoo
But don’t have yen for the zoo
It’s sometimes free on Tuesdays
And sometimes free on Thursdays</p>
<p>You can send that in to the NYer, then we’ll split that big fat check they send us LOL :D</p>
<p>Ok…note to self…add row with male/female ratio (weight it neg if greater than 1) …also add factor to give big negative weight if they have anime club… don’t forget my husband’s critical weighting factor of piercings per student with triple weight for anything through the tongue…I actually think this last may persuade husband to pay for private school when he sees the trash stamps on the girls at local state school…</p>
<p>^^^^I’m also a spreadsheet junkie!</p>
<p>With twins… I’ve made several. Early ones always included m/f ratio. It’s usually around 70/30 at art schools, 60/40 at LAC’s and 50/50 at Ivies that can afford to be selective. Pity the poor girls!</p>
<p>Recently, I’ve made spreadsheets for cost. One school offered D1 23K merit aid, and another offered her 12K. After totaling costs for tuition, room and board and fees, the total difference between the two ended up being less than $1000! These are both small LAC’s too…</p>
<p>Include in your spreadsheet what the minimum GPA is to keep that scholarship too, and whether it’s evaluated annually or by semester. If the money is gone, the money is gone :(</p>
<p>Spreadsheets are great, but I think they definitely lack the ability to quantify the results of the education your child would receive at any of her indicated choices.</p>
<p>I understand in this economy (Believe me, I do. I am a working filmmaker. I use the term “working” VERY LOOSELY! haha) money always factors into any decision. It certainly has mine. I could have applied to MassART (one state away, would give me in-state tuition due to some partnership with Vermont) and possibly paid 80k LESS over the course of four years.</p>
<p>Thats a huge number, and the dollar signs started floating around my head. Yet when I toured MassART, and spoke with the admissions department, everything was telling me “I don’t feel GOOD about this school”</p>
<p>My opinion is that much like any large purchase, later on down the road you reap the rewards of choosing the best product for your personality or lifestyle, as opposed to paying 1/2 the price for a “product” (and I do firmly believe college’s are selling a brand) that is a “decent” fit.</p>
<p>But money is money after all, and it even concerns me.</p>
<p>On a side note : Called SAIC…they still haven’t even reviewed my app, even though it has been complete and in the office for over a month. All those trips to the post office for nothing! haha</p>
<p>My daughter’s art teacher has told her from the beginning (and I agree), that not every school is the right fit for her and she’s not the right fit for every school. Today she told him her dilemma about no merit from her favorite school, and now what does she do, and was bummed when he just said, Hang on, wait for KCAI and somehow it will all work out for the best. I’m a firm believer in stuff happens for a reason (fate? karma? divine intervention?) and I’m trying to get that through to her. Also, your education is mostly (if not all) of what you make of it. You can go to the best school for free, but if you don’t take advantage of it, it’s a waste of your time and theirs. She knows that in her head, but I have to keep reminding her!</p>
<p>Side note: Told her MCAD adcoun that she was bummed about no merit award, and he said he was too, and to fax hoim her award letters form other schools and he would walk it around. There’s also a good thread on the Financial Aid forum that talks about asking for more merit $$. So there’s always hope.</p>
<p>awbacon: Maybe you could call them and tell them you’re trying to decide and could they hurry it up. ;-)</p>
<p>Redbug…that sounds hopeful. Keep us posted. </p>
<p>Would you give us the link to that thread? I can’t seem to find it.</p>
<p>haha…I did call them. Three weeks ago I received a call from admissions referencing the fact my SAT scores weren’t in my app package. I told them that on my interview, I was informed they werent required, since I have been out of school for seven years.</p>
<p>The woman confirmed this, yet apparently never took any action on it. I called yesterday, they found my app was ready for review, but it was never sent on. Basically, it was semi-forgotten about, which was a pretty big downer. This was all due to the SAT issue.</p>
<p>I actually send a very nicely worded email to the Dean of Admissions expressing my dissapointment and fear that I will now be processed in the group of “case by case basis” apps that were in AFTER the deadline. Waiting on a response</p>
<p>Just a big bummer all around. My gf and I only applied to SAIC, and since we are from Vermont, this is a pretty big “life changer” for us if we get accepted. Now I find out there was a minor mistake with my app, which basically kept it from being reviewed. My fear is that this is now to my disadvantage.</p>
<p>Still holding out hope that someone can fast track it. People who applied when I did already received decisions, but I have been told “late april” for a decision. Not a ton of time to secure financing / move our entire life (and dog) from VT to Chicago if one of us gets in.</p>
<p>Oh well…have to wait and see 
My interview went extremely well and my portfolio was accepted on the spot, so thats always a good sign. My only fear is that in H.S. I was a C+ student (except in Art and Computer…always A’s there) and that it will affect my chances</p>
<p>Redbug…let us know about the thread on eliciting merit aid with counter offers. </p>
<p>…I agree about the tradeoffs between fit and, sometimes, money. It is certainly a dilemma. </p>
<p>I remember the repeated advice from my mother …“it’s as easy to fall in love with a rich man as a poor man” which (considering my eventual choice of spouse) I either ignored or it backfired. I suppose I could twist this to say to my kid “it’s as easy to fall in love with state school as a well-endowed private, prestigious school” …NOT. </p>
<p>However, one factor I do think these kids need to think about very, very seriously…do you think you are going to want to pursue an MFA eventually…if so, you may not have that option for a very long time if you leave with a BFA in debt … Would you do better going to a cheaper option, work your butt off, become a shining star in a less prestigious program and develop a great undergrad portfolio and then use the money to then do an MFA at a “prestigious” school? That would be the best route for someone wanting to pursue a graduate degree in economics, medicine, etc…is this true for art?</p>
<p>If you look at the cv’s of most gallery/museum artists you will see they have an MFA. So the path you laid out makes sense. A more prestigious school for MFA will lead to better connections in the art world (usually). The MFA programs give the artist’s time and resources to hone their vision and identity so they are ready for their career. Many artists have a hard time doing that on their own coming out of their BFA programs. Remember, they are still pretty young at that point. But still I think it is a hard thing to convince a young person away from the school they see as a fit for them, though worth trying for the very reason you state. There is something to be said for the peer relationships you make as an undergraduate as well. If you happen to catch a special moment at a school where there is an exciting movement going on (re: Fort Thunder in Providence in the 90’s: [Fort</a> Thunder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Thunder]Fort”>Fort Thunder - Wikipedia)) the artist will be tied into relationships that will shape their work and life. There is a lot of fate/destiny/synchronicity involved here, I think. It’s true for anyone but especially heightened for a creative/artistic path.
I know of plenty of artists who are self taught/renegade as well. Check out Chris Johanson in the movie Beautiful Losers:[Beautiful</a> Losers](<a href=“http://www.beautifullosers.com/artists.html]Beautiful”>http://www.beautifullosers.com/artists.html). He is pretty successful at this point.</p>
<p>On another point…is anyone feeling as obsessive as I am?. The closer the time comes to knowing the outcome of all of this, the more anxious I am getting. I’m checking CC all day while I am supposed to be working. I keep telling myself it is a better way to deal with my anxiety than many other options but I am a bit perplexed at my behavior. I don’t remember feeling this anxious at my own college application process. In fact I was a pretty cool cucumber. Motherhood is bringing out the crazy in me (fear of heights as well, ever since I took a hike when my kids were younger and watched them playing near and peering over a cliff edge.)</p>
<p>Drae: I can’t stay away either! Am getting no work done!</p>
<p>Merit aid thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/878320-more-merit-money.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/878320-more-merit-money.html</a></p>
<p>Yes…I used to hop in and out of the forums during lunchtime and sometimes in the evening…now it is hard to break the habit especially when things are slow at work. We may need to start a support group until the admissions cycle is over…Personally, I think the whole art school thing makes it more interesting and absorbing because it is so mysterious and new for me. Next kid is a straight shot, LAC kind of kid…it is going to be easier (I think) but much less interesting.</p>
<p>Daughter got her merit award from SAIC today, it sounds mid-range, but without the need-based award, we have no idea of knowing if it’s affordable. I hate having all this spun out so long. When my son applied to colleges, his full awards came with his acceptances, so he knew right away if he had gotten a full ride or been gapped. This trickling out of awards and aid that art schools do is maddening!</p>
<p>^^ Agree with TrinSF and FAMM…
D2 and I are still waiting to hear about merit aid from SAIC. A support group where we can all sigh collectively in relief once this is all over would be a huge help! </p>
<p>I am going mad from the waiting - I go completely cold every afternoon, around the time the mailman comes, and then I find the mailbox empty! D2 is being such a brave little sport that it breaks my heart. We don’t even talk about it to each other anymore. We just laugh nervously and I change the subject, directing our attention to her other acceptances + awards. </p>
<p>I’d like to know as well how the merit amounts are determined. Can anyone comment on this?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the moral support and camaraderie on this journey.</p>
<p>I remembered this morning that I had saved some info/posts on my desktop from an older thread from a mom who had gone through the process of asking for more aid from RISD. I thought you all might appreciate it. This advice is from a while ago and Peter Riefler is no longer the director of FA at RISD but I think the advice is applicable to all schools:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>awbacon: Has your gf heard anything from SAIC yet? What a change, Vermont to Chicago. I went from Chicago to Maine and loved it. Would love to have a condo in downtown Chgo, seaside house in Maine and winter house in Florida. Guess bears and dogs & I need to win the lottery!</p>
<p>may be one out of three, not all of them even I won, after paying off artschool tuition x 2 plus post grad living expenses until kids will find paying jobs.
If you’d ask me I’d stay in VT happy happy, but I never been there in the winter.</p>
<p>My daughter got a total merit amount of 44k for 4 years at saic. 10,5 ayear and 13,5 for senior year. I expected more, not sure how to react? thoughts? We basically got the same total for scad but we live in that state and can get another 3k for hope scholarship? Would love to know what you think about the amounts?</p>
<p>right on the target of fammom’s economicking lecture, means your kid is
<p>I am envious of you. It is still an option, yes?</p>
<p>awbacon: Has your gf heard anything from SAIC yet? What a change, Vermont to Chicago. I went from Chicago to Maine and loved it. Would love to have a condo in downtown Chgo, seaside house in Maine and winter house in Florida. Guess bears and dogs & I need to win the lottery!</p>
<p>My gf has a phone interview next tuesday. The site says “qualified canidates will be asked for an interview”…so thats promising. She has already met with both the chairs of each department when we both went to Chicago…so were hoping.</p>
<p>It started out that it seemed I had a better shot, but now its done a 180%…since there was that mistake with my app</p>
<p>Just need to wait (sigh :bangs head against wall:)</p>