Hi
Im really conflicted bc i dont know what I want to do with my life
I want to do art (so art school maybe) but I’m actually pretty academically successful so I don’t want to waste my hard work and high gpa on art school as obnoxious as that may sound. I’ve been looking into the Brown RISD dual degree program but I don’t think I my academics would quite cut it (?) my grades are 4.3 weighted gpa and I will be taking AP calc BC as a junior
does anyone have any recommendations for what program I should take
You might want to repost this under the Visual arts forum at: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/ for more specifics re art schools.
Do you know what kind of art you want to do? That will help narrow down what art schools or universities offer that major.
My DD is a sophomore at RISD and had very rigorous academics in high school. She’s an illustration major who is also very interested in STEM topics. She does projects with more ‘tech’ involved (she’s all about laser cutters lately) and has taken several additional classes in Industrial Design & volunteered on the RISD Rover (a NASA competition to build a Mars rover). Also considering a concentration in literature. So still pursuing academic interests alongside art…and the majority of her professors love that and let her sort of go a little ‘off topic’ with some of her assignments with these interests.
One caveat, the Brown program is great but extremely small in size. Students who get into it generally have a very specific plan of what they want to pursue/combine in terms of their education.
Maybe a larger university with a good art department would serve you better? Not sure where you’re looking in the US, but my DD 2nd choice (after RISD) was Syracuse University. They have many well respected art majors + many rigorous academic majors. She would have been able to double major and also qualified for their honors program, so that was a big plus in their favor. There’s lots of other universities (& many strong state schools) nation wide that offer similar programs.
Thanks!
I think I want to paint (?) but I’m open to a lot of options )- I just know I want to do art ( RISD has been my dream school /sort of/ so your answer was super helpful. I don’t really mind where I go (preferably California or the East Coast) but do you know of other schools that have good art programs like Syracuse? I heard NYU is great.
@cluelessnewbie, You might also look at a few small liberal arts colleges that have strong visual art programs as well as excellent academics. For example, Williams, Wesleyan, Haverford, Vassar, Oberlin, Kenyon, Hamilton, Pitzer, Skidmore. Smith if you are female.
For other medium size privates I would look at Yale (super selective) and CMU for inter-disciplinary programs.
I would also note that Brown has an excellent art department in its own right, separate from the joint RISD program.
I see on your other thread that you are an international applicant. Aside from the handful of schools that are need-blind for internations, admissions for internationals becomes exponentially more difficult if you require financial aid, especially at art schools and small LACs. Conversely, if your family can finance your education, then you’ll get a boost in international admissions.
@momrath thanks! (my post on my other thread was actually for a friend) but yes I’m also an international applicant- but i do think my parents are able to pay the tuition
I know that I won’t make it to Yale but is it worth a shot then? I have been considering CMU
@cluelessnewbie, It’s really important that you have a serious talk with your parents about the cost of four years at a private college/university in the US. If they are willing and able to invest about USD300K in your education, then don’t apply for financial aid. Yale and a few others claim to be need-blind for internationals which means that in theory at least they don’t consider your financial status when they review your application. Most, colleges and universities however are need-aware for internationals, and not applying for aid may increase your chance of admissions.
Yale is super-selective for everyone and insanely selective for internationals. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be one of the chosen. The only reason not to apply to Yale would be to use your early option to apply ED to another college.
If you intend to major in studio art, then you can either choose a program that offers a bachelor of arts (BA) or a bachelor of fine arts (BFA). Yale and Brown offer a BA. CMU and NYU offer a BFA.
The BFA is generally more concentrated on studio art and offers less opportunity to experiment in other disciplines. At most schools that offer BAs, you don’t have to declare your major until sometime in your sophomore year and generally have more latitude to take courses in other areas that interest you.
BFA programs usually require you to submit a portfolio for first year admissions. BA programs usually do not require a portfolio; however it’s a good idea to submit one with your application if art is a significant EC for you.
@cluelessnewbie I’m mostly familiar with East Coast schools and primarily art schools since both of my kids prefer stand-alone art colleges and only looked at a few universities.
In addition to Syracuse I mentioned above, universities/colleges with good art departments include: Bard, Skidmore, The Sage Colleges, College of St Rose, RIT, and Cooper Union in addition to several of the SUNYs
I’m really interested in Cooper Union. It was my dream school when I was in middle school, but I heard they ran bankrupt(?)
Architecture sounds interesting
No, Cooper Union did not go bankrupt but they no longer were able to offer completely free tuition (as they had in the past) since they saw their endowment (ie the stockpile of money they had) was going down. The actually just announced that they have a plan to eventually re-instate the no tuition plan, but that’s still a ways off for any high schoolers planning to apply.
So bottom line - it’s no longer free - but it is NOT going bankrupt or closing as a school. See link for more info https://www(dot)nytimes(dot)com/2018/03/15/nyregion/cooper-union-free-tuition.html