<p>I am a non-traditional married student who went back to college because I wanted training in the arts and a good, well-rounded education. I just finished up my sophomore year at a small, relatively unknown liberal arts university. I have a ton of credits so I am able to triple-major in Art, French, and International Studies. However, I am frustrated with the art department because I am not being challenged and they don't have the resources/ facilities for me to study what I want (sculpture). </p>
<p>I applied to transfer to one of CC's Top Liberal Arts Colleges that has a great arts department and is nationally regarded for its rigorous academics, and I have desperately wanted to go there since I started school. I would only be able to major in Art and they do not offer minors. Since they had already divvied up all their financial aid money for next year, they have offered me admission for Fall 2010 (with fin aid) and I would have to take next year off. Also, because they are on a 4 credit system and I've been on a 3 credit system, my credits won't transfer neatly and I would have to add an extra semester, if not a whole year. Overall, it would take at least 5.5- 6 years total just to get my B.A. in Art (graduating Fall 2012/ Spring 2013).</p>
<p>Ironically, I could actually graduate 1 year early at the school I'm at (Spring 2010), but could only double-major. Since I am not getting anything out of the arts program anyway, I am considering getting the French and International Studies degrees with an arts minor and going off to get my MFA in sculpture (potentially graduating by 2012). However, I don't know if I would be able to get into any good MFA programs if I only minor in art at an unknown school that isn't challenging me. I don't know how great my portfolio would be if I haven't had the opportunity to really develop during undergrad. I could also do an Art and I.S. major but would spend most of next year in crappy art classes to meet the degree requirements and miss out on classes I actually enjoy. Or I could do all 4 years at my current school and get all 3 degrees.</p>
<p>It is unlikely that I would go on to get my master's if I attended my "dream school" because it would take so long just to get my bachelor's degree (unless I went back for it 10+ years down the road). However, I think the level of education there could rival grad school, but I wouldn't have an MFA to show for it.</p>
<p>What should I do? Which degrees and which schools would be important for a future career in the arts? Would having only an arts degree, even from a well-known college, hurt me if I don't work in an arts-related field? Is an awesome, prestigious, challenging school worth an extra 2-3 years of my life as an undergrad? Or should I just focus on going to grad school?</p>
<p>I think once you enter an MFA program, or at least apply for one, acceptance will be primarily based off of your work at the undergraduate level.</p>
<p>I think you need to be realistic of your plans with pursuing art as a career as it’s never a for sure thing. You are not guaranteed success even if you’ve attended the best art schools in the nation(which i believe at the undergraduate level is RISD). There are thousands of kids coming out of schools likes RISD Pratt UCLA NYU Wesleyan etc who all have similar career pursuits as you. The art industry is very much interested in credentials, and I think that just an undergraduate degree isn’t sufficient. I think I would rather opt out to stay at your school and then pursue a MFA at a better school.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input. I am not necessarily looking to be the next Picasso, but thinking more along the lines of working in an arts-related field, like a nonprofit, perhaps a gallery, perhaps teaching community ed classes and still making art on the side. Something I’d really like to do is arts and community development with traditional artists in Africa- hence the reason I am hesitant to give up on an International Studies degree. But I am wondering if going to an awesome undergrad college will afford me more opportunities, more networking, and more resources that will help me realize my goals: for instance, internships at galleries/museums, opportunities to show my work, etc. And if so, is it worth the wait?</p>
<p>I know little about art and studying art in general, but I would apply. I think if you don’t, you’ll end up regretting not applying.</p>
<p>i’m not up to date on your location, but a lot of what your interests can be pursued at any major city in the country. I live in los angeles, and simply on craiglist in the art category section theres a ton of internships with galleries etc. same i would imagine with new york. its about location. a school can only offer so many resources, a lot of it is REALLY YOU.</p>
<p>by the looks of your interest, there doesn’t seem to be a reason for you to transfer up to a better school unless the transferring up is to end up in the big leagues. sorry if it doesn’t make sense, but there’s a sense of utility to education. if one wants to be an accountant 9 to 5, average salary, it doesn’t really matter where you go as long as you have the qualifications and some relative internship/work experience.
now if you want to enter the big leauges and work for the big accounting firms then that is where you benefit from attending a name brand school.</p>
<p>community education classes don’t really strike me as big league. there’s a philosophical aspect to choosing your own advice, and i think you already know what you want to do, whether i agree or disagree with it or not, or whether others do. at the end of the day its a personal choice, and you have to make that, because people praising you or telling you to go to the name brand school only hypes up the illusion of something that you expect.</p>