I am a senior in High School, graduating in 2018, and for Fall next year I am planning on going into 2D Animation. (Not 3D. I took Summer Intensives in both 2D and 3D and decided 3d is definitely not for me.)
The thing is, after narrowing down what I want to go into, 2D Animation, not 3D, and the fact that I want a 4 year program (which takes Pratt off my list) and also calculating the likelihood of me getting into the school (knocking Calarts off my list) my most plausible options for next year are SVA and SCAD.
Does anyone have any advice on perhaps any other amazing 2D schools?
Which school is better - SVA or SCAD?
Thank you to anyone who reads this and replies, I’ve posted on a bunch of art/animation forums and haven’t gotten any advice back.
Both are excellent from what I understand. My D16 is a sophomore at SCAD and has only taken one animation class so far (action analysis) but loved it. She is also doing 2D and chose SCAD in part because they also offered the storyboarding minor. We know another animation student at SVA who loved that but I haven’t kept up with her parents to see how she is doing. However, Rebecca Sugar graduated from SVA and my D was very interested in applying there as a result, but it would have been too expensive and Savannah seemed to be calling to her . .
Question - Pratt is 5 years for animation? That’s news to me - the curriculum laid out is a four year track. My kid is a ComD major there and is planning to finish in 4, but she definitely mentioned that she’s taking a bigger load than most of her friends.
Thank you for the reply! I have heard really positive opinions on the SCAD campus, and yes, Rebecca Sugar! I would be lying if the fact that she went there wasn’t big plus. I suppose I’ll just let scholarship/campus tours be the determining factor on which school I choose.
And I was always told that the Pratt 2D Animation wasn’t a program… It was a course, but after searching it up myself I see that it is part of the BFA “Digital Arts” which is indeed 4 years; thanks for correcting me! Perhaps now Pratt can be one of my options too…
Pratt has a respectable rep. in animation but not really aware of those details other than to have heard that one of my my kids’ favorite indie animators Temmie Chang just graduated from there - did her thesis in 2D from what I heard.
We just toured Pratt, led by a girl who was a 2D animation major. They have some very nice equipment there, I’ll say that! The 2D and 3D animators have differents “wings” on the animation floor but have some overlapping foundation classes, Sophomore year you must choose 2D or 3D and the programs at that point are different, from what we were told. Our guide was very very happy with the 2D program at Pratt - she had entered initially thinking 3D was her calling, but 2D sucked her in.
My D18 is interested in 2D animation as well. I can’t speak re: SCAD as my daughter doesn’t want go that far away from home (NY). SVA is off the list mostly because there are too many ON her list, plus I’m wary of their for-profit status and I’ve heard they don’t provide much financial help given how expensive they are.
Pratt is high on the list. Nice campus, great facilities & reputation, close to home.
Others on the list include:
Northeastern
Mass. College of Art & Design
MICA
RISD
FIT
Moore
Although they’ve been bumped from our list for random reasons, I would suggest looking at Drexel and RIT, too
Take the time to visit both if you can or at least take a virtual tour. SCAD and SVA have very different “feels” to their campus and where they’re located in the US. There’s pros and cons to both and it will be highly personal based on what interests you/the kind of additional life experiences you’d like to have.
I made a mistake with my previous post- Pratt actually does offer a regular 4 year animation program so it’s back on my list! I’ve asked around on a bunch of websites but you guys were by far the most helpful. I’ll definetly take into account all the things that were said. Thanks so much!
Yes - animation at Pratt definitely a four year BFA program and Animation Career Review seems to keep it ranked in the top 10 as well. Rankings aren’t the whole story, of course, but it is some evidence as to reputation and quality. Good luck to you!
@gouf78 - Persistence or delusion? What’s funny is that, other than just generally shilling for VCU (or for TCNJ, as the case may be), regardless of OP question or topic of thread, the reliance on this “#2 in the country just behind Yale” thingy, is absurd. First, these rankings are solely for graduate schools. Second, they are based on a cumulative scoring from about 10 subcategories. Notably missing from these subs are ID, Animation (there is a film/media sub), and Architecture. In any case, the only discipline in which VCU clearly excels is Sculpture. It is unranked in nearly half of the subcategories, and in the bottom half of the remainder. Yes, it’s tied for 3rd in Glass, but there are only 4 schools ranked…Save your breath.
I am a parent of a junior aspiring artist. Stones3 is embarassing herself. She needs to move on from her disappointment that her DD didn’t get into Cooper.
D continues to do very well at VCUARTS . Just got word on summer GD internship in NYC. best of wishes for all.just a general response for those apparently so concerned about D.
