Best public California University for Animation/Digital Media

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>I'll keep this simple, as I've just received all of my admissions/rejections, and I have literally a few days left if I want to accept a CSU. The schools I got into are:</p>

<p>UCSD
UCSB
UCD
UCI
UCSC</p>

<p>CSUF
SFSU
SJSU</p>

<p>At first I was 100% certain I was going to a UC because of the 'prestige', but the more I research it the more it looks like CSUs might have a better, more specified program for animation. Answers from anyone who with experience with these schools would be appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Ah please guys I’m going crazy :(</p>

3

<p>I picked a UC(Davis) over a CSU and while it isn’t the worst experience ever, you’d be better off in a CSU. SJSU has a really strong animation program that is pretty much on par with places like CalArts from what I’ve heard. Only trouble with both systems? Classes are pretty hard to get into due to the budget. If you have questions, feel free to PM me!</p>

4

<p>Great question. You are right–the CSUs have much better developed, richer, more focused and complete animation/DA programs. Son got into a similar list of UC’s and CSUs. He had always expected to go to a UC, but once accepted, he found their DA programs too ill-defined (except for UCLA, but that’s another story). </p>

<p>SJSU has a great program with very competitive admission and strong industry connections. Congrats on admission! SFSU and Fullerton are also good. (CSULB is good, as well, but it’s not on your list). I agree that San Jose is likely the strongest program on your list. It’s very good! </p>

<p>DS ultimately decided against the UC options, altogether–because he was certain he wanted to pursue animation via an intensive, focused program. He had privates on his list, too (USC SCA, LMU, Chapman), and ultimately went with one of those. But he would definitely have gone with a CSU over a UC for animation. (If you want to read DS’s view of ucsd’s visual arts program, see the current animation/DA thread on the Chapman CC forum).
Best of luck!</p>

5

<p>If you are not sure you want to do animation and there is signifigant likelihood that you will change majors (always a possibility), then the broad-based UCs are good options. But if you want intensive animation coursework, CSUs are the best. </p>

<p>Let us know what you decide, stephoosh. You have a great list of schools.</p>

6

<p>Out of your csu/uc list, hands down sjsu is the best for the animation and game industry for any career on the artistic side of things (animation, concept design, illustration, etc)</p>

7

<p>I heard SJSU animation department has no space and facilities are lacking due to poor support from school admin who view animations/digital media as a fringe area of study</p>

8

<p>You may be referring to the “too successful, too fast” growing pains at SJSU’s animation program. Here is a thread from late 2012 that discusses the issues, including a link to an informative article. </p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1390601-art-fight-digital-animation-students-battle-space-respect-sjsu.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1390601-art-fight-digital-animation-students-battle-space-respect-sjsu.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

9

<p>CSULB also has good animation/illustration programs.</p>

<p>(FWIW: A neighbor graduated from CSULB one year ago. She did take five years to finish, but landed a Pixar internship in her final year of the program and now works as a graphic designer at a hot Santa Monica advertising start-up. This is an extremely bright, talented and disciplined young woman…nice to see her land a job in her field).</p>