California College of the Arts

<p>I went on **************.com & got really great stuff except for the fact that half of the school is in Oakland & students have a hard time with it. I'm looking into Photography
Any information will be very much appreciated.</p>

<p>I went to CCA for foundation year and then transferred. CCA has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco. Photography is based in Oakland so if you get an apartment around that area (there are many choices in the area so it shouldn’t be a problem. Not to mention it’s cheaper than living in SF) you should be fine. I believe that all the photography classes are based on Oakland so there probably won’t be a need for you to commute between campuses. If you do need to go to the SF campus, CCA has a free shuttle bus that runs between the campuses at certain times. Are you applying as a freshmen? Transfer?</p>

<p>Well helloooo again! :)</p>

<p>I’m thinking about applying, as a freshman.
I’m just worried about the Oakland thing bcz I read on ***********<strong><em>.com that it was a bad area & students were getting mugged & stuff - I live in metro Detroit & I’m looking for a CHANGE from all that *</em></strong> lol</p>

<p>Did you have a good time there?
Do you feel you got your money’s worth??
(Same q’s haha)</p>

<p>Regarding safety, it depends on what kind of place you live in and what kind of environment you’re use to. You’ll hear differing opinions from people who have lived in oakland and are use to its environment, and people who aren’t used to that environment. Oakland is pretty well known for crimes, but there will be people who tell you that the CCA oakland campus is on the better side of town.<br>
In my personal experience visiting the oakland campus several times, I feel like CCA is almost at the border of the good side of town and the bad side of town. To the left of CCA is a nice street with nice mom&pop shops and decent restaurants. To the right of CCA you’ll see a plaza that has big stores like Safeway where someone had just been shot at 9:30 in the morning the last time I visited. I don’t live near CCA to know whether or not that’s a common occurrence or if that was a rare occasion. I do have friends who live near that area though and they take jogs at 11 at night without worry and I know people who were around when shootings/theft occurred. I guess with any place you need to be cautious. Perhaps you might just have to be a little more than cautious around CCA.</p>

<p>0.0 Okay
Did you hear if the photography program was good?
Do you think this school is respectable?
Do you know if they help you get internships, or set up your portfolio?</p>

<p>Personally, I thought the area CCA is in (Rockridge) was relatively safe. I mean occasionally, a student will get mugged but that’s going to happen on any college campus in any city. I didn’t feel like safety was an issue. Someone did get shot at Safeway during my freshmen year once but it was at 3am (not a student). But at the same time, I’ve walked to and from the bart station after 11pm and felt safe. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about the safety issue too much.</p>

<p>The area was pretty friendly. Blick’s is right across the street and there were numerous food places to choose from to eat that weren’t terribly expensive. </p>

<p>I felt like I was getting my money’s worth but I always wanted to go to New York so that’s why I transferred. Otherwise, I’d still be there haha. CCA is definitely a respectable school. I don’t know much about the photography program but my friends who are photo majors seem to like it. I’m not sure about the internship part with photography but for industrial design, a internship is required for junior year and they already have a list of places to help set you up with one. They might have the information on the CCA website.</p>

<p>CCA had this chill type of atmosphere to it that I enjoyed. (That wasn’t to say the students were lazy). Also, San Francisco is definitely accessible if you need to get away from Oakland. I still miss CCA. I had some of the best moments in the span of my short 19 years of life there haha.</p>

<p>PP is back!
there was one kid wanted to know about CCA and I said to look for you.
did s/he contact you?
even haven’t now s/he can read it here, all the better.
glad you are doing fine.</p>

<p>haha yeah, the person did end up messaging me! and thanks (:</p>