<p>D is also looking at RIT for art. Wondered if there was anybody with a more recent impression than tax guy, as that was a while ago. Looking for info about program, attrition rate and how the art and design students fit into the campus. Any other tidbits would also be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>My son applied in 2009 for 2020/11 admission; the portfolio requirements seemed a little strict and they only wanted 2 and 3 d for art and told him that his animation should be submitted to different program(?). This, for S, indicated that they had very clear delimitations about what was art/animation/game design/engineering etc and since he is interested in multidisciplinary approach (now doing FA with animation and robotics at CMU) he was suspicious of programs that sounded very rigid. I was a bit sad since he received excellent merit aid package but he was turned off by the very small size of fine arts program (I think they only had 30 or so full time art students) and the apparent lack of flexibility in being a multi-major or at least take classes outside the major. I wonder if we just got bad information over the phone and wished we had visited to get a better sense of the flexibility issue. I would definitely visit if possible and in the winter. </p>
<p>The extreme cold was a turn off also. On the other hand, we know of a neighbor kid who started in photography and changed to engineering/optics and now is learning how to design 3-d cameras so he was clearly able to switch but didn’t do a double major. He is going to be a senior and has had great internships and overall thrilled with school.</p>
<p>D considered applying this past fall. Her portfolio for illustration was accepted at an NPD, but in the end she did not apply for 2 reasons:
- NPD reviewer and head of illustration said “We’re going to accept your portfolio, but is is not as realistically based as the kind of work we like to see.” Translation: the art you love to do is not what we do here.
- The cold, gray climate. </p>
<p>If her art “fit in”, she might have given the climate another chance. They have one of the few medical illustration programs, which is probably why they like more observational drawings. </p>
<p>What kind of art are you interested in?</p>
<p>Edit: I meant - what kind of art is your D interested in?</p>
<p>My d is interested in illustration, and loved all the technical stuff that is available in the school beyond the art. She has a pretty traditional feel to her work, mostly pencil and ink. The weather is a big question for me, but d says it would be fine. Her portfolio was well recieved by the person who reviewed it and when d was shown work from kids currently in the program, it made her very excited. It is not the most flexible program, but I hope that at least there would be cross over experiences at lectures, events, etc…We will go back to see more of the art dept if this is really one of d’s first choices. She did like it alot! Anyone else with any info, I would love to share it with my d. Thanks.</p>
<p>they accepted his 9th grade (mainly middle school and summer works) portfolio on the spot because he looked much older than he was. I don’t think their standard is that high for general art-art.
people at NPD were rather plain and painfully nice and it made me wonder why.
then I met some folks visiting from Rochester at my job and understood that people there are generally mellow, patient and pleasant. have to be, packed in the snow all winter long.
thou sometimes it helps artsy-school’s reputation in funny way if reviewers are bit snooty.</p>
<p>if it haven’t changed, they have huge welcome/tryout days during early app cycle with modest fee, which include sampling classes, workshops and dorm stay (far as I know no other stand alone art school would openly let kids do sleep over. I was told because of liability issue or something)
since your D did MCAD and sort of MICA stay, maybe good idea to stay over and see how it would compare?
there was one girl went for photo few years back who is no longer active here. suppose it got great facility for photo.</p>
<p>The weather: I have lived in the Rochester area for over 40 years and I don’t remember ever having a problem with the gray weather…sure, we have many cloudy days, get snow, rain, etc, but we also have our share of sunny beautiful days. We do not get as much snow as the north central states, and do not have (for the most part) extremely hot, humid days where you can’t go outside for weeks. I lived in Charlotte, NC for a year, and the whole winter was gray, rainy and muddy! I will take frozen ground over mud anyday!
My son is looking at schools for film (RIT, Drexel, UNCW) and the only comments we had about the weather were: Philly will be similar to home (maybe warmer), Wilmington will be hot compared to home, and you might have a hurricane.
Can’t make specific comments about RIT’s art dept (my daughter went there for Physician Assistant). But as far as the kids fitting in: girls fit in better than boys, as they are in the minority! There is such a wide variety of people at RIT, that I can’t imagine too many being “different”, and never heard of any one major being looked down upon.
Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Hi Phillyartmom: I can speak to your question about the weather, too, and confirm what dlbarber said! I spent many years growing up in the snow belt below Lake Ontario, between Syracuse & Rochester. Yes, it is very gray and cold, but even as a kid the dry cold didn’t go through me like it does in the coastal climate (wet cold). I spent several winter weeks in Philly and thought that was much worse than both upstate NY and coastal NY. If your dd chooses RIT, I think the weather will not be an issue for her.</p>
<p>funny you’d say that, colcon!
what do you think your kid’s “weather genes” are?</p>
<p>now I remember that I did spent one summer at finger lakes near Rochester, I agree how nice it was. however, that’s when classes aren’t on, yes?
same goes to VT or Pacific Northwest. even NY in June (how about you? -anyone seem “Fisher King”?).</p>
<p>thou regular classes are not on during summer, I was surprised how many kids complain about no air conditioning at north east-sh art schools’ pre-college dorms.
kids have different tolerance levels depending how and where they are raised.
I sort of recommend kids go see their dream schools when climate is at their worst plus finals week or something.
you do get used to it, but four years are not long enough, and the first year is the toughest for everything.</p>
<p>Hi bears and dogs, my kiddo cannot tolerate the cold! In fact, before she went to FL any kind of extreme temp, hot or cold, would affect her. Now she is bundled up all the time, even in the hottest weather! I guess her weather genes are not geared toward the cold!</p>
<p>Yes, summers in the Finger Lakes region are very nice. You’re right, though, regular classes wouldn’t be in session! By August the nights are getting chilly again. Really, no need for a/c, especially given the cost of electricity in the NE. Can you imagine what choice parents would make given the choice of higher housing costs or having the kids be a little uncomfortable for a couple weeks?! Summers can be hot! We didn’t have a/c growing up…used open windows and fans!</p>
<p>We visited FL in the summer and mid-year b/c I really was concerned about dd’s tolerance for the heat. Turns out she welcomes it…whew! I agree that it’s a good idea to visit a school when it doesn’t look anything like the pretty pics in the brochures!! At RISD they show the fall leaves and blue skies…can you imagine those steep, steep hills covered in ice?!! My sister went to SUNY Oswego…the wind off the lake is so fierce during the winter (winter in upstate NY starts in October and ends in May) that they have a tow line between the buildings! 
I think kids are more adaptable in general…the desire to be at a place may overcome any qualms about the weather!</p>