<p>I plan to apply for this study abroad scholarship program. I'm currently a high school senior and hope to participate in a summer study abroad program (8 - 10 weeks) right before I head off to college the Fall of 2015. I'm currently debating on applying for the South Korea or China program. Here's a quick background of me:</p>
<p>My ultimate goal is to be an Art Director/Free-lance Illustrator of my own commercial, conceptual, and illustration art studio that works on an international level. I'm very passionate about designing concepts for games and films, covers for music albums, books, or even magazines, and on many other forms of media. I basically want to combine my love for languages and culture with my love for creative innovation and art in general. I intend to go to SCAD to major in Sequential Art and minor in Game Development and maybe minor in Art Management/Business as well. I also hope to pick up a Masters of Fine Arts in either Sequential Art (at SCAD) or in a Art Direction/Business Masters program at another college. I am looking into colleges abroad for my graduate years.</p>
<p>I've studied Chinese for two years at my high school but I've only self-studied Korean. I would consider myself an intermediate in Mandarin and a beginner in Korean. I am really interested in both cultures, yet I lean towards the SK program more since I've never had any formal education in Korean and never experienced any immersion. But I've also never been immersed in Chinese culture before as well. Although I do plan to spend a quarter or two in Hong Kong (which is actually Cantonese, not a Mandarin-speaking area) while attending SCAD, I'm still debating if I should take this opportunity to enhance my Mandarin. Then again, I'm very interested in Korean's entertainment and gaming industry as well and would like to get a glimpse of their culture and language. Altogether, both countries would help me diversify my art skills and help me build up my visual library and potential as an artist.</p>
<p>Although I show much enthusiasm for art, I love the sense of challenge and really kick myself in the butt when it comes to academics. I've taken about 5 AP courses so far, currently juggling 4 more, and dual enrolled my whole junior year (only two AP course that year), I'm pretty confident in taking on the intensity of learning a language in a native country.</p>
<p>Could anyone give me their insight on what path I should take based off of my prospective goals in my career? Are there any visual artists on College Confidential that could give me some good advice?</p>
