<p>My daughter loves art, and is an A-B student, wanting a career in art of some kind -- not sure which area.</p>
<p>What advice can you offer about her job marketability in the field is she graduates from an art-dedicated college versus a liberal arts university degree in art?</p>
<p>Schools you would recommend to her?</p>
<p>She is also a top athlete in soccer and softball, and hopes to pursue those things as well, if that helps in your advice.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Well - we all know that art is a tricky field to go into... while there are no guarentees in any job, there are certainly no guarentees in an art vocation. I'd recommend that she DOUBLE major in something like art and business, or art and computer science. If she has that addition of business or technology, she may have an easier time finding a job post college. </p>
<p>I would definitely go into the arts sub-forum part of this site to figure out schools that have good arts programs. In addition, there is this book that has a list of colleges that have really strong 'x' programs (I don't remember the name of the book, but I'm pretty sure it has a blue and yellow cover). I wouldn't buy the book though - get it fromyour public library.</p>
<p>I'd say if she's not sure, try to find a college with as broad a range of programs as possible. To be honest, her uncertaintly makes it more likely that she'll be admitted to a university with a good arts program than to an art school, because art schools are hyper-focused on portfolios and really want kids to show dedication to their art.</p>
<p>Certain schools names hold a lot of weight in the art world- MICA, Pratt, Cranbrook, SVA, RISD, etc. But what employers will be focused on is portfolio, portfolio, portfolio. So it's important to pick a school not just for the name, but for professors she interested in studying with, classes and programs she wants to take, and other things that will help her develop her talents. This can be hard if she doesn't know what she wants to study. Does she at least have some amount of direction- fine arts (painting, sculpture, etc.) vs. commercial arts (graphic design, photography, animation)?</p>
<p>Her marketability depends entirely on what she intends to do with her art after college. If her passion is fine arts, and she wants to become an "artist" after college, then she will have a harder time finding a job. That said, if she wants to be an artist then the best idea for her is a small liberal arts college, like Bard. She could also try some place like Cooper Union if she is phenomenal.</p>
<p>If she intends to go into an art-related field after college, then job stability and ease will substantially increase. The are tons of jobs in the arts, most that we don't even think of. She (and you) should look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook, <a href="http://www.bls.gov/oco/%5B/url%5D">http://www.bls.gov/oco/</a> , because it tells you exactly what jobs are out there, hours, what's needed to become this, etc.</p>
<p>If she wants to go into an art-related field, then she should look into art colleges... ex. Pratt, RISD, Parsons (if she's into fashion), some Californian film schools (if she wants to do that.) I chose RISD because my parents always made me conscious of marketability... I know that RISD will ensure a job right after college. But it all depends on what your daughter wants to do.</p>
<p>Cinderellie, Theres no right answer to this question as personal choice and FIT are so important in college choice. My son studies art studio and art history at a small liberal arts college. My husband has an MFA from an art school and I have a BA in art history from a huge university, so we have three completely different routes represented just in our family!</p>
<p>I wouldnt worry about career and hire-ability just yet. Graduates from all kinds of schools do well (or dont) so unless shes looking for a very specific career, e.g. graphic artist, Id concentrate on finding the type of school that fits her best and put off the career connection for now. </p>
<p>Art schools and colleges that have strong art departments also have strong connections to the artworld both commercial and public -- and can be very helpful with career counseling and in placing kids in internships, summer jobs and post-graduate programs.</p>
<p>The major difference between an art school and a liberal arts college or university is that at an art school all of her classmates will be concentrating on art 24/7. At a college or university she would have colleagues who are studying a wide range of disciplines and be exposed in the dorm, at dinner to more general ideas and stimuli.</p>
<p>If she decides to investigate the non-art school route, then I suggest that she look at both large universities and smaller liberal arts colleges. I have to admit that I am unabashedly prejudiced toward the latter for an excellent balanced education. </p>
<p>LACs, in general though, are more focused on traditional media like painting, drawing, printmaking, photography. For new media, technology based media or graphic arts and design you have to go for an art school or a large university.</p>
<p>In my other post on the Parents forum I listed some of the colleges that my son found were especially good for art (and in his case art history). Among these the schools that are would be very responsive to the artist/athlete profile would be Williams, Hamilton and Kenyon. If shes able or willing to play her sport at a varsity level then she REALLY has a good hook.</p>
<p>What you want to look for is a college that has access to good museums and an art department that is well funded and supported (look at the number of majors, the number and experience of the faculty, courses taught each semester, what media they offer). </p>
<p>When you visit the school be sure to take a look at the studio facility and see what kind of space and equipment they offer. The art department is seldom on the official tour so you have to strike out on your own. When she gets to that point, she should set up an appointment with an art instructor to get a first hand view of what the school offers and how they teach. Some are more theory based; some more process.</p>
<p>Colleges need artists just like they need tuba players and pole vaulters. Talent and achievement in studio art can be a valuable hook, especially at the schools that have serious art programs that they need to support. The smaller schools are always looking for multi-faceted kids who can contribute to the campus community in more than one area.</p>
<p>unless your daughter is only interested in art and design fields. where a backup career to her first choice career is also within the art and design field, than i recommend her to go to an art schoool.
i say this because if she has another interests, even though its minor and may not even think about pursuing it as a career, art school will prevent her from studying something else besides art. at an art school everything and i mean everything is about art or design.
including the liberal arts classes, most all of them will consist of how "whatever liberal art class" affects a designer or artists. I go to an art school. I know.</p>
<p>Coming out of high school I had in my mind a design field as my number 1 goal to pursue and to learn. but being in art school now i realize and feel i'm limited to things that only involve art, and i discovered other interests that i personally wouldn't mind pursuing. </p>
<p>make sure, that your daughter is in love with art and there is no confusion with just a like/interest.</p>