<p>When I saw that phrase "my mom wanted something more prestigious", it brought back memories of my disastrous college application process of 30 some years ago. I had one safety school and 3 "prestigious" reaches, none of which I got accepted to. I was miserable at my safety school, and the next year, I kept MY OWN COUNSEL, and applied to 3 "match" schools, all of which accepted me. I eventually chose Washington University in St. Louis, which truly was an excellent match for me.</p>
<p>Beware of living someone else's dream. It is YOUR life, your education, and YOU have to do the work and live the experience.</p>
<p>If you are determined to study art in a prestigious university setting, Carnegie Mellon and WUSTL should be near or at the top of your list for consideration. </p>
<p>If pleasing mom is more important, than scratch the excellent art education.</p>