Help choosing an art school (Graphic Design/Illustration) soon!

College Search & Selection
1

I got accepted to SVA, Tyler School of Art, MICA, and RIT! Still waiting on SUNY New Paltz and VCU (Applied last minute). I will most likely major in either graphic design or illustration, depending on which one I decide I like better after the foundation year. I want to become a scientific/medical illustrator and also do graphic design work.

Before you say “Just visit and see for yourself”, let’s see if you can help me out just by weighing out the pros and cons:

SVA: $12,500/year scholarship
Pros: Location in NYC, great networking, close to home
Cons: VERY expensive (even with scholarship), lack of biology courses, kind of rigid in terms of taking courses within major

Tyler School of Art: $8,000/year scholarship from TEMPLE, still waiting on scholarship from Tyler itself
Pros: Very good graphic design school, offers biology courses, located in a big city
Cons: Located in a bad area of Philly

MICA: $12,500/year Early Action scholarship, still waiting on more scholarships
Pros: world-renowned art school, flexible with courses (e.g. can major in illustration with a concentration in graphic design)
Cons: Lacks biology courses (can take courses at Johns Hopkins, but kind of far from campus), not a very safe area

RIT: Full scholarship
Pros: Direct medical illustration program
Cons: Further away from home than other schools, VERY cold and snowy weather (I get sick easily), would likely transfer out if I end up not liking the medical illustration program

VCU: still waiting
Pros: one of the best art schools, major in Communication Arts with a concentration in Scientific/Pre-medical illustration
Cons: Furthest away from home, located in a neighborhood with high crime rates, won’t receive any scholarships due to applying late (my fault!)

New Paltz: still waiting
Pros: Close to home, low tuition cost since it’s a SUNY, located in a nice artsy town, offers biology, I can transfer out after the foundation year into a better school, that way I save money at least for a year
Cons: It’s a SUNY, so it most likely won’t be as good as renowned art schools and networking won’t be as good either

I personally am at a loss. I like to travel and explore, so the colleges located in bad neighborhoods are kind of a let-down. My top for now is the SVA (I can take science courses at local CC after I get my degree), but it’s sooo expensive and I want to be in the least amount of debt as possible.

I would really really appreciate it if anyone gave me any advice or explained how they/their children ended up deciding on a school!

2

IS money an issue? If New Paltz is close to home then the weather at RIT is not going to be an issue. They have so many amazing programs that if medical illustration not exactly what you want, lots of other similar programs in the arts/design/techie side!

3

I would choose RIT, for the full scholarship. You should wait for all of your decisions and scholarships, though.

4

Please put net price rather than what the scholarships are. Then ask your parents how much they can afford. That will give you your cut line. Be aware that if you go to RIT and transfer out you likely will be full pay wherever you go. There is very little merit aid available for transfers.

5

@rkelly5182 My sister currently attends New Paltz and I’ve visited her during the winters, the weather is only a couple degrees colder than where I’m from (about 20 min from NYC) . Rochester is near Canada, 4 hours away from New Paltz AND near two Great Lakes :frowning: I enjoy the outdoors very much, but I like hot weather and cannot stand extreme cold/wind.

6

@“Erin’s Dad” total cost of attendance:

SVA: $56,373 (dorms are $16,000 YIKES. If I decide to attend, I will probably rent my uncle’s apartment for a reduced cost after freshman year)
Tyler: $44,428
MICA: $55,550
VCU: $44,938
New Paltz: $19,814

My mother is widowed and is a nurse with an annual income of $112,000. I received a minimal financial aid estimate, about $5,000 as a loan. She will likely be unable to pay for most of my tuition, as she is already paying for my 3 siblings in college.

Also, if I were to transfer out of RIT, I would most likely apply as a freshman and not a transfer, as it would be difficult to transfer the credits from the medical illustration program to a regular graphic design/illustration program.

7

With those net prices, you can cross off every school besides RIT & New Paltz.

8

At many/most schools you would NOT be able to apply as a freshman once you’ve had ANY college courses (regardless of whether or not they transfer).

9

@“Erin’s Dad” I meant since the credits wouldn’t transfer over from the medical illustration program to a regular BFA program, I would technically be accepted as a freshman, having to completely start over… But thank you for your input.

10

VCU just ranked #2 fine arts program in the nation per us news world report- only Yale ahead at #1

11

also VCU said at accepted day that financial aid/scholarship decisions weren’t going out till 2nd week of april

12

I really want to stay in NYC for undergrad, because I plan on moving to California for grad school. I’ve decided to apply to FIT (yes, I contacted them and they told me they’re still accepted applications for Communication Design) and if I get in, my plan is to stay for 2 years then transfer to SVA!

13

curious, what happened to VCUarts? did you visit?

14

What Erin’s Dad is saying to you is that if you transfer, you will likely no longer be eligible for freshman grants so you can expect to be full pay. The colleges, not you, decide whether you can apply as a freshman or transfer. If you take even one college course after high school, many will consider you a transfer.

How much will your mom pay? You can only borrow ~$5500/year.

15

RIT
Temple
SUNY New Paltz

I’d say any of these choices are great