i just decided that i want to do something completely different with my life.. art..

College Search & Selection
1

<p>i have always seen myself as a professional or political figure. however, i have decided that i want to do art/design. here is the problem: i am a senior.</p>

<p>i have taken 2 art classes in high school and am currently in AP Studio Art. i also take 1-2 hour classes once a week out of school. </p>

<p>my gpa is roughly a 3.3 unweighted. arg, i know it sucks. weighted, it falls somewhere between a 3.5 and 3.6. almost a 3.7 for UCs =)
i have a 2020 on my sats:
660 cr, 660 m, 700 w.</p>

<p>i have some leadership positions in clubs, am running a schoolwide fundraiser, and play a sport. i write pretty good essays. i speak two languages. i don't know, i guess i'm applying to average colleges. </p>

<p>i have NO CLUE what art schools are good, how they admit people, etc. =(
for example, a school like UCLA, that has a strong design program, would never admit me for something like business, but would i have a shot at art? </p>

<p>i've never felt so lost.</p>

2

<p>Do you want to apply to art schools, or to universities/LACs with strong art programs? There's a big difference!</p>

<p>Your stats are very solid for art schools--the most important thing is your portfolio. AP Studio requires a pretty prodigious amount of work, so maybe you've got some pieces. You'll need at LEAST 10 for your portfolio. You have to check with individual schools about their portfolio requirements--some are very stringent, others relaxed.</p>

<p>A few art schools, if you're looking to start your search:</p>

<p>Rhode Island School of Design (RIZZ-dee) - Providence, RI - the "best" art school in the country - down the street from Brown University, where you can take classes as a RISD student</p>

<p>School of the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston, MA - more of a touchy-feely approach to art</p>

<p>Maryland Institute College of Art - Baltimore, MD - a funky place</p>

<p>Maine College of Art (MECA) - Somewhere in Maine</p>

<p>California Art Institute (CalArts) - Somewhere in California</p>

<p>If you want to do art, art and MORE art, apply to art school.</p>

<p>HOWEVER, I get the feeling you might change your mind about this again--if you want to keep your options open, lots of large universities have great art programs, you're not so "locked" into a path from Day 1, and at some you can even get a B.F.A. (bachelor of fine arts, as opposed to a B.A. Basically, you're required to do more art for a B.F.A. in any arts discipline [graphic design, painting, printmaking, etc.] than you are for a B.A. in any of those disciplines)</p>

<p>I don't know much about large universities since I'm not investigating them for myself. I do know that UMass Amherst offers a B.F.A.--but not in graphic design, if that's what you're looking for. You need to really check with each individual school to see if they're offering what you want. Don't try to apply to a graphic design program at a school that doesn't offer one! They won't like that.</p>

<p>Hope this helps you start your search!</p>