I want to go to SCAD, but my mom is against it :(

I live here in Savannah and I agree with your assessment, MotherofDragons. It’s not worth the money in my opinion.

Well what about running the NPCs?
You can throw out names, but until you do some of the legwork, you can’t know what’s feasible. You’re taking about potentially huuuge amounts of money for an education that doesn’t need an expensive residential college.

Are you worried you don’t have the grades to get into USC?

Well my GPA is around 2 and 3 and my ACT score is a 20, so idk if I’ll be able to get in. And I don’t know if Media Arts in USC is good like the other art school.

In general, it’s often a mistake for kids to think they can’t get into their flagship, so the answer is to go into deep debt for some sort of private that would accept them (and offer very small aid.) Go back and look at what USC (and other affordable state schools in SC) offer in art classes.

Sorry, but at this point, we don’t even know if you’re viable for an art program, have the right level of experience and the talent to make it all the way through. All we know is that art school is a “dream.” Talk to your art teachers, see how they advise you. And don’t assume this is all resolved if you can just get loans and throw money at some expensive college. Many, many community colleges have surprisingly good art programs.

Run the NPCs before throwing out another school name.

Well based on their media art page here (http://www.sc.edu/study/majors_and_degrees/media_arts.php) their courses are-

Digital Media Fundamentals
The Moving Image
Digital Imaging
Sound Design
Fiction Filmmaking
Documentary Filmmaking
Animation
Video Game Design
Media Performance
Television Writing
Manga and Anime
Media Entrepreneurship

@PurpleTitan - somehow I totally missed that. I was confused about how USC could be cheaper than SCAD.

Even in that case, though, USC is a well-respected public flagship. The Media Arts program offers a wide array of interactive media, and you can also take classes in the traditional art studio program too if you want to learn traditional illustration and storyboarding. Looks like a pretty good place to get a start as an artist.

Full Sail has a 55% graduation rate and a whopping 21% loan default rate - one of five students who borrows to go there defaults on their loans. That is huge.

Different dog; same fleas.

I also recommend to all artists getting a BFA degree to minor in business or marketing. For many artists, you are your own brand, and no matter how good you are, if you don’t know how to build your brand, you will flounder.

Nobody is out there waiting to discover your awesomeness-the market is already saturated with incredible artists.

What it isn’t saturated with is competent artists who understand the business of art. That’s a potent combination.

Here’s a good place to start:

https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/top-public-universities/s/south-carolina/

From there, look at colleges that fit your academic profile.

So I guess I’ll go to USC, unless I find some way to afford SCAD

Again, please check out other state options if you’re not excited about UofSC. Winthrop has art degrees plus some under digital design and might be a good option if you don’t have stats for UofSC. I don’t know about CofC or Coastal or Lander or Francis Marion. Do a little internet research! And visit. If you’re in-state you are likely less than a couple of hours away at most from a state system school.

I am! But my mom wants me to stay in-state or something less than a 2-hour drive.

Milky–did I miss something? It’s not USC or SCAD…it’s whatever you can make happen for you. There are lots of schools. Work on your portfolio and put it out there for feedback.
Art is something that is personal–you have to put it out there. It’s not like getting an “A” on a test–it’s public.
If you can’t do that–work on your portfolio or are afraid to see feedback–I will say that any art school will be difficult no matter where you get in.

So, for instance, at CofC in the art department you can focus on drawing.

" Students enrolled in upper level drawing courses will further advance their 2D problem solving skills and begin to define their individual goals as artists. After completing Drawing IV, a student may work independently on a self-directed drawing project with the approval and mentorship of a full-time faculty member. Recent examples include an illustrated children’s book, an animated video, and a graphic novella."

Also a great art management program.

But you have to dig down in the college websites. At some point most programs will let you self-direct a major project that fits your interests.

If you are female you might look at Converse. Small and private but substantial money given. Cool story on arts home page about graphic design used in conjunction with staging opera.

@milkynova, @MotherOfDragons comment in #23, you need to be both a great artist and, maybe more importantly, a great marketer of your work - that takes more than a BFA, so choose USC and go after your dream. And if you want to look at alternatives outside of SC, look for schools that are accredited by either NASAD or AICAD.

https://nasad.arts-accredit.org/
http://www.aicad.org/

Just wanted to note that lots of artists (potentially most) don’t work as freelancers; many work as employees of larger companies. So while every student should learn how to market themselves via a resume and basic job hunting skills, I don’t think a minor in business or marketing is strictly necessary for an art major. Could be helpful, though.

OP, why do you specifically want to go to SCAD?

I was thinking of Ringling but the tuition is high there too

I feel like you are hearing nothing, and I’m wasting my time. Good luck and namaste.

@juillet Because a family member mentioned to me about it and I took a virtual tour and read reviews from the alumni. It’s like an art wonderland XD I mean, it’s focused on art. USC is more into science, computer, and stuff.

Look. You’re in driving distance. Come to Savannah. Tour the city. Explore. Read the city newspaper. Look up transportation. In short, visit the city and campus (since much of SCAD is embedded within the city.) and see if you like both.
if your mom won’t pay for SCAD, maybe family member will.