Is art college really worth it?

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>So, I am trying to decide my career path, and really want to know if going to an art school is really worth it. I already know that art is my passion. Of course, why not pursue it?? </p>

<p>Of course, tuition costs for colleges are very high, and I want to spend my money & years learning something that will earn me at least a semi-lucrative job. I really love illustration, but I know that the career is extremely competitive and job offers are usually by word-of-mouth. I'm really more for a job where I know that I can secure a means of living. My parents aren't really happy about pursuing art either, and I certainly don't expect them to help me financially after college while I struggle for a job. I really don't want to secure my future on the unknown, and I don't want to waste it. Is an art college really worth it?? What kind of backup plan should I have??</p>

<p>Life plans/experiences would be great to hear too. Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Well what else are you interested in besides art? Maybe it could be possible for you to do both. Some non-art colleges may have a strong art program (or possibly Illustration itself) that you can minor in. You can also do a lot of learning online, although all of the possible sources may not be free (or cheap).</p>

<p>You could also research a little bit more into careers relating to what you are planning to major in. If you don’t like the outlook of Illustration career security, maybe try another field that’s similar, or just something else that sounds appealing? We could also help you with that if you can give us a little bit more info on what you would like to do or accomplish in art.</p>

3

<p>I’m almost in the same predicament as you. my parent’s aren’t very happy that im pursuing film since the industry is highly competitive and jobs are never secure. one moment you can be on top, the other you’re at the bottom. i have a family friend who was working for big hit tv shows (im not going to name them) and then suddenly he/she lost it all when the show was over he/she had no job, nothing, and decided to pursue another career. (let me add this person is a USC film student, which goes to show even if you’re at an amazing school, things wont always work out… SCHOOL DOES NOT MAKE YOU WHO YOU ARE! YOU DO!)</p>

<p>one reason i’ve chosen film is because i love it with all my heart (im not trying to vent or rant on here sorry) and i have a lot of things to express. film is the ultimate medium for me… just art in general is… which is something i’ve always loved…also i aint the smartest kid around town, but i aint the dumbest, and anything that goes beyond the artistic realm is something i cant bring myself to studying for 2 years in school. </p>

<p>although, something that sets our generation apart from our parents is that, this generation seeks the things they desire/want/love. and our parents aimed for things just to get by and to live a comfortable life (a good paying job)… obviously those are very general outlooks, but thats what it is in a nutshell. </p>

<p>if you want to be an illustrator, you need to work your f%*$ing ass off, especially if its something you love, and your love is your driving force, i can’t put this part into words, but if you love something enough you would work very very hard for it…and some people make the mistake of tricking themselves into thinking they love something…</p>

<p>suggestion: start interning now, start networking, get your foot in more than one door, art school is where you will find all these opportunity, as long as you’re in the right environment you should be good for your career.</p>

<p>exclaimer: don’t take anything i just sent seriously, or to heart, i don’t want to make the decision for you, i’m simply giving you my input, sharing my thoughts and feelings/experiences</p>

4

<p>I tend to feel that unless a person is really sure about art school - I mean, 99.9% sure - then they shouldn’t go to a pure art school. Instead, they should focus on the good art programs that are part of broader universities. </p>

<p>Even if you study art at a broad university, it’ll give you more options, both while you study and afterwards, then if you’d gone to a pure art school. What I mean by that is if you change your mind; if you decide to change your major, or to graduate and then go into a field that isn’t art, you have options. Employers will see you as someone with a liberal arts degree from Syracuse, and won’t pigeon hole you into the arts like they would if you came out of RISD. </p>

<p>In fact, you can study art as your major, and do internships/do work on campus/do work for clubs in other fields, to expand your possible options. I did that - I studied art, and did a design internship, but also worked in admissions, worked as an RA, and did other work on and off campus. After my design internship, I realized that although I loved design, I did <em>not</em> love having people tell me what to do with my art. Thus I changed my focus. I graduated with an art degree, but went to work in marketing instead; and I was able to do that because of the other things I did at school. </p>

<p>It’s something to consider.</p>

5

<p>This well detailed paper will help you start thinking about the various options. While it’s geared toward graphic design, the overall advice applies to most visual arts majors: [Making</a> Choices About the Study of Graphic Design](<a href=“http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/site/docs/AIGA-NASAD%20PUBLICATIONS/AIGA_NASAD_student_brochure.pdf]Making”>http://nasad.arts-accredit.org/site/docs/AIGA-NASAD%20PUBLICATIONS/AIGA_NASAD_student_brochure.pdf)</p>