<p>My niece is starting the college search process and is very interested in a studio art major. Her mom wants her to attend college or university, not art school. What schools, (preferably but not necessarily LACs) have good art departments? The young lady herself doesn't know if she wants a big school or small, urban or rural - only that she wants to go someplace "with winter weather". She's tired of sunny California. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>A little bias but Syracuse University has a great school of art and design. SU is a medium sized University but the School of Art and Design is a small program housed in the prestigious College of Visual and Performing Arts giving you the best of both worlds. Its also as winter as you can get, with one of the highest yearly snowfall amounts in the continental US.</p>
<p>[College</a> of Visual and Performing Arts : School of Art and Design](<a href=“http://vpa.syr.edu/index.cfm/page/art-and-design]College”>http://vpa.syr.edu/index.cfm/page/art-and-design)</p>
<p>I recently visited St. Olaf in Minnesota and was very impressed with their Arts program. They had an exhibit of the students work and I thought I was in an art gallery, just terrific works of art, sculpture,etc. Winter weather is in abundance.</p>
<p>A friend’s daughter was accepted by several very good art schools, but because she also wanted the LAC experience, she chose to attend Skidmore College in New York. The girl was very happy there.</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> | Studio Art at Skidmore College](<a href=“http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/art/]Welcome”>http://www.skidmore.edu/academics/art/)</p>
<p>My son wanted studio art plusart history and an LAC or a medium sized university. His short list was as follows: Williams, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Conn College, Kenyon, Skidmore. He also liked Brown and Yale. I would add Vassar to that list and for females Smith .</p>
<p>He chose Williams and had a wonderful experience there. He majored in the joint studio and history program. Williams has a famous art history program and three world-class museums on or near campus. The studio art program is focused on traditional media, but is well funded with beautiful facilities. There is a lot of interaction between studio and history and the instructors are talented, process-oriented teachers and artists. </p>
<p>Williams is located in a pristine mountain village, a profoundly beautiful, insular environment, but it also offers close connections with the New York and Boston art communities. Excellent internships and career counseling. </p>
<p>Plenty of winter weather.</p>