Hello. I am currently a high school junior who is interested in majoring somewhere in the 3D Animation/Film/Cinema realm. I have been struggling to try and figure out what my options are, and I would greatly appreciate the guidance and/or advice that anyone here could give me. I have broken this down into sections based on my high school specifications and college desires. I have likely put down too much information, so if you’d rather skip the information about me in favor of seeing what I am looking for in a college, then please feel free to skip down to that.
GPA and High School Info:
As of my latest grades, my unweighted GPA comes out to a 4.0 and my weighted GPA comes out to approximately 4.3. School is a top priority, so for my senior year, I hope to maintain this GPA. The only AP class I have taken up to this point is AP English Language and Composition, however, I intend to take AP Physics and AP Calculus AB during my senior year. In additon, I plan to do Dual Enrollment with my local college my senior year, in which I will be taking an English class (which one depends on my AP test results) and a Humanities class.
Tests and Certifications:
I received a 1420 on my SAT, with a 750 in Reading/Writing and a 670 in math. I am considering retaking the SAT for a better score in the summer, however, that is entirely dependent on what colleges I am considering. In terms of certifications, I currently have a certification in Adobe Premiere Pro, and I will have an Adobe After Effects certification by the end of my senior year. In addition, while this does not quite connect to any of the majors I am going after, I do have a certification for RECF Fundamentals of Engineering.
Fine Arts Background:
My background experience in the arts is admittedly a bit scattered. I know middle school classes may not count for much, but it should help better inform about my arts experience:
- List item Band: grades 5-8, dropped in high school in favor of completing foreign language requirement
- List item Theater: took a few classes throughout middle school, took Theater 1 my junior year, was in my school’s fall play my junior year
- List item Photography: took creative photography my sophomore year
- List item Film/Production/Editing: Took a film class my junior year which went through the entire film process from generating ideas, script-writing, storyboarding, filming, and editing through Adobe Premiere Pro. I will be taking the progression of this class my senior year, which continues teaching this process while also learning Adobe After Effects
- List item Writing: I have no formal experience in writing, however, it is a pastime I partake in frequently with a friend and it is something I enjoy nonetheless. I have plans to construct a coherent story.
- List item 3D Animation and Modeling: Again, I have taken no classes in 3D animation or modeling, however, I joined my school’s 3D animation club during my junior year. It being a small club with only a few members, we began with little to no experience. The club sponsor taught us the basics, and through this and countless youtube tutorials, I have gained some skills in these areas. I have since created a few basic, complete 3D models and completed a 12-second animation (although this short animation used no more than camera movement and a one-bone rig).
Financial Limitations:
I am fortunate enough to have parents who have prepared to cover the majority of my college expenses. Of course, this doesn’t mean I want to go to an unnecessarily expensive college; I would certainly rather go to a less expensive college. This just means that I am willing to consider most colleges.
College Desires:
My ideal college would give me the opportunity to further explore the film production process through 3D animation. In essence, I want to be able to express stories through 3D animation. If possible, I’d like to be able to go through an overview of the 3D animation process: modeling, texturing, rigging, animating, lighting, etc, but my top priority is still the actual animation aspect (with 3D modeling as a secondary). I’d also like to be able to go through the entire film production process. I believe there are colleges out there who offer this, but I am completely unsure of which colleges offer this with a quality education. Here are some specifics of what I would be looking for in a college:
- List item The Education is Worth the Cost: Like I said earlier, I am fortunate that cost is not a major limit in my options. However, this doesn’t mean I am willing to spend a large amount of money on a school that won’t give me a low-quality education that won’t get me where I want to be. The education is my top priority.
- List item Good Location: I am willing to go wherever I need to for college within the country (US), so long as the area is safe and relatively affordable. Good internship opportunities during college and job opportunities for after college would be a plus.
- List item On the Smaller Size: I would prefer smaller colleges/colleges with lower student to professor ratio, however, my priority is the education, so I will consider larger schools if I believe the education is worth it.
- List item Social Scene: I would, of course, like to be in a school with a generally friendly environment. However, I do not care if there is much of a party scene, as I would not be a part of it. LGBTQ+ friendly would be a plus but is not a requirement, so long as the school is not widely against it.
- List item Religious Affiliation: I am not interested in attending colleges with a basis around religion.
For anyone who has reached the end of this, I greatly appreciate you even reading this. I know this was a lot, but I wanted to give specification information on who I am and what I am looking for in my college education and experience. I am aware I may sound a little naïve throughout this, and I am acutely aware of the fact that it is highly unlikely that I will find a school that will meet all my specifications, but any advice that you can give me would mean the world. Please feel free to ask any necessary clarifying questions.