<p>So, I'm planning on transferring after next semester for Graphic Design. Unfortunately, for me, there are only three public colleges around me that offer it, and two of them are two and a half hours away: SUNY Oswego & SUNY Purchase. Both of them are NASAD accredited.</p>
<p>However, I noticed that SUNY Oneonta had a similar program, which would be Art/Computer Art with concentrations in Design, Drawing & Printmaking, etc. It is not accredited by NASAD, but I found this in their Art Program review:</p>
<p>The Art Department follows the recommendation of the regional accrediting agency,
MSA, and engages in both Direct and Indirect Measures of student learning.</p>
<p>I visited this college a few months ago and my parents and I really liked it. I have yet to visit Oswego and Purchase, but my mother's insistent that I stay close to home.</p>
<p>So, basically: Should I go for this and hope that I'm hired by someone in the future, regardless of accreditation? My parents and my aunt are worried about whether I'll end up with a job after all of this, and I do have a back-up plan, if needed, but I'd rather be doing something I enjoy.</p>
<p>If you have to stay close to home for health or financial reasons then you don’t have much choice at all. </p>
<p>Otherwise, you need to get a sense of what alumni are doing. I assume your mom wants you to get a job locally too so your options may be limited by your geographic limitations.</p>
<p>The more reputable the program, the better. A major and great grades are important but in art, its great art that will get you hired. The more you study art, the more you will see the differences between good art and great art. Train in the best place you can attend within your limitations.</p>
<p>It’s for neither of those reasons; it’s mainly the fact that my worrisome mom thinks I can’t handle being so far away, and she knows for a fact that she can’t handle it.</p>
<p>Yes, I do believe she wants me to stay local in terms of a job, although I travel forty-five minutes to work because the hours are reasonable and I earn a bit more than working at, say, a grocery store. If it were in those limitations, I’d probably be able to take a job a little farther away from home.</p>
<p>Newsweek also published something about Oneonta being the 7th nationwide among best colleges for artistic students, then it goes on about how the art program is.</p>
<p>Like I said, I don’t want to be going for a useless degree that leaves me going to plan B and spending more money.</p>
<p>I’ve worked at three institutions teaching art and design. Two schools were NASAD accredited, one was not. I saw absolutely no difference between the schools that were NASAD accredited and the one that was not. The one that wasn’t, was accredited by a regional accreditation agency and I can tell you – having gone through the accreditation review process at two institutions – that regional accreditation can be very demanding and you can trust in its thoroughness. </p>
<p>My point is that in my experience, the organization behind the accreditation doesn’t really make a lot of difference in the quality of the students’ education.</p>
<p>An employer won’t give two hoots about accreditation or your grades for that matter. If you are in an art and design field, an employer will look at your portfolio, and then your ability to interact with others, take direction, industry knowledge, etc.</p>
<p>You can always start local and transfer farther away once you gain your parents’ confidence. Or, you may enjoy the benefits of living at or closer to home.</p>
<p>Make sure if you take classes at the non-NASAD school that your credits will be transferable to another institution if you decide to switch schools.</p>