<p>So it's come down to:
SAIC
RIT
Rutgers, Mason Gross
Penn State, Arts and Architecture</p>
<p>Waiting to hear from:
Pratt Institute
SUNY Purchase College</p>
<p>I am going to school for photography, and I lean toward fine arts. I also want to get into film and cinematography, though. So which school would have the best facilities, faculty, and programs for photography?</p>
<p>SAIC will support interdisciplinary interests. </p>
<p>SUNY purchase has their film program separate from Photo. I would try to talk to students and advisors there and get more info on what cross pollination is possible. Same for Pratt.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the others.</p>
<p>Do you want to be in a city?</p>
<p>I have heard that Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara is good. </p>
<p>If you’ve already applied, Pratt is very good.</p>
<p>D has 3 friends @ RIT for photo (1 is our high school phot teacher’s daughter)- they are very happy there!</p>
<p>@drae27 I can get along pretty easily as long as I’m in a large town/small city or as long as I’m a drive/train ride away from civilization. </p>
<p>@OhioMom3000 I looked into Brooks, but I already live in California. I am leaning towards going back east instead of remaining around here.</p>
<p>Brunch, I hope you either have looked at all these schools or will look at the ones that you are finally considering. The facilities and campuses of some of these schools are very different. Good luck with your decision.</p>
<p>SAIC is great. They have a film center attached to the dorms which plays independent films/experimental art movies. I would guess that because of that, their film classes are meant to train you for more experimental efforts than hollywood ones( I’m not entirely sure though, just an instinct)… It depends on what you are looking for though. Chicago is an amazing city with a lot of great resources for photography. There’s the MCA, AIC and galleries which show photography and there’s also a few darkrooms in some of the neighborhoods where you can develop your film. SAIC has a good photography department though, based on student work and facilities. But art school is very different from a regular college. I’m not sure how many state schools foster the development of a postmodernist body of work, but I am sure that they could conceptually help you(as intellectual development is the support for any intelligent artwork). Do you like postmodern work? If so, I really would recommend SAIC. They also allow you to move in-between departments very easily, so you could be focusing on film and photography simultaneously. As I said though, it REALLY depends on what you are looking for when it comes to cinematography. The movies at the film center are cheap for SAIC students and you get free admission to the museums in the city as well, which are amazing resources for contemporary art/art films. :D</p>
<p>AGAIN, this depends on many factors, but if you are more into contemporary art, living in a big city setting, and being able to have an interdisciplinary curriculum, SAIC is the way to go.</p>
<p>UPDATE!
I got into Pratt and Purchase, and I also got into Syracuse, all for photography. I’m going to be visiting the schools on April 9-15. </p>
<p>I have no idea where to go! I’m starting to get nervous I won’t be able to make a decision by May 1st.</p>
<p>@werwandert I prefer contemporary art and an interdisciplinary curriculum. SAIC’s interdisciplinary curriculum is what attracts me to it…actually, everything you just listed out is why I’m interested!</p>
<p>Have you been to Chicago? 
</p>
<p>(Also if you’re going on a Chicago visit for SAIC there’s a new Rashid Johnson exhibit at the MCA coming up in April- he’s a great Chicago born photographer who did his MA at SAIC/his BFA at Columbia.)</p>
<p>@werwandert I’ve been to Chicago once when I was 7. I’m very familiar with the NYC area because I grew up in New Jersey.</p>
<p>I think I want to get into film, but I’m not sure. I also considered getting more into design/web design and development. I think it’s really come down to Purchase College, Syracuse, RIT and SAIC. Pratt doesn’t seem to be as attractive anymore, but I did get a yearly 15k scholarship from them…and SAIC gave me 44k…</p>
<p>The city surrounding the university is very important to me, and I want to study abroad also. I’m still torn between all these schools! This is the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make.</p>
<p>Based on your wish to explore many disciplines and the need to be in a stimulating city I say, go to Chicago!!! SAIC!!!</p>
<p>Yeah I say SAIC, also I want to point out that Chicago really is an amazing city.</p>
<p>I’m leaning towards Syracuse (VPA) actually now that I’ve visited the school…the transmedia program looked pretty awesome, and I just liked the overall feel of the entire school.
I haven’t visited SAIC quite yet, but I will be there in the next couple days.</p>