RISD or Ringling Pre-college?

<p>Okay, so I'm in my junior year and trying to decide between Ringling or RISD pre-college programs. I love the fact that RISD is a full 6 weeks and the location in Rhode Island. I plan on studying either Painting or Illustration, and I haven't quite decided yet. I know RISD is a better fine arts school, so it would be great to take painting there and work up a few portfolio pieces while I'm at it.<br>
On the other hand, I am almost sure I would rather go to Ringling for college. I really love Ringling's animation program, but don't plan on studying it over the summer... So now, I'm kind of just stuck in deciding on which one to go to this summer. Basically I'd love to hear stories or have some feedback on both colleges, since this is a major decision for me.</p>

<p>well… I’m not sure why you’re considering Ringling when your justification is that you like the animation program. If I understand what you wrote correctly, you said you’re planning on going into the field of painting or illustration. If that’s the case, you should pick the one you feel will best help you.</p>

<ol>
<li>I have never heard of Ringling</li>
<li>It sounds like a clown college</li>
<li>Seth McFarlane went to RISD</li>
</ol>

<p>a reply to the previous post.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Not many people have heard of Ringling mainly unless they are or have been interested in animation. It’s considered one of the best 3D animation schools in the US.</p></li>
<li><p>It was created by the Ringling Bros. which is a circus</p></li>
<li><p>Known graduates shouldn’t be a qualification for anything especially in a field the person in isn’t planning on studying. He specifically mentioned painting or illustration. macfarlane was in animation. and if animation is in consideration, it’s a wash. both schools are known for having a good animation program. but in my opinion, Ringling is better. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>*side note, famous people don’t qualify because they’re not you. What they can accomplish is totally different than what someone else can accomplish. Success can come from anywhere, so if you’re looking for a school, the only thing that should matter is which school has what you’re looking for.</p>

<p>FWIW, my D did the RISD Summer 2008 Pre-college and loved it. It was a great immersive experience.</p>

<p>Sorry if my first post was confusing. To try and explain:
I’m interested in both painting and animation really. I figure if I take painting at RISD, it will look better in my portfolio (but my portfolio isn’t my main concern). I can’t really afford RISD for college anyways. I guess I’m just a little torn between animation at Ringling or painting at RISD… I’m pretty sure I don’t want to make a career out of painting (freelance wouldn’t be my thing), and animation sounds like a steadier college option/career plan than being a painter. </p>

<p>I love the 6 weeks and living in providence at RISD. I love the fact that it will be a HUGE workload, and like real college. I’m not really interested in going to college @ RISD though (its EXPENSIVE too.) I’ve gotten the feel from reading reviews though that RISD kids seem to be more snobbish… is this true??? I really want to be with some down-to-earth art kids, who are more concerned with the art than partying.</p>

<p>On the other hand I love the feel of Ringling as well. It’s a school I would like to go to for college. I could very easily see animation as my major, but not something I want to focus on during pre-college. Hahah, if it was my choice I’d do both RISD and Ringling, but I’m
really leaning towards painting at RISD.</p>

<p>I guess I am just trying to figure out now which one to go to, and I am really stuck between them (and I don’t wanna regret it later.)</p>

<p>I don’t have any personal knowledge of Ringling’s pre-college program, but my son attended the RISD pre-college program a few years ago and I can vouch that the RISD program has an extremely intense workload. If you apply yourself and take full advantage of the opportunities while you are there, you will go home with several solid pieces for your portfolio. You will also enjoy your weekends there, as Providence is a fun place to be in the summer.</p>

<p>RISD kids are not “more snobbish.” That’s an unwarranted stereotype, just like “All MIT students are social misfits” or “Anyone in a fraternity is a binge drinker.” Yes, there are certainly a few snobs at RISD, just like there are at every other school. But my son – who ended up attending RISD – says that nearly all of his fellow students were extremely collaborative and passionate about art. They had little time to party!</p>

<p>By the way, the kids attending the pre-college program may or may not be RISD material anyway, since there is no screening for the summer program.</p>

<p>i say go for RISD pre-college… for one thing they dont get snobbish until after they get into the school so you got nothing to worry about when its just hs students. My friend went there for the presummer program and had a great time. </p>

<p>If you do plan on doing animation take a figure drawing class while you’re there because that is a big plus for any student trying to get into animation. I know that one of the reps from Ringling warned students not to put it in their portfolio, but if you are good at it then you should. He told me to put my figure drawings in and I got accepted for their animation program. I went to CalArts though because I got scholarship though. </p>

<p>OH warning, Ringling SUCKS with scholarships. They give out like 2 per major, for presidential scholarship (merit based) and like in-need base one and thats like it… RISD gives out scholarship only for in-need and seeing how you can afford to go to RISD for summer program… you are probably not in need.</p>

<p>^^Thanks for the info, both worried_mom and kittybro. It’s nice to hear someone got accepted into Ringling’s character animation program, since I heard it’s pretty hard to get in to. We’re not in the financial aid bracket, but I just won a local scholarship while keeping a few summer jobs, and so going to pre-college (REAL camp for the first time!) is kind of like my huge reward for scrimping and saving through the years. Does CalArts give good merit-based scholarships??? I hear their 2D animation programs are excellent. I’m just about to take a community ED figure drawing class, so I hope to get some more work for my portfolio. I’m also going to attend a NPD, so I hope that will help. I’m definitely not going to end up applying to RISD though because of the expense (for an art degree I might not end up even using.) I might apply to MICA though just to see if I could get a merit-based scholarship.</p>

<p><em>Sigh</em> I hope I will get into Ringling next year… but I’ll probably end up going to state college anyways if I don’t get scholarships to anywhere I apply. I don’t think I could end up truly justifying expensive art college with the parents. :)</p>

<p>Praemium, my D got into RISD off the waitlist and got squat for scholarship. On the other hand, she got a very nice scholarship from MICA and many other schools she applied to, so there is money out there at some of these non-RISD schools. BTW, MICA has a fine animation program. Did you see Coraline? Word on the street is that it had significant MICA input.</p>

<p>RISD is way too traditional, I would not recommend it. The school is so very conservative, and if you are going to art school, it’s all or nothing. I do not know much about their pre-college though.</p>

<p>Ringling’s program is not intense, and you should not go for pre-college. As far as going for college college, don’t go unless you are going for animation or digital arts; they are not known for much else and give very little scholarship. For animation though, they are great.</p>

<p>SAIC and SMFA are INCREDIBLE programs (I went to SAIC), however they are expensive and the schools are more conceptual, whereas you want to enter more commercial arts.</p>

<p>For you, I would definitely recommend MICA. They give scholarship like candy, great history, great program. It’s a nice balance of conceptual and practical. Plus, you will have lots of work at pre-college, which you said you had wanted.</p>

<p>“…U.S. News & World Report magazine has, for the first time, featured an arts school in a spotlight article in its popular “America’s Best Colleges” edition. The Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota was highlighted for its success in developing artists and digital animators…Some 60 employers visit our campus each year to recruit our students. They tell us our students are not only extremely talented but also the most professional and disciplined of all their employees. In recent years companies have been hiring “in bulk” – just one Ringling graduate isn’t enough! For instance, just recently, six graduates accepted jobs with Sony Pictures Imageworks, three went to the Disney Design Group, seven to Pixar, another couple went to Carter’s Children’s Wear, a few at J. Walter Thompson, and others at Hallmark Cards and American Greetings.”</p>

<p>The full article can be found here: [Ringling</a> will be ‘the pre-eminent’ art college | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida’s Information Leader](<a href=“http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090905/COLUMNIST/909051017/2127?Title=Ringling-will-be-the-pre-eminent-art-college]Ringling”>http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090905/COLUMNIST/909051017/2127?Title=Ringling-will-be-the-pre-eminent-art-college)</p>