<p>I got into both SAIC and MICA with around the same amount of financial aid (both around $20,000/year) so now I need to decide which school to go to. It would be great if I could hear what other people think about both schools to sort of help out in the decision making process. I would also really like to know what the foundation programs at both schools are really like and if you felt like you learned a lot of the basics. I would really like a school that provides a strong foundation before going into concepts and theories because I have a weak background as I have only recently started drawing seriously.
All comments and input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/492364-saic-mica-pratt-sva.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/492364-saic-mica-pratt-sva.html</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/475372-mica-questions.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/475372-mica-questions.html</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/404643-mica-freshman-year.html?highlight=mica%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/404643-mica-freshman-year.html?highlight=mica</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/143548-mcad-saic-anyone.html?highlight=saic%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/143548-mcad-saic-anyone.html?highlight=saic</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/59200-school-art-institute-chicago-its-peers.html?highlight=saic%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/59200-school-art-institute-chicago-its-peers.html?highlight=saic</a></p>
<p>If it means anything I'll at MICA next year!! lol</p>
<p>I have seen both schools, and here is my take:</p>
<p>SAIC is very well known for its photography program and and also fine arts programs,although they do have other majors.</p>
<p>MICA is very well known here in Maryland for fine arts, its flexibility for majors( yuou can actually design your own major), duel enrollment in BFA and MFA (which is only 5 years), and its MFA in art education. It has just put a LOT of emphasis in its digital arts program,but I know little about it. </p>
<p>One other major difference about MICA is that they put a lot of emphasis into liberal arts. They don't just give their liberal arts "lip service." You can even take courses at Johns Hopkins.</p>
<p>I got the feeling that SAIC is a good, stereotypical fine arts school with the pros and cons fo a typical fine arts school ( mediocre liberal arts for example). MICA is a cross between RISD and a school like SAIC in that they emphasize their liberal arts greatly. You really need to check out both school.</p>
<p>I would love to visit both schools but am deterred by the cost of getting from my home in California to either of those cities on such short notice. I have looked at all the other discussions of the schools but I haven't been able to find information about what I am currently concerned about...a strong foundation course in the basics. I am going in for a fine arts major and I would really like it if the school that I go to teaches me the skills I need to express myself.</p>
<p>sixinvader, frankly, I think that both SAIC and MICA will give you a great foundation in fine arts. The question is what do want after that? I think I have given you a good comparison between the schools.</p>
<p>Also, I can't understand how you can be deterred by cost. You will be committing over $100,000 to whatever school you attend. Spending an extra $1,000 to check them out shouldn't be a deterrent. If you don't have that kind of money, go to a much cheaper institution such as Mass College of Art or take the one that gives you the lowest cost net of scholarships.</p>
<p>He said he got $20,000/year to both though, which is a killer scholarship. I wouldn't turn that down! Sheesh SAIC only gave me $5,600.</p>
<p>I know that MICA really likes the foundations of art. Out of all the schools I showed my work to (at national portfolio day, private interviews, school visits, etc.) MICA seemed to like mine the best. My portfolio was mostly academic - still lifes, figure studies, etc. I too want to master the foundational skills before moving on to conceptualization and whatnot. I think MICA is a great choice for this method of learning. And as Taxguy said, they have great liberal arts too! You can take classes at JHU! I want to take Spanish classes there if possible.</p>
<p>SAIC has great facilities, great location, amazing dorms, but remember that MICA is also very close to NYC and Washington DC. Their students win a lot of fellowships and awards (a significant number of Fullbright scholars and Javitz fellows in the last few years) I haven't visited their campus but I talked a lot of students who went to their Precollege and they all say the dorms and buildings are great. </p>
<p>So don't let either facilities deter you. They're both great schools. If you are still absolutely tied on a decision, look at the costs (even with same scholarship, one has to be at least a bit cheaper I would guess) and let money decide for you. I'm sure you'll be happy at either place (and they're both AICAD schools, so you could spend a semester at SAIC if you went to MICA, or vice versa)</p>
<p>I just want to put my 2c in here - MICA is not just an "academic art" school. Actually, we're really not an "academic art" school at all. Depending on the major you're going into, foundation can be academic or it can be completely abstract. For me, it's been near-entirely dependent on building conceptual skill. It depends on what your counselor thinks you need.</p>
<p>Well the thing is taxguy, I don't have a thousand dollars just laying around but I could get loans for tuition...so at this time, the cost of the tickets is a bit of a deterrent.</p>
<p>Our tour guide at SAIC transferred in from a comm college, so she wasn't able to answer any questions on the foundations courses. I do know studio courses are long (9-5 with a one hour break for lunch), but I guess that's typical for an art school.</p>
<p>Upsides to SAIC: great city and facilities. Security seemed really good too.
Downsides: no meal plan, buildings located far apart (not good during Chicago winters), I am not comfortable with the pass/fail system.</p>
<p>It's a shame that SAIC doesn't pair up with one of the universities in Chicago to offer liberal arts courses, because these courses do appear to be an afterthought just to meet BFA requirements. On the bright side, you won't have to buy books because they typically don't use them.</p>
<p>Comments I've heard about SAIC are "too conceptual", "you have to be very self-motivated", "great grad school, but not so great undergrad"</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we saw very little student work while we were there. This may have been due to the timing (late summer). I hope what we saw was stuff left behind by younger kids in summer camps, and not the SAIC students.</p>
<p>Advmom notes,"It's a shame that SAIC doesn't pair up with one of the universities in Chicago to offer liberal arts courses, because these courses do appear to be an afterthought just to meet BFA requirements. On the bright side, you won't have to buy books because they typically don't use them.</p>
<p>Response: yes, this is sadly typical of most stand alone art schools,which is why I like schools like MICA and RISD. They do emphasize quality and rigor in their liberal arts.</p>
<p>Another question, does MICA always offer individualized course scheduling and eligibility for advanced placement in studio and liberal arts courses or is that a benefit of getting a scholarship? Because I have been looking through the forums and it seems like the counselors are very accessible at MICA. Is this the same at SAIC or is it harder to talk to the counselors?</p>
<p>The counselors are soooo nice at MICA. Mine was so excited when I told her I sent in my deposit today. They are very helpful. You can get advanced placement through AP credits (must score a 4 or a 5, I think). As far as personalized placement, I was told scholarship finalists get priority placement but I'm sure they will work with any student the best they can.</p>
<p>Not sure about SAIC. But I do know that even with my acceptance letter and stuff, they didn't send me a handwritten note or random helpful emails like the MICA counselor did.</p>