<p>Hey guys! This is EXTREMELY urgent... I have to make a decision before May 1st, and the reason why I am still undecided is because I JUST received my scholarship award from Pratt just yesterday, despite the times I emailed them that I needed to be notified asap.. </p>
<p>I'm interested in majoring in fine arts/painting.. and I plan on becoming a artist in the future :) but I'm also really open and interested about other areas like sculpture. And this is where the decision gets hard. </p>
<p>I got a presidential scholarship from SAIC and Pratt (80,000~90,000) but none (and no financial aid) from RISD. </p>
<p>The benefits of going to Pratt would definitely be the location, and for SAIC I heard that it has a good paintings department and is also very interdisciplinary which is good since I'll be able to explore other mediums, and RISD is also very well known for painting/fine arts..but at the same time it has a strict/confined? i would say? kind of department structure so I wouldn't be able to explore other mediums like sculpture per say.. </p>
<p>I am soo confused and I'm a bit lost at the moment right now...I want to go to RISD because I always hear such great things but at the same time, I received a lot from SAIC and Pratt and honestly, it's so hard for me to choose ):</p>
<p>Pratt is a design school, so I wouldn’t choose it for studying painting. Risd has robust programs in every discipline, but SAIC is supposedly the best undergraduate art program, a title it shares with Mica. I would go to SAIC if I were you</p>
<p>thanks for the feedback guys! Its honestly one of the hardest decisions I will ever make… I like Pratt’s location and the scholarship they gave me and how most of the professors there are working artists, SAIC i don’t like the weather really, but it has one of the best undergrad painting departments + scholarship , and RISD is well, risd… but no money/aid given D: </p>
<p>does anyone know more about the professors though? I’m still researching professors from each school…and I would love to know more about the professors from saic,pratt,risd because that is what counts the most for me in the end…ahhh only 3 days left to think about this :S</p>
<p>My son is a Junior at SAIC. He is not in the painting department, but I can say that he’s been REALLY happy with the quality of his professors at SAIC. Most have been working artists (e.g. for Liberal Arts classes they may not be - also some depts - e.g. art history are researchers and not working artists). We have several friends who teach there, too, who are great people. As far as the curriculum, the first year is really tough for some students - very interdisciplinary - so if you’ve come from a more traditional art education background, it can be stressful. If you’re open to new ideas and ways of expanding your practice, it’s great. The other thing about SAIC - there are no grades. It is pass/fail - so you have to rely on in class critiques for feedback. They can be rough the first year or two if you’re used to everyone always giving you positive feedback. My son hasn’t experienced people being mean - but they will push you if they think you can do better. Don’t worry about the weather - you’ll be inside working most of the time anyway. It’s not that bad. My son (he’s in the sound dept.) has had a great experience at SAIC. With the scholarship they are offering, you should definitely go.</p>
<p>The caution for SAIC is that it is definitely focused on conceptual art. This can be disheartening for a student who wants a lot of technique and a focus on a wider range of theory and thought. If you are open to a quite narrow focus on conceptual work then it might be a great place for you. </p>
<p>If you’re more interested in more direct technical and technique type of training and a wider range of focus I’d take Pratt. I think you will find that most of the professors at Pratt are also working artists with some impressive backgrounds…I mean really it is New York City after all. I’d advise you to base your decision on how wide a scope of instruction you want. In the art department, you may find it is wider at Pratt. But unfortunately I am much more familiar with the SAIC art department than Pratt, perhaps someone from Pratt can weight in here???</p>
<p>Chicago is great by the way and the SAIC neighborhood is really great but so is New York City so I think that choice is apples or oranges, both taste good.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the feedback everyone!
artsmarts, and SAICmom, is it true that SAIC focuses on the top 20% of the students and pushes them? I heard this floating around a lot on the forum…</p>
<p>I did hear about how SAIC is more conceptual…I do really like practicing conceptual art, but I also think learning the technique in conjunction with theory/thought will be important…I’m just worried that you said SAIC is more narrow on just conceptual art…
what is the atmosphere in Chicago like? is it good for a growing artist? (ex: galleries, art events etc…) </p>
<p>I’m not so sure about Pratt…I haven’t really heard anything much about their paintings department and as Timkerdes said, it’s more of a design/architecture/interior design school… </p>
<p>if I created a lot of abstract works that were very technical at the same time…which of these 3 schools would be the best fit for me?</p>
<p>I can’t really say anything about Pratt’s painting department, besides the fact that the senior studios recently burned down in a horrific fire and were unfortunately temporarily relocated to the gym (which I work in haha), but I would agree that most majors here are geared toward techniques, which I for one love (although my fashion friend has told me the that the new director of the major is leaning towards a more conceptual approach).
Don’t let the fire discourage you or anything; by the time you get into your major, the studios will probably up an running. First year is foundation, and is definitely focused more in the mechanics of art. All I can say about foundation after this year is that 4D is a useless class, most 3D Design teachers don’t know what their doing, and Color theory and Drawing is pretty useful when dealing with the approaches of the subject. I would think the last two appeal to your concerns. Also, location is great (Chelsea galleries are 20-30min train ride away). If you really want to know more about the teachers, I would suggest going on ratemyprofessors and looking up the fine arts department’s teachers and then googling them in hopes of seeing the work. I hope that helps</p>
<p>thank you naueth! I’m sorry if this sounds really stupid…but are you a student at Pratt currently? I’m actually thinking about choosing between Pratt and RISD now… Is the neighborhood generally safe? I know Brooklyn has recently gone through a gentrification process, but a lot of the student reviews on yelp/<strong><em>/</em></strong> convince me otherwise…there doesn’t seem to be a lot of happy students at pratt haha :S I don’t know if a lot of the people at s t u d e n t s review are being melodramatic…but i’ve seen a lot of trends in people saying “it will ruin your life” hahaha T_T </p>
<p>do you guys know anyone who was/or is currently in the undergrad fine arts program? (painting and sculpture mainly)? and is it really beneficial to go to pratt considering it’s proximity to new york? I’ve read somewhere that even though the school is near to new york, pratt doesn’t really maintain that benefit or something if that makes sense? and that there is no real art community/good galleries in brooklyn??</p>
<p>oh what the! i never knew collegeconfidential censors websites…
c o l l e g e p r o w l e r and s t u d e n t s r e v i e w s is where i got the student feedback in case anyone wanted to know!</p>
<p>Good luck, appears you must make a decision today. I would caution you as tempting as RISD may be, if money is not an issue for you Great, However, please be very cautious about putting yourself in a situation where you come out of an art school with a high debt load. </p>
<p>Re: the SAIC vs. Pratt issue. Actually SAIC’s graduate school is what is top-rated, not the undergrad. The undergrad dept. takes in a very high number of students, they have something like an 80% acceptance rate. </p>
<p>However it is obvious that you would be in that more highly regarded tier based on that impressive scholarship reward. </p>
<p>They have a high drop-out rate/non-retention rate, something like half their students drop-out at some point. Pratt has a very low drop-out/non-retentation rate. Why? Can’t help you there although I’m sure that some of the issue at SAIC is with that high acceptance rate it is predictable that they would have a higher drop-out rate also.</p>
<p>Also remember that these a private institutions. So ratings, etc. can be influenced by PR ability to a degree also. Chicago as a city has a very very strong public arts program, the museum is fantastic and the weather in winter is …well bring thermal. But then there’s New York. Fantastic city, very multi-cultural, very…well New York. Chicago while very hip and multi-cultural is still smack dab in the center of the country. And you’re going to get a little more of that mid-western conservatism, it’s unavoidable and I’m not making a value judgement, just an observation. This was a shock to a friend who was born and raised in NYC and went to Chicago expecting a similar general view because it was an art school. But I think it’s not a big thing at SAIC, but it’s there, most of the kids there seem pretty open minded. This may just be indicative of my friend’s lack of acquaintance with an urban environment outside of NYC.</p>
<p>You didn’t mention where you are from. NYC can be a challenge but it’s also very exciting if you’re open to a challenge. The SAIC neighborhood is very user friendly.</p>
<p>I don’t envy you, you have a couple of good choices. Sounds like the conceptual thing might not be an issue. Just remember whatever school you choose, it’s what you make of it, none of these school’s top grads are top grads just because they went to the schools. They worked their little tushes off also. Also if you pick one that turns out to be not such a good fit you can always leave. Nothing is written in stone. So make the best pick you can and good luck.</p>
<p>thanks artsmarts! I really appreciate all the feedback!
my decisions are going back and forth…I was choosing between SAIC and Pratt, but now I’m between Pratt and RISD. </p>
<p>As for where I’m from, I spent half of my life in LA, and the other at Seoul, South Korea so I’m pretty used to that city life…but I also appreciate living in a quite environment-but i’m not so used to the suburbs…which is the problem with RISD…I’m just iffy about the location because it was literally “no where” and I think it will take some time to get used to…</p>
<p>And for the money issue, I am super grateful and lucky to have my grandparents who are able and willing to pay for my education so I won’t be in debt, but they would really appreciate it if you know…i chose a school that was much cheaper like SAIC/Pratt… </p>
<p>I would be so thankful if anyone could give me more information about the fine arts department (painting/sculpture) at pratt! I’m looking up their courses and the professors that teach there and so far I think it’s decent, its just the student reviews on these websites (they sound pretty honest since no one would pay for bad reviews) where a lot of students were unhappy about their life at pratt, and the quality of facilities. </p>
<p>does anyone know about the internship programs offered at Pratt? I really want to get a experience working/helping out at artists’ studios or any creative company…and do most students find it useful being in a school near NY? And is it exactly easy to commute to Manhattan? I heard something about the G-Train and how long it actually took… </p>
<p>Yes, I am a Pratt student. In regards to your question about the neighborhood, I feel perfectly safe there. Although Pratt is located in Brooklyn, the Clinton Hill neighborhood is generally better than most other places. Of course there are areas that I would not advise going through at night, but as a person who commutes, there have been times when I’ve left school around 11pm and had no problem walking to the subway or anything like that. I feel like some of the reviews you might have seen were a bit dated (I know the area used to be not so good.).
Honestly, it’s sort of hard to spot out fine arts majors in the school. I do have one upperclassmen friend in the fine arts major and from what she’s told me, I think its definitely beneficial. Brooklyn is sort of the new place to be for creative innovation, although I’ve never actually been to a gallery here myself, they have a lot of cool events that are definitely innovative and inspiring. My friend also told me that due to the fire in the school, the seniors happened to get the opportunity to showcase their thesis’ in some chelsea galleries, which is sort of amazing despite everything. I guess that is an example of how the resources of New York is being used in the Fine Arts department.</p>
<p>For internship opportunities the school has a special office and a networking site dedicated to helping students find jobs/internships in NY. Although fine arts majors are not required to get an internship like fashion majors are, the school does give you a bit of help if you ask for it. Not to mention, once again, Pratt is located in NY, probably one of the best places for the opportunity to intern. </p>
<p>Yes the G-Train can certainly be annoying, if anyone should know it would be me, a commuter student, however, you usually won’t wait more than 10 mins on weekdays from 7am-10pm for it to arrive, and on weekends maybe 20 mins? It’s kind of slow, but I don’t think it’s as bad as rural/suburban transportation or anything. Pratt is sort of limited when it comes to its subways variety (you could take the bus downtown and transfer to number of other trains and their is another train that is a 15 min walk from the school. so it’s not THAT bad.) After you get on the train, it’s about a 20-30 min ride depending on where u want to go.
Good luck on deciding.</p>
<p>Just to clarify…RISD is not in a suburb…it is in a small city an hour outside of Boston and 3.5 hours north of NYC. It is well served by public transportation. </p>
<p>Some more food for thought now that you are choosing between Pratt and RISD and money is not an issue. At any art school most of your time is going to be spent…doing your work. That being said…</p>
<p>Both my husband and I went to art school in NYC. My oldest son is now at RISD. I feel qualified to make an argument for both locations. If your are the kind of person who needs/wants to see art in person on a regular basis…NYC will give you that. If you are the kind of person who might prefer or benefit from less stimulation, RISD is good. I notice the kids at RISD seem to be more focused on their work than what I remember about my fellow students in NYC. There was just so much pulling us…shows, music, museums, people watching, shopping. It is very stimulating and exciting. It is not as if there is nothing to do in Providence but there is not as much pulling you out of the studio…that could be a good thing in the long run.</p>
<p>drae27 and naueth thank you for the advice! -and everyone really!! its nice to hear some info about Pratt from a student. </p>
<p>drae27 when you were an art student in nyc, did you find being in the city beneficial for a fine artist? the only thing thats killing me is that at pratt, i could make connections with galleries in new york, however for risd - while there would still be galleries- it wouldnt be the same as new york…As for me, i look at art on a day to day basis but its all through online art blogs which I find quite helpful- i dont feel the need to go to museums …</p>
<p>im just confused whether it is really worth it to go just to a school mainly because its near new york (pratt) and the connections with galleries I’ll get as a fine artist, or choose RISD for the education… </p>
<p>drae27, does your son find that a lot of fine art students at risd get well known gallery connections (or any) after or during graduation?? and what do most fine artist undergraduates there do after grad???</p>
<p>It might be too late…maybe you made your decision but here’s my 2 cents:
My son is studying ID…so I can’t speak to fine art internships. </p>
<p>I suppose you will be wanting to become an assistant to an artist. Let’s think through how that would happen.
Here are a couple of scenarios:
You meet a teacher who you really hit it off with and become their assistant (most likely)
You ask your teachers if they know of any artists looking for an assistant.
Your school has an internship board or file with potential openings.
You learn about an artist you love and you contact them by email to find out if they might be needing an assistant.
You go to openings and schmooze. You meet the artist or other artists at the opening and then trade contact info and then make inquiries. </p>
<p>Only number three would be dependent on NYC and could even happen in Providence.</p>
<p>More about NYC…there are more openings and shows than you will ever be able to go to. When I young it was important to me know what was going on in the art world to understand what other artists were thinking/doing and what critics and dealers were valuing. But the shadow side of that was that I was not developing my own voice. I was too outer focused. I really educated myself about contemporary art and I value that time but as I get older I need it less and less. This is really a very personal thing and I couldn’t tell you what is right. But it is something to sit with and know about yourself. The other thing I would like to mention about NYC is that is can make a young person feel very small…I feel like I am being a bit negative here but it is something to talk about. In NYC you are around very accomplished people and lots of money is flowing around. If you are the kind of person who compares yourself to others or has a voice that tells yourself you are not good enough, you are going to be in a constant internal battle in NYC. If you are going out always looking at art made by people who are further along than you, you might feel challenged and inspired to push yourself harder and dig deeper to make stronger and stronger work but sometimes you might feel the “why bother” feeling. Look, this could come up anywhere and it is one of the challenges of doing fine art in general. I am just saying…NYC is a cauldron for all of those issues to rise to the surface and hit you in the face. So know yourself…do you have a strong ego? Do you tend to be confident and able to handle those negative internal voices that can niggle at you. If yes…consider NYC. If you are a bit more insecure (not necessarily a bad thing at this age) and sensitive maybe you might appreciate more time to grow stronger in your work in a more monastic like environment. </p>
<p>Please remember you are very young (I write this for all students here) and there is so much ahead of you. It is very likely that if you are pursuing fine art you will go to grad school. If so …that is when it will be really important to make connections or set yourself up to get a teaching position. If not you will need to learn about applying for grants, fellowships and residencies. Most artists are not overnight sensations. It is a long road that needs dedication and patience to traverse. I remember an art professor telling my class that we should all burn our work when we graduate. He was saying not to overvalue our young work…that we had so much more to learn before it would be of any worth. I remember we students were outraged…how dare he insult our work like that? And while I do think there are some geniuses out there who do amazing work at a young age (Basquiat…the prince) I do think my professor was on to something.</p>
<p>I’d definitely give Saic a second look. As a fine arts school SAIC outclasses pratt, which is much more of a design school. To be frank, I would not study painting at Pratt. If you were talking about interior design, architecture, or industrial design, then I would definitely recommend Pratt, but this isn’t so. Furthermore, your studying painting, which is inherently formal and inextricably tied to technique. On the formal vs conceptual tendencies of disciplines, painting falls squarely on the side of formalism, in comparison to photography/video/performance, so regardless of where you go you’ll be exposed to technique. </p>
<p>Now, Risd is a strong fine arts school and an exceptional design school but if what your doing is painting, then I think Saic would be the best choice in terms of the renown of its painting department. Risd may be Risd, but its certainly no option if it’ll put you 200k in debt (unless your lifestyle allows for this).</p>