We’re down to the wire here, and son is still uncertain. Just wondered if anyone has any last minute input. He really doesn’t know what he wants to study. If there was one job that would seem to fit him, it would be game design-the person who has the ideas, who can write creatively, do storylines, have ideas about characters and their moves (and looks).
He’s studied animation for two semesters, but doesn’t like the project he’s doing now. He has no formal art training. He’s enjoying Java, and he has a math disability, but so far, is doing well in his college Calculus class.
Top choices are:
University of Pennsylvania: will go in as Fine Arts major, but can move into Digital Media Design, Film, CS or whatever
-It’s the most affordable option, but is also the farthest away and my son has some health issues; he would try to take a gap year. Doesn’t like city life, but does know Penn would be the most supportive environment.
UC Irvine: Computer Game Science
-It’s close to home (1 1/2 hours), but is most expensive (about 2-3K more than Penn per year); also not sure if the math will be too much, but my son was leaning towards UCI when he got into Penn. He likes the more suburban feel, but it’s very large.
Univ. of Texas at Dallas: Arts and Technology major (ATEC)
-Son just got notification that he got an increase in scholarship. It would be more than Penn, but less than UCI. The major seems to really focus on game design and is ranked pretty high. Don’t know too much about it, though.
He’s been accepted at all these schools as a transfer? How is U Penn the most affordable? It’s head and shoulders a better school than either of the others, regardless of major. BTW the digital design program there is oriented much more toward programming and less on the artistic side. LOTS of math. If your S has a math disability it is not a good option.
No, he is a freshman. He is full time dual-enrolled at a local community college, but is otherwised homeschooled and will graduate in June.
Penn is most affordable because we are moderate income, Pell Grant recipients, and Penn, with its “100% meets need” policy makes it by far most affordable. If he were to not take a gap year (unlikely), Penn would only be $4000 for the first year. Don’t know about subsequent years, as I won’t have two kids in college then, but our income dropped this year, so it’s not likely to be too much more.
Yes, he does know DMD is math oriented. He’s spoken to the head of the DMD at length. He’s got a disability, but still does well enough overall. (750 in math SAT, 730 Math II SAT; currently taking Calculus I at the local community college and has a high B)
He’s a late bloomer in math and works harder than anyone I’ve known, but math gets easier (with tutoring) each class he takes, as it’s building upon previous classes.
Still, we don’t know if the math would be too much. If he attends, he’ll figure that out with his advisor/the DMD advisor.
So you think regardless of major, Penn would be the best choice? They seem to offer the most support and flexibility.
I think Penn will probably be a better education for this career goal, and the prestige factor will help with those first couple jobs after school. (although I admittedly don’t know much about this field)
If Penn is the cheapest, it seems like the best choice to me. If it is too far away, well that’s another story; it doesn’t really matter what the school is.