<p>I have recently moved from thinking I wanted a liberal arts college to maybe preferring art school. I still would like to be around people that are interested in lots of things, even if they are focused on art. I assume art schools have different personalities and student bodies like other colleges. Please could you compare the feel of the following:
MICA
Pratt
Parsons
NYU
RISD
U of the Arts</p>
<p>How friendly are they? Which have better liberal arts offerings as opposed to just fulfilling the requirements? Which attract students more interested in the outside world as well - ie have activities, diverse student population etc.
I need to be on the east coast for personal reasons.</p>
<p>I heard MICA now has joint degrees in art/ humanities? Is this a good course?</p>
<p>A majority of art schools do not offer a “Liberal Arts” major as they only offer art-specific majors for people interested in purely art. It sounds like you want to get a liberal arts education but be surrounded by artistic people? Private art schools are wildly expensive, especially if you’re only interested in a Liberal Arts degree which few of them offer. The only one on your list that I know of offering a Liberal Arts education is Parsons. Their program allows you to acquire an art degree alongside a Liberal Arts degree at the Eugene Lang sector of the New School. You would have to go to college for 5 years.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would try to revert back to liberal arts colleges, as you shouldn’t apply to art colleges if you aren’t interested in the arts / spending 60,000$ a year for an art degree.</p>
<p>Thanks for your reply. I don’t think I was very clear. I definitely want art - I don’t want to spend as much time on academics as at a liberal arts college and i am really excited about being exposed to the range of different arts in a 1st year art school course. But I am worried I wouldn’t fit in. I want a friendly place that has some people interested in the world outside as well as the studio! I have been accepted at SAIC but i want an east coast school. Do the different schools feel different or are they very similar?</p>
<p>My daughter was torn between going to a liberal arts school or an art school. She decided she was serious about art and went to MICA. She ended up majoring in painting and minoring in creative writing. It took a little time, but she found a great group of very bright friends with a wide range of interests. They’re all obsessed with art but seem to see it as a way of engaging with the world, and they’re very interested in culture, politics, psychology, history. . . all that stuff provides a context for their art, and for understanding the art of others. I would guess that there are many people like that at other good art schools too.</p>
<p>I would think that RISD would be similar to MICA that way – U of the Arts less so.</p>
<p>Thank you - I heard good things about MICA and the academics. Do you have any information on Parsons, Pratt or Tisch (although I think I’d be lost at NYU as it’s so big)</p>
<p>You should include Tyler School of Art at Temple University in your list. Not only is the art building outstanding you are a separate school that is part of a larger university in a large city with a strong art environment. My d went to Tyler for an MFA but she wanted the stronger academics in undergrad and went to Brandeis. On your list NYU is not especially well regarded for undergrad art, their program is not competitive such as MICA, RISD, Tyler.Tisch is more focused on performing than visual art. Hunter College is actually very strong art school, and in NYC so does Columbia University, obviously no one’s definition of an art school. My d had friends who went to MICA and had a great experience there. Mass College of Art in Boston is another option as is Virginia Commonwealth in Richmond.</p>
<p>Laura’s Dad, Well said! I think there is a misconception about the academics in dedicated art colleges; the courses are by no means easy! Much of art involves critical analysis expressed in the visual form, and students need to be engaged in the world to inform their art, as well as develop skills for professional growth. The ability to write and express oneself is essential for any career. The liberal arts classes at Ringling are structured to develop critical skills, and the academic professors take the classes very seriously. I don’t think anyone should be concerned about the overall quality of academics at the top art colleges.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your replies. I feel reassured that this is the right type of course for me.
I do need to limit myself to within 3/4 hours of Philadelphia so I am thinking of:
MICA
Tyler
Parsons
Pratt
(poss RISD although that is a little too far)</p>
<p>would have loved to have SAIC on the list but, again, too far.</p>
<p>Anyone know anything about the reputation of UK schools?
St Martin 's
Edinburgh University
Glasgow School of Art?</p>
<p>What is the difference in the approach/type of training etc</p>