<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>If you want to read the long version, just scroll down. If you don't, here's the short question: What would you do, if it was a toss-up between graphic design or industrial design, at Art Center College of Design? It is about $19k per semester at the moment, and while ACCD is known for their industrial design, their other programs are great too. I'm just having a hard time justifying $19k for graphic design when industrial design is something you can't really just "teach yourself" and expect a company to hire you based off of that.</p>
<p>Here's the long version:</p>
<p>This is my first post on here. I found you guys through google and am hoping that I could get some input on what you guys think. I feel as if I'm a jack of all trades... something that I am not proud of. I want to finally just pick something and go with it, and be great at it. I'll start by introducing myself––it's going to be quite a read, so I hope you all can bear with me!</p>
<p>I've already graduated from UCI with a bachelor's majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Digital Art. For the 4 years I was at UCI, I felt like I was too laid back, and to be honest, I don't feel like I've really learned anything. It was almost as if I was just going to a UC, just to go to a UC... my biggest mistake :( While being there, I never really knew what kind of art it was that I wanted to do, but that I knew I wanted to go into the art field, so thus the major and minor. I found out that their digital arts minor program was NOT graphic design however, and that kind of put me off because it was all about the history of when computers were put to use in gallery installations, with LEDs, etc. That kind of stuff––not what I expected.</p>
<p>I graduated back in 2010, and started working for a wedding design card company in Pasadena for $12 as a "graphic designer." However, being their graphic designer just meant laying out invitations by their templates, so there is no actual designing other than me helping them move out of the stone age with their stuff. The company was really small––6 people total (including me), so there was definitely no room to grow or move up at all! Calculating the drive from the OC area (Huntington Beach) to Pasadena, full-time, sitting in traffic and everything––after a year of that, I couldn't take it anymore and couldn't justify being paid so little for doing so much, when the commute and the time commuting over there just outweighs it all, and I was basically using more than 60% of my paycheck for gas.</p>
<p>So after a year of that, I quit, and I was basically floating around for half a year. I didn't know what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go with my career. It's the worst feeling ever. I contemplated taking some graphic design classes at my local community college, but after looking at their student gallery, I kind of felt like I needed a much more serious environment to work in. I'm the kind of person who draws inspiration from a very competitive environment, because I am a very competitive person, and what I saw at the CC just didn't cut it. It just reminded me of how the art program was back at UCI, where everyone seemed to only half-ass all their projects.</p>
<p>So after 6 months of floating around and NOT enrolling in my local CC's classes, I decided I should finally give Art Center College of Design a try. I've always known of their programs, and the public programs that are available to everyone from kids to working professionals. The thing was, I was always a shy and quiet person, so I felt intimidated by all of the outstanding work you would see displayed at the student galleries. I finally gathered up the courage to enroll in some classes, and I thought I would start with Intro to Environmental Design and Intro to Communication Sketch. Initially, I thought Environmental design was for me. However, although I love architecture and interior design, by the end of the semester, I decided that I couldn't see myself doing environmental design for the rest of my life. I planned on taking more classes, so during the 3 week break that we had between semesters, I went to go see a professional career counselor.</p>
<p>I had interests in everything––cars, fashion, design, architecture––so talking to her really helped me, and it helped me hone in on what my attraction keeps going back to––graphic design. She suggested that I actually take a class, because it seems that everything I am drawn to, always relates back to graphic design.</p>
<p>The following summer semester 2012, I was completely convinced that I wanted to build a portfolio to get into Art Center's graphic design program. I enrolled in 4 classes at their Art Center at Night public program, for graphic design classes. I took Typography 1, Intro to Graphic Design, Intro to Package Design, and Fashion Illustration. I even applied for a paid graphic design internship at a car game company in downtown Long Beach, and got it! So during the summer, I had a full-time schedule of taking classes and working part-time. It's sad to say, but I felt like I learned so much more in that summer semester than I ever have in the 4 of my college career. One of the professors, who taught both the graphic design and package design classes, really helped me break out of my shell as a designer. He encouraged me to be more confident in my work, to be able to critique someone else's work without feeling bad about it, to be able to receive criticism, and to understand the whole process of the initial conceptualization of an idea, to the finalization of a product. I initially enrolled in these classes to "learn how to 'graphic design'," but essentially, I found out that I already knew how––I just needed someone to push me into thinking about the conceptual part of a project.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, here's the thing... when the semester ended, I did a lot of thinking during the break. I was getting ready to apply to the school, when it dawned on me––is it worth paying $19k per semester for another undergrad degree in Graphic Design, at ACCD? I've always been drawn to cars, and I was always mindblown by Art Center's transportation design program. Their student works are the reason why I came to know about ACCD in the first place, back in high school! Back then, I would look at their work and think "wow, I can never do that. I would never be that good." Now, I would look at their work and think "I think I can do that. I just need a lot of practice!" So, the following fall semester 2012 (which just ended almost 2 weeks ago), I enrolled in Intro to transportation and product design. I finally had the confidence in my own skills, to take an intro class in industrial design. An INTRO class!! Once the class started, I found that I really missed having my hand sketch something on paper––I had been taking graphic design classes that everything was done on the computer, and there wasn't any actual sketching by hand.</p>
<p>Now, I believe everyone would agree that Art Center College of Design (in Pasadena, for those of you who don't know) is the top design school for industrial design, most especially their transportation design. If I were to go to ACCD for that program, I have no program saying that I think the tuition is well worth paying for top education and hands-on experience. However, my problem is I find myself not feeling satisfied in what I want to do. The past semester of industrial design really helped me open my mind and I am confident in my sketching skills, but now (in winter break) I find myself wondering, is graphic design really that bad of a major to not blow $19k/semester for?</p>
<p>I really, really need some input on what you guys think... I know that there are those, like my boyfriend, who say that it is a waste of money, that going to ACCD for something they are not completely well-known for (or at least, #1 for) is a complete waste of time and money, not to mention it is just another undergrad degree (they don't have a master's program for graphic design, but they do for trans design). I often tell him, I want to design cars, but I love graphic design, and I love fashion. I just briefly lost my love for graphic design and doing graphic design, when I enrolled in the industrial design class..... I feel hopeless. I feel completely lost in knowing what my ability is now, I'm torn in my decision! I've made many friends who are in transportation design, and I've asked many questions as well. Although ACCD's student gallery has amazing graphic design and package design, their transportation design is still blows me out of the water.</p>
<p>My first Art Center at Night professor, told me that back when he went to Art Center, he thought he wanted to do transportation design. He tried his hand in it, but it didn't work out for him, so he ended up doing environmental design. I almost feel as if that's the case with me.. I want to do transportation design so badly, but I had such a hard time with it, it just didn't flow like it should! I only took ONE class this past fall semester, and towards the end I had such a hard time keeping up in class, vs. the 4 classes I took in the summer! Now I'm doubting everything I do––the only class left that I would take would be Viscom, which I believe would help me in whatever design I choose to do (I have a hard time finding new forms for my initial concepts, but once I do, it's easy peasy the rest of the way to the finish line). Both of my friends have gotten into the program for this upcoming Spring 2013, one for Graphic Design and one for Transportation Design. Some of you may think, I don't need to go to school anymore, that I should just work and eventually "find what I want to do"––I'm currently looking for work, and am probably going to see how the year pans out, whether I should go back to school or not since I can't even decide between the two. I just love the environment of drawing inspiration from other creative minds, I love the competitiveness as well. I love my cars, I love my fashion, I love my design.. and I find it hard to part with one or the other. I want to design cars, I want to be a graphic designer, I want to start my own company.. I'm turning 25 soon in April, and feel like I am running out of time, that there is nothing I can say I'm proud to have accomplished.</p>
<p>Ugh!!! I'm sorry, this post has been jumping around everywhere. I am just dying for some input :( Please help me out!! I feel like I am having a quarter-life crisis!! >_<</p>