<p>I am currently enrolled at the University of Vermont, but planning on transferring to an art school for Photography and Sculpture. I got into both SAIC and MICA, both with about $10,000 of scholarship money, so at this point the only concerns are academics, school vibe, and location. I'm wondering what you all think of the two schools. I've read many posts on both the schools, however the posts where old, and I want to try and get a fresh opinion. Thank you for your help!</p>
<p>My daughter is about to graduate from MICA, and it’s been a great college for her. However, she’s a painting major, which is one of MICA’s top departments in terms of reputation. Word on the street is that MICA’s photography department is pretty poor, but sculpture’s quite interesting. Don’t know much about SAIC’s specific photography and sculpture programs, but in general, SAIC’s a good comparable college to MICA, as you’ll find similar teaching philosophies and aesthetics. I think both colleges tend to have stronger fine art leanings than hardcore design sensibilities, but there are plenty of exceptions. The campus experiences are quite different, though. MICA has a real honest-to-god college campus, although city traffic travels through it. In my own opinion, there’s a greater sense of a cohesive college community at MICA than at SAIC. The drawback to MICA is that it’s located next to some pretty dicey neighborhoods, so you’ll have to look out for yourself. The college tries very hard to keep students safe by offering campus shuttle rides all over the immediate area. Although MICA’s definitely an urban campus, SAIC is truly that way, being located in heart of the Chicago Loop, which means that it feels a whole lot more like, say, NYU or Boston U, albeit a whole lot smaller in school population size. The Loop’s generally a better, safer place to be walking 24-7, although I certainly wouldn’t categorize it as worry-free. Chicago’s significantly more subject to bitter cold weather than Baltimore, and it seems to last a whole lot longer in the winter/spring months. Both cities are easily accessed via air and train, although MICA’s campus seems to be a bit easier to get to, as it’s super close to Baltimore’s Penn (Train) station as well as a a Light Rail stop right on campus that goes directly to Baltimore’s BWI airport. Also, cheap buses to Philly and NYC leave all the time from Baltimore Penn. Generally, there’s a whole lot more to do in Chicago than in Baltimore. However, once you get a little older and want to move out of the dorm, which will probably happen right after your freshman year, you’ll find that affordable close-to-campus housing is easier to find in Baltimore than in Chicago. Unless your parents are well off, you’ll find that housing in the Loop in completely unaffordable, thus you’ll have to live in a more distant suburb and ride the local trains (L) into the Loop.</p>
<p>"although MICA’s campus seems to be a bit easier to get to, as it’s super close to Baltimore’s Penn (Train) station "</p>
<p>Seems to be about the same in terms of ease to get to. SAIC is literally about 6 to 8 blocks safe walking distance from the Chicago Amtrak and the Chicago train system is considered to be quite good and the Loop is full of train stops. But SAIC is definitely a more urban feel. I think the NYU comparison was good excepting that you are also in the heart of the theater area and a better variety of restaurants. It’s almost like a mini-NY squeezed into a smaller number of blocks so there’s more variety right in the immediate vicinity than at NYU.</p>
<p>MICA seems to be a great school but I always hear that the neighborhood is “dicey” which makes me conclude that this is not just a “concern” but that students have had some real problems around there. fannie6 would you say that has been your daughter’s experience or is it more just a general feeling. My kid is a real walker the impression I get of MICA from both parents, students and teachers who recommended it is that it’s almost beyond “dicey” in term of out-lying area.</p>