Okay, well I received a scholarship to attend community college for two years but decided I wanted to attend a art school such as RISD (as an example there are a few others I really like). I love that I got the scholarship but, I graduated early from high school with some credits already and most basic classes finished. Now, I have to sign up for winter term at the college and I am wondering if I should. If I didn’t I could get a job full time and work on my portfolios for the colleges I am applying to. Is this a bad Idea? I need insight on how I should take this. I can one art class at my college currently. I did an estimation of profit from attending and not attending and it was around $3,000 more I could make if I didn’t attend and worked until the fall term next year. My current college does not offer many art classes, and if they do, they overlap because they are so small (this college is better for nurses). I also see it as a risk to not apply for next term because if I do not get accepted ill have to reassess my plans and apply again next time, with improvements.
Can you afford art school? What’s your budget?
If you want to pursue art it may be better to attend your flagship university or a strong program with good financial aid. (Art schools tend to be very expensive and don’t have much financial aid… And like as an artist is rarely lucrative.)
What state do you live in? What are your stats?
Because if you have good stats it may be better to NOT attend the community college and save your freshman status for when you apply to the 4-year Universities. Indeed, transfers get lousy aid and thus if your stats would warrant a scholarship at a 4-year college you’re better off applying as a freshman, not a transfer.
Depending on the state, taking an art class or anything at the cc after HS graduation would switch your status from freshman to transfer and thus would the scholarships be gone.