<p>I can't speak for RISD in painting. I am sure that anything they have is good. I do know, however, that MICA has a great reputation in the fine arts and especially painting.</p>
<p>responding to michealangelina's old old post but that's what's on my mind exactly. can live on water crackers, oatmeal, canned tuna, and peanuts- which happen to be my favorite foods anyway. and I plan on teaching college art courses (but of course bailing immediately if something.. gallery-related.. ever comes to pass.)</p>
<p>Taxguy,</p>
<p>Your comparison between RISD and MICA was very informative. My daughter so far has been accepted into Calarts, SAIC, and SVA-honors. She has been dragging her feet about finishing her RISD drawings. I think she is afraid she will get in at that the "rents" will force her to go. Her first choice is SVA.</p>
<p>Since you seem so well informed I wonder if you had any insights into SVA's program.</p>
<p>I am not an artist,but I will give you whatever information that I know.</p>
<ol>
<li>SVA is ranked for master's programs in the top 10 in the US for the MFA. This can, however, be a bit misleading. If you break down the artistic categories, they are not usually in the top 10 with the exception for graphic design and multimedia communication. For example, they are NOT ranked in the top 10 schools for ceramics, industrial design (if they even have a program), painting or drawing, photography,printmaking and sculpure.</li>
</ol>
<p>They are number 10 in graphic design and number 5 in multimedia /visual communcation. </p>
<p>I should note that all ratings are based on US News and World Report graduate schools for 2005.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>SVA really started by a bunch of cartoonists. They probably are very strong in animation and cartooning ( which is their roots) and in multimedia communications, whatever that is. </p></li>
<li><p>They do seem to have a huge offering of courses; thus, there is no lack of things to choose from. Moreover, the courses that they offered seem quite interesting and comprehensive. You should check out their catalog. I have to say that they seem to have more courses than that found at a lot of other art schools; however, maybe not all art schools post all their courses in their catalog. I certainly know that RISD doesn't, for example.</p></li>
<li><p>Most art schools have complaints. However, SVA and some others such as SAIC, RISD, Calarts etc seem to have very little complaints in the student forums. Check out the following:<a href="http://www.studentsreview.com/NY/SVA_c.html#comments%5B/url%5D">http://www.studentsreview.com/NY/SVA_c.html#comments</a></p></li>
<li><p>One big drawback to SVA if I remember correctly is that their dorms are several blocks away from buildings where courses are offered. Since your daughter will be living in Manhattan, you should investigate to see if this is true. This can be a problem walking several blocks each day and staying in studios late at night.</p></li>
<li><p>As of two years ago, SVA was a "for profit" institution. I am very suspicious of "for profit" schools. You don't get a lot of donor contributions since they probably won't be deductible, and someone will be trying to pocket the profits instead of plowing them back into the school. Again, this needs to be checked out. My information came about 2 years ago from someone in admissions. Maybe they were in error.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>When you do investigate them about some of these issues, please post the results of your investigation. Hope this all helps.</p>
<p>Hey Taxguy: late to this party, but very much enjoyed your even-handed comparison of MICA and RISD, two terrific schools!</p>
<p>Thank you Idler. I really do try to be objective in evaluating schools that my daughter might go to. One thing that I omitted: MICA is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, stand alone art school in the nation. Their history dates back to the mid 1800s</p>
<p>Tuning in here, just wanted to say that I'd never heard of MICA until last night - where the heck have I been for the last 50 years...Ok, maybe I should say the last 30 years. Has MICA always been so popular? All the other programs mentioned have been well known to me forever. Just wondering about this...</p>
<p>When my daughter was looking at art colleges 6-7 years ago, she also applied to MICA. I liked its webpage (how's that for a thin basis of evaluation? But RISD's really sucked at that time, and is only a little better now). </p>
<p>More seriously, I recall that MICA was third most selective art school after Cooper Union and RISD -- defined by percentage of applications accepted. At that time MICA accepted about 50%, RISD about 37% (Cooper was an estimated 6% but that may include all programs not just art). Last year those rates were reportedly 44% (MICA) and 34% (RISD). Both pretty tough. Of those admitted, MICA's "yield" was 37%, RISD's 47%. RISD students have higher test scores and GPA's. SAT I mean 1218 RISD, 1160 MICA.</p>
<p>anyone know whether or not one should sign their work for cooper's hometest?
how important do u think it is for the artwork to be put in the envelope in a creative manner? any thoughts on that?
also, im applying for school of art and the envelope i got says on it "architecture hometest"...anyone know if thats a mistake?
does anyone know how long it takes to find out if an applicant is accepted or not(regular decision)?</p>
<p>thanx a ton</p>
<p>hi! For your envelope, I'd suggest just crossing the architecuture part off and put 'Art Freshman Hometest'. That's what it says on mine. And if you're freaked out, don't worry, I'm only on question 2 still. god. </p>
<p>and we get notified starting April 1. Some people get called, and the rest get sent a letter.</p>
<p>BLUMINI asks,"Has MICA always been so popular?" Actually, MICA is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, stand alone art school in the nation. It predates the civil war if my recollection is correct and predates that of RISD, Pratt, and many others.</p>
<p>tovabat12 -</p>
<p>it says on the assignment sheet that you have to put your name, the date, and the problem # on the back of the work. it doesn't say that you have to put a signature on the front, but I don't think it matters.</p>
<p>this school though.. you get the feeling that they're testing you everywhere.. it's so unnerving. on the problem instruction sheet, they say 'its important' instead of 'it's important,' and I corrected it automatically. Then I started thinking, huh, what if they did it on purpose and they can somehow tell something about me based on whether or not I put in the apostrophe.. any little thing can nab you! man! the last thing I need is to be -more- paranoid..</p>
<p>hey halfsorry - I didn't know that they called some people. Why do they do that, do you know? are the called people more 'in' than others, like first choices, kind of..?</p>
<p>hey. just for you guys doing regular decision.
i think every little bit that you can do for cooper...counts. i've heard stories of people making their own envelopes, really upping the presentation to get noticed. and since cooper has to review over a thousand applicants...i'm sure that sort of thing helps.</p>
<p>i didn't make it in for early decision. so that's that.
it tends to be really overwhelming just trying to finish. and once that's done with...dunno. i personally felt too burnt out to bother with anything extra.</p>
<p>and weile...funny that you pointed out the grammar thing. it makes me laugh looking back on it. i wonder if they really did do that on purpose.</p>
<p>good luck to you folks.</p>
<p>so how important do you people think the cooper essays are...or are they supposed to be short responses....they're the last thing i'm planning on doing....i'm finishing up question 5 now....i really wanted to design my envelope ...(had a great idea) but i doubt i'll have time....</p>
<p>i heard they only accepted 11 people early decision so thats reallllllly good for us rds</p>
<p>what question are you cooper folks up to?
also what mediums are your projects?
and r you as sleep deprived as i am? i really just cannot wait until this is over...this has been one of the most stressful months of my entire life.</p>
<p>also.....important question : does ANYONE know of any way i can make waterbased oil paint dry faster than it normally does....i just realized i'm running into a major problem /;</p>
<p>Liquin? I don't know, that's for oilbased. A blowdryer! haha.</p>
<p>ah- blowdryer not working.....i've been keeping a fan on my painting....then i tryed a heater.....and now i'm wasting my question 6 time by sitting in front of it with a blowdryer....but it's still tacky....this is the last reason i ever expected i'd get disqualifided or rejected
i'm so annoyed...because i really like this painting.....anyone...any ideas???? please help!</p>
<p>grandiose idea? I loved that one. Mine is grandiose in intent, but I don't think in presentation. ehhh.</p>
<p>halfsorry...are you finished with everything?</p>