Visual Arts Schools With Fairly Strong Liberal Arts Programs

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hello, this is my first post on the forum. I apologize if the following post appears a bit long-winded, but I would like to give the most accurate portrait of my situation in order to receive the best advice. I am interested in attending a highly-regarded visual arts school in urban areas of the United States. (I come from a rural area with no culture or diversity, so an urban setting is very important to me.) I began my search with a list of over fifty colleges, including those who are AICAD members. I focused intently on the AICAD list as I would love a visual arts college with an outstanding liberal arts program. However, my selection becomes a bit tricky as I want my college years to hold a strong creative focus and many schools have six to eight hour studio classes with loads of homework that do not seem to permit much flexibility as to taking liberal arts classes. By the time I will have graduated, I will have taken six APs. While I do not attend a competitive high school, I have taken a couple fantastic courses such as AP English 11 and AP Calculus AB. The former introduced me to an appreciation for arcane intricacies in both written and visual contexts. I thrive on class discussion and love to debate deeper meaning in literary and artistic pieces. I have visited UARTS, which seems to have a great art department as well as a strong liberal arts department. I am definitely applying there, as well as to RISD. However, I am not sure if I am suited to the dual degree program between RISD and Brown as a RISD education seems strenuous enough. I have a very high GPA (over 100% weighted some quarters but our school does not use the 4.0 system) and a combined SAT score of 2070, so I am in the SAT range. However my portfolio is quite weak as we do not even have a decent art program at our school and every year we lose teachers, funding, and courses. I am also applying to Yale as it appears to have a phenomenal philosophy that would engender an active community for intellectual discourse.
I have also narrowed my search to include the following:</p>

<pre><code>Pacific Northwest College of Art (May not apply as the liberal arts are reported to be horrid)
Columbia University
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Uncertain how I feel toward their pass-fail system)
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Their acceptance rate might be a bit too high for me.)
California College of the Arts
Boston University School of Visual Arts
University of Chicago
</code></pre>

<p>I would appreciate any help or advice as to any of the schools mentioned. While I am exhausted from intently researching schools, any suggestions as to other art schools with a strong liberal arts education would be much appreciated. My main concerns are the workload and balancing liberal and fine arts. I am extremely ambitious (I am not joshing when I say I have been researching colleges since the sixth grade) and work much harder than the majority of students in my grade while still receiving almost the same grade in typically mediocre and dispassionate classes. (My high school is severely lacking in certain areas.) Last year I took three APs and two honors (in addition to a pitiful set of art classes), which is the highest amount of work my school allows for juniors, and spent every waking moment not spent at marching band doing homework (I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to do homework, went to school, and did homework from 3:30 to 11:30 at night) and band consumed 16-20 hours of my time each week on average. I do not want to go crazy from stress in college, as last year I contracted a musculoskeletal illness similar to arthritis from mental and physical stress.</p>

<p>In sum, I would like a balanced collegiate experience in a healthy, yet competitive and intellectual atmosphere that would allow me to grow as a person without making me crumble from insurmountable stress.</p>

<p>Again, I apologize for the length of this thread.</p>

2

<p>Perhaps you should reverse your quest and look for liberal arts colleges/universities that also have strong studio art programs? </p>

<p>I’d recommend that you look at these small colleges. They are not necessarily urban, but all have excellent academics – including art history – and very good to excellent studio art programs. They all offer nurturing environments that encourage experimentation across disciplines.</p>

<p>Williams, Wesleyan, Hamilton, Vassar, Kenyon, Oberlin, Skidmore. Smith if you are female.</p>

<p>You should plan to submit an art portfolio as a supplement to your application. You can find instructions on the colleges’ websites. The point of the portfolio is to demonstrate 1) creativity and 2) command of more than one medium. It doesn’t have to be extensive and isn’t expected to be professional. Colleges understand that you are just a high school student and that high school art programs are variable.</p>

3

<p>I have considered that (such as with Yale and Columbia) but not heavily. I know high school and college are nothing alike, but I have had very bad experiences with my high school. To explain, my HS is so linear and liberal arts-based that even if it gave more focus to the arts, they would not provide you with enough time to be artistically productive or nurture your passion as they’d be too preoccupied with bogging you down with usually mindless work for required academic classes. By the time I finished my academic work, I had no energy (even if I had time, which was a rare occurrence even when marching band wasn’t in season) for creative output. Don’t get me wrong: I adore a myriad of academic subjects; I just don’t want liberal arts to be the sole focus. Especially considering my experience in high school, I would appreciate more of a visual arts focus with more time to develop artistically. I feel sometimes as though what I’m asking is impossible, but I am determined to find the right college to suit my personal tastes and interests.</p>

4

<p>I appreciate your help but I have heard of those colleges before and have refused to consider them in detail due to their locations and size. I cannot emphasize enough how important location is for my artistic and personal growth. I live in Nowhere, Pennsylvania, where the closest even remotely cultural centers require a one hour drive away from the lackluster and dull “towns” (by towns I mean fields of corn with houses and lots of cows and nothing insightful or inspiring to do). I desperately need the experience of a highly diverse and cultural setting where I can gain new insights and inspiration.</p>

5

<p>Maybe you should think about taking a gap year. Do some traveling, see some art, work on your portfolio, widen your horizons. What you want from a college isn’t the key factor that gets you admitted. Colleges are interested in what you can contribute to the community – academic, extracurricular and social.</p>

<p>There are plenty of good urban colleges, large and small, and they all have art departments. </p>

<p>Size is not really the determining factor in academic or artistic intensity. Large vs medium vs small is a personal preference as is urban vs suburban vs rural; however to equate small, liberal arts with unsophisticated and anti-intellectual is vastly uninformed.</p>

6

<p>A gap year would not be ideal as I come from a low-income family struggling to find money for application fees let alone travel. I have also worked much too hard during my high school years in order to attend college directly after senior year. I have given so much effort to researching schools as I am eager to be immersed in an intellectual and creative community in an inspiring location. </p>

<p>Possibly readers could suggest major academic universities with impactful visual arts schools, as mentioned earlier. I’m not really sure that’s what I want, as it appears that I will be making compromises as to the quality of either the art education or the academic program.</p>

7

<p>you say that you’re low income, yet you want to apply to art and other schools which are notoriously bad with aid? How would you pay for the school?</p>

<p>you need back ups. You need to apply to at least 2 schools that you will get accepted to AND will be affordable.</p>

<p>What state are you in?</p>

<p>You can get 4 free app waivers by contacting your guidance counselor at school. Before wasting them on pricey art schools which won’t likely be affordable, split the 4 into 2 financial safeties and 2 art schools.</p>

<p>*a combined SAT score of 2070, so I am in the SAT range. However my portfolio is quite weak *</p>

<p>Is that a superscore? What is your best M+CR from one sitting? You need to retest. You also need to take the ACT. You need better scores to get more money.</p>

8

<p>My best single test is 1970. I feel as though that is the best I can do. Retesting would be a waste of money as I’ve already taken it three times as well as taken subject tests. I have also taken AP tests and done very well, but those are not cheap either. I have considered the ACT but do not think I will take it. </p>

<p>As for bad financial aid, I know that RISD falls into that category. However, it is fairly economical for an artist to live in Provindence after graduation. I realize the reality of a career in art. However, I am extremely PASSIONATE about creation and believe that my high self-motivation will drive me toward a successful career in the arts. I have faced much in life already, both financially, physically, and emotionally and am prepared to combat the stresses of massive debt. I know I can pay off the loans. As for Yale, I am in the financial bracket for receiving massive aid. I also will be applying for merit scholarships at various schools, as I feel I have a decent chance at those. I have also tested out of some subjects via AP tests already, and that will save me money as well.</p>

9

<p>All colleges have art departments. Some are better than others, but if you’re determined to go urban, you’ve already knocked out a large percentage of colleges and universities.</p>

<p>I don’t know the average cost of an art school, but I would think that some of the top schools would be looking at upwards of $160,000 plus supplies. Aid is inconsistently granted. Portfolios and art profiles are important, especially if you’re competing for merit aid. </p>

<p>If you are serious about fine art, then you need to get a portfolio together. You should also prepare an art package that includes your portfolio, resume listing classes, accomplishments, supplemental recommendations, personal statement, art-related essays.</p>

<p>For academically rigorous schools, the most selective also offer the best NEED based aid. Since you believe you would be eligible for a large amount of need based aid, this is a good route, but of course you have to get in. The major factors in admissions at selective schools are: grades, rank, scores, recommendations, extracurriculars, life experience & demographic. </p>

<p>You say your grades are excellent, but your scores are so-so. Relatively weak scores can be overcome by the other factors, but the other factors need to be excellent. Art can be a strong EC, but you do need to demonstrate talent and proficiency. Coming from a low income, rural family will also be a plus.</p>

<p>Schools that are generous with merit aid, tend to have a “fatal flaw.” (JOKE) Some of the most generous are rural, in the Midwest or South, and/or all womens. If you eliminate them on this basis, then you may have to forget about merit.</p>

<p>No matter how cheap it is to live in a city (like Providence or Chicago or New Haven) you DO NOT want to begin your life in the arts with a debt of over $100,000. You will not be able to pay off a loan of this magnitude as a working artist. Even as a teacher or a graphic artists, this kind of debt would be insurmountable.</p>

<p>PS, The Museum School of Boston has a joint program with Tufts.</p>

10

<p>I wonder, since you’re from PA, why don’t you apply to Carnegie Mellon ?</p>

11

<p>(I shall respond to the longer post when not typing on my iPod.) </p>

<p>I visited CMU and did not enjoy it whatsoever. For one, the art department is extremely small. The majors offered are very limited and mainly technology based. I prefer more traditional art and as I am undecided as to the specific area of art I would like to pursue, a wide array of majors is important to me. CMU does not offer a wide selection. I believe they only have three traditional majors and a couple in digital design. Also, while I like Pittsburgh, I disliked the neighborhood in which CMU was located. To me, CMU is a great school if you want a technology-based major.</p>

12

<p>No matter how cheap it is to live in a city (like Providence or Chicago or New Haven) you DO NOT want to begin your life in the arts with a debt of over $100,000.</p>

<p>Even $40k - 50k in debt would be too much. Tooo much.</p>

<p>*As for bad financial aid, I know that RISD falls into that category. However, it is fairly economical for an artist to live in Provindence after graduation. I realize the reality of a career in art. However, I am extremely PASSIONATE about creation and believe that my high self-motivation will drive me toward a successful career in the arts. I have faced much in life already, both financially, physically, and emotionally and am prepared to combat the stresses of massive debt. I know I can pay off the loans. As for Yale, I am in the financial bracket for receiving massive aid. *</p>

<p>Yes, Yale would give awesome aid, but with a 1970 SAT, your chances at Yale are not good.</p>

<p>I don’t think you understand…YOU cannot borrow very much. YOU can only borrow the following amounts…</p>

<p>frosh 5500
soph 6500
jr 7500
sr 7500</p>

<p>to borrow more than that requires parents to co-sign. Many parents won’t do that and since your family is low income, they probably wouldn’t qualify to cosign.</p>

13

<p>Have you looked into QuestBridge?</p>

14

<p>Wow I feel like I’ve found a kindred spirit. I am into liberal arts but with a strong interest in visual arts.</p>

<p>One thing I would like to suggest, is not to scoff at the LAC’s too soon before you do more research. From your post, I gather that you are into the postmodern art philosophy of the destruction of objective truth and the erosion of cultural boundaries. While living in a diverse city like NYC can definitely supplement your artistic inspiration, you will probably spend most your time in the studio or classrooms doing the art istead of getting the inspiration.</p>

<p>I think another way of approaching your problem could be to go on a two week long artistic excursion to NYC, spending every free minute you can visiting contemparory art galleries, whatching braodway shows etc and making extensive photographic and written documentation of your experiences, maybe draw some of the things you see too. Then you can take all your artistic material back to whatever school you go to and use them to create art pieces.</p>

<p>I also think the diversity of your peer students is just as importnat as the city you live in. Amherst college is kinds like an isolate town kind of setting, but it is next to UMASS, which has 30k students and a whole variety of diffetent courses like robotics and stuff that you can immerse in for more inspiration. I will admit though after my visit there, I was quite very put off by it’s middle of nowhereness but I have no doubt the quality of education is excellent. Not sure about the strength of the art dept. though.</p>

15

<p>zhang, I would give Amherst high marks for acdemic excellence, but not for its studio art department. Among that consortium, Smith is the best option.</p>

<p>For LACs that offer excellent studio art + excellent academics, I’d suggest the list in my post #2. Having exposure to real working artists, museums, galleries etc is important. Despite their non-urban locations, schools like Williams and Wesleyan can fulfill that need.</p>

16

<p>What about Bard? It’s not far from New York City, very focussed on arts but should be good for liberal arts education as well.</p>

17

<p>I’ll emphasize again what many already have–you CANNOT pay off over $160,000 of student loan debt as a working artist. In fact, in today’s economy, you can’t pay it off with any job you could get with a bachelor’s degree. I have been out of school for four months now and can barely get an unpaid internship. My boyfriend, a 2009 grad, has had only two paying jobs, and both have not paid enough for him to survive on his own. He currently has no health insurance, and we are both currently living with my mother. I mention this because both of us graduated from excellent schools, internships, and great work experience. I don’t know when either of us will be out of this horrible situation, but I’ll tell you it would be much better without so much debt. </p>

<p>I came from a similar situation as yours: small town, bad public high school, not much money. Unfortunately, colleges will already have a bias against you for this. As many have also said, you HAVE to bring up your SAT scores if you want to get into Columbia, RISD, University of Chicago, etc. You may feel now that you are smart enough to get into those schools, with the extracurriculars and grades to match, but it doesn’t work quite like that.</p>

<p>You’ll have a much better chance if you broaden your horizons and consider schools in smaller towns. I have traveled to many cities and really the only urban center worth being in for art is NYC–Columbia fits all of your criteria, but you really don’t have a chance at getting in. Pratt, Parsons, FIT, and Cooper Union are all too arts-centric for what you’re looking for. You might look into NYU, which has a decent balance of both but could also be tough to get into. As for Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, they are far from being “urban” and will not benefit you as an artist. Give greater thought, with your budget and stats, to schools in the SUNY system, Skidmore, Bard, etc. These schools are a few hours by bus or train from NYC, but also are cheaper and have great arts and academic programs.</p>

18

<p>"As for Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, they are far from being “urban” and will not benefit you as an artist. "</p>

<p>I think all of the above are urban. Chicago is HUGE urban. I guess for some only NYC is urban?</p>

19

<p>paperplanes–Sorry if that came off sounding a little snooty. I actually currently live in Chicago, and yes–it is a very big city and it is “urban” in the literal sense of the word. However, much of the city (I’m not quite sure why) has always felt very suburban to me, and the city is also extremely segregated. Also, University of Chicago is quite far from the city center, and most I know who went there spent most of their time in Hyde Park/on campus instead of exploring the city at large.</p>

<p>But what I mean most about this is that these cities aren’t hubs for the arts. As a practicing artist I have found it very hard to both find work here and to find any art “scene.” There are galleries and museums, but many smaller towns have some of these things as well. Williams College, for example, has its own museum and is very close to Mass MOCA. SUNY New Paltz also has its own museum and is a quick bus ride from Dia: Beacon. NYC and LA are really the only cities with a very strong art “scene” currently, so I really want to encourage esotericism to consider schools outside of the city as well.</p>

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<p>Have you tried posting your questions in the Visual Arts Forum? [Visual</a> Arts and Film Majors - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/]Visual”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/)</p>