Hello! I’ve been accepted into 13 art schools but have narrowed my choices down to:
-Temple University Tyler School of Art and Design
-Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
-School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
-Emily Carr University of Art and Design
-Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts (SUVPA)
I’m really struggling to pick a university. I know that Alfred University is the best school for ceramics, however I would much rather attend the school for grad school rather than an undergrad. I know it seems stupid to turn down RISD, but I did the RISD Pre-College Program over the summer and wasn’t necessarily blown away by the ceramics program. The upside of going to RISD would be the name recognition. Emily Carr University (in Vancouver, BC) is a FANTASTIC university with very little name recognition in the US. They are moving into an entirely new campus and it seems like quite an exciting place to be. Syracuse is very closely knit and their ceramics facilities are quite nice, just small. They are located in the middle of goddamn no where and the arts program is undeniably the smallest out of any school I visited, so it seems like socializing and networking could become an issue. SAIC had a smallish ceramics facility but I liked the interdisciplinary approach of the school. I’ve heard that the school lacks in strong portfolios however. They also had multiple digital fabrication labs which could help out with my mold-making processes. Tyler’s facilities are nice and big, with large windows and kind students. The ceramics facility was the largest out of any school I visited, and they had a decent digital fabrication lab and mold making facility.
Really, all I want to do is make some killer plaster molds for excellent slipcasting, as I hope to produce multiples in the future and sell my ceramic work. One of the brands I look up to is Felt + Fat, a ceramics company created by one student who graduated from Tyler School of Art and one who graduated from RISD. I’m really struggling here. I feel like turning down RISD would be idiotic, but if it means getting a better ceramics education, I’m all ears. People might probably say I’m stupid for turning down Alfred if ceramics is my dream, but I want more of a sociable and city-like environment which I just can’t get at that school. I come from a very blessed family and money is not an issue for my college decisions. I know what I want to do, I just don’t know where to do it. I’m wondering if any ceramics buffs have any info on these schools and what they might feel is best for a plaster nerd. If you guys have any advice it would be greatly appreciated.