Resources/advice for applying for more artsy major?

[Anonymous]

DS is a HS rising junior with a crappy GPA and an ACT of 34.

Trying to decide between BFA programs (where GPA matters less and admission is based more on talent) and BA programs (where he may not be admitted anywhere).

Are we better off focusing heavily on BFA schools? (Yes, he plans to try to get better grades this year.)

[Anonymous]

how crappy is the GPA?

[Anonymous]

What is his art?

[Anonymous]

(Bump) following for my DD with same stats. Do Summer art portfolio programs help too?

[Anonymous]

PP here, she is photography/film

[Anonymous]

Are you loaded? Because otherwise sending your kid off for one of these types of courses is a total waste of time unless you can continue to support them for about a decade thereafter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you loaded? Because otherwise sending your kid off for one of these types of courses is a total waste of time unless you can continue to support them for about a decade thereafter.

I'm not OP but this is a stereotype. Arts majors can apply their education in plenty of ways that get them real jobs and the arts themselves are real jobs--there are just fewer of them.

--Friends' kid did theatre tech in college and now manages a regional theatre. Has had a succession of solid theatre tech/stage management/theatre management jobs; he's not rich and never will be but has always supported himself. He too had people telling him he'd never get a "real job" with his degree.
--Another friend's DD did an art degree and works in computer graphics.
--An art major we know now uses her art background in her work with troubled kids.
--We know two full-time actors making a living after getting theater degrees. Neither lives with mom and dad.
--Another friend had a theater and English degree and has long worked in proposal management for tech firms (because she can deal with all sorts of people thanks to her theatre skills, and can write, and many of her tech colleagues are rotten writers). She's been headhunted by firms wanting her skills.

Those are just anecdotal and I'm sure PP could say there are many cases of arts majors who are living in mom's basement at 35. Sure there are. But to say all arts degrees are always a waste of time is too huge a generalization.

[Anonymous]

Don't. It's a scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you loaded? Because otherwise sending your kid off for one of these types of courses is a total waste of time unless you can continue to support them for about a decade thereafter.

I'm not OP but this is a stereotype. Arts majors can apply their education in plenty of ways that get them real jobs and the arts themselves are real jobs--there are just fewer of them.

--Friends' kid did theatre tech in college and now manages a regional theatre. Has had a succession of solid theatre tech/stage management/theatre management jobs; he's not rich and never will be but has always supported himself. He too had people telling him he'd never get a "real job" with his degree.
--Another friend's DD did an art degree and works in computer graphics.
--An art major we know now uses her art background in her work with troubled kids.
--We know two full-time actors making a living after getting theater degrees. Neither lives with mom and dad.
--Another friend had a theater and English degree and has long worked in proposal management for tech firms (because she can deal with all sorts of people thanks to her theatre skills, and can write, and many of her tech colleagues are rotten writers). She's been headhunted by firms wanting her skills.

Those are just anecdotal and I'm sure PP could say there are many cases of arts majors who are living in mom's basement at 35. Sure there are. But to say all arts degrees are always a waste of time is too huge a generalization.

Thanks for posting this pp. We have an art major too, and I try not to worry about her employability because she is well rounded, hard working, likeable, and smart. She'll get a job even if it's not in her intended profession.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:how crappy is the GPA?

2.94 weighted after sophomore year; theatre tech; will take 3 APs in junior year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how crappy is the GPA?

2.94 weighted after sophomore year; theatre tech; will take 3 APs in junior year

That's pretty bad. Are you sure that a year or two at community college is not the way to go? If he/she can manage a better GPA at community college, there will be a LOT more choices. If the GPA cannot be improved at community college, at least the student won't have spent a lot of money to find out that college was a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

I have a BFA and MFA (shocker!) and am doing just fine, thanks!

If your dc is actually talented and wants to pursue a career in an art related field, I would focus on BFA programs at well regarded schools. Depending on what field he is interested in, I can recommend some good schools/programs to look at. FWIW, I went to two top schools, and no, it's not a scam. Just stay away from the Art Institutes chain of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here, she is photography/film

Columbia College in Chicago has an excellent photography/film program. Arizona State has an excellent photo program, not sure about film. If she has good stats, I would look at NYU and USC. University of New Mexico also has a great photo program.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend that teaches at SCAD and a niece who goes there and they both love it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how crappy is the GPA?

2.94 weighted after sophomore year; theatre tech; will take 3 APs in junior year

Are you in Virginia? Christopher Newport has a good theatre tech program that graduates kids that get jobs in theatre. If he can raise his GPA a bit this year and show interest in the program he might have a shot there.

Have you asked his theatre teacher at school for suggestions?