liz6298

I'm helping out a friend who wants to transfer from SCAD-ATL to an art school in San Francisco. So far we've found the Academy of Art University, San Francisco Art Institute, and California College of the Arts. We are on the east coast and know nothing of how these schools compare, or their prestige. Can anyone shed some light on any of these schools, or know of any other good art schools in the San Francisco area?

liz6298

Um, I might as well throw in the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, because that's the one school he's applied to and is considering. If anyone could compare any of those California schools to the Cornish College of the Arts, that would be helpful?

hw323

For fine arts in SF, I'd recommend SF Art Institute.

liz6298

any particular reason why?

paradoxical

Based on college visits in 2007--daughter was accepted at these schools.

San Francisco Art Institute is purely fine arts with excellent painting, photography, new genre, critical theory, etc. It's quite selective and academically intense, with a Diego Rivera Gallery and a great view of San Francisco Bay.

CCA was founded as the California College of Arts and Crafts and has exceptional ceramics, glass, graphic and industrial design. It has always had a focus on teaching and it produces arts educators as well as fine and commercial artists. The undergraduate campus is quite pretty.

The Academy's main focus is commercial art and design and it takes a practical, real-world approach.

If your friend happens to be female, Mills College, a small liberal arts college, has amazing studio space and some internationally acclaimed working artists on the faculty. Beautiful campus

liz6298

thanks so much paradoxical!