This is also something that I’m very interested in, as my high school junior plans to seek a degree in studio art, most likely at a university or liberal arts school.
In terms of art career success, I take it that you’re talking about fine art (selling your own art) with the “90% connections” comment; as opposed to being an illustrator, animator, graphic artist, etc. In the latter fields, I understand that it’s mostly about the artist’s talent (their portfolio). There are several professional artists out there who opine that an art degree, especially an expensive one from an art school, is unnecessary at best and wasteful at worst. Personally, I’d be worried about my kid’s future in art if it seemed like she was pursuing a future in art half-assedly. But she’s very focused and organized, so I’m confident that she can make a great career in art.
Anyhow, those are all great schools. I’m a UCLA alumnus, but my daughter did a summer art program at Stamps two years ago and will likely to a summer art program at BU this summer. The biggest differentiator between those schools for us is cost: UCLA and UM are prohibitively expensive OOS. BU is expensive, but offers decent financial aid and a small hope of merit aid. I don’t know anything about UMD, but if there is collaboration with MICA, that would boost its art stock.
I think UCLA offers only a BA in Art, as opposed to a BFA, if that matters. I think BU and Stamps also offer BAs too, but my impression is that BFAs are much more popular at both schools. In any event, the BA allows more flexibility and a possible double major/degree with physics. BFAs, as I understand them, make it extremely difficult to specialize in anything else academically.
More on UCLA . . . while I’m sure its undergraduate program is great, I suspect that UCLA’s art reputation is largely founded on its MFA program. I have to imagine that a stellar MFA program likely translates to at least a good undergraduate program, but who knows. As for the school more generally, I am often taken aback by people’s perceptions of the school on boards like this. I was an English major and never had complaints about class size or getting into classes, I had wonderful and very personal relationships with several professors, and I was able to do two independent study projects, which are the equivalent of one-on-one classes with the professors of my choosing. Nor did I ever feel like I lacked resources or needed additional administrative handholding. I loved my time there, and it’d probably be my top choice for my kid if it were more affordable.