<p>Hi! I know next to nothing about art or art schools, but am asking this question for a friend of my daughter’s. He is a bright kid and quite talented. However, he is not super quirky, he doesn’t use his art to shock or make social commentary, and he isn’t the kind of person who wants to make any statements through his behavior or dress. He’s straight, clean-cut, and a three-sport varsity athlete. He has visited several art schools and didn’t see himself fitting in socially with the students there, and for that reason is no longer sure he wants to pursue art as a major. In my mind, that would be a real shame. Does anyone have suggestions of where he could look that wouldn’t seem so counter-cultural to him?</p>
<p>I wonder if a LAC with a strong art program would be a better option for him?</p>
<p>These LACs are academically strong, middle road politically (still leftleaning but at least open minded), support athletes and have good fine arts departments:</p>
<p>I would also add Wesleyan with the caveat that it’s a bit farther left than the others but in a good humored kind of way.</p>
<p>Also, a larger school like CMU, WUSTL, UMich, BC, Yale (there are plenty of others, but those come to mind) would offer a balanced mix of personalities.</p>
<p>I should clarify that by “conservative” I didn’t necessarily mean with regard to politics. Actually, I think his parents are left-leaning. Mostly I was referrring to appearance and lifestyle. He is clean-cut with no dyed hair or piercings, wears mainstream clothing, doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs, and tends to blend in a crowd in terms of behavior. I don’t want to invoke any stereotypes here, but I guess what I’m saying is that no one would look at him and suspect he’s an artist. I have several artsy friends and they tend to be a little more flamboyant than non-artsy people like me.</p>
<p>“clean-cut with no dyed hair or piercings, wears mainstream clothing, doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs, and tends to blend in a crowd in terms of behavior.” would describe my D, a rising junior at MICA. Her boyfriend, also a MICA student, is a clean cut Catholic HS graduate.</p>
<p>Don’t buy into the stereotypes too much; not all artists are freaks. </p>
<p>A week or two in a summer pre-college program may be a good way to test the waters.</p>
<p>If he is into fine arts rather than graphic arts try Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. They have a higher than usual male enrolled as far as art schools are concerned, more mature crowd, and classes can be taken and University of Penn. Ditto the MICA comments, my d loves both MICA and PAFA and they have amazing studio space!</p>
<p>My daughter looked at both art schools and universities and decided that the university route was a better fit for her. It was really a matter of her realizing that while the students at the art schools didn’t look any different than her, they were more into art than she is. They were perfectly happy spending all day and night in the studio, having what limited social activities they had be art related, and having all of their liberal arts courses be somehow related to art and more basic than those at a university or LAC. That last point may not be true at every art school, but it definitely was at the ones we looked at. She realized that her current friends are a diverse group. Some are artists like her, but many are not. </p>
<p>Art schools may be great for some, but they are not the perfect fit for everybody. They are probably not a great fit for somebody that has a lot of social and academic interests outside of art. They are not a good fit for somebody that isn’t sure they want to major in art.</p>
<p>If you look at the top ranked MFA programs, you’ll find a pretty even split between art schools and universities, so there are some great options for somebody that doesn’t want to go to an art school. I personally think there may be some advantages to attending both - maybe a university for the first couple of years then transfer to an art school, or get a BFA at one and an MFA at the other.</p>
<p>By the way, I asked my daughter where her AP Art classmates had decided to go to school since I knew some were considering some well-known art schools. In the end, all decided to go to state U, and many had decided they did not want to major in art.</p>
<p>I think at art school everyone has the potential of fitting in. I think the only differences are when the overall student population are there to learn a trade/profession and others are there to pursue experimental/concept interests.</p>
<p>He may find attending a school like RISD difficult, while attending a school like Art Center a match. I think he would have an easier time looking at Art Schools that gear its students to become commercial.</p>
<p>While looking at schools in the south this past year, we heard good things about the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia. They are about to open a brand new multi-million dollar visual arts building in Sept. 2008. Athens itself is quite a beautiful place. UGA has a wonderful vibe and the amenities for the students are amazing. It is a big, state school, though, so if he is looking at LAC’s it won’t work, but I thought I would mention it.</p>
<p>As you probably know, it is also an SEC school with a very vital club sports program (which may appeal to him being that he is a 3 sport athlete). If he is bright academically, there is a chance to become a Charter Scholar and be offered in state tuition for an out of stater. It is competitive, but it is a great deal. Kind of an odd suggestion from what is the norm on the arts forum, but worth a look possibly. Good luck to him!</p>
<p>Also look at major universities with good art programs: depending on his particular interest in art (painting vs. sculpture vs. design, etc.), he might look at University of Cincinatti, NC State, VCU, UCLA, UWashington, Washington University St Louis, Arizona State, New Mexico State… there are a reasonable amount of solid university programs out there if he doesn’t feel comfortable at an art school.</p>
<p>Art Center is in Pasadena CA, basically like 10 miles give or take north east of Los Angeles.</p>
<p>It’s a really pretty campus to, sits on top of a hill, very green.</p>
<p>I also think it would be a match because the student population is on average older, so it’s not like they’re straight out of high school and “artsy”</p>
<p>i too am a fairly clean cut guy and i’m going to go to art center(in 61 days!). I would say most of the people there are pretty clean cut, except for a few fine art media students who i met that seemed to be a bit more stereotypically “artsy.” my only question is what type of art is he interested in pursuing? because at art center a person must declare their major when they apply, and then the first three terms are foundation terms but they are VERY focused and VERY specific towards the major. another reason i ask is because a person who is just looking to explore many mediums(fine art media major) may find it challenging being surrounded by design oriented people. </p>
<p>also, if you have any art center questions, ask me. i researched the school to the point when i went on a campus tour i was telling the tour guide facts about the school and answering questions student had(and the tour guide was not a bad tour guide by any means)0_o</p>
<p>He never mentioned names other than to say he visited a handful of schools in the NE. But I do remember that one school was in MD and another in NY, and I’m pretty sure he visited RISC, but I don’t know where else.</p>
<p>OP-
Your friend sounds VERY similar to my D and I second UGA but add the school she eventually chose, UMN in Minneapolis. They have a very traditional campus but also offer what is great about an art school in their West Bank Arts Quarter portion of campus which incidentally is also where their business school is located. D is in love with it!!! AND, if she ever changes her mind on major, there are tons of options.</p>
<p>Maybe his best bet is to go to a generic college with a strong art program where he can associate with all types of people getting all types of degrees. Actually, the program is the most important.</p>