<p>When my DD was looking for colleges in which to study art, she didnt consider any LACs. Ive posted elsewhere that the amount of exposure to actual studio work will be roughly 50% in an LAC as it is in art school, with the amount in a university with a strong studio art program (e.g., CMU, Syracuse) being roughly midway between the two. So there are trade-offs of studio art time against other curricula at an LAC. For many students these are trade-offs readily and even eagerly made, since theres always the possibility of going on to specialized training in art at the MFA level later.</p>
<p>That said, Carolyn has asked what to look for in art programs at LACs. Heres what I would recommend as an approach, not as definitive or hard and fast rules.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Make sure the art department has at least 3 full-time regular (not temporary or adjunct) faculty who are artists by training (generally speaking this means have BFAs or MFAs in a studio art discipline). Many LAC art departments have a mixture of artists and art historians, which is fine; but for the future artist, foundation training in art is very important. The 3+ actual artists should have different specialties or interests (e.g., graphics, photography, painting-drawing, sculpture). Look at where the faculty earned their degrees as well as their teaching and work experience as artists.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure the art department gives emphasis to a strong foundation in drawing and visual concepts. Look at how hierarchical the course structure is, read the course descriptions, imagine how the studio courses and homework fits in with the rest of the curriculum in the college.</p></li>
<li><p>Visit the campus, explore the facilities, ask about access to the facilities (should be 18 hrs a day, at least for those that are just studio space), how space (lockers, work space) is allocated to individual students. Talk to current students and faculty.</p></li>
<li><p>Look at the art on campus: products of students, products of faculty, exhibitions and shows, art-oriented lectures. How good is it? (Subjective judgment, of course,) How many students and faculty have entered competitions and shows off campus? Is this encouraged? How have they fared?</p></li>
<li><p>Get data on where the graduates with an art major have gone next. What percentage have gone on to study or work as artists? What percentage have gone on to earn MFAs or other art-related degrees? Dont just look for the (probably select) few who may have become well known. Are any of those connected with the LAC still? Can you contact them and ask whether studying art at this LAC would be a good idea?</p></li>
</ol>