caught in a dilemma of life after high school

**PeggyChung** · January 11th, 2006, 04:45 AM

hi guys, well

Im a high school senior, i want to be a concept artist and these are the paths im struggling over:

plan A
+go to a community college and take my liberal arts coures then transfer to art center
Cons:
- up to 100k debt (im imagining without financial aid nor scholarships)
-i finish school around the age of 23
-jobs may be unstable and i dont want to kill myself trying to pay for school loan (around 600+ a month)

plan B
-go to a 4 year college and get degree plus credentials to be a PE teacher cause its easy and you dont have to do anything else besides the hours you work (no correcting papers and crap on your own time).
-this would give me time to work on art on my own and possibly take art center at night classes
-the salary around these parts starting for teachers is about $35,000 and a 5 percent increase each year.

-what would be perfect is if i am able to get into the concept art industry by teaching myself/taking a few classes.
-if im really not getting anywhere, id just enroll into AC but id be around hte age of 27ish by this time.

this route would allow me not to worry so much about having art done to survive the next day, its more of for fun thing and the teaching job is just for money.

----
simply path A = heavy debt for 30 years, uncertain job and salary but doing art

simply path B = teaching and doing art on the side, but stable, have benefits.

whats your opinion or thoughts or experiences?

**Mirana** · January 11th, 2006, 10:20 AM

It seems by your description of each plan, that you've already decided that you like Plan B better.

I say enroll in your community or university and start out with your low level courses, and poke around for scholarships, grants and fed aid. It might allow you to bring the Art Center cost down to a decent level.

**Scufie** · January 11th, 2006, 07:42 PM

if you are 100% sure that you want a career in doing (concept art etc), but art in general , then i'd try to get into art center and graduate at a young age. they seem to have been letting in a lot of high school grads recently... so if you're 18-19 and going to art center it'll take some time for you to get some respect from the other students, which are probably 5 to 6 years older. if you got the skills and dedication then you have nothing to worry about. it doesn't hurt to go to a community college and to get your feet wet with some studio practice and experience to create a great portfolio. also at art center it's common to make a few friends the 1st term and not see them the 2nd term cause they've probably dropped out. So yeah... art center is great & it's what you make of it!

**CaptainInsano** · January 11th, 2006, 08:11 PM

i think you're over reacting and limiting your options.

Scratch that PE teacher idea. The time and money you will put in getting the degree, and then a teaching certificate, doesn't guantee anything. Honestly, it's a waste of your precious time and money to do all that if you really don't even want to do it. Also, getting a college degree isn't as easy as you think. You'll have to work your ass off (it's not all fun like in the movies... it's only like that 2 days a year!).

The 1st option was better, but there's a way to make it even better. Plus, you won't have to pay back $600 dollars a month! Who told you that?! At the most, you'll have to pay Sallie Mae $50/month.

If I were in your situation, I wouldn't do either. I would just go to a Fine Arts school (such as the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts) as an atleir artist. It's cheaper and all the instructors are famous painters.

**Elwell** · January 11th, 2006, 08:14 PM

Just what the world needs: another frustrated, bitter gym teacher taking out the disappointment of their own lost ambitions on future generations.

**CaptainInsano** · January 11th, 2006, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Elwell

Just what the world needs: another frustrated, bitter gym teacher taking out the disappointment of their own lost ambitions on future generations.

**PeggyChung** · January 11th, 2006, 11:30 PM

thanks for hte imput guys, i swear i spend way too much time thinking about this. the 600$ thing was from my sis.

yeah the whole getting degree thing for teaching is eating me, cause i hate high school right now cause its a lot of bull crap and waste of time and i dont think i can handle another 4 years of crap thats a little more challenging. honestly, its the money (when is it ever not?...blegh) i dont want to struggle to pay for the debt of art school but i do want to go.

**ArtEdGradStudent** · January 11th, 2006, 11:43 PM

When I was your age I hated high school too. I was bullied by students, teachers, pretty much everyone. I swore I'd never come back. Then I went to college and I realized two things:
1. all kids aren't assholes. The high school I went to was a bad one, but there are good ones out there.
2. You can actually teach art, which I'm good at. I didn't have a real art teacher till college, and it made me wish I had had the experience earlier.

So since then, I've decided to give kids the chance I never really had for a good art class that isn't bullsh**.

So my first bit of advice is: you might change your mind about teaching high school.

My second bit of advice is: when you go to college you need something that'll help you get a job. The degree isn't enough. A teaching certificate is a great idea. I wish I had done it undergrad, and not have had to deal with my Bull crap grad program now.