Animation program recommendation? Please help!

[Mintleaf]

I've known for the past five years for certain that I want to go into animation, the dilemma I've run into at this point is which program to choose. I could really use some help.

Basically, I applied to Ringling and SCAD this year, and honestly thought I was going to attend SCAD for a while but over time my family and I have come to the conclusion that it's just far too expensive for us. There really isn't any way a tuition price like that would be even remotely affordable. It seems all the schools I was initially intending to try for are too far beyond my budget. I didn't think things through very well back when I was applying last year and to be honest, it was sort of a much needed wake-up call.

So I'm having to reconsider my options and my question is: Are there any good animation programs out there that are affordable? At this point, I know I don't necessarily have to attend the best program out there, I just really want it to be at least decent, if you get me. I keep reading so many horror stories about various schools, and it scares me that I might make the wrong decision. I've been researching the heck out art schools since January but frankly, I'm still overwhelmed by the sheer amount there are.

If any of you have any affordable art schools to recommend for animation, I would appreciate it immensely. :c I really just want to hear it from other people, and I want to make sure the school I attend will help prepare me for the industry properly.

And I'd be a transfer student from a local community college, if that helps. Thanks so much in advance!

[Alice Herring]

What do you want to do in animation?

[SlowDaddie]

I didn't attend art school at all. I taught myself animation through videos on YouTube, Gnomon DVDs, etc... It took a few years, but I wound up getting a job. You don't need to go to an expensive school to learn any of this, infact, I would argue that the videos here on CA and Gnomon are probably better than most of the Institutes out there, and will only run you a few hundred dollars instead of a $100,000.

[Mintleaf]

What do you want to do in animation?

Character animation. My passion is character design, specifically.
Nothing excites me more than creating characters and stories to go along with them. I think it would be amazing to learn how to bring it all to life!

I didn't attend art school at all. I taught myself animation through videos on YouTube, Gnomon DVDs, etc... It took a few years, but I wound up getting a job. You don't need to go to an expensive school to learn any of this, infact, I would argue that the videos here on CA and Gnomon are probably better than most of the Institutes out there, and will only run you a few hundred dollars instead of a $100,000.

Thanks for sharing! I'll take that into consideration. But aside from wanting to be instructed in animation, I suppose a part of me really wants the art college experience as well.

[Meloncov]

San Jose State has a good program, and is pretty cheap, especially if you're a CA resident. CCA isn't inherently cheap, but they give out very large scholarships with some regularity.