SCAD vs. CCAD?!!

[megadubitably]

There are so many versus threads out there for people deciding which school to go to... can't hurt to make my own I suppose.

OK, here's the dealio... I have FOUR DAYS to decide between SCAD and CCAD and I'm quite confused. I'm entering a scholarship contest Saturday (and will find out if I win that same day), and I originally thought that if I won, SCAD would give me an extra 5k per year, making my total cost to SCAD only 10k a year at most, so I would definately go. Unfortunately, I emailed a counselor who said that they would not add the 5k to my 20k scholarship, which really kinda sucks. SO... if I go to SCAD, I will be taking out 15k in loans and if I go to CCAD I will be taking 17k out in loans. I will be paying these back by myself. My money sense says "go to scad...", but I also want to go to CCAD because the location's more convienent and it seems more focused and intense. But another thing worrying me is that now I'm not sure of what I want to do (and since I'm only a senior, how am I supposed to know for certain what I want to do?! I haven't been exposed to much yet!). I THINK that I want to do illustration, but I might be happy doing animation or seq art. CCAD doesn't exactly have the animation department that SCAD does. But CCAD's foundations program has gotten great reviews, and it's a smaller school (which is good for me I think).
Also, I'm just going to throw MIAD in here... anyone know anything about it? It would be the cheapest for me to go to, but I've heard it's not on the same level as CCAD.

Any help or thoughts are much appreciated :3

[Katfayheirti]

Hey, I recently had the opportunity to visit both schools almost within the same week. I ruled out CCAD (Ohio is too boring and cold for me), and am now trying to decide between MICA and SCAD, but that's just me. From what I saw, SCAD definately has the better climate (except for the evil biting gnats of doom), equipment and facilities, but CCAD has professors who have been there longer and seem to be more sensitive to student needs. CCAD's campus also seemes much safer, as it is all in one place and it is convenient to be able to walk to the classes instead of having to drive or catch a bus. Personally, I think CCAD has very strong illustration, advertizing, and ID departments, but if you want to go into animation SCAD is definately the better choice.

As you know from another thread, I'm in a very similar situation. I have to choose between MICA and SCAD by the end of this week. Right now I'm thinking MICA, but SCAD might call me back and give me more scholarship money which would just confuse me to death. @_@
Personally, what confuses me about SCAD is that I think I would have to take masters-level courses in order to learn what I want to learn, but I don't really see the point of getting an MFA unless I want to teach (which I don't.) Right now, what draws me to MICA more is the focus on strong academics as well as art, and I like the campus and location better. When I spoke to students at both CCAD and SCAD they described their academic classes as easy and even dull.

[Mirana]

When I spoke to students at both CCAD and SCAD they described their academic classes as easy and even dull.

Why would you spend $$$ on academic classes at an ART school? Go to a uni and transfer.

megadubitably - Is the "scholarship contest" money coming from SCAD or an alternative source? You can only have ONE SCAD scholarship, but as many outside-source scholarships as you can win.

[Katfayheirti]

Why would you spend $$$ on academic classes at an ART school? Go to a uni and transfer.

Art isn't everything. Sure, I want to go into Illustration as a career, however I think I'd go crazy if all I did was practice techniques with a few 'aesthetics' classes on the side. I could take 101s anywhere, but stimulation like studying literature, philosophy, sociology and political science is important to me. I think it would be awesome to be able to go to a class about say 'Strange and Exotic Peoples as Described by European Explorers' and be able to draw on that knowlage down the road in order to form concepts for drawings and paintings of aliens met by space explorers.

[mellis]

The important thing to remember is that at art schools, you most likely won't have the opportunity to take concentrated classes like the one just you made up. Art schools (like SCAD) only offer the requirement core classes. For instance, I am taking/have taken courses on Buddhism and the Japanese language. You won't have these options at an art school. The only exception may be at RISD; however, managing your schedule so that you can take the exact class you want at Brown alongside your RISD classes is almost impossible. There's no guarantee you'll get into a specific class, either. I've always pushed & shoved to get into the classes I wanted, but that's pretty much anywhere.

Look at the classes that are offered, and remember that just because they are offered doesn't mean that they are offered every semester/quarter.

Right now I'm a sophomore at a liberal arts university and will transfer in the fall (possibly starting at SCAD-ATL).

[Envisor]

I have the same problem youve got, but not on choosing schools, Im fixed on going to CCAD. The only problem is that Ive got to take out a loan for most of everyhting, so around 30k i think, but that includes books and dorm and food costs. So hopefully we can both get thorugh this, Im just taking out a loan for the first year and maybe Ill switch to being independent before the second year so Ill recieve more financial aid.

[Whren]

I agree with the environment and climate thing around CCAD being 'meh'...The winters can be very cold and the weather sometimes goes crazy. It's not half bad once you simply get used to it though. Besides, during term you hardly ever notice anything besides looming deadlines and schoolwork.....

I would say if you're going animation to look elsewhere because CCAD's animation dept definitely needs a bit more work (for some reason a lot -- not all though -- of the people who choose animation as their major here can't seem to draw very well), but the Illustration dept is solid. Also foundation year from my experience lived up to what I heard about it. If you luck out and get the really good professors (there are the okay ones and there are the ones that really jumpstart you) you'll learn a ton and more.

Good luck with your decision!

[megadubitably]

I live in Missouri, so Ohio's boringness and coldness won't phase me, though it would be nice to live in a warmer environment... with spanish moss (omgz, I love big trees and spanish moss). Good luck with MICA and SCAD kat, another hard choice. I know some people going to MICA, they're interesting and entertaining characters

I will have some art, history, science, English, and hopefully math AP credits, I know SCAD accepts many, not sure so much about CCAD. I'm not sure if I want rigorous academics... sadly I'm kinda burned out from high school, too many years on the honors and AP track

The scholarship is the congressional scholarship (anyone familiar with it?), I think that it's sponsored by SCAD, but then I heard of a girl who won it and SCAD added the money to her scholarship, but then I heard different info from the financial aid lady.

Hey, how does this sound... doing the foundations year at CCAD while at the same time looking into the illustration department and researching it to see if it would fit me, and if I feel like I shouldn't do illustration transferring to SCAD the next year to pursue animation? I would still most likely keep my 20k scad scholarship (according to the admissions lady).

[Mirana]

Art isn't everything. Sure, I want to go into Illustration as a career, however I think I'd go crazy if all I did was practice techniques with a few 'aesthetics' classes on the side. I could take 101s anywhere, but stimulation like studying literature, philosophy, sociology and political science is important to me. I think it would be awesome to be able to go to a class about say 'Strange and Exotic Peoples as Described by European Explorers' and be able to draw on that knowlage down the road in order to form concepts for drawings and paintings of aliens met by space explorers.

I do not understand why you're telling me this. I said: Go to uni and transfer. As in, don't pay an art school $3K for an academics class when you can pay a university $300 and likely get higher quality, more diversity in choice, and more of a challenge in your english/math/science courses.

As in: I agree.

[Mirana]

The scholarship is the congressional scholarship (anyone familiar with it?), I think that it's sponsored by SCAD, but then I heard of a girl who won it and SCAD added the money to her scholarship, but then I heard different info from the financial aid lady.

If I've learned anything about college, it's not to trust the admins. They KNOW NOTHING. Research everything for yourself, and if you have to call and ask...make sure you talk to more than one person. The four times I was required to go see an advisor (in two schools), I had arguements with them that ended when they would ask a supervisor and find out I was right and they were wrong.

The second scholarship you're talking about doesn't sound SCAD sponsored. Perhaps the woman was confused about what you were asking? If the scholarship is one listed on the SCAD site, then it is considered one that cannot be combined with any others on the site. If not, it is fair game.

[Katfayheirti]

I do not understand why you're telling me this. I said: Go to uni and transfer. As in, don't pay an art school $3K for an academics class when you can pay a university $300 and likely get higher quality, more diversity in choice, and more of a challenge in your english/math/science courses.

As in: I agree.

I'm sorry. I guess I got a little worked up. Honestly, I just don't want to put off any art training for two years, even if it's "just foundation stuff."
Eh, the courses I'm really interested in would be higher-level anyway and....well...it would be impractical to spend that much time at a uni in an environment where I would be unhappy anyway.

The important thing to remember is that at art schools, you most likely won't have the opportunity to take concentrated classes like the one just you made up. Art schools (like SCAD) only offer the requirement core classes. For instance, I am taking/have taken courses on Buddhism and the Japanese language. You won't have these options at an art school. The only exception may be at RISD; however, managing your schedule so that you can take the exact class you want at Brown alongside your RISD classes is almost impossible. There's no guarantee you'll get into a specific class, either. I've always pushed & shoved to get into the classes I wanted, but that's pretty much anywhere.

I've got a copy of MICA's coursebook as well as a copy of SCAD's course offerings. MICA has all kinds of interesting courses that you don't even have to go down the road to Johns Hopkins to take. They even have one very similar to the 'one I made up' except that I couldn't remember the exact name of the course at the time (and still can't.) You've got a very good point about the scheduling, etc. I would be prepared to camp outside of some doorways if I had to in order to sign up for a class, but I'm sure there would be plenty things that would be 'just too much work' or can't be scheduled in no matter what.

I know some people going to MICA, they're interesting and entertaining characters

I believe you :3 I know at least one person there who is a total nutcase, but then again I know some people at Ringling who've got them beat.

BTW, good luck on your decision. I hope we've all been able to help. I guess we both have untill....what? This Satuday to decide? Woah. I really want to go to MICA now, but I am waiting for SCAD to call me back about scholarship stuffs. I hope they don't give me more scholarship money because then I'd have a tough time justifying going to the more expensive school.

[Mirana]

I'm sorry. I guess I got a little worked up. Honestly, I just don't want to put off any art training for two years, even if it's 'just foundation stuff.'

Who says you're putting it off? You learn a lot in school, but not like you do when you study on your own. These are courses you will have to take before your major studies ANYWAY. Plus, I took lower-level art courses (2D Design, Painting, Drawing, Web Design, etc) at the same time as my core at my uni.

In the end, you will thank yourself whole heartedly for the forethought you put into saving money. Due to scholarships I didn't pay a dime for my first two yrsat uni, and I had one of the largest scholarships available to undergrad SCAD kids in my last two yrs. Despite this, I can't tell you how stressed out I am over the remaining balance I have in loans. It's still a sizable chunk.

[Katfayheirti]

. Plus, I took lower-level art courses (2D Design, Painting, Drawing, Web Design, etc) at the same time as my core at my uni.

My local uni does not allow students to take art classes until Junior year. Actually, one reason I don't want to go there is that they have been awfully mean to me on the phone and in person. Their art teachers are really into 'contemporary fine art' and actually asked me why would even want to try to apply to the art program as a Freshman or Sophomore. I didn't even bother applying to my state U.

[megadubitably]

You guys have been a lot of help, I think I've decided for sure now. I really do love both schools and it's a really tough choice, but I will be going to CCAD and see what happens from there. SCAD will remain a likely school to transfer to if I decide on animation/seq art. So I will most likely be seeing you two, envisor and whren! (unless I compulsively change my mind at the last minute! which is possible)

Envisor- you weren't able to get any financial aid this year? I don't really know enough about the whole financial aid thing, except that I'm listed as dependent. The year after next, two of my brothers and I will be in college at the same time, so I should be getting more money than I am now. I'm not sure how much would change if I switch to independent.