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| Featured College: Savannah College of Art and Design By: Emily Long All you artists out there may be wondering, “How can I go to college and still pursue my passion for painting?” Or, you might be looking for a unique career in design, but you don’t know where to start. The Savannah College of Art and Design (also known as SCAD), located in Savannah, GA, offers more degree programs and design specializations than any other school of its class in the United States, and, in addition to great resources for art, also offers liberal arts classes and career preparation. Founded in 1978, SCAD is relatively new, but it is widely known as one of the top art and design schools in the world. In addition to Savannah’s campus, SCAD offers classes in Atlanta, GA, Lacoste, France, and through eLearning. You are sure to find a program of study that interests you in the 42 majors and 54 minors offered, from the most popular majors in graphic design, animation, film and TV, fashion, and photography, to more off-the-wall studies in metals and jewelry, dramatic writing, interactive design, and game development. The Savannah campus also offers a degree in Historic Preservation, in which students utilize the city’s famous historic art and architecture as a learning environment. Going to your favorite art class all day sounds easy, right? Not so, says Brenda Aguilar, a SCAD senior. “The opportunities are great here and there is SO MUCH to chose from, some things you never even knew could be a career. Be ready to study and work hard, being here means a lot of hard work and sleepless nights.” SCAD affords its students wonderful resources and incredible opportunities, but like students in engineering, psychology, or economics, everyone at SCAD works hard. In addition to great classrooms, workrooms, and technology labs, SCAD exhibition spaces fill downtown Savannah. Student work is displayed in galleries, through shopSCAD, and in the annual SCAD Fashion Show, always attended by major players in the fashion world (from Marc Jacobs and Vera Wang to ANTM’s Miss J). Other annual events include the Savannah Film Festival and the Sidewalk Art Festival. Students at SCAD have the option to live in one of 10 residence halls or 2 guest houses around downtown, but many students choose instead to rent apartments or rooms in shared houses. While the wide range of living opportunities is nice, students report that the spread-out nature often results in a lack of community. As far as dining goes, culinary offerings in downtown Savannah run the gamut, from quaint coffeehouses to upscale restaurants to dining chains. Kara Jenkins, a senior, reported, “I love the environment. It’s not the typical college campus or environment. There is so much green space and parks. It is nice to not be completely isolated from the city.” However, students are quick to say that crime is common in the area. Students can participate in any of nine varsity sports, including equestrian, which has a large facility just across the Savannah River. Though it may not seem large, SCAD has 9000 students, 10% of whom are international. Diversity is an attractive factor for most students. Julia Pisarskiy, also a senior, said, “I chose SCAD because it is a unique college experience- a complete creative culture, with a wide variety of design and art students, people from all over the world. Where can you find another school like it?” Every student interviewed lamented SCAD’s high annual tuition. $24, 390, the reported number for this year, is a lot, and students are also responsible for cost of living and all supplies (think: all the canvas, paint, and brushes needed for one painting class). Megan Bristow, a sophomore, advises, “Start saving NOW. Do research- find scholarships and loans that will help you. And don't be afraid to ask for help to find scholarships, etc.” In terms of both admissions and financial aid, Sara Riddle, a senior, advises students to work on their portfolio before applying to increase the chance of scholarships. If you have written off art school as “weird,” think again. Victoria Creamer, who will graduate this month, put it this way: “Expect who you are to be challenged. Be willing to stick to your guns on who you are and who you want to be. Everyone will be trying to ‘out-unique’ each other, so just be sure to be unique by not buying into being super weird in order to be cool. Just be who you are, and chances are that is unique in and of itself.” Good advice for students anywhere and everywhere! |
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