State Colleges vs Private Art School

Pros, Cons, and My Personal Opinion

Should you go to a public college or university for an art degree, or an art school? If you plan on making art a career, this is an important thing to consider. I’ve been to both and I’d say…it depends.

My degree came from a Cal State University, but I’ll tell you honestly that the only thing that challenged me for the entire four years, were my general education classes. Not a single one of my art classes ever challenged me or pushed me beyond what I was already comfortable doing. That being the case, I never used class time to work on projects. Instead, I used the 3 hours of lab time to do other things and I ended up starting each project the night before and turning it in for an A every single time. I’m not bragging here. I’m simply stating that it wasn’t a challenge…my way of calling it what it was…a mediocre education.

You have to decide for yourself whether or not a private art school education is worth the cost. (Photo Credit: 123RF.com Copyright: Narongrit Suebnunta)

One of the pros though, was that tuition was much cheaper than private art school. Dare I say that you get what you pay for?

After I got my degree, I took a few odd jobs before applying at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. It was literally a night and day experience. If I thought I could slack for even a second, I was sorely mistaken. Highly renowned, Art Center is home to future designers of every sort, illustrators, and entertainment industry artists. So much so, that there were reserved parking spots for major car companies who were there to recruit transportation design students even before they graduated. And, even enrolling wasn’t easy. Every potential student must apply with a portfolio, a solid body of work to prove you have what it takes just to get started.

An important decision like this should be thoroughly researched and that includes touring campuses. (Photo Credit: 123RF.com Copyright: Jozef Polc)

Not only did it challenge me from the very first day, it literally kicked my butt. It was a veritable bootcamp for artists. Each term was full of back to back sleepless nights. There really was no way to have a job and go to this school. It’s total immersion.

It’s also VERY expensive. But again…you get what you pay for.

The nice thing was that everywhere you went on campus there were nothing but art students working on their various projects. Even in the cafeteria, students were eating and creating art at the same time. The environment was just supercharged with creativity and it was contagious. That’s not something you get at a university where there are dozens of other majors.

Also, my Cal State education involved professors who were just teachers. Art Center was full of professional artists who were actively working in their various crafts. Having claimed an Entertainment Design major, I had teachers who worked on films such as Lion King, Brother Bear, 300, Avatar, Prometheus, Minority Report, etc. I took a lettering class from a teacher who did typography for main stream movies and television shows.

Yes, these people are teaching and still very active in the industry. And grading was brutal. The level of work I turned in at the Cal State college absolutely did not fly at Art Center. It’s a much higher standard. The upper echelons of art education.

Sadly, I ran out of money before I finished the program. But had I the ability to do it all over again…I’d go straight to Art Center. But that’s just me. You have to weigh your own pros and cons. If all you want is to learn the basics, then a community college might be the way to go. A class here and there for a fraction of the price of both university and private art school. If you’re really after the bootcamp setting, something that will challenge you every single day, then you have some serious thinking to do about finances. Also, I highly suggest taking a tour of each campus you have in mind. But whatever you decide, do it because you love it.

Further Reading:

A Degree in Art – Is It Necessary?

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