Savannah College of Art and Design Top Questions

Start the search with some personal reflection. Ask yourself what your intrests are and whether or not you would like to pursue them as a career. Once you have a list of possible majors, start searching for all kinds of schools that cater to what you, as a student and individual, want out of life. The worst thing to do is pick something just because you were told it was right for you, and be miserable for the rest of your college career, and possibly life. Start the search early and give yourself time to get papers, applications, and fincancial details in order. Apply to lots of scholarships if you need help paying for school. Visit each school that you are serious about and try to get a feel for what it would be like if you attended. If possible, sit in on a class that pertains to you major. Don't be afraid to ask questions while you are there. Be prepared for hard work, but don't forget to have fun. Some of my best memories, are staying in with friends while watching a good movie, or going out to dinner and having great conversations.

While looking at the cost of schools can be a daunting task, it is important to keep in mind how well the school wou choose will prepare you for your career. After all, this is the reason you're going to school! So while things like location, student activities, and dorm-life are an important factor in choosing a comfortable new home, one of the most important things is the quality of education, the reputation of the faculty and staff, and their ability to help you learn. The truth of the matter is, you are going to pay more for a school with a higher quality of education, but don't let this scare you. Many schools offer a variety of scholarships to new students, so do some digging to find out what's available. If this seems lacking, don't be afraid of student loans. After all, once you land the dream job your college prepared you for, paying the money back will be a snap!

My advice would be to have a clear idea of what you want to get out of college. This will definitely make the selection process of schools so much easier. In the long-run it will also make your college experience so much better because you'll feel like your are reaching your fullest potential at a school that caters to your exact needs and wants.

My advice is this...think about what makes you happy. In fact think about multiple things that make you happy and apply them to finding a school. I love art so obvioulsy Art school was for me. I also like traveling and international cultures and at SCAD there are so many students from other countries bringing you their backrounds to form this college level melting pot. In one case you might like the beach but you also like football so choose a school that has the best of both. I will tell you LOCATION is a huge deal. You may want to be close to home or you may want to run away and never look back. Also pick a school that has a lot of different majors that you know your interested in. When you select a college you want to have some "wiggle room" so that you can still have choices . As far as making the most of your college experience the key is to take ADVANTAGE of every opportunity. Every forum, speaker, concert, lecture, exhibit, etc. GO!!! and you will learn and grow. Work hard, Network and just enjoying the journey is what its all about.

Students, pay attention to all the factors and never ever sacrifice your happiness. Do what you love to do, or it wont be worth doing. Don't sweat the small stuff--just keep going and everything will work out. Parents, do your best to get your child through college without loans--it's so hard to start your professional life with dept. Don't push all of the fanancial responsibility on him just because you want to prove something--this is your child, and you are setting him up for the rest of his life. Give him the best shot possible, even if it means skipping a cruise or early retirement.

My advice to students and parents about finding the right college is to not give up. It's out there, whether it's a major university or a small private school, the right one is out there. Do not settle for anything less than perfect, no matter if you have to take out a hundred loans and be in debt up to your eyeballs! It is all worth it because once you are there and you are with people that you can relate to inside and out, you will feel this absolute euphoria. It makes you feel as if you're right at home, it fills that space that's been inside mingling and tingling waiting to be unleashed. Finding the right college is the key to making the most of your college experience because one you find it, everything else will just fall into place.

Dont let anything hold you back from studying what you desire, whether it be finances, parents, location or other. Do what you need to study what you want, its going to be what you practice for the rest of your life

Parents and students should do all the research that they can about schools before attending. I have been enrolled at three schools--and I researched them all! I am proud of the schools I attended and the awards and scholarships that I received academically. I also would recommend that students apply for scholarships (as early as possible). I am working toward my second bachelor's degree and am not eligible for all the Federal Aide that I received when working toward my B.A. before. I definitely miss it. So, apply for Federal, State, and private aid. Look into colleges early, and never stop looking and learning.

As an aspiring artist going to the art school of my dreams, my best advice to students is to find a way to make it happen. Whatever "it" is, if you want it enough, you CAN make it happen. Whether you are like me, and you did not have the money to go to the school that you had your heart set on and you have to do some hard work to make ends meet or if you are struggling to just make the decision of what it is you want to do in life, you can make it happen. You just have to keep your eyes on the goal, the end result that you have in mind. Now, to parents, my advice is similar, let your child make it happen. They can do what needs to be done if they value the outcome enough.

For students, be sure when selecting a school that you do it for yourself. Many parents (including my own) pressure their children into choosing a school because they think it is the best choice for various reasons. I wanted to go to an art school, but my parents wanted me to go to a traditional college or university. At times this friction caused some arguments, but stay strong with what you believe will be the best choice for YOU because nine times out of ten you will be right. You are the one that is going to be going to college, not them.