The Savannah College of Art and Design

4th Year Female -- Class 2009

Faculty Accessibility: A, Collaboration/Competitive: C-

I'm going to graduate here in a few months from the Sequential Art department, and I have to say that this has been the best experience in a college that I've ever been two, and I've been to two schools previous to this one, including another private college and a big university!

My teachers are extremely friendly, helpful, and willing to talk to me about anything I might have questions about - my faculty advisor and I talk on a weekly basis about my future career moves, the business of comics and art, and portfolio/script reviews. I also consult three other professors on a regular basis in regards to art or scripts I'm working on, submissions I'm sending to various publishers, publishing contracts I've been offered, etc. These people aren't just professors, they're my peers in the industry, mentors, and friends. I was even invited to represent SCAD along with some SCAD faculty at a highschool where the school was holding a discussion about the industry, and to help man a table at a comic convention, which is an integral part of being a comic book artist. I've already been offered one publishing contract and contacted to send more pages to a second publisher!

Most of my professors have worked or are currently working/freelancing in the industry. They may not talk about it in class, or mention it only in passing, but they all have some kind of industry experience.

A lot of other reviewers wrote that SCAD did nothing for them, but I honestly think that (at least in my department) you get what you give. You have a faculty adviser, they have hours, you can set up appointments and ask them any questions you have. These people are knowledgeable and perfectly willing to help. The most valuable suggestions I've received weren't the ones I got in class, but the ones that I sought out from my teachers afterword; this is how you make connections and network - by being sociable and putting yourself out there.

I know that there is at least one class I took that REQUIRES you to send a submission packet to a publisher, and teaches you everything you need to know about putting together a good packet; this and conventions, are to me, the most important tools you can have in the industry. I received a positive response to this submission, and now I'm working on a full book of sample pages for this company - I might have a publishing contract before I even graduate! I received an offer previous to this one for another story I was writing from another publisher, and after getting good suggestions from my professors I turned that publisher down; their contract would have taken advantage of me being a young, naive artist otherwise!

I met with lots of editors at Editor's Day the last two years and received excellent feedback and facetime with editors from all the companies that I really wanted to speak with. I did have to spend all day in a hot hallway with a bunch of sweaty guys, but no pain no gain, right?

Basically what I'm saying is before you decide to come to SCAD, you ought to be absolutely sure this is what you want,and really put yourself out there and work as hard as possible - you can achieve anything if you work hard for it! It's all about high energy, and high motivation. Expect 60 hour weeks, no sleep, and drunken tourists who don't know how to drive - or walk for that matter.

Unlike other people, I've never had my house broken into or my car broken into. I've never been held up, or even bothered. And I live in the downtown historic district. I don't walk around at night, and always lock my doors - I try to be vigilant about safety and not put myself in situations where I might get hurt. I know this kind of thing happens to people despite the best protection possible, but only one person I know has had someone break into their house (in the summer when they weren't home - so nothing got stolen or broken; they lived in the drug-ghetto area)and only one person I know had car problems - someone pushed their drivers side mirror in repeatedly.Most of the people I know who graduated this past spring have already gotten jobs. One got a job with full benefits as a graphic designer; he gets paid $20 and was given a customized up-to-date computer system to work on. All the others are from the Visual FX department and work for various companies including Pixar, Sony, and Digital Domain.

2nd Year Female -- Class 2009

Education Quality: A+, Campus Aesthetics: C-

I found the years I spent at SCAD to be exactly what I made of them... Some of the best years of my life. I learned A LOT and had a lot of fun in a city that I will always love.

Pros:
Once I graduated from SCAD I was able to hit the ground running in my field of study (graphic design). I have also found that the reputation of the school has treated me extremely well, within the design community and job market.

I honestly feel that SCAD provided me with a big advantage over my piers once I began to apply myself professionally.

Cons:
Although the school does an excellent job, honing it's students skills and proficiencies for the working world. They do not extend the curriculum to cover the business side of the art world (like most art programs).

Also, I have heard (but cannot confirm) that the staff is underpaid. I would hope for better for the passionate staff I was able to study under.

Summary:In my experience, SCAD gave me EVERYTHING I needed to do what I love for a living.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000