Wheaton College

Date: Apr 19 2009
Major: Art & Design Department (This Major's Salary over time)
As a junior art major (I entered Wheaton as a Lit major), I was continually frustrated by the art department. Sure, the brand-new renovation of Adams hall meant a few more resources and better-looking facilities for campus tours, but there are several things that are lacking in Wheaton's art department: open-mindedness, divergent thinking, and respect for the arts by Wheaton college as a whole.

I transferred out to a top-notch art school at the end of my junior year as a result of feeling trapped here, with little encouragement to do my OWN work (you get demerits in painting and drawing classes for having your own style or experimenting). Teachers here will critique harshly, after offering little support for improvement or growth.

In my application process to transfer out, several teachers discouraged me from applying to the most prestigious art schools in favor of mediocre ones, and have done the same to every art student intending on transferring out (there is a group of art students leaving next year-at least 5). Teachers have even told me that I would regret my decision and probably want to come back. Not true. As an artist, I have never felt so confined and uninspired as I have at Wheaton. I am currently flourishing at a school that is arts-intensive, takes its students and their work seriously, and encourages experimentation and new techniques.

I have few qualms with most other departments, and enjoyed my classes in Sociology and English. The Urban Studies program is strongly recommended, with some of the best professors and people I've ever worked with. It is wonderful that Chicago is but an hour away- this was definitely the reason I was able to remain at Wheaton so long.