The Savannah College of Art and Design

Date: Mar 04 2011
Major: Fine Arts - Painting/Sculpture/Photography/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
I attended SCAD for 3 years because I transfered credits in from a community college in my home state. I was in Savannah for one semester then had to move to Atlanta because I couldn't find a job to support an apartment. I really didn't make any "close" friends here, just mostly acquaintances. Every one is very clicky here. Fashion students hung out with fashion students and etc. The semesters were too fast. 2 1/2 months were not long enough to really flourish. The quarters were so fast that if you learned something in the previous quarter you would forget some of it in the next. If you don't have your SCAD card, you don't get into the building. The guards at the front desk will not call the office to verify you.

On a positive note I really liked the teachers in my major. They're really fun, open minded, and will give you advice when you need it. They let me create what I wanted which was great because my artwork is dark. In my minor (Illustration) It was alright but there was a small play on favoritism which wasn't fair. Unlike my major my minor didn't really let me put a dark flair in my work because the teachers complained that it wouldn't work in the real world with kids (or the USA basically). My work was never made to target kids and I didn't want it to.

My advice..if your going to go to this school either make sure your rich or have a scholarship/grant to pay for everything because if your middle class or poor like myself you will be in serious $100,000+ student debt. Administration is no help what so ever when it comes to student loan counciling or interest rates. They just want to get payed and don't care if you suffer for it after you graduate. I lived in the dorms in Savannah (Weston house) only once; in Atlanta I lived with family which was cheaper. If I lived in the dorms for 3 whole years I'd be more in debt and crazy because of loud idiot freshmen.

I'll admit it's better to have a car to get around in Atlanta. There is the SCAD bus but at peak times if end up not getting on the bus because its full, you will have to wait until the next one comes which will make you late for your next class. I'm not at all a fan of the MARTA rail or bus. It doesn't go everywhere and if you travel at night seriously beware of your surroundings, travel in a group, and stay in a lit, busy area. The crime is no joke there. I've heard about many students at GA Tech get mugged numerous times while walking around at night or for just not paying attention.

All in all I WOULD NOT recommend going to SCAD. If I could give back the BFA to be free of debt I would. It's certainly not helping me now. I still don't have a full time job and I would love to go to grad school but cannot afford it. I'm alright with going to community college again in my home state and paying a really low tuition cost out of pocket for my classes. But unfortunatly I won't be getting a masters degree.