I
would caution those looking into higher education at SCAD to
look elsewhere. I attended SCAD for 2 years while securing
my BFA in Graphic Design. The school has great facilities,
the latest software and technology and several satellite campuses for
study abroad. But be warned, all these things are just
smoke and mirrors for extraordinarily high tuition and poor education. I had previously attended a community college for my
Associate's degree, so I feel I have something to measure
my SCAD experience against. While at community college I felt
challenged. Not only by the faculty, but also by my
fellow students. My community college prepared me for my next
steps, helping me research several schools to continue my education
and helping other students secure jobs.
This is what I
thought I would find at SCAD. But to the contrary,
I found faculty that is discouraged from properly critiquing and
grading students. More than once, I witnessed students cry their
way to better grades and come up with some of
the lamest excuses for deadline extensions. And it's not the
faculty's fault, the school's motto is “the student is always
right.” This attitude creates a lax environment for friendly
competition between classmates, and in turn prevents student's from pushing
their creative boundaries.
I put in all 2 years at
SCAD thinking college is what you put into it, but
was I wrong. When it came time to graduate I
was given little direction on what I should do after
SCAD. Their job board is a joke, especially for a
boy from the North (most of their employment opportunities are
in GA and FL.) When I finally found a job,
I wasn't prepared and basically had to learn simple things
that were never explained at SCAD. And if this review
sounds bitter...it should. I'm in student loan debt to the
tune of $70,000. I thought by paying a premium for
my education I would get a leg up, instead I
still feel like I'm playing catch up with my contemporaries
from less expensive colleges.
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