Colleges for Lighting Design

I have been looking into UNCSA, and after extensive conversation with their admission office on the phone, they told me that most students pay 52,500$ (including room, board, and meals) for the first year, then after getting state residency, pay an instate rate of 28,000$ (including room, board, and meals). Total of 136,500$. I also believe that they only give need-based scholarships, not merit-based, although I can't say that for sure. I do have to agree with Chawalang in saying that all three of the grads I know are very entitled, and as a result, two of the get very little work. The other one is an Assistant to Natasha Katz, so is guess it really is all what you make of it. I do have to say that I toured there, and I personally did not like the location, nor the facilities. Although it is also quite pricey, I would highly recommend looking at CMU. I have found it to be a really impressive school. Also look at SUNY Purchase I have been looking at both of them extensively for Lighting Design, and I think they both have a lot to offer. SUNY Purchase is slightly cheaper for Out of State Tuition, but you would obviously establish residency, and then pay the significantly reduced rate. Also the close proximity to NYC is great. Another school that doesn't get a lot of notice, but two people from my school have gone there/are going there and loved it is Wagner in New York. BU is a great school as well. I have a friend who's sister goes there for Tech Direction, and she was exposed to lighting and loves it, and they are very flexible with her doing both Tech Direction and Lighting. Kinda far across the country for you, but USC has a good tech theatre program as well.
 
That's including a meal plan and dorm.

My mom isn't all to worried, she's got some Union friends who think I'm going to be getting quite a bit of scholarship money with the talent I have for my age... However when admission time comes I'll be 1 in 1500+ kids a applying for the same major.

My mom is saying that the 35k isn't too bad and other are saying that that is nothing compared to other schools. Her boyfriends sons tuition is almost 80k a year! So this is definitely nothing.


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Hopefully your mom will ensure then you don't graduate with more debt then you can afford. I can't stress this enough, be certain you don't graduate with more debt then you can afford. I put that at about 30,000 total. 300 bucks a month for 10 years. Be involved in these conversations. Don't sign anything without figuring out what it is. If loans are the only way consider not going to school at all. I have a feeling her boyfriend's son school is not giving him in education that in the best of situations will make 30k out of school. Be proactive about this. Really. Know what you are getting yourself into. Don't allow other people to stick you with debt you won't be able to pay later.
 
...then after getting state residency, pay an instate rate of 28,000$ (including room, board, and meals). Total of 136,500$..... SUNY Purchase is slightly cheaper for Out of State Tuition, but you would obviously establish residency, and then pay the significantly reduced rate....
As a NYS taxpayer and someone who has sat through and produced 4 SUNY state of the university addresses I think your really wrong on this.

SUNY knows what it is doing. Unless you parents want to take you to court and have you financially and physically cut off from them then your pretty much not going to qualify. http://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=402

Good luck. I hope for my taxes sake you are not successful.
 
To throw another into the mix, Ithaca College graduates @JohnHuntington, @icewolf08, and @rochem speak highly of the school and seem to have done fairly well for themselves. Now whether they'd think it was worth ~$55K per year, or if an equivalent but more economical school exists, is a question I would pose to them.

@TechGeek, assuming you're an NJ resident, Rutgers has a good reputation and F. Mitchell Dana is a wonderful designer and teacher. Likewise with Princeton, if they offer similar in-state discount/financial aid.

And I'll second the "attitude" issue of NCSA, although the individual I encountered also attended NYU, so the "entitlement" was doubly compounded.
 
Just about everyone I meet with a BFA or MFA seems to have "attitude" or "entitlement". But hey, I have a BA from a small liberal arts program, so I'm biased, or maybe it's just symptomatic of my generation, idk. I will wager, however, that If you are hard working and open to constructive criticism, that can easily outshine the stigma of whatever big name school you choose.


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Tech I urge you to think about how much you'll actually make. $135k to pay back is $1125 per month with no interest over 10 years. Can your degree get you a job that earns double that if not more per month. Consider a fairly base rate of 12% you'll be roughly making $1260 with interest per month. That is on top of any living expenses. Rent here for a small one bedroom (and cost of living is actually fairly low in the middle of the country) is $750/month Estimate about $250 in groceries per month. Now add insurance (car, health, anything else) at $300/month now add gas for commuting estimate $150/month in fuel. Throw an extra $200 for just case scenarios. Here's your costs:
-1260
-750
-250
-300
-150
-200

thats $2910/month that's a hell of a lot of money. I estimate working as a union hand. Who easily gets an average of 40/hrs per week that I make roughly $2k a month. Thats putting me at -$900 per month.

Best way to prepare finances for college is to assume you won't get the job you want, Likely you'll work for 4 years of your life after school working as a freelance hand, or a house hand. Also assume you wont get any scholarships.
In your area can you afford that kind of a degree?
 
To throw another into the mix, Ithaca College graduates @JohnHuntington, @icewolf08, and @rochem speak highly of the school and seem to have done fairly well for themselves. Now whether they'd think it was worth ~$55K per year, or if an equivalent but more economical school exists, is a question I would pose to them.
I would have to say yes, I think that the duration that I got was worth it. I was able to secure a job starting just days after graduation, followed shortly thereafter by the job I have had for the past 9 years. I certainly don't regret my decision, my loans are paid off, I even own a house. I do wish I had time to own a dog...

I do have a bunch of student employees from some of the local colleges. It is very easy to tell which students come from different programs based on what they know and think they know. I find that the schools with programs that focus on working knowledge versus prepping students for grad school turn our far more useful technicians and designers.
 
UNCSA's program is rigorous, unique and not for everybody. That being said, if its the right place for you you'll know. No Program is perfect, you just need to find the one that fits you best. Its your education, no one elses.... You get to decide the path you want to take and weather the cost is worth it to you.
 
Bill, whenever I talk to a student about college plans I make it clear that relying on anyone else for your college education is not the safest thing to do. So when I approach the situation I tell them as if they are receiving no financial help from anyone. Thats how I ended up through college. Which is also why after a year of me spending more money on learning than actually learning I decided to take a different path to the same goal. Do I recommend getting a degree? Absolutely! However I didn't get to where I am with one. I'm not an awesome designer or a touring tech, but I live a fairly comfortable life doing freelance work in a market really not able to support more than a few full time techs.
 
I know I have many friends that used their theatre major as a way to figure out that they did NOT want to do theatre as a career and are now in grad school for completely different fields, or currently apply their production skill and temperament in non theatrical jobs.


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Duck - do you think tech was paying for all this?

I also assume the same...

Many parents do not save enough to send their kids to college. When they get their financial aid package back most parents just look at the bottom line, see if they can make the payments, and go. Financial aid packages also include loans... and more and more often most of the financial aid package are loans instead of grants and scholarships that don't have to be paid back. Schools and parents don't care because they are not getting stuck with the bill. That is why I am saying be very involved in this process. Really look at what you WILL be paying, what your parents are paying, and what the school is paying. Also, know that as you go through school the amount of money you can receive in loans increases.... so be vigilant even then. Have a real conversation with your parents about what they can pay, what they expect you can pay, and what you can realistically afford after graduation. Going to college now is very different then what it was 25 years ago.
 
I also assume the same...

Many parents do not save enough to send their kids to college. When they get their financial aid package back most parents just look at the bottom line, see if they can make the payments, and go. Financial aid packages also include loans... and more and more often most of the financial aid package are loans instead of grants and scholarships that don't have to be paid back. Schools and parents don't care because they are not getting stuck with the bill. That is why I am saying be very involved in this process. Really look at what you WILL be paying, what your parents are paying, and what the school is paying. Also, know that as you go through school the amount of money you can receive in loans increases.... so be vigilant even then. Have a real conversation with your parents about what they can pay, what they expect you can pay, and what you can realistically afford after graduation. Going to college now is very different then what it was 25 years ago.

or 45 years ago. BA in 3 years and two summers - $7500 - all in - no loans - all money I earned - mostly at minimum wage - $1.85/hr. But then I went to grad school and finished after 4 years with what seemed like the horrendous sum of about $10,000 in loans - at 3% fixed. Should of kept it but paid off in 2 years. Yes, different - don't get stuck with a lot of debt - ever. Knowing what to expect in terms of indebtedness is definitely good advice.
 
To throw another into the mix, Ithaca College graduates @JohnHuntington, @icewolf08, and @rochem speak highly of the school and seem to have done fairly well for themselves. Now whether they'd think it was worth ~$55K per year, or if an equivalent but more economical school exists, is a question I would pose to them.

@TechGeek, assuming you're an NJ resident, Rutgers has a good reputation and F. Mitchell Dana is a wonderful designer and teacher. Likewise with Princeton, if they offer similar in-state discount/financial aid.

And I'll second the "attitude" issue of NCSA, although the individual I encountered also attended NYU, so the "entitlement" was doubly compounded.

Wow, I'll have to look into Ithaca! I haven't come across it in my search, however I think $55k a year might be a bit steep to my mom.

I am a South NJ resident... My friend went to Rowan which I was looking at, and Rutgers I didn't know offered Theatrical courses but I live very close to the Camden campus maybe 30min with traffic.

What's up everyone working with people from UNCSA and getting tude? Are you meaning that they feel above you because they went there?
 
Tech I urge you to think about how much you'll actually make. $135k to pay back is $1125 per month with no interest over 10 years. Can your degree get you a job that earns double that if not more per month. Consider a fairly base rate of 12% you'll be roughly making $1260 with interest per month. That is on top of any living expenses. Rent here for a small one bedroom (and cost of living is actually fairly low in the middle of the country) is $750/month Estimate about $250 in groceries per month. Now add insurance (car, health, anything else) at $300/month now add gas for commuting estimate $150/month in fuel. Throw an extra $200 for just case scenarios. Here's your costs:
-1260
-750
-250
-300
-150
-200

thats $2910/month that's a hell of a lot of money. I estimate working as a union hand. Who easily gets an average of 40/hrs per week that I make roughly $2k a month. Thats putting me at -$900 per month.

Best way to prepare finances for college is to assume you won't get the job you want, Likely you'll work for 4 years of your life after school working as a freelance hand, or a house hand. Also assume you wont get any scholarships.
In your area can you afford that kind of a degree?


So far I am not really paying anything for college, mostly parent's.

After college I'll have a place to stay in Ocean City, NJ at our secondary/shore house. I'll also have a job available to me during and after college with the theatre I've been working for in Ocean City managing the systems which pays well at $10 an hour. I'll also still have a spot with the rental company I work for as well which pays based on what your doing.

So my after college life won't be too bad, only having car insurance, heath insurance, water bill(only Sept-June), gas bill(only Sept-June), electric bill (only during Sept-June), Groceries, and gas for my car.
 
I also assume the same...

Many parents do not save enough to send their kids to college. When they get their financial aid package back most parents just look at the bottom line, see if they can make the payments, and go. Financial aid packages also include loans... and more and more often most of the financial aid package are loans instead of grants and scholarships that don't have to be paid back. Schools and parents don't care because they are not getting stuck with the bill. That is why I am saying be very involved in this process. Really look at what you WILL be paying, what your parents are paying, and what the school is paying. Also, know that as you go through school the amount of money you can receive in loans increases.... so be vigilant even then. Have a real conversation with your parents about what they can pay, what they expect you can pay, and what you can realistically afford after graduation. Going to college now is very different then what it was 25 years ago.

We plan on sitting down in the next month and going over all the costs. I know I am paying for my books which won't be too bad.
 
I know I have many friends that used their theatre major as a way to figure out that they did NOT want to do theatre as a career and are now in grad school for completely different fields, or currently apply their production skill and temperament in non theatrical jobs.


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I really believe I am going to stick with lighting. I have and still am investing a lot of money into it. I really enjoy it and you meet interesting people. It teaches you a lot even when you think you already knew it all.
 
So far I am not really paying anything for college, mostly parent's.

After college I'll have a place to stay in Ocean City, NJ at our secondary/shore house. I'll also have a job available to me during and after college with the theatre I've been working for in Ocean City managing the systems which pays well at $10 an hour. I'll also still have a spot with the rental company I work for as well which pays based on what your doing.

So my after college life won't be too bad, only having car insurance, heath insurance, water bill(only Sept-June), gas bill(only Sept-June), electric bill (only during Sept-June), Groceries, and gas for my car.

You possibly won the parent lottery. Still watch out for those loans sneaking in.

What do you actually want to do post graduation? Do you want to work for a rental shop or a small theatre? Ocean city is not really going to be the happening place in the coming years. Four years from now Upstate NY and NYC will have casino gambling in full swing which is going to smash Atlantic City... so you might have a place to stay there but there might not be as much work there as there is now.
 
You possibly won the parent lottery. Still watch out for those loans sneaking in.

What do you actually want to do post graduation? Do you want to work for a rental shop or a small theatre? Ocean city is not really going to be the happening place in the coming years. Four years from now Upstate NY and NYC will have casino gambling in full swing which is going to smash Atlantic City... so you might have a place to stay there but there might not be as much work there as there is now.
Haha, ya I hope so! Loans are something that we are both worried about but are hoping to not need to take out large loans.

Post graduation I would enjoy working as a lighting designer or even lighting technician for a large rental company like 4wall and PRG who do tons of production work. If not working for a small theatre isn't that bad, I could be getting benefits from them if I was 18, such as health care.

I was offered a small gig at 14 to run a series of one acts for an event called 48 NYC where I'd be doing lighting for one acts over two days. I hate that I had to pass it up.. The nice thing is that I'm not that far from NYC, only a hour and a half train ride or so which costs around $12 bucks so I can do work in NY pretty easily.

Atlantic City is already done, not many casino's left.. There are a couple casino's left that after college wouldn't be bad to apply to work in their theaters.
 
Post graduation I would enjoy working as a lighting designer or even lighting technician for a large rental company like 4wall and PRG who do tons of production work. If not working for a small theatre isn't that bad, I could be getting benefits from them if I was 18, such as health care.

Those are two very different things. PRG won't give a rats butt about your degree. Being an LD a degree gets you your first assistanship... and usually a masters is required.

IF you have to take out loans, you should seriously think about not going to school. If you already have an in that might actually be a halfway decent chance of making it without the debt.
 

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