Grad School - Take Two

[blurubberlizard]

Hey there,

I'm a young lighting designer from Maine looking into graduate schools for lighting design. I have been down this path before. I ended up in a graduate program that turned out to be awful. My professor was verbally abusive (in class, during tech, and on out of school projects) and I learned absolutely nothing from him my entire time there. It got to the point I was visibly shaking going into his class every week. One week I was talented, the next I was the worst student he had ever seen. I love theatre and I love light design. This program made me start to hate both.

Why did I stay as long as I did? The school had painted a really pretty picture and I was drawn in by that...when I got there it was a whole different story. But I was learning from my Master Electrician (she was fantastic, one of the best I have ever worked with),my other professors, and my fellow students. I had some great experiences while I was there but the bad outweighed the good 90% of the time. I understand that grad school is intense but this was ridiculous so I left.

Now I back to try again. This time I want to get it right. The biggest thing I'm looking for is a mentor that I feel comfortable talking to, that I can bounce ideas off of. My biggest challenge right now is that I'll have a great idea for a show but I wont know how to pull it off. I would love a mentor that can guide me in the right direction while letting me come to the decision on my own. I also would love a program that let's me explore other areas of lighting as well...concerts, opera, especially dance.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

 

[gafftaper]

First of all welcome to CB! We are always happy to help.

Are you looking to stay in the North East or are you willing to relocate anywhere if the school is right?

Second check out the CB Member College Demographics. If you have a question about a specific university try contacting someone on the list.

 

[derekleffew]

First, see http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/education-career-development/24349-education-advice.html . Did you go straight from undergrad to grad school, or take some time to work "in the real world"? Then, read http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...q-recomendations-about-college-education.html . Although geared to the HS student looking for an undergrad program, much of it applies to graduate school as well.

Lastly, consider (no affiliation with) CMU in beautiful Pittsburgh (send a PM to dbthetd) or CCM in Cincinnati.

 

[blurubberlizard]

First of all welcome to CB! We are always happy to help.

Are you looking to stay in the North East or are you willing to relocate anywhere if the school is right?

Second check out the CB Member College Demographics. If you have a question about a specific university try contacting someone on the list.

Thanks!

I'm definitely willing to travel to whichever program is the right fit.

 

[blurubberlizard]

First, see http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/education-career-development/24349-education-advice.html . Did you go straight from undergrad to grad school, or take some time to work "in the real world"? Then, read http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/...q-recomendations-about-college-education.html . Although geared to the HS student looking for an undergrad program, much of it applies to graduate school as well.

Lastly, consider (no affiliation with) CMU in beautiful Pittsburgh (send a PM to dbthetd) or CCM in Cincinnati.

Thank you very much. I was out of school two years before applying to graduate school the first time. I plan on attending the URTAs again this year and have also been looking into CMU's program as well.

 

[metti]

Maybe look at BU's program. Mark Stanley (lighting prof/prolific dance LD) is a fantastic teacher (and person) and a really talented designer. FWIW, CMU also sounds like it would be a good match for your interest in exploring other fields of lighting design beyond theatre. Cindy, who runs the program has a lot of architectural experience, and they also have Abby Holmes, who has designed for tons of major rock tours (Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Cher, etc) as well as some major TV and corporate stuff.

 

[NevilleLighting]

I agree with the recommendations of Carnegie Mellon and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. I also agree with the assessment of Mark Stanley at BU. He is one of the best designers and best people that I ever had the honor of assisting. I'd add Mark's alma mater, University of Wisconsin-Madison to the list.

Also, look beyond the pretty pictures and see what classes they have to offer on the grad level. Look at their facilities. Beware grad programs where you mostly become slave labor to get their shows up. I am a strong believer in hands-on education but it's easy to go overboard.

 

[jglodeklights]

Most schools, if you dig deep enough, post ALL of their class listings online. Like Neville said, look at the classes and the program as a whole. As an undergrad, I was able to be pushed into graduate level work at my school. There were things I didn't learn (like how to properly program an ION, which I have, as of today, completely relearned because it has changed so much). If I were a graduate student, I wouldn't necessarily want to be in a program where undergrads can end up being above me in having shows to light. As an undergrad, it was great because I was able to work at a professional level while still receiving guidance (that I didn't necessarily utilize). Going back to the ION, I wouldn't have learned what I did today if I wasn't working professionally. Only you can decide if you have had enough experience to attempt participation in a graduate level program. Just make **** sure you can afford it professionally and financially.