The right college

[Edrick]

There's no doubt the cost is high. I'm in that same issue, I was offered $12.50 an hour to work as a PA and I did it for about a year for a production house doing Animal Planet, Science Channel, etc... but I'd never be able to afford to live off what their rates were. However Full Sail wasn't focused in TV Production, it was more the "New York, LA, Vancoover" style where you work on major motion pictures or reality tv or something and can actually make a days wages because they're usually hiring for skill and not the lowest paid person. The Full Sail degree is just as real if not more "real" than any other degree out there. I'd rather have paid what I paid to Full Sail than to some Liberal Arts school that makes me take English, Math, Science, physiatry and a bunch of other things i'll never use in my degree. It's made for a specific type of person, just like going to Emerson College for a Liberal Arts Degree in theater will cost you about 60k.

Also FullSail can be attended in a reasonable manner if you know what you're doing. I did not in terms of financies and ended up in 100k of debt. Although it's not all Full Sails fault as it is the loan companies that want to bend you over backwards and shake your pockets for all your change with high interest rates.

Full Sail is for a very specific person, you can go there and get the degree thinking you'll make 100k a year once you graduate but you'll be sadly mistaken. That type of industry it's training you for is all about who you know and you need to have that ambition. PBS here for example pays $19.95 starting for a Production Assistant.

 

[gregeye]

I just can't get behind the economics of going to full sail. A guy I knew who went there graduated with over a hundred grand and debt, first job out of college was a $10 an hour shop shop which he simply couldn't live on, and he didn't even have a real degree to show for it.

If you can make the money work, and you want a focused education I suggest going to a conservatory where you still get some real classes, and with financial aid it can be a whole lot cheaper. I always rep Webster, but there is also CCM, NC-Arts, CMU, and that one in Purchase. But if you can't afford these schools with out crazy loans go get a job at a local rental shop and learn it on your own.

I applied to all those schools you mentioned other than Purchase and Full sail because I didn't feel the click I did in terms of the other schools as well as some other aspects. I got into Webster but not the theatre department because they already had too many LD majors. Webster was my top choice for college and if it's possible, I'd really like to see if transferring is possible.

 

[shiben]

I applied to all those schools you mentioned other than Purchase and Full sail because I didn't feel the click I did in terms of the other schools as well as some other aspects. I got into Webster but not the theatre department because they already had too many LD majors. Webster was my top choice for college and if it's possible, I'd really like to see if transferring is possible.

Then do it! One thing I wish I had realized about 3 years ago is you sometimes just need to bite the bullet and go for it. Would have saved me a ton of pain, 2 years and 50k (probably more, but in tuition alone) effectively wasted. Worst thing that happens is they dont let you in, and your stuck for a bit, but you can take the time to build a resume and high grades. If you can do that, your transfer will go better. If your grades are low, you might be looking at a hard time.


I would also check out a couple of schools in Chicago here as well, possibly a bit cheaper and still focused arts education. The thing is, you do want to look deeply, because a big program usually knows it, and charges accordingly. Additionally, getting into some of them means you need to be brilliant, but there are plenty of smaller yet extremely high quality programs, the only way to find out if any of them really meet what you want to do is visit them with a list of specific questions, and ask both students in the program and professors for the program, as well as the admissions people.

 

[Footer]

Webster was my top choice for college and if it's possible, I'd really like to see if transferring is possible.

Keep in mind Webster is a conservatory program which are usually very difficult to transfer credits in and out of. You could be throwing away your first year completely.

Biggest thing here... have you actually talked to any of your professors about your problem with the program? Also, it sounds like that the program you are in was the only one that wanted you... have you done anything to change this since you started college?

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I applied to all those schools you mentioned other than Purchase and Full sail because I didn't feel the click I did in terms of the other schools as well as some other aspects. I got into Webster but not the theatre department because they already had too many LD majors. Webster was my top choice for college and if it's possible, I'd really like to see if transferring is possible.

If you have any questions about Webster feel free to PM me.

 

[gregeye]

Keep in mind Webster is a conservatory program which are usually very difficult to transfer credits in and out of. You could be throwing away your first year completely.

Biggest thing here... have you actually talked to any of your professors about your problem with the program? Also, it sounds like that the program you are in was the only one that wanted you... have you done anything to change this since you started college?

I have not yet....I am a bit concerned about what they would say. The program I am in was the only one I was interested in, Scenic Lighting Design, so other programs weren't really interested.

 

[josh88]

when I was in college we realized we weren't getting a full education and were graduating people who didn't really know how to do anything from A-Z and therefore couldn't really work in the tech world. We wrote a letter to the chair, and voiced our problems, and talked about what we'd like from our education and essentially redirected the program completely, now they've got a real strong program and it was thanks to us doing what we needed to get the education we deserved. Not all heads or faculty are going to be as receptive to that, but our case was "hey there are some serious points missing here" and we knew the chair well and he was a reasonable guy. So sit and talk with someone you know and trust and just write out what you personally want and see if there is some way to make it happen.

 

[Dillon]

If you're itching to learn ML's in order to jumpstart your career, considering attending Vari*Lite's (or Martin's, etc.) certification/training program on a break from school.

 

[LXPlot]

when I was in college we realized we weren't getting a full education and were graduating people who didn't really know how to do anything from A-Z and therefore couldn't really work in the tech world. We wrote a letter to the chair, and voiced our problems, and talked about what we'd like from our education and essentially redirected the program completely, now they've got a real strong program and it was thanks to us doing what we needed to get the education we deserved. Not all heads or faculty are going to be as receptive to that, but our case was "hey there are some serious points missing here" and we knew the chair well and he was a reasonable guy. So sit and talk with someone you know and trust and just write out what you personally want and see if there is some way to make it happen.

Curiously, where did you go to school? I remember from somewhere you mentioning that you were a fellow victim of Ohio, was it somewhere here?

 

[josh88]

Curiously, where did you go to school? I remember from somewhere you mentioning that you were a fellow victim of Ohio, was it somewhere here?

I grew up right on the lake, went to college at bowling green, just missing the new facility they have now, and also lived in columbus for awhile too.

 

[cwrench]

The Entertainment Technology Degree at New York City College of Technology is a low cost (under 5k each year) educational opportunity in the heart of the business. Check it out at: DEPARTMENT OF ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY

You will find a complete set of technical courses here. Love to expound on this college but it would be too much to advertise here on the board so I'll quit now.

Prof Chip Scott

 

[LXPlot]

I grew up right on the lake, went to college at bowling green, just missing the new facility they have now, and also lived in columbus for awhile too.

I have a friend at BGSU right now who's doing some stuff in the new facility. I've heard about it and it seems pretty sweet.

 

[josh88]

I have a friend at BGSU right now who's doing some stuff in the new facility. I've heard about it and it seems pretty sweet.

yeah, its all brand new, state of the art, all new shop gear, lights, boards, everything. I may end up back there. Is your friend a major? I may know him/her

 

[Footer]

The Entertainment Technology Degree at New York City College of Technology is a low cost (under 5k each year) educational opportunity in the heart of the business. Check it out at: DEPARTMENT OF ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY

You will find a complete set of technical courses here. Love to expound on this college but it would be too much to advertise here on the board so I'll quit now.

Prof Chip Scott

Please do... and bring John along! City Tech is a very interesting program. At one point I had planned to do the show control certificate program. It is really a good option if you want to get into the industry and get some outside work as well.