Choosing a Creative College

Creative Careers are a Reality
You want to be the person who mixed the soundtrack everyone is humming. You want to create the next best-selling video game or be the designer who creates billboards overlooking Times Square. Maybe you want to be the chef in that hot new Bistro. These are signs that you might be interested in exploring a creative career, but if you’re not quite sure how to get started, here are some ideas to help you plan and prepare for a creative education.

The most important step is to build your awareness of the types of careers available for creative people like you. There has never been a better time for creative people to find their niche in the world. Fresh thinking and problem solving mean new ways of doing and seeing things, making an impact on other people’s lives. You can affect what we as a society see, how we spend, what we watch, how we learn, and more.

Examine Yourself First
The most important thing you can do before you begin your search for a creative college is to think about your own interests, talents, and strengths. You know you’re creative, but how do you want to apply yourself? Think about careers such as graphic design, industrial design, interior design, visual effects, electronic game design, web design, photography, video production, broadcasting, and culinary arts. Maybe you’re not completely sure of your direction, but the more you know about yourself, the more prepared you will be to choose a college and a program of study when the time is right.

Create a Plan
Make a list of the people you can talk to and the research you can do before you make a decision. There are places to turn if you’re really not sure. Consider checking The Occupational Outlook Handbook (available by visiting www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm) produced by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. You’ll find information on projected job availability, salary expectations, and other information that can help you make an informed decision.

Interview graduates of the colleges you are planning to attend. Ask your admissions representative if they can arrange for you to speak personally with two or three alumni. Pick people who have graduated from different programs. Ask them how they chose a program of study and whether they have any advice for you. Creative people are usually happy to share their personal story, so don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions.

Selecting the Right College For You
Now that you’ve got an idea what you would like to study, your search for a creative college should be a bit easier. Still, there’s a lot you can do to make sure you are selecting the one that best suits your goals, your interests, and your lifestyle.

How far you want to travel from home? Does the school offer housing? What does the city offer? Here are some other ideas to help you collect information from colleges:

• Who are the faculty? Are they professionals who bring personal career experience to the classroom?

• How is the curriculum developed and how often is it evaluated? What measures are taken to ensure that my classes will provide me with skills that are relevant to my career plans?

• What level of technology resources are devoted to the computer labs and specialized facilities that support my area of interest?

• What percentage of graduates from my area of interest have gained field-related employment after completing their degree?

Investigate Scholarships and Financial Aid
Two big steps are out of the way once you’ve decided what you want to study and where you want to study. Now, the final hurdle: how will you pay for it? Take a deep breath and dig in, there is assistance out there if you apply yourself, and if you know where to look.
Your admissions representative should be your primary source of information and will be able to guide you through this process. Many colleges will offer online applications for federal, state, and other financial aid programs on the school’s official web site.

Ask your admissions representative about the three categories of financial aid:

Gift Aid: These are grants, scholarships, and other benefits that do not have to be repaid.

Loans: These do need to be re-paid; repayment can usually be delayed until several months after the student leaves school.

Work: Some students choose to work to help to pay their living expenses while attending school. Many colleges participate in a Federal Work-Study program and also assist students in finding part time jobs in the community.

Learn as much as you can about the college’s scholarship opportunities. Ask about art and design competitions that are offered through the school and about regional competitions they know of. You can apply for a number of scholarship opportunities based on merit, creative achievement, and financial need.

Create Your Own World
Once you’ve selected the right program and the right college, you’re creating a path and following in the footsteps of thousands of creative individuals who have turned their college degrees into positions such as chief photographer for the Associated Press; lead interior designer for Starbuck’s Coffee Corporation; toy designer for Mattel Company; animator for Star Wars’ creator, Lucas Arts; lead interactive artist for the Smithsonian Institute; and many other opportunities—the lists are endless and so are the opportunities!

Good design doesn’t just happen. It’s thoughtful. It’s imaginative. It’s inspired and it takes work. It takes an education that is grounded in the realities of the commercial design business. It takes people like you. The only question left to answer is: What are you waiting for?

Editorial provided by Carrie Butler from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.