CREATIVE OUTLOOK: TRY ART SCHOOL ON FOR SIZE

by Char Norman, Associate Provost, Columbus College of Art & Design

You wouldn’t buy a pair of jeans with out trying them on, so why choose a college before trying it out? The college decision is one of the most important in a young person’s life. It is an investment in the future and should be made with careful consideration and research into prospective colleges. Interests and abilities coupled with financial considerations drive the selection of colleges. The success of a student’s college experience and ensuing career depend on a good match between student and college.

Research includes looking at class offerings, major courses of study and student activities. The college visit can be an important deciding factor in the selection of the college. Such visits usually happen over the course of one day. The visit will often include a campus tour, meetings with admissions officers, faculty and current students, and in the case of an art school, a portfolio review. While this short visit gives the prospective student a sense of the college, it does not allow for an in-depth examination of the culture of the college. A longer stay with course work would give a truer picture of life and study at that particular college.

Many colleges, particularly colleges of art and design, offer summer programs to high school students providing an excellent way to try out not just that particular college but art school in general. College Preview students at Columbus College of Art & Design are exposed to an intense studio experience much like the freshman year and introduced to peers of similar age and experiences, who share a strong interest in art making. The courses are complemented by lectures in academic subjects such as art history and history of animation, designed to enhance critical thinking and discoveries in the studio. Additional elective courses introduce the students to possible majors. A final portfolio week assists the student in preparing a quality portfolio and helps guide them through the admissions process.

CCAD houses students in the residence hall giving them a taste of dorm life and dorm food. Building friendships and forming a community of artists are bonds that can last a lifetime. Students hang out, talk, create and do homework together. It is truly an experience that is never forgotten and often awakens a passion for an education in art and design.

And let’s not discount the financial considerations. It is certainly more affordable to find out early on that a college is or is not a good match. A mere fraction of the tuition cost has been spent on a summer program. On the flip side, the money spent on a college preview program at a college which turns out to be the right one is money well spent in ensuring that the student and family have made a good decision. Additionally, the money spent on College Preview may translate to college credit toward an eventual degree.

An intensive College Preview program can be an important tool in selecting an education. All in all, the more knowledge and experience a student can gain before making the college decision, the better the decision will be and the greater the opportunity for a successful college experience.