Choosing an Art Institute That's Right For You

By Kathy Hildebrand

If you're an aspiring art major, there's little doubt that you're considering attending one of the many art institutes that are out there. But there are so very many, how can you be sure you choose the right art institute to suit your needs, and meet your goals? There is probably at least one well known art institute in every one of the continental United States, and that's a lot of art schools to choose from!

Pick a State, Any State!

Just for starters, here is a short list of well known and highly desired art institutes:
Art Institute Of AtlantaArt Institute Of BostonArt Institute Of California Los AngelesArt Institute Of California Orange CountyArt Institute Of California San DiegoArt Institute Of California San FranciscoArt Institute Of CharlotteArt Institute Of ChicagoArt Institute Of CincinnatiArt Institute Of ColoradoArt Institute Of DallasArt Institute Of DenverArt Institute Of Fort LauderdaleArt Institute Of HoustonArt Institute Of Las VegasArt Institute Of Los AngelesArt Institute Of MiamiArt Institute Of New YorkArt Institute Of Philadelphia
And the list hardly stops there. With so many art institutes and universities to choose from, how does the aspiring art student choose? Well here are a few things to keep in mind that you may not consider, because they are not usually discussed when talking about what art school to attend:

Homesick Sweet Homesick

If you're going to be selecting an art school that is far from your familiar home surroundings, consider if that is something that will sit well with you or not. You won't be able to function at peak productivity if you're constantly pining for familiarity. Attending any university out of town (whether or not it's an art school) is going to require the student to be willing to explore, make new friends, and otherwise potentially stray outside their comfort zone. Simply running home any time you miss your favorite meal may not be an option if you're 2000 miles away, for example.

Never Underestimate The Power Of Activism.

Art schools in particular seem to attract more than their fair share of "bleeders", and by that I mean "bleeding liberals" or "bleeding hearts" or "bleeding radicals" and other such "activists." These people can get very draining, and have a tendency to stifle the creativity that you expect from an art university. After paying so much money to attend an acclaimed art institute, why would you want someone like that to waste your time? Beware of these people and the reputation you can inherit by association.

Those Who Can, Do. Those Who Can't, Teach.

The above is perhaps an overly harsh statement in many cases, but when it comes to teachers in an art school environment, I've found it to be very true. So many University professors are bitter, washed-up has-beens (or more likely, "never-weres). If they were any good, they'd have been successful artists rather than teachers barely making a living. They can be very bitter if they have a budding protege on their hands in their art classes, and often attempt to crush the creative spirit of the new students. Much like with the bleeders, you must not allow these curmudgeons to get you down. You paid a lot of money (or worked hard for that scholarship) to attend an art institute, and you deserve to get all you can out of it and express your truest, deepest creative spirit!

Bottom Line - It's Your Art School. Make The Most Of It!

This is your time. Your art. Your school. Your expression. Your future! Make sure your years at art school are not wasted. Paint, draw, sculpt, model, program. Whatever your particular form of artistic expression is, the art school is there to nurture and further it. Make sure you get out what you deserve, and light up the world with the art only you can bring to it!

Kathy Hildebrand is a professional writer who is easily bored with her "day job" assignments. So, she researches anything and everything of interest and starts writing. Writing about an extremely wide variety of subjects keeps her skills sharp, and gives her food for thought on future paid writing assignments.
More of her research and articles can be found at www.lasertargeted.com/artinstitute and other sites around the internet.
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