Being an art student, or even just an artist, we’ve all encountered people who don’t believe in art school. It can be quite discouraging when someone tries to invalidate everything that you’ve worked towards. People say to me, “art school is not a real career path,” but they just simply don’t know. So, there are things we can do and say to help educate them. Here are 5 common misconceptions about art school.
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“B.F.A.s are not real degrees.”
Well, that is simply not true. A Bachelor of Fine Arts is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. Let me repeat that: A professional education.
2. “It’s impossible to find a job with an art degree.”
Some colleges don’t prepare you for the real world, never mind helping you find a job. However, art schools work especially hard to prepare their graduates for their careers, particularly Savannah College of Art and Design. So if someone says this to you, hit them with some facts. A recent study showed that 91% of combined SCAD undergraduate and graduates reported being employed, pursuing further education or both within nine months of graduation, and 86% are working in the industry for which they studied or in a related field. For those of you who don’t know, those numbers are outstanding. According to the ACS results, political science has an employment rate of 50%, and public policy and law is 37%, just to put things into perspective.
3. “Art school is easy.”
Do you have friends at other universities who try to compare workloads with you? Do they say, “Art school must be so nice, I have to study all the time just to make a B.” Does it just make you want to scream? First of all, it’s very difficult to compare traditional colleges to art schools. The curriculum is entirely different and grades aren’t usually based on “right” or “wrong”. You are graded on your creative thinking, resolve, intentionality and it can take months to finish a project. However, HEPI’s latest Academic Experience Survey shows that creative arts and design students were putting in the same library hours as law students, clocking up to 16 hours a week. The overall results showed that on average law student’s working week consists of 27 hours, while those studying the creative arts average 30 hours week. It would appear as though law students don’t really have it out as bad as they make it seem.
4. “You’re wasting your time and money with art school.”
Not only are we earning a degree, but we are making connections, networking, taking educational courses, AND HAVING FUN! That’s right, art school is FUN. Art students are extremely passionate about what they’re doing, they put their heart and soul into every project, and it pays off. You know that satisfying feeling you get when you do something rewarding? That’s how we feel everyday, because we know we are exactly where we’re supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to do, while surrounded by other like-minded individuals. Why would artists want to study a dull major when they’re passionate about something much more interesting?
5. “I mean art is cool and all, but it’s not a real career.”
Do me a favor and look around you. Do you see a phone? A blanket? A chair? What are you wearing? Someone made your clothes, that poster on your wall, or the TV show you binge watch every night. This is an ARTIST’S WORLD. We are here to create and share with you our creations. The least you could do is support us.
Citations:
“Arts students work harder than law students, stats reveal.” Legal Cheek. N.p., 14 July 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2017.
Warner, Kelsey. “College Majors With the Highest Post-Grad Unemployment.” StartClass. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2017.