5 Tips for Choosing an Art School

Finding the perfect fit when it comes to art school can be a daunting task. Between a traditional 4-year college education, a self-taught approach, or online courses, it can feel overwhelming to make the right choice. Here’s what to keep in mind when deciding on an art school:

1. Consider Your Career Goals

Remember the end when beginning your art school journey. This doesn’t have to mean knowing exactly what you want from the get-go, but starting with a vision will help you navigate the variety of options you may have. 

First and foremost, jot down a list of both personal and career goals that you want to achieve at the end of school. Ask yourself what type of art career you want to pursue— are you strictly interested in creation? Or are you open to curation, or even education? 

These are all answers that will be useful when you begin cross-referencing them with the values of the art schools in question.

2. Check Out the Teachers

Unlike many other fields, the gap between education and practice in the art industry is much smaller. In fact, your professors in art school will likely also be or will once have been practicing artists themselves. That’s why it’s so important to know who you will be studying under before committing to a school. For example, do you look up to their artistic abilities? What professional studios have they worked in? Can you see them becoming a great mentor? 

It’s equally important to remember that a good artist does not always make a good teacher. That’s why you should also look into what past students have said about their teaching.

3. Check Out Former Students

In addition to speaking to former students, you might also ask about their general experience. Did they enjoy their time? Would they recommend the school or course to other aspiring artists? How did they prepare for the curriculum?

Speaking to multiple students, both former and current, will give you a direct in into the school, and help you understand a number of additional factors, such as:

• Student body- If you’re attuned to your social surrounding, it’s likely that your peers will have the ability to make or break your experience. Having a healthy social environment, especially in a field like art that values diversity and experimentation, is key to growth as a student.
• Honest critiques- Art schools won’t advertise their potential weaknesses. A surefire way to understand the truth about a school, course, or tutorial is to ask its students, who have all paid good money for the education they’re receiving.
• Common trajectories- Speaking to former students can also be helpful in understanding potential career paths. For example, if a majority of the student body of a particular art school ended up in the gaming industry, you can assume that the school will equip you with the necessary skills or connections for that type of job.

4. Keep Your Budget in Mind

Today, a 4-year undergraduate degree costs an average of nearly $30k per year. 

Student debt is no joke, and while there are many other factors to consider when choosing an art school, this one can end up being the biggest. That’s why in many ways, deciding on a traditional degree-based route is a huge decision— the last thing you want to do is drop out hundreds of thousands of debt and no degree to show for it. 

As stated before, always keep the end in mind. This way, you can also consider how your salary in the field you want to enter justifies the cost of your tuition. And you may want to ask, can you reach your goals without a traditional 4-year degree?

5. Read Reviews

In addition to speaking to students, it can be helpful to get a general idea about what people have to say about an art school. Nowadays, even schools will have online reviews and testimonials that can reveal a lot about the program. The more you read about others’ experiences, the more accurate your expectations will be when it comes to your own.

And with the help of some review websites, you can also understand how certain institutions rank in terms of student retention rates, student satisfaction, and even student-to-faculty ratio.

Whether you’ve chosen to go down the traditional path of obtaining a degree, a more affordable digital alternative, or even if you decide to tough it out with no formal experience, you’ll be better equipped than ever with resources like Cubebrush. 

From access to a community of professional artists and students alike to a plethora of 2D and 3D assets and tutorials that might come in handy, Cubebrush will be a guiding light throughout your artistic journey.