Need help deciding what college to attend

[iBookG4user]

My parents are really pressuring me to decide what college I'm going to attend. Right now I'm only looking to go to a college in New Hampshire (I've already decided that and I don't really want to go to a different state). I can't decide whether I want to major in Graphic Design or Video Editing, so a college that is good with those two subjects would be best. Right now I only have it narrowed down by state and the two aforementioned majors I have in mind, so any advice on colleges that fit in those categories would be great. Thanks in advance for any help .

 

[zioxide]

Massachusetts is better than New Hampshire and I think we also have more colleges.

 

[shecky]

there are no tier 1 (and i do not think even any tier 2) graphic design programs in NH. in fact, there are no NASAD accredited schools in NH at all, except for NH Institute of Art, which does not offer graphic design.

needless to say, i think that limiting yourself to NH is a mistake. there are a number of very, very good schools within new england (in fact, one of the best in the world is in RI), and the difference is a matter of one or 2 states away, which in new england is not very far.

i do not know enough about video programs to offer an opinion on them.

 

[iBookG4user]

Massachusetts is better than New Hampshire and I think we also have more colleges.

there are no tier 1 (and i do not think even any tier 2) graphic design programs in NH. in fact, there are no NASAD accredited schools in NH at all, except for NH Institute of Art, which does not offer graphic design.

needless to say, i think that limiting yourself to NH is a mistake. there are a number of very, very good schools within new england (in fact, one of the best in the world is in RI), and the difference is a matter of one or 2 states away, which in new england is not very far.

i do not know enough about video programs to offer an opinion on them.

There are some personal matters that limit my college choices to New Hampshire, so I really can't go to a college in a different state. But thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[Trogloxene]

Who's paying tuition? In state is WAY cheaper then out of state. Just don't be a major financial burden on your parents for "personal reasons" if that is what you are doing. Also, you will probably change your major a few times, so pick a school that has a wide variety of options. Big State schools are good for these. In fact, many things change during college, so keep your options open. Work hard and stick to it!

-T

 

[iBookG4user]

Who's paying tuition? In state is WAY cheaper then out of state. Just don't be a major financial burden on your parents for "personal reasons" if that is what you are doing. Also, you will probably change your major a few times, so pick a school that has a wide variety of options. Big State schools are good for these. In fact, many things change during college, so keep your options open. Work hard and stick to it!

-T

I'm perfectly aware that in state tuition is cheaper than out of state tuition, but I've already decided what state I'm going to go to. I don't know how much my parents are going to give me for college yet.

 

[SamIchi]

There are some personal matters that limit my college choices to New Hampshire...

Would this matter be a girl?

I need to figure out where I'm goin too. Sorry I can't help, I'm looking into Graphic Design Schools also.

 

[iBookG4user]

Would this matter be a girl?

Was it that obvious? And does anyone have any suggestions on colleges? (That are in NH)

 

[swiftaw]

the two that come to mind are Dartmouth and UNH.

Speaking from experience, be very careful about making a college selection based on a girl as opposed to what is best for you. What happens if you break up a year from now? Also, if you are really serious about each other your relationship should be able to survive some time apart. There is no reason you shouldn't consider all of new england, it is relatively small that you would be at worst an hour or two from new hampshire and there are lots of really good schools in the rest of new england.

Of course, there could be more to your decision than wanting to be near your girlfriend, if that is the case, then ignore my above comments.

 

[panoz7]

Was it that obvious? And does anyone have any suggestions on colleges? (That are in NH)

Boston is about 20 miles south of the NH border. NH is a pretty small state. It's quite possible that a city outside of NH might be closer to wherever this girl is then a city in NH.

If you're serious about studying Graphic Design you shouldn't limit yourself to New Hampshire. RI is a little bit farther, but RISD is one of the best, if not the best design schools in the country. If you're interested in film, Emerson College, in Boston is supposed to be very good and has an excellent broadcast film program.

I was fortunate enough to have a school with one of the best GD programs in the country in my home state (thank god for in-state tuition). I transfered to it this past year. I decided what college I was going to go to when I was 5... I went there freshmen year and absolutely hated the classes I was taking. That school offered a graphic design degree, but it wasn't accredited and the program wasn't any good. I had to leave even though it was (and still is) the college of my dreams. Guess all I am saying is that as much as I miss certain things about the old school it was worth giving up something (in this case that girl) for a better program.

 

[Abstract]

Was it that obvious? And does anyone have any suggestions on colleges? (That are in NH)

Yes, it was that obvious, because only someone just deciding which college they want to go to would make their decision based on what a girl would do.


Besides, if you're not necessarily going to be living in the same city/town as this girl anyway (which will depend on the uni you attend), then living in a neighbouring State may not increase the distance between you and your girlfriend by very much.

For example, Toronto, Ontario is closer to Buffalo, New York than New York City is. NYC is in the same State, while Toronto isn't in the same State, or the same country!

You can choose a university slightly outside of NH and still be just as close to this girl as you would have had you chosen a uni in NH.


EDIT: Dang, panoz7 beat me to it. I swear, this post took like 20 minutes for me to finish.

 

[shecky]

in Boston, which as mentioned is near NH, you have AIB, MassArt and Northeastern for pretty good GD programs. if you are willing to go further, but still be a pretty easy train ride away you have RISD.

Also, for what you would save in tuition at those schools you can look at NC State and Virginia Commonwealth (both of which are on my list of MFA graphic design programs to look at in a couple of years), which are dirt cheap and good programs as well. what you save in tuition will easily fly you to NH twice a month (tho if you are in any reputable GD program you won't have the time anyway.)

basing a decision that will affect the rest of your life on some girl you may not even be with a year from now is a very poor decision. if you really care about each other and its a long term situation, the distance will be irrelevant. what you get by going to a good or top program will be worth it x1000 in the long run. i speak from the experience as a student who went to one of these programs and as a teacher who now teaches at one. the sacrifice is worth it if you are really serious about design as a profession.

 

[jng]

I live in Boston, lived briefly in Keene, NH too. Seriously NH is rather boring* and like others said, there aren't any good graphics arts program there.

Study in Boston, or RISD (if you can get in) and just visit the girl on weekends, etc. And if it doesn't work out, Boston was named the best city to be single in It's a 40 minute drive from Boston to Salem, NH, tax free Apple Store....

* I like NH, great place to vacation, and I'd love to have a summer house there, but I'm a city person at heart. So no offense to New Hampshire folks!

 

[iBookG4user]

Thanks for all the suggestions thus far. I am looking into attending a college just outside New Hampshire, that may be an option, but it would not be preferred. And everyone can stop saying to not base my college decision on where my Girlfriend goes, because there are also other reasons.

Keene State seems to be a good school and they offer a graphic design major. I read a bit about it and the school has a high acceptance ratio and the students seem to like it.

 

[TheAnswer]

iBookgG4User...I'm with the majority here...a school in Boston will be close enough. The whole of New England is only about a third of the size of California. From Boston to the New Hampshire state line is about the same as San Francisco to Cupertino or Los Angeles to Long Beach. So unless she lives on the Canadian border it's not a big deal...and even then it's like a trip from L.A. to San Francisco.

 

[thedude110]

Fact is, though, that you're not sure what you want to major in (and you shouldn't be sure right now, in my opinion). While Dartmouth would be a great goal to work toward, I'd be focusing on UNH if I were in your position. A large state school will provide you with a variety of potential majors (let's imagine, for example, that you wind up majoring in something you never expected) and excellent research opportunities.

I've attended a small private college, a large state university and a large private university in my days of schooling -- and you know what? While I had positive experiences at all my stops, I probably got the best "education" at the large state university.

I do have to echo everyone else and suggest that you add a few schools outside NH to your "consider" list -- even if they're just schools to consider and ultimately reject. The more opportunities you open for yourself the better (even if those opportunities seem like impossibilities right now).

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[iBookG4user]

One thing that may factor in is that my GPA is not outstanding, it's about a 3.3 or thereabout, so I would have virtually no chance of getting into a college that has a low acceptance ratio. That was partially why I was looking into Keene State. And my Girlfriend lives near Keene also, so that's another reason.

On a somewhat related note, I found the website Princeton Review, would it be a good website to base some opinions on?

 

[panoz7]

Also, for what you would save in tuition at those schools you can look at NC State and Virginia Commonwealth (both of which are on my list of MFA graphic design programs to look at in a couple of years), which are dirt cheap and good programs as well.

NCSU is a great university and the design program seems to be fantastic. The cheap part is also nice. When you get closer to making a decision feel free to PM me if you want more information about the school or area.

One thing that may factor in is that my GPA is not outstanding, it's about a 3.3 or thereabout, so I would have virtually no chance of getting into a college that has a low acceptance ratio. That was partially why I was looking into Keene State. And my Girlfriend lives near Keene also, so that's another reason.

On a somewhat related note, I found the website Princeton Review, would it be a good website to base some opinions on?

Keene is about 40 miles from boston. I wouldn't consider that distance to be too prohibitive in maintaining a relationship.

Have you taken many college art classes? Do you have a portfolio? Most good design schools are quite selective and require a portfolio and interview process. If you're not quite sure if that's what you want a large university with a graphic design program would probably be fine. You can see what it's like and transfer to a dedicated design school with a better program if you want.

The Princeton Review is a good resource for college reviews and rankings. I wouldn't necessarily subscribe though... all of the info is in book form which you can browse through (or buy) at Barnes and Noble.

Does your high school have a guidance counselor or college counselor? It might be worth talking with them. They usually know most schools, know how competitive they are and how they weigh certain admissions criteria. You might not have the best GPA but maybe you scored well on the SATs, had tons of extra curriculars, or an awesome portfolio. Grades aren't everything... and some schools weight grades higher then others.

Finally... and I know this isn't my business, but have you discussed this with your girlfriend? I'm sure she has an opinion. As others have said, if it's a legitimate design program you're going to be spending most of your time in studio anyway. Going to school an hour away is going to make meeting up for lunch impossible, but you probably won't have time for that anyway... an hour certainly isn't far enough to keep you from visiting on weekends though.

EDIT: By the way, how old are you? I'm assuming you're a junior but it would be helpful to know. Is you're girlfriend a year older then you?

 

[iBookG4user]

Keene is about 40 miles from boston. I wouldn't consider that distance to be too prohibitive in maintaining a relationship.

I really want her to be closer to me than that, and she also wants to major in Graphic Design, so that may put her even further away. I don't know if she is willing to pay for the out of state tuition, although I'll bring that up in the email I'm going to send her today.

Have you taken many college art classes? Do you have a portfolio? Most good design schools are quite selective and require a portfolio and interview process. If you're not quite sure if that's what you want a large university with a graphic design program would probably be fine. You can see what it's like and transfer to a dedicated design school with a better program if you want.

I haven't taken any college classes at all. I have taken 2 Graphic Design classes and a Visual Art class at my high school though.

Does your high school have a guidance counselor or college counselor? It might be worth talking with them. They usually know most schools, know how competitive they are and how they weigh certain admissions criteria. You might not have the best GPA but maybe you scored well on the SATs, had tons of extra curriculars, or an awesome portfolio. Grades aren't everything... and some schools weight grades higher then others.

My high school does have a guidance counselor, I hadn't considered talking to them, but now I'll see if I can talk to them. I scored average on Writing and Reading, but I scored in the top 10% for Math on the PSAT.

Finally... and I know this isn't my business, but have you discussed this with your girlfriend? I'm sure she has an opinion. As others have said, if it's a legitimate design program you're going to be spending most of your time in studio anyway. Going to school an hour away is going to make meeting up for lunch impossible, but you probably won't have time for that anyway... an hour certainly isn't far enough to keep you from visiting on weekends though.

I've talked lightly about the subject with here before, but I'm going to send her an email with college as the main subject today. I also was considering going to rent an apartment or something like that in the early summer and meeting with her regularly, so I would much prefer that we were close to each other.

EDIT: By the way, how old are you? I'm assuming you're a junior but it would be helpful to know. Is you're girlfriend a year older then you?

I turned 17 in late March and I am a junior. My Girlfriend is about a half a year younger than I am and she is also a junior.

 

[SamIchi]

Sorry to jack your thread, but I basically have the same question. I've read some good information on here.

So what about New York State? I plan on transfering. Either for Graphic Design or Industrial Design... really caught in between on those.

Shools that have both are Pratt, and RIT. Could you guys shed some more light on NY schools and which would make a good choice, thanks

 

[iBookG4user]

Sorry to jack your thread, but I basically have the same question. I've read some good information on here.

So what about New York State? I plan on transfering. Either for Graphic Design or Industrial Design... really caught in between on those.

Shools that have both are Pratt, and RIT. Could you guys shed some more light on NY schools and which would make a good choice, thanks

You might want to PM the quoted person below.

NCSU is a great university and the design program seems to be fantastic. The cheap part is also nice. When you get closer to making a decision feel free to PM me if you want more information about the school or area.

 

[panoz7]

I haven't taken any college classes at all. I have taken 2 Graphic Design classes and a Visual Art class at my high school though.

Ooops... I meant highschool art classes. Does your school offer AP studio art? Most of my friends took it. You could also try talking to your Art teachers about school choices. Might be a waste of time but you never know.

I turned 17 in late March and I am a junior. My Girlfriend is about a half a year younger than I am and she is also a junior.

That changes things a bit (at least from my point of view). I was a little touchy about this since I've had a few friends try and maintain HS relationships in college. Every single on of them failed when there was a class difference between them... it ended up being an unnecessary emotional mess for them.

So is she already in NH? You should definitely talk with her. Maybe she knows something about the schools as well. Is there any reason you two can't go to the same school?

 

[shecky]

as far as graphic design goes, i would avoid RIT. i also do not like the program at SVA in NYC, Pratt i would somewhat consider, tho i do not love what they are doing there; they are too much about breeding low-level junior designers who will go out and find a mediocre job in NYC than really having a strong curriculum. as mentioned previously, RISD has the top GD program and also has a very good ID program too.

 

[iBookG4user]

Ooops... I meant highschool art classes. Does your school offer AP studio art? Most of my friends took it. You could also try talking to your Art teachers about school choices. Might be a waste of time but you never know.

Well they have Visual Art 1 (The one I took), and they also offer Visual Art 2 (Which I might take next year).

So is she already in NH? You should definitely talk with her. Maybe she knows something about the schools as well. Is there any reason you two can't go to the same school?

Yes, she currently lives in NH, and that's what I am going to talk with her about in the email. There might be a reason that we can't go to the same school, depending if she can or can't pay out of state tuition, which is why I wanted to go to a college in NH.

 

[Abstract]

Keene is about 40 miles from boston. I wouldn't consider that distance to be too prohibitive in maintaining a relationship.

Exactly.

Here's a thought: If you know she also wants to study graphic design, why don't you get her to agree to just attend Keene? It sounds like she gets to choose whichever uni she wants, and you get stuck trying to find one as close to her as possible, giving up any opportunity to go to a better university.

And besides, I don't see why it's so difficult for you to attend a uni 40 miles away when you two can both live 20 miles away from the university and just commute. That way, you're both equal distance from the university.

Or what if you lived separately, but both chose apartments/houses that were closer than 40 miles separation? Say you chose an apartment 10 minutes from uni, and she chose an apartment 10 minutes from uni, and then you may only live 15-30 minutes apart.

40 miles is nothing. Honestly. If you can't handle such a separation, I can't imagine your relationship being very strong. My girlfriend lives 4855 mi/7814 km away from me, and things are still fantastic. 40 miles? Consider yourself lucky. You're 17, willing to move 2500 miles to be closer together, which is a life-altering decision. Now you're going to make another life-altering decision based on 40 miles??? You're already moving out of State to another university, so really, is 40 miles going to be the end of your relationship? It shouldn't be.

Don't stress.