Why Us? Creative Art School vs. Traditional College

Why us? Creative Art School vs Traditional College

by Kurt van Aswegen

A critical choice you need to make when deciding on which college to attend is creative art school versus a traditional college. How do you know which one is best suited for you?
One of the main benefits of choosing an art school is that you will not have to deal with required classes that have nothing to do with your career focus. Traditional colleges will expect you to complete coursework in fields outside the arts. This can be valuable but it does mean less time pursuing your art.

At art school you will join a group of like-minded individuals who are intent on discovering and working in the same art form you are. Your classmates have signed up for this focused approach and share the same passion for creativity and expression. Steven Guarnaccia, Associate Professor of Illustration at Parsons The New School for Design, said: “I think the greatest benefit of going to art school is the shared experience of discovering, debating, and practicing one’s craft and ideas about art with a group of one’s peers, under the tutelage of a skilled guide, i.e., the teacher.”

An art school environment encourages creativity and teaches students how artistic skills and creativity can be applied in the real world. By working and learning in a community of artists you will be developing your professional network, while building core skills that are important in the “real” world. The techniques that are part of your everyday education at an art school ensures that you are prepared for what is expected in the professional world outside of school.The choice between creative art school and traditional college is a personal one. Try to visit the schools you are interest in, get a feel for their environment and decide where you want to take your art and where you want your art to take you.