MFA Photography: SAIC or CalArts

[siwesa]

Hi all,

I am accepted to photo program in saic and calarts, and finding it really difficult to decide even though I know the primary and secondary reasons why I am attracted to each school. No matter how I add them up... they seem to just balance at the midpoint... I need your help for opinions, or just some research results... to find that tipping point! Thanks!

[testing]

Hi all,

I am accepted to photo program in saic and calarts, and finding it really difficult to decide even though I know the primary and secondary reasons why I am attracted to each school. No matter how I add them up... they seem to just balance at the midpoint... I need your help for opinions, or just some research results... to find that tipping point! Thanks!

um... money? did you get any funding from either

Both are good schools

[siwesa]

yes. Funding for both but more for saic. It is one of the primary factors for me.. and even after after that... I am still stuck.

[homelessnegatives]

I went to saic for undergrad, i loved it so much. i also visited calarts not too long ago, facility wise saic is way better.....two lambdas, four epson 3880s, free to use, just bring your own paper! four imacons.one drum scanner...some large format printers as well..i don't remember seeing imacons at calarts. i have seen students making more traditional type of work as well as abstract photography at saic, it encourages you no matter what you wanna do. I am waitlisted at calarts this year, when i was doing the interview, the person said "your work is too pretty.." i didn't even know what that meant...especially i don't consider my work traditional at all. i somehow got the impression that the school has gone too far in the whole "west coast conceptual art scene"....I don't know what kind of funding you are getting, yeah going to saic was expensive, but i am happy that i went there.

[siwesa]

I went to saic for undergrad, i loved it so much. i also visited calarts not too long ago, facility wise saic is way better.....two lambdas, four epson 3880s, free to use, just bring your own paper! four imacons.one drum scanner...some large format printers as well..i don't remember seeing imacons at calarts. i have seen students making more traditional type of work as well as abstract photography at saic, it encourages you no matter what you wanna do. I am waitlisted at calarts this year, when i was doing the interview, the person said "your work is too pretty.." i didn't even know what that meant...especially i don't consider my work traditional at all. i somehow got the impression that the school has gone too far in the whole "west coast conceptual art scene"....I don't know what kind of funding you are getting, yeah going to saic was expensive, but i am happy that i went there.

thanks so much for sharing! Yes, i agree saic has better facilities, calarts has no imacon but the creo. For me, facilities is probably quite secondary as long as I do not have to wait forever to use the equipments. Seems like you have lots of very good choices... have you decided on where you are going?

[homelessnegatives]

im going to ucla