Does the particular school really matter?

[pearspears]

I got into SFAI with 20 K a year, leaving me to borrow app. 40K to get through. This is living in SF so realistically it is more.

 

I also got accepted to a state school (not UPenn, unfor., but a SSHE one) that gave me a free ride, a stipend, plus 3 years guaranteed of TAing. I also know this school has good facilities but small program, plus a 24 hour studio, so as long as I go at night I'd have the whole place to myself!

 

Would it be nuts to take the 2nd offer? I just don't know if I can enjoy my time at SFAI knowing what  hustle it is (I've lived there before). Id also be closer to my fam at the state school.

 

I wish I was the sole heir of a sultan but I'm not Would I be ruining my future? I mean, the work is what counts, right? I'm looking to be a professor and keep making art. I'm not really as concerned with obtaining huge recognition and all that.

[GeoDUDE!]

This is really an easy answer. Look at all the art faculty (you say you want to be faculty). Where did they come from?

 

My advisor recently head a search for a new physics professor. Of the finalists, 2 of the 3 came from a top 10 school. The guy from the lower ranked school did not get hired.

 

So its certainly possible; but you have to prove more. People want to hire people from top programs, so they can say, look where our faculty were trained.

 

I am inclined to say take the second offer, because my feeling is getting a facutly position is no guarantee and going into massive debt for graduate school (not including professional school) tends to be a bad idea in general.

[sunpenguin]

I agree with Geo's conclusion. My personal feeling is that you're always better off avoiding debt. If you take the second offer, you'll have a lot fewer financial worries, so you'll enjoy your grad school years more, which could also translate to better work, better relationships and networking, and possibly better job opportunities down the road because of it.

 

I opted to do my undergrad on a full scholarship at a liberal arts college instead of paying a lot of money to go to one of the Ivy Leagues, and I'm still glad of that decision. I know quite a few people still paying off student loans 20+ years after graduation, and IMO the big-name school isn't worth that.

[pearspears]

Thanks for the replies. I had someone tell me (that graduated from Yale, actually) that graduating from a top tier school helps you for about a year after graduation, and that's about it. Your work is what really matters, because once you begin applying to shows they're just looking at images, and won't know where you applied from anyway.

[kierstin]

I'm not a huge fan of Malcolm Gladwell, but he gave a talk at Google which addresses this very dillema.  Essentialy he says that class rank is a much greater indicator of your future success than the reputation of the school you attend, and that statistically, the top of the class at a mediocre school will do better than those in the middle of the pack at an elite school.  I found it thought provoking.  here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UEwbRWFZVc

[kafralal]

Thought provoking indeed!

[tincanevening]

Fascinating talk!