Is a post bac at SFAI a good move?

[tjdfn149]

I'm 23, went to Duke and majored in math, minored in visual arts.   

 

Started working at Morgan Stanley with the idea of saving up money and then being a full-fledged artist around age 30.  But realized I'm only in my early twenties once and I need to become an artist now.

 

I applied to grad school thinking an MFA would help with gallery hook ups and to get my name out there - also I feel like studying art in an intense academic setting would be a sick experience.  

 

Got rejected from every school (Yale, Columbia, RISD, UCLA, USC, SVA, Parsons, CalArts).

 

SFAI hit me up with a post bac.  

 

Trying to figure out if it's just worthless vanity schooling.  Also am slightly afraid that if I do a post bac, MFA programs down the line will scoff at it as 40k day camp.

 

Also I'm uncomfortable that some think, "The students in [post bac programs] are often lacking basic, underlying skills, so they don't have the means to express themselves." (Huffington Post)  I don't like the idea of being lumped in that category.  The idea that I lack the technical and conceptual skills to do a real MFA is insulting. 

 

What's my move?  Maybe I'm just a delusional scum who would greatly benefit from a SFAI post bac, can't tell.

 

[pulpandink]

In lieu of a post-bac program, why don't you look at taking non-credit classes: at a university, residency-type place like Ox-Bow, or a local community art center?  That way you can bulk up your portfolio, find an artistic community, and continue your education as an artist, without shelling out as much money as you would for a post-bac.  I never stopped taking art classes after I completed my undergraduate degree.  I can tell you that the 3 classes I took at Ox-Bow over the course of several summers provided the springboard for my MFA application portfolio.  Now I'm in my 30s and about to go to the school I fantasized about as an undergrad.  

Edited April 2, 2014 by pulpandink

[tjdfn149]

Yea not a bad idea @pulpandink.  And congrats about UW-Madison.

 

Back in high school I took some summer courses at Moore College of Art & Design - figure drawing and portfolio prep.  Have also taken figure drawing classes at a local community center (the Main Line Art Center outside of Philly).  All were great experiences so you're probably right more of that couldn't hurt.  

[seeingeyeduck]

Yeah, spend your money on a real MFA and just work on your app and portfolio on your own for a year. You'll need to figure out how to learn and develop on your own once you're an artist anyway, so why not just get right to it?

 

On the other hand, double check me on this, but I think CCA is still taking rolling admissions into June...