Show description

Students who drop out, according to most school surveys (exit interviews or mailed questionnaires), do so for the following reasons: they or their families cannot shoulder the financial burden of tuition; they thought art school meant no more classes; “they transfer to another school for majors we don’t offer, such as film, video, and computer art,” said Brian Reed, an admissions counselor at the Cleveland Institute of Art; they miss a far-off girlfriend or boyfriend or become homesick. A student may need psychological counseling in order to adjust to being away from home or in a more demanding school environment.

Ed Newhall, director of admissions at the Rhode Island School of Design, described the freshman program as “art boot camp” for its heavy concentration on required foundation and basic drawing courses, which emphasize the mastery of critical and technical skills. It is not uncommon for students to ask when they can take a “real art class” or if they may postpone a foundation course until their sophomore or junior year. Some students may discover that the art school experience is more intense, or less fun, than they had imagined and that they would prefer to take art electives as part of a liberal arts program at a college or university.

Mr. and Mrs. Roger Zion. A résumé should not raise questions or provide unnecessary information, such as indicating why one left a particular job (if for a better job or more money, it needn’t be mentioned; if because of a problem, mentioning it would cause an employer to wonder if the applicant has problems with everyone) or how much one earned (a prospective employer may be turned off by an applicant who has earned more than he or she will be offered). Those points may come up at an interview, at which time one may discuss Chapter 02 1/1/04 4:30 PM Page 44 44 – THE FINE ARTIST’S CAREER GUIDE them at length and in the context of the job sought.