California Institute of the Arts Top Questions

As a first year student in my dream college, I hope to talk to you, my younger self, to take your time in preparing what you need to do when preparing a portfolio. Please keep in mind that while you're still young and just getting started with the whole preparation process, remember to be yourself whether you're with people who are different from you or similar in a way. A college is a place of learning and growing in becoming what you want to do for a career. It is not your home or something you will be forever. When you get accepted which I'm sure you will, you will know that you made the college better not the college itself. As for your artworks, just draw what you want to do and not get too worry if it's not good. Also, keep in mind what you can do to improve and be open to criticism. And remember that the secret to getting better in drawing is to practice everyday.

If it were possible to go back and meet myself as a high-school senior, I would tell myself to have more faith in my ideas and follow them through even if they didn't make sense to me at time, to withhold any judgement I might apply to myself and engage my creative self to the core. The best tool for learning is experience and the more committed you are to yourself, the more experience you have learning about who you are and what you can do. Staying engaged in your own ideas is an amazing tool for self-discovery, and that's what the college experince will set out for you to do! Keep asking questions, and don't pretend that you know all the answers. You will be a life long learner, and there is nothing you can do wrong as long as you remain open and curious Support your original self always, and trust in those who want to help you to grow.

Do not ver eer think that you are the best, and will be the best!! and be thankful to your parnts. Once you get away from them you realize how important they are in your life. So, treat them with respect.

My advice for my younger self is to never doubt and degrade yourself. Trusting in yourself and the capabilities of what you can do is something that you, yourself won't know unless you believe in yourself. Always have a thirst for knowledge and instead of saying, " I can't ." Say, "I can!" You'll never know what the outcome might be until you've tried it. So try as many new things as possible along with enjoying the everyday mundane. The little things are what makes the best things in life and always keep your dreams close to your heart. Never give up and if you don't succeed the first time its ok. You can get up and try again and don't be afraid of being courageous. If you have a voice, voice out your opinions instead of keeping it in. College life might seem strange at first but don't forget who you are and change yourself for others. Everything will turn out just the way its supposed to be. The grass isn't always greener on the other side so do what you feel is right. Overall , make friends, have fun, and take chances.

If you do not know where you want to go in life, GO TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. It is CHEAP, economic, and JUST AS GOOD, if not BETTER than the general education you would recieve in a 4 year school. It gives you an opportunity to play with the subjects that interest you and develop the skills you need to figure out what youd like to do.

My best advice is that if you're worried about choosing the wrong college, don't be. You can always transfer just go with your heart & if it doesn't work out atleast you can say you tried. It's better then wondering your whole life what if. Trust in your children that if they were smart enough to make it into college they are smart enough to know which college they want to go to. There's nothing worse then a parent that decides thier child's future for them.

I think that only you make your college experience. No matter where you end up if you get involved enough, and take the effort to find the places where you fit in and belong your college experience will be awesome. Take all your teachers as serisously as possible no matter how strange they may seem at first because if you put in the effort to learn you will, no matter what. And treat every class and every lesson as a door to a whole other world of information and knowledge. Use your clases as inspirstion for future reasurch. And of course, have fun, it will make learning that much easier and enjoyable too.

In general, one should try to go to the best school that they can get into. If this wisdom does not work, one should take the student's world experience, maturity as a pupil, and financial situation into consideration when picking a school. It also helps to speak to current students, inspect the faculty and guest leacture list, and inquire into the kind of work the students produce or what they do once they graduate. In the end, it all comes down to what one wants to study.

Don't make a decision based on money. Do what you want to do and be who you want be. Don't settle. Ever.

My advice to students and parents looking for the right college would be first and foremost, find schools that have departments in your field with good reputations, then visit those schools to find out if they feel right. You can learn a lot about what it will be like to attend a college or university just by walking around and observing. The best time to visit is going to be during the school year when classes are in session, so you can get a real feel for campus life. Are you better off at a small, private college where you can meet most of the students? Or being totally anonymous at a huge university? Does having an urban setting matter to you? Or will you settle for suburban or rural? Second, think about how much the quality/cost of the education will be relevant to your career goals. Maybe the most important thing to go into your preferred line of work is the diploma, but maybe it is the critical and creative thinking learned in small classes at a private college. The point is, find the place that is right for you- both now and in the future.