Minneapolis College of Art and Design Top Questions

The very first and most important advice would be spending more time searching for schools. I went to the first school I found suitable for my professional interests and got accepted to. I did not look for colleges more carefully, and that is the reason why I will be transferring to School of Visual Art this following Fall semester. I grew up in Moscow, Russia, a city of over seventeen million people. Staying in small Minneapolis was not the best choice for me, as I am more used to living in huge cities like New York. I have made a lot of amazing friends at MCAD and I am doing well in all of my classes (I have been on the Dean's List of Honor since freshman year). Being friendly and socializing with as many people as possible is key to a pleasant and fun college life. Also studying hard and constantly striving for something bigger is important, because it makes you stronger, and prepares you for the grown up life after college. Those would be all the advices that I would give my high school self. I believe that these advices can really impact one's coollege life.

Be prepared for a lot of work. Work that will pay off. Work that will get you everything you ever dreamed of. Work that will mold you into the person you want to be. Work that will make your family proud. Work that will make a difference in the world.

One of the most important things to do is be on friendly terms with your roommates if you can. Your room is a good place to relax, and if your roommate is insufferable and making your rest time unenjoyable, it's going to make your work suffer. If that can't be done, then find a safe place where you can be yourself outside of classes. Try to find a good balance of homework, sleep, and social time, as those three things are pertinent to having a successful college career. Don't be afraid to try new things and meet new people. College is the best time to find yourself and some of your best friends, and college is a great place to start over without the limitations that high school has. If there is anything that you should do, it's to not worry so much, and to have fun, because it's not worth it if you don't enjoy yourself.

I would FORCE my younger self to spend more time looking at scholarships, not having realized how necesssary they would turn out to be at that point in time despite what everyone told me. I would also tell myself to spend far less time on the computer; it took up a big part of my time that could have been used towards studying and, more importantly now, practicing drawing and experimenting with different art techniques that would have helped me greatly during my first years at college. I was easily distracted, so I would tell myself to set time aside just to practice drawing everyday, which I found out later is completely necessary to keeping yourself from getting rusty. It also helps to keep you from getting complacent with where you are as far as skill goes. I would tell myself to share my art with more people to get better experienced with critiques and not to take them personally.

I started school knowing little of where I wanted to go, so I listened and I learned. School is an instrument I play and I am always learning its song.College has a unique ability to gather strangers together. I’ve learned that strangers also have a song, though I may never quite learn the words. When I hear the voices of their songs I strive to remember the sound. When I sing along with them I never forget.I learn.I will seek those who hear my voice. Who in some way hear the song I strive to sing when I put my pen to paper. My instrument is my school; this is where I learn to play my song. The dream song I’ll carefully craft until others can hear it too.Because I came here, I will never forget the sound of my song long after it has stopped playing. For I will have been taught how to play my song with myself. I will become the instrument of my choosing. And you will hear my song.

So far I have recieved a very good brush up on different areas of the art world. I am enjoying my time there. I have also been placed on the Deans List.

As an incoming freshman starting her first semester at one of America’s most prestigious art schools in the Midwest, I didn’t know what to expect. Of course, I thought to myself, that I must have some sort of artistic ability if I was able to get into MCAD. Nevertheless, I was scared to death. What if I couldn’t keep up with the other students? What if my professors hated my work? But looking back at the last three and a half months, I see nothing but satisfaction. MCAD allowed me to gain confidence in not only myself, but in my creative soul as well. Through the encouragement from professors and fellow students, who surprisingly felt just as insecure as I did, I made pieces that I never thought I could make. I learned the true significance of opinion and criticism, how to collaborate ideas with others, and emerged as a confident artist ready to create. I can now look back and value my experiences because I know that I could not have received the same direction for achievement from other schools with a more extraordinary group of staff and students like MCAD’s.

A sense of purpose. I have always been artistic and never imagined the ways I could apply my creativity. That was before my first semester at MCAD. For the last nine years I have been trying to find my place in the world by working my way into a good job. I have always been successfull at most things that I have tried but excelling at something always seemed to be reserved for tasks for a creative side. Unable to satisfy my desire to be GREAT at something working in factories, construction companies and local retailers I finally went to a school that I felt I would be able to do well at. It has been eye-opening. I discovered I don't hate art history. I embraced and learned from it. I discovered new mediums. Things I once shyed away from have become fun to use and experiment with. I discovered passion. Art was once something that I was good at but now more then ever I want to be the best at every project I present. The most rewarding part of all is I discovered how happy I am when I know I am working towards my future.

High school college prepatory classes prepared me for school and secured my success in college classes. However, the eight building brick "school of excellence" did not provide me with the tools necessary to thrive in the real world. Even in the small, beachside town in which I grew up, there were life experiences I endured that prepared me for life. College was that first step in to the real world. Upon my high school graduation, I attended the local community college. A four year university was not in my immediate future; but that did not stop me from embracing life and seeking out new encounters. I came in to contact with students of various ages and from all walks of life. They each had their own story to tell, their own journey to finish. Each and every person who crossed my learning path had an affect on my overall experience. Sometimes I underwent bitter disapointment in my fellow classmates, and other times I was pleasantly surprised at the positive influence they had on me. Through it all I have changed and grown immensely. I still have great expectations for my academic future; for I am only half way there.

My college experience has been quite profound thus far. Not only have I learned a lot academically, but personally as well. I learned a great deal of independence and the importance of commitment and dedication. I had to continuously work hard and study in order to succeed in my classes. This took much sacrifice and dedication. Unlike while living at home during high school, I did not have guardianship watching over me; all aspects of life had to be taken care of on my own. I not only was a full time student, but I also had a part time job; both taught me the importance of hard work. Not only did I learn to work hard, I also learned a lot about myself. I discovered inner qualities such as devoutness, motivation, patience, self-control, and a love for helping others. Going into the nursing field, these are really all important qualities to obtain. Overall, I feel as though my first two years of college have helped me gain much experience, experience that will be able to help me through the remaining years of college and through life.