Andrew's Excited
His girlfriend has been accepted at the Art Institute in the city where he is.
I have really mixed feelings about this. I've kept quiet because I try to stay out of the kids' lives, but I think I do have to say something. I told her that she shouldn't worry about the sticker price of the colleges. Just apply and see what happens with the financial aid.
The art institutes though are not college. They have little to no in-house financial aide. They epxect the students to get loans and pay the sticker price. I hope I am wrong about that, but I don't think I am. It is really expensive. They don't have dormitories, though they do have "campus-sponsored" apartments. It isn't entirely clear what that means. They are much more expensive than the dorms though.
I really like this girl. What Andrew is asking her to do (and hopefully she has applied elsewhere and is exploring her options) is to go deeply in debt so that she can live in the same city he is in.I don't really understand why she would be applying to the art institute anyway. She is an excellent student.* If she wants to be in the same city, she should be applying to the university where he is attending. It is more expensive on paper, but almost certainly less expensive after financial aid.
So I am happy for Andrew and if she goes and wants to be there I am happy for her. I feel potentially responsible for setting her up for disappointment. I told her not to worry about the sticker price.
I forgot to tell her that there were things that looked like colleges that weren't colleges.
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update: Suz was right to point out that that was a stupid thing to say. What I should have said was that I am afraid that this particular young woman is choosing the arts institute because she thinks she won't succeed in traditional college. I could be wrong about her. I hope I am. I also hope she isn't just following Andrew. It is a very expensive gamble.
Oh that is hard. I had a friend who went to the Art institutes school, and was unable to find a job in his chosen field. He ended up going to University and now has two sets of loans to pay off...
ReplyDeleteKids... why don't they pay attention to what the grownups are telling them?
ReplyDeleteBecause we don't know anything and we don't understand!LOL
ReplyDeleteYou should have told Julia that before she applied to art schools all over the country! She's there now and we are paying sticker price, YIKES! She did get some federal aid, but not much because we make too much money, but not enough to afford her school. ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand why she would be applying to the art institute anyway. She is an excellent student
ReplyDeleteDoes this imply only NON excellent students apply to art school?
As a mother whose children attend a magnet school based on Gardners theory of multiple intelligences, I feel that artistic people can be as intelligent as non artistic. As a mother whose oldest son is NOT an athlete but rather an art, drama, musically gifted child, I feel he is just as intelligent as those that excel in math and writing.
I have a friend graduating in in a day or so from Philadelphia Art Institute with a BS in Photography (yes, a BS!). Many dont offer full degree programs. Those that dont also dont have transferrable credits. THAT should be considered.
From what I know of my friends experience, most of what you state here is true (no dorms but apartments in area of school)
Maybe she has always wanted to be a creative type and was discouraged by the adults in her life? Maybe she is finally speaking up for herself? Or trying to? (Brainstorming here).
My entire younger life I wanted to go into Fashion Design. My parents discouarged me HIGHLY as that was not a "real" job and that my "gifted" honoro student status demanded I choose a more realstic education. (I chose English and Creative Writing). This was AFTER the high school guidance counselor handed me a stack of applications to apply to nursing school "since my sister went to nursing school" Whaaa?
Sounds like the young lady could benefit from someone non biased really talking to her about her skills, talents and desires.
I hope she gets to study what she wants. I reget that I did not.
You are right Suz, and I should have expressed what I meant better. (In other words, I am not going to even try to defend the stupid thing I said).
ReplyDeleteFirst, I never believed that students who go to art institutes are less excellent than students who go to traditional colleges. I don't even know how to dig myself out of that whole. Read what Suz said. She's right.
What I did believe, but could be wrong about, is that this particular young woman is afraid of traditional college but should not be. I am nervous that she is going to the arts institute because she thinks she can't succeed in a traditional environment. This frustrates me because she is very bright. If what is going on is that she really wants to study design (or something) then my concerns are addressed.
: )
ReplyDeleteI suspected you meant something like that but still had to poke at you.
Again, based on your assessment, sounds like this young lady needs some good counseling on college from someone unbiased that can talk to her about her fears, talents, skills, desires, etc. without interjecting their own.
I wish her luck.