BA Degree?

  • Started
  • Last post
  • 106 Responses
  • Jaline0

    the problem with degree education is not thatits hard (which it reeeally isnt) its just that its sooo fucking expensive..

    u have all the spending habits of a regular deisnger (alcohol, drugs, rent, post it notes and pens) as well as £9K tuition fees & studio fees

    oldelpaso
    (Apr 3 07, 11:33)

    You're right, but it's usually better to get student loans and get through school than not to. The only thing you're losing is money, and if you're smart about it you won't owe much once you're out of school.

    I live at home to cut the cost of school (as sucky as it is sometimes), but that comes with benefits, like free housing and food, etc. Also, I have a great job and I use about half the money I get from the summer for school.

    Overall, I think you don't lose much from going to school, so why not tough it out? I realize that some people just can't get through it for one reason or another, but if it's just laziness then obviously that's a bad reason.
    ------------------------------

    No one has asked me about marks, as they shouldn't. They are definitely too subjective. Obviously I did *something* if I can get through school. I mean, seriously, has anyone asked about people's GPA? I doubt it.

    However, employers have definitely asked me about my education and what I plan on doing. It also comes up in random conversations with co-workers. My current place of work even gives us raises based on how many years of school we do.

  • studderine0

    This is because you are getting a BA. I am getting a BS. I think getting the right answer to a math problem isn't "subjective". You either get it or you don't.

  • BonSeff0

    BFA + Student Loan Pmt =
    mad street cred

  • ********
    0

    BFA + Student Loan Pmt =
    mad street cred
    BonSeff
    (Apr 3 07, 20:18)

    really cause Kanye West says that getting degrees is for losers.. and hes all street n shit //

  • BonSeff0

    who's Kanye West?

  • Jaline0

    This is because you are getting a BA. I am getting a BS. I think getting the right answer to a math problem isn't "subjective". You either get it or you don't.
    studderine
    (Apr 3 07, 20:10)

    Hahaha, that's ONLY Math and Science...maybe. Everything else...if you make a case for yourself you'll get some credit.

    Particularly in my program, which is all about communication and therefore all about essay writing. People can't tell you your opinion is BS if you support it properly.

  • ********
    0

    who's Kanye West?
    BonSeff
    (Apr 3 07, 20:23)

    lol

    HES THE MUSSSSIAAH!

    word

  • ********
    0

    well that killed the thread!!

  • CockDiesel0

    I had a boot load of freelance experience then went through a university for the computer science/ film degree business. It depends on what you do.

    Those drawing classes can teach you to be a great illustrator but it can't teach you to be an artist.

  • ********
    0

    teh real Dinks0r is back and you want to talk about school?

    get a life!

  • mg330

    Oh, and if you really want to turn heads... get a minor in Architecture. :D

    It worked out that my 2 1/2 years in Architecture school transferred over as my minor when I changed majors to Advertising.

    I say "turn heads" because if you come across ANYONE who is an architect or knows was architecture school is like they will go "Are you insane? Who goes through that kind of hell just for a minor?"

    The second year of arch. school is horrendous. Not to be funny at all, but I think the college suicide rate is highest for architecture students.

  • OSFA0

    haha, I started as an architecture major too - too boring.
    But now, I turn heads thatnks to my chiseled six-pack....

  • mg330

    OSFA, what was boring about it?

    I wanted to be an architect for years before I started college. First year was not too hard, lots of arch history, including one class I had to drop three times, it was just a nightmare.

    Second year things got way more technical - more studio classes, model building, technical drawing, so much detail - I'm sure you know what I mean.

    When I went to Advertising, I felt like I learned so much more about design in that 2 1/2 years of arch school than I would have in the fine arts department. It was an interesting mix.

    Then, when I finished up my minor in my last year, I took a Conceptual Drawing course and a Design Communication course. Now that was fun - had spent the previous 2 years or so using Photoshop constantly, and all the arch students taking those classes never had time to use Photoshop artistically. It was a really fun mix of the stuff I was doing and what they were doing - artistic architectural stuff similiar to Vir2l type stuff.

  • Jaline0

    I wanted to be in industrial design or architecture too, but then I just said, "screw it" because my heart wasn't in it, and I didn't want to deal with more years of math and shit.

    Anyway, I'm fine where I am right now. My current job has to do with design, so although my studies and my job don't mix as smoothly, I'm fine with having two different things to do in my life.

  • 23kon0

    if you were a kid straight out of high school with a great portfolio of design you'd done for yourself then theres little chance youd be snapped up by a design company (unless your work really was amazing).

    the reason places like you to have a degree is that the process of getting a degree teaches you about presenting your work, talking it through and taking (sometimes harsh) criticism from lecturers and peers about your work.
    this helps mature your attitude towards the work that you do and make you realise that the final design you do of something may not be the FINAL design.
    your senior designers/md's/clients may f*ck abotu with it until its lost so much of your original idea lol. but what they says goes.

    a BA degree definitely isnt needed to get a job in the design industry.
    - good portfolio
    - good attitude
    - dedication
    - passion
    is what is mainly looked for

  • mg330

    23kon - you bring up a good question by saying "design industry."

    Anyone have any idea of the percentage of people in higher levels of design, beyond production work, that have degrees, and even Masters degrees in something? I'm talking about CDs, ADs, all the stuff I mentioned before - the people running things, giving direction to designers, etc.

    Something tells me it's a higher percentage than some might make it out to be. It all goes along with whatever your desired career path is.

    I fully agree with - good portfolio, good attitude, dedication and passion being important, but there have to be levels in which that can only take you so far up the ladder.

  • OSFA0

    I just got that feeling in one of my drafting classes like:
    Uhm, I don't know if I want to do this for the rest of my life type of thing.

    I agree, it opens your eyes to numerous forms of art, classes are taught differenty but I realized it was not for me in time.

  • mg330

    OSFA - it was the math that would have killed me in the end.

    My roommate was in arch as well, we were friends from high school and lived together all through college, so I got to see what he was doing after I changed majors.

    The structures courses would have melted my mind, I never would have made it.

    That lucky (and extremely hardworking) bastard finished in 4 years, THEN got his M.Arch and an MBA in under 3 years.

    Just became licensed about two years ago, and at 29 just got the kind of promotion in his firm that most people don't get until they're in their 40s. Managing and directing his own projects now and all. Love talking to him about it. I'd still love to be an architect more than just about anything else - I'll be satisfied if I can fully design my own house someday, that will appease me! :)

  • -sputnik-0

    i also believe that once ppl get to management-level positions, they owe it to themselves and those they manage to get some formal management training. most of the management issues i've experienced come from someone who worked their way up w/a certain set of skills but never bothered to learn business/management skills, and those under them all suffer.

  • Leigh0

    It's your Portfolio at the end of the day.

    Look at it like this..

    Do you employ a designer with a BA and an ok portfolio .

    or do you employ someone with shit hot portfolio and no BA.

    Degrees are overated!