Six tips to help you on your search for an art school

If you’re just beginning to search for art colleges, here are the most important things you need to know to help you build an ideal list of art and design schools you’ll consider attending.

1. Learn about yourself and your creative goals

Artist can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but what does it mean to you specifically? How do you envision your life as an artist 10, 15, or even 20 years from now? How can an art college help you get there?

The first step on any aspiring artist’s journey is one that should continue throughout your creative career. Before you can even think about comparing different schools, you need to gain some insight into who you are as an artist.

Start asking yourself deep and engaging self-reflective questions with the help of our story “Three simple questions to ask yourself to choose the perfect art college.”

2. You can find a school where you belong no matter your skill level

Many art college applicants are worried they won’t be able to compete with students from a more rigorous artistic background. But competition really isn’t the point of art college. What matters is finding a supportive and challenging community where you can practice your skills, push your boundaries, and work toward your vision of your artistic future.

Whether you went to an all-arts magnet school or a regular public high school, whether you took as many art courses as you could or just one or two electives, whether you’ve been studying art since you were a small child or you’re just getting into it, there’s a place at an art college for you.

3. There are hundreds of art colleges in the country

There’s no reason to limit your choices to the handful you’ve already heard of. Start narrowing down your list with our article, “Four tips for finding art colleges that fit your goals.”

4. The most important part of your application is your portfolio

Every art college’s admission requirements are different, but admissions experts agree, your portfolio will get more attention than any other part of your application. Schools aren’t necessarily looking for technical mastery, but they do want you to demonstrate a passion for art, an eagerness to try new things, and a commitment to exploring your own creative vision and voice.

Here are a few tips on putting together a portfolio that will wow admissions officers.

What else will separate your application from the rest? Read this handy guide and find out.

5. Art college can be a good financial decision—here’s why

You’re on this artistic journey because your passion for creativity, imagination, and envisioning the future through art and design powers your ambitions. Yet, you’ve probably also heard the myth of the “starving artist,” an often overused and outdated cliché.

Entrepreneurial students from art colleges have demonstrated the capacity to achieve their creative goals and make a good living. Indeed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks the occupational outlook for arts and design jobs as expected to grow as fast or on average with all occupations, with the median annual wage for this group as higher than the median wage of all wage groups.

Students go on to become book illustrators, animators, jewelry designers, UX/UI designers, practicing fine artists, arts educators, and more. (If you’re just starting out picturing what you can do with a degree from an arts college, read this primer on “What you can do with an arts degree.”)

6. You can preview top art colleges this summer and year round

Many of the best art colleges in the country host summer and year-round art programs for high school students like you.

These programs will give you a feel for the art college life, with the same top-notch instructors, cutting-edge resources, and immersive artistic community you’ll experience in college. They’re also a great chance to try out new techniques and disciplines and beef up your portfolio for art school applications.