How to live away from home ?

[ArtistoftheFuture]

Many people know that game related schools are mostly in the west coast. if a person is living at east coast and wanted to move to the west coast, how do they do it, especially when they do not know anyone there(no friends and relatives), and they dont have friends here that wanted to move to California, and it is too far away from home, moreover, the dorm is so DAMN expensive !!!!! anyone has the same problem, which that place to live is the obstacle ?

[PFKM]

well first off. you really don't NEED to go to one of those schools to become a game artist. the most common thing i see, having one year left in my schooling is that either A: my school has taught me very little of what i need to know to be a game artist, or B: very little of what i need to be a game programmer.

i see a lot more traditional artists getting jobs after they have developed their skill at an ordinary school..state or what not and then applying what they know about art towards the 3d ream and game design.

I also see a lot of dedicated programmers, delving themselves into the game programming aspect and getting jobs over people at my school. What makes it worse is that the school i go to is costing me WAY too much...and these other traditional type workers are going to a state school that they are paying about 1/4 of what i am. and pretty much getting more jobs than my school can say.

So before you go spending the big bucks to go out to Cali and maybe waste your money and time at a school out there...really think about what your state school can offer or maybe even a school that all your friends are going to. so you can afford it more in the end...AND you can keep some of your close friends around to help with stuff, when life is a biotch.

what schools were you looking for in particular?

[Craig Lewis]

Originally Posted by ArtistoftheFuture

Many people know that game related schools are mostly in the west coast. if a person is living at east coast and wanted to move to the west coast, how do they do it, especially when they do not know anyone there(no friends and relatives), and they dont have friends here that wanted to move to California, and it is too far away from home, moreover, the dorm is so DAMN expensive !!!!! anyone has the same problem, which that place to live is the obstacle ?

I assume schools in america are the same, but you can probably apply for some sort of support money, and you could take out a student loan.

Also you can make friends there

[benclark]

ever considered getting a job while studying? If you want to do the course bad enough these things are surely minor details. Its the west coast of America, its not like you are moving to Tokyo

You are in the same position as thousands of people your age so there must be some kind of financial support you can apply for

[sarge mat]

I agree with ben if you want to do it, these things are minor details. Apply for a student grant and or lone. Get a job as well, when you move out there.

Just remember, no uni will teach you everything you need to know to get into the industry. A lot of it comes down to working in your own time. I could have moved away this September to uni but I decided I was not ready, I only just turned 18 (the reason for lack of posts on my current model, lol). So I am going to spend another two years here and most of my friends are going to do a follow up course to the one we are doing now.

No big rush, to move away. Look at what places closer to home can offer you.

[ArtistoftheFuture]

well first off. you really don't NEED to go to one of those schools to become a game artist. the most common thing i see, having one year left in my schooling is that either A: my school has taught me very little of what i need to know to be a game artist, or B: very little of what i need to be a game programmer.

i see a lot more traditional artists getting jobs after they have developed their skill at an ordinary school..state or what not and then applying what they know about art towards the 3d ream and game design.

I also see a lot of dedicated programmers, delving themselves into the game programming aspect and getting jobs over people at my school. What makes it worse is that the school i go to is costing me WAY too much...and these other traditional type workers are going to a state school that they are paying about 1/4 of what i am. and pretty much getting more jobs than my school can say.

So before you go spending the big bucks to go out to Cali and maybe waste your money and time at a school out there...really think about what your state school can offer or maybe even a school that all your friends are going to. so you can afford it more in the end...AND you can keep some of your close friends around to help with stuff, when life is a biotch.

what schools were you looking for in particular?

well, i am thinking bout DigiPen Institute of Technology, Academy of Art University, and even Full Sail(in Florada thought) but i m in philly, so thinking of Art Institute of Philadelphia if i m gonna do it at home

I assume schools in america are the same, but you can probably apply for some sort of support money, and you could take out a student loan.

yeah, but i wanted to make everything as less costly as possible, even student loan will take me time to pay it off

ever considered getting a job while studying? If you want to do the course bad enough these things are surely minor details. Its the west coast of America, its not like you are moving to Tokyo

You are in the same position as thousands of people your age so there must be some kind of financial support you can apply for

I agree with ben if you want to do it, these things are minor details. Apply for a student grant and or lone. Get a job as well, when you move out there.

Just remember, no uni will teach you everything you need to know to get into the industry. A lot of it comes down to working in your own time. I could have moved away this September to uni but I decided I was not ready, I only just turned 18 (the reason for lack of posts on my current model, lol). So I am going to spend another two years here and most of my friends are going to do a follow up course to the one we are doing now.

No big rush, to move away. Look at what places closer to home can offer you.

yeah, no matter where i go, getting a part time job is always a must for me, since everything will be costly, earning some extra money wouldnt hurt. financial aid will definitetly not gonna cover everything, and I must apply for loan, but i dont want to pay a big bill after i graduate. i just hope art institute in philly would fit the bill, because it offers closely of what i want

[Filbot]

I've heard good things about Art Institute of Philadelphia as far as an a Game related education goes. The most important thing to look at is if the school has contacts in the industry or not, IE: can they help you get a job after you graduate. I am about to finish a 4 year BFA at the University of Cincinnati and I choose to study Fine Arts. If you decide to pick a school with a 4 year program in Fine Arts stay away from schools that focus on Conceptual Fine Art, not Concept Art for games but Conceptual Fine Art. Those types of school have a heavy anti-aesthetic quality to the courses. The school I am at right now is thinking about removing the foundation year, drawing / design foundation courses, as these types of "skills" are less important to Fine Artists producing "Conceptual Art" (Again Conceptual Fine Art)

[Hourences]

Try to find people online that also attend that school, or just live in that area, just so you know someone in that area. Regardless, you will prolly get to know plenty of people anyhow once you start with the class, so I wouldnt worry about the social aspect of moving.
Moving is cool, and you should definitely give it a go now that you are still young as it is a great experience. You can always return back to your home region if things wont work out, it wont suddenly disappear, so dont let homesickness hold you back.

Whether to attend a school or not is a complex and very individual question, it really depends on the quality of the schools you have in mind, and your personality. If you do really with learning things all on your own, I would try to master all of it on entirely on your own. However, if you feel like you need someone who checks up on you as you lack the discipline, or because you feel lost and got no clue on how to get into all of this, attending a school might be a good idea.

[irishlostboy]

Originally Posted by Filbot

The school I am at right now is thinking about removing the foundation year, drawing / design foundation courses, as these types of "skills" are less important to Fine Artists producing "Conceptual Art" (Again Conceptual Fine Art)

ya, this fits the majority of fine art degree courses in ireland. drove me nuts. not saying there is no place for such views on art, but unless you want to be an art teacher such college courses are not very useful. different countries have different ideas on what it should be teaching on a fine art degree. i heard spanish fine art courses have a massive emphasis on the skill aspect, and push peoples illustrative painting abilities. Ireland is all "blobs on a page, with fancy explanation" jobs.

re; moving for college. you have to move out on your own one day. it is very daunting. but as the likelyhood of you getting a job developing games in your home town is probably zip, you might as well get into the migratory groove early. i have lived in over fifty houses in the first 20 years of my life. i really hate moving. but sometimes you just have to do it.

[ArtistoftheFuture]

I've heard good things about Art Institute of Philadelphia as far as an a Game related education goes. The most important thing to look at is if the school has contacts in the industry or not, IE: can they help you get a job after you graduate. I am about to finish a 4 year BFA at the University of Cincinnati and I choose to study Fine Arts. If you decide to pick a school with a 4 year program in Fine Arts stay away from schools that focus on Conceptual Fine Art, not Concept Art for games but Conceptual Fine Art. Those types of school have a heavy anti-aesthetic quality to the courses. The school I am at right now is thinking about removing the foundation year, drawing / design foundation courses, as these types of "skills" are less important to Fine Artists producing "Conceptual Art" (Again Conceptual Fine Art)

yeah, since art institute of philadelphia in not in big cities like florada, new york and california's, i always thought that it will not be "fully equipped" and the one in pittsburgh didnt have a good reputation, even though it offers Game Art. conceptual fine art is interesting, but i wanted to focus more on computer aspect of the art. I would really want to go to Full Sail, but it is damn expensive as well ......