I'm freaking out about College. Again. Any suggestions?

Alright, so I haven't even started applying yet, and I'm having a break-down. I guess this could be attributed to the fact that I have no idea where I want to go yet while it seems that everyone around knows exactally what they want to do and exactally where they want to go. I guess I just don't know where to start.

I'm really interested in art and already have a pretty strong portfolio, and have been looking at a lot of art schools, but they all look pretty much the same to me. Anyone know of any good art uni/colleges that have a reputation for their photography program?

Also, I'm totally lost, helpless, and mildly petrified about even the thought of college (beleive me, I want to go, but the process is intimidating as hell). I don't know where to start...um...so, I guess...Help?

Don't worry so much about it or you might talk yourself out of going. I was over half way through college before I finally decided on my major. Just go into it with an open mind, take some elective courses and some leaning toward what you think you might want to major in, get the feel of what college is like, and go at it from there.
I wish someone had told me this when I graduated high school, then I might not have joined the Navy before going to college.
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As far as I'm concerned if you are confused then you are on the right track. All those people who have 'certainty' are only blindly following what other people say and are not thinking for themselves.

Its good to seek out a good school but people place too much importance on that and not enough on what they do once they get there.

The first thing...apply to all of them!! There's a chance that some of them won't accept you so you want to have applied to as many as possibly so you are guaranteed to get in somewhere. I don't know of any art schools, I'm in engineering myself, but I remember how intimidating it is!! Just start applying, then from there, wait to see who wants you, then narrow it down from there, then start figuring out what you're going to do wherever you decide to go. Good luck!!

Concentrate a little on ways to stop freaking - tea, yoga, meditiaton. Trust me, I work at a college - if you meet the requirements, you will get in somewhere, you will get aid. You just have to jump through the hoops of applying. Don't be shy about contacting the art departments at the colleges you're interested in either and seeing who can talk to you about the application process and about their programs.

Also, while I didn't go to art school - the art college I've been most impressed with is RISD. I think they pretty much have a good reputation in *everything*

What is your geographical scope? Are you in England? Canada? Australia? USA?

If you don't know where, or what, to study, take a year off to work, save up some cash so you won't graduate with loads of debt, and make up your mind. Better to spend your money on something you know you'll enjoy than to throw it to the wind.

Sincerely,
Graduated in a field I love 'cause I waited 'till I knew what I wanted to do.

If you like art, but want to do something a bit more practical, another option to consider might be architecture or industrial design. Both need artistic work (especially architecture - one of my friends did some really nice work in some art courses required for that degree). But then it's a bit more practical of a degree and can get you a nice job when you graduate. It's a bit harder to do that if you just take a pure art degree.

i freaked out myself. i majored in general business and minored in computer science. after 3 yrs i couldn't handle it anymore. so i dropped out 4 a yr then attended a technical college for a yr and a half. i became a certified medical office assistant. i don't want to scare you or anything just follow ur dream and heart. And the rest will fall in place. good luck with ur career.

dont freak out! im going to college in like 5 years but done be worried

My tip is to start out at a community college. Maybe it sounds lame... but it's really not. It gives you two more years to figure out where you really want to go, you get to try a little bit of everything, and you're almost guaranteed to get accepted (usually without an essay!) Once you have you associate degree, it should be relatively easy to transfer to the college of your choice. And you won't have to go through all the trouble right away of finding a dorm or apartment, choosing a meal plan, etc. I encourage you to at least consider it!

You might want to start off your first year or so in your current city and stay living with your parents. It could help. A significant portion of college freshmen don't finish the school year, because they didn't know it would be so difficult and they went and took off to another state right after high school. I think it can be a mistake.

I'm a sophomore in college (Pre-Med), I still live with my parents and I'm doing very well. I get to live in their big, beautiful house as opposed to some ugly little appartment and I don't have to work for my car. School is hard enough, I don't think I would've been able to handle just jumping right in to another state and all immediately.

If you are a good student, and you are considering professional school, I'd recommend going for Ivy League, but you'll have to figure out what you really want...

sit down take a deep breath and think about the beauty of the world you will be entering when you go what wonders await you do this for 30 mins now make up your mind what you want out of life,ok now which scool can best prvide what you want and pick the best one

I hope this makes you feel better.... Even if your friends and the other people around you "know" what they want to do for a profession, once they get into college they find out that their plans aren't suitable for them and they either a. end up changing their majors, or, b. drop out.

Don't freak out just yet. If your a sophomore, you still have time. If your a junior, start applying to every college you even remotely want to attend. That way, you have many options to choose from when the time for choosing comes. If your a senior, and have not applied to any colleges, consider taking course in a tech school. Many of them have programs in art and design that might transfer to a four year college.


Brie has a good point as well. Contact the people in some of the college you wish to attend, particularly the head (or at least, professor) in the art department. AND JUST BREATHE!
Hang in there!

Yea I'm basically in the same position as u are now!
It's sooo stressful! but try taking it one step at a time. Do your resume, get teachers to write recommendation letters, write essays, then fill out all the applications.

I don't know much about art schools but apply to as many as possible and visit them after you get in to see which one fits you best. You can go to collegeboard.com and look for photography majors or what not.

And trust me everyone is just as confused as you are. Most people who claim that they know where they are going and what they will do usually end up on a totally different path.

Also, Guidance councilors can help you more with college junk. Make sure you took the ACT or SAT and look over the colleges you apply to to make sure that you don't have to take the SAT II.

Did you visit any colleges during your junior year or over the summer? That would help a lot with making a decision---it sounds like you are a visual kind of learner anyway, since you are interested in art. Actually going to a school and seeing what the campus looks like, and in particular, what the studio arts building is like, may ease your fears and help you make up your mind.

It's not too late: a number of schools still offer tours and "weekend sleepovers" for prospective students. Also, many colleges like Evergreen State College in Washington state will accept applications up until April.

Don't forget to recruit your parents' help in your search, as well as from any adult mentors, teachers, counselors, etc. Your parents will have to fill out a FAFSA, the national financial aid application, in January, no matter where you go to school, so you might as well get them involved now. And did they also attend college? Pick their brains about where they applied and what made them decide to go to a particular school. You might be eligible for special consideration as well if you apply to a college where your parents are alumni (graduates).

If they didn't, that's okay: that means you are a first-generation college student and eligible for a federal Pell grant and enrollment in Student Support Services, another federal program that offers academic and financial support to students who are either first generation, low income, ESL, or disabled.

You are not, by the way, the only person who doesn't know where he wants to go or what he wants to do. At this time of the year, there are millions of students feeling the same way. The ones who know where they are going tend to be the most vocal (and maybe the most smug, yes?), so you'll hear a lot from them.

Finally, art schools: San Francisco Art Institute; Minneapolis College of Art and Design; and my favorite, CalArts in Valencia, CA. And if you are remotely interested in photojournalism, the Missouri School of Journalism has an excellent photojournalism track major. Don't rule out the colleges in your area---sometimes going to a community college, a two-year, open enrollment school, is a good way to get your feet wet in a non-threatening environment, and you can still drive home at the end of the day.

Good luck---you'll enjoy this process a lot more if you relax and let the people around you know what you're going through. Learning to share the load is a good skill to take with you as you enter college.

I work in college admissions.