scad

May 26, 2010 6:56 AM

I got into artschool in the US, the scholarships not great, now what ?

I got accepted for the mfa photo program at scad, as an international student - i would like to take up the offer but the scholarship offer (10k off tuition) makes it very hard for me to go and i'm wondering if I would make it, does anyone have any advice on where to look for funding or what to say to the college ? As things stand, im screwed.

posted by sgt.serenity to Education (7 answers total)

Call up and ask them directly if they'll give you more money. Explain that you likely cannot attend unless they do. I ran into a similar problem when I was accepted to MICA (didn't go, but that's another story), and my mom called up financial aid and they offered me an extra 5k grant right off the bat. It's worth a try, at least.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:01 AM on May 26, 2010

Yes. Speak directly by phone to someone in the aid office about your situation. Make it personal - in a good way. Make sure they understand how motivated & serious you are about their program, and your work. Art schools are used to dealing with artists and the lack of money. You are not the only one in this position.

Worse case, you could ask them to delay your entrance into the program for a year while you try to build up some savings.
posted by R. Mutt at 7:41 AM on May 26, 2010

Also, have you spoken with the folks at ECA about possible options? They must have some experience with this.
posted by R. Mutt at 8:04 AM on May 26, 2010

Absolutely do not take on student loan debt for this. It's toxic as hell. Defer to work and build up savings, call them and ask for more...turn over other stones, but don't lever up.
posted by wooh at 8:22 AM on May 26, 2010

You can also ask if the school offers any Teaching Assistant or Graduate Assistant jobs. You wouldn't need a work visa if you are working for the school. That's how a lot of students are funded. Additionally you can look for Fellowships and Grants to apply for. If you are going to be an artist, you will need to get used to doing so.
posted by w84rav at 9:55 AM on May 26, 2010

Seconding ask for more money. It worked for me as an international undergraduate.
posted by halogen at 3:50 PM on May 26, 2010

In my case, the school I ended up attenting agreed to match the scholarship offer I had received from another university. The extra money came from the music department's discretionary funds
posted by halogen at 3:53 PM on May 26, 2010