Colleges

[Saint Nick]

i looked into full sail, i couldn't afford it. i'm going to go to the local university here (University of Nebraska at Omaha) and do a major in computer sciences and a minor in graphics arts design or something... that way i can do some awesome 3D graphics someday... its what i do now anyways.

 

[Kodiak]

Originally posted by: jndietz
i looked into full sail, i couldn't afford it. i'm going to go to the local university here (University of Nebraska at Omaha) and do a major in computer sciences and a minor in graphics arts design or something... that way i can do some awesome 3D graphics someday... its what i do now anyways.

What'd Full Sail cost?

 

[Kodiak]

bump

 

[Saint Nick]

full sail's video game design and development is ~$65,000 for their two year program

that doesn't include room/board... they ARE a tech school you know. you have to get an apt.

 

[Saint Nick]

their other programs were all $35,000 or so.

 

[Kodiak]

Thanks jndietz

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

www.berkeley.edu

Your point is to get an EECS degree and so pick a top engineering school.

 

[Kodiak]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
www.berkeley.edu

Your point is to get an EECS degree and so pick a top engineering school.

My grades aren't THAT good

 

[Quasmo]

if you want to make graphics engines Full Sail is damn good. My cousin's cousin went to Digipen. He really liked it... I think he might work for Squarenix now.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

EE or CS major anywhere. UCLA, MIT, GA Tech, UT Austin, Cal, etc etc...

If you get a major in game design that's the only thing you'll be able to do. An EECS major can just take another class and then any game designer will want you. Your tech background will be superior to all others and that's what counts. When you're in an economy like this, it pays to be a EE major which gets hired over a CS major anyday.

 

[Saint Nick]

Originally posted by: Kodiak
Thanks jndietz

sure no prob

 

[frankie38]

It sounds to me that you are not really interested in going to a traditional college. You can learn how to program better at these vocational/technical schools better than at a research minded College/University.

My only advice would be that these hands on technical schools will prepare you to work in the world today. I wonder if they will properly prepare you to handle the uncertain world in the future.

Would you consider going to tradtional college / Universty and then attending one of these technical/vocational schools?

 

[M00T]

Community of people who would offer much better advice than this crowd.

 

[Kodiak]

Originally posted by: frankie38
It sounds to me that you are not really interested in going to a traditional college. You can learn how to program better at these vocational/technical schools better than at a research minded College/University.

My only advice would be that these hands on technical schools will prepare you to work in the world today. I wonder if they will properly prepare you to handle the uncertain world in the future.

Would you consider going to tradtional college / Universty and then attending one of these technical/vocational schools?

Yes, but my grades in 9th grade = bad But I'm planning on doing good 10th-12th

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

That's ok. I started freshman yr with like a crapload of poor grades.

I shaped up in sophomore yr and got a 3.87 both semesters (unweighted). Junior yr was hard but I survived with a 3.5 and 3.71 (unweighted). Luckily I took all weighted classes which kept my GPA at like 4.35 or so.

I still recommend the traditional college/university route. It's a matter of "futureproofing." It's like med school can get you really far although it takes time. Once you start making money you can get a lot further with a 4 yr degree than with a vocational school/tech school degree.

 

[Kodiak]

bump

 

[Kodiak]

bump

 

[gsaldivar]

There are countless unaccredited, fly-by-night vocational schools that will be happy to take as much money as you're willing to part with for promises of a job and a "degree" -- don't believe it. Do yourself a favor and invest your time in a traditional college/university 4-year degree (or 2 years community college + 2 years college/university). You will be taking out "insurance", broadening yourself as an individual, as well as making yourself more employable at graduation.

Don't let your high school grades doom you into thinking that you shouldn't shoot for the top -- with 2 years of good performance at any local community college, you can easily transfer into a top-notch university for your upper division for most majors.

Learn art, design, computer graphics, and game design on your spare time. Once you enter this market you will find that you are far from alone in applying for the small number of the much-hyped design jobs at glamorous gaming and effects studios. Designers and artists, while highly-talented and hard-working, are a dime a dozen these days. As a result, many vocational school "graduates" end up spending numerous years working at a depressed salary just to work their way up to what they would have otherwise gotten with a 4-year degree in virtually any major!

While you're working on a REAL 4-year degree, gradually work on building yourself a little portfolio to show people and you shouldn't have any problems competing with people holding a vocational "degree". You can get PLENTY of experience freelancing for local businesses ($$$!!!), volunteering for local non-profit organizations (an endless source of letters of recommendation), tutoring, etc.

All that's required is your spare time, and a bit of motivation....

STAY AWAY from those vocational schools!

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[Kodiak]

How am I supposed to have practice w/ programs that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You get a lot of FREE software at schools trust me. I can download the whole M$ library basically =P

I think UCLA offers a better software selection than us though ><

 

[Kodiak]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
You get a lot of FREE software at schools trust me. I can download the whole M$ library basically =P

I think UCLA offers a better software selection than us though ><

Yea, but he said practice before you get to college...

 

[gsaldivar]

Originally posted by: Kodiak
How am I supposed to have practice w/ programs that cost hundreds to thousands of dollars?

Nearly all software publishers have academic versions which can be purchased by anyone able to document their enrollment in a college or university. Additionally, college/university computer labs have trade-specific software for students to work with. You can often take the lab portion of design classes for the experience, even get elective credit toward your 4-year degree as well! :thumbsup:

 

[Kodiak]

True, but I'm only a sophomore in HS currently.

 

[EyeMWing]

I could name you half a dozen "game design schools" from TV commercials - but I won't, because the commercials were so terribly done that any credibility they may have had went away VERY fast.

Oh, and since you're s HS Sophomore - DO NOT listen to your guidance counselor when they try to "help you figure out where you want to go." You tell THEM where you want to go, their reputations and statistics be damned.