Schools training: need to brush up on the latest software update? Eager for a career in post production? You have many options

Post, Sept, 2005 by Debbie Galante Block

STUDENTS: The whole college has about 7,500 students, mostly undergraduates. "Our school has about 1,700 students now, and in September we should have a little more than that. Class sizes have a maximum of 20 students. Upper classes don't have as many.

HOUSING: SCAD grows about seven percent a year, and as a result they are always buying or building another dorm.

TUITION: For '05-'06, total fulltime tuition for the year is as follows: undergraduate: $21,600; graduate: $22,050; one course per quarter for undergraduates is $2,400. For graduates it's $2,450.

CHALLENGES/TRENDS: "We've been concentrating a lot on visual effects in a technical direction--special effects animation, special effects for film. The fields have matured to the point where you are getting accomplished artists with dozens of years in the field," says Weishar.

RINGLING SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN

(www.ringling.edu)

LOCATION: Sarasota, FL

CURRICULUM: As a fully accredited college of visual arts and design, the school awards Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Computer Animation, Fine Arts, Graphic and Interactive Communication, Illustration, Interior Design as well as Photography and Digital Imaging. Illustration is the school's largest major, according to Mary Craig, assistant director of marketing and communications. Instructors are all practicing artists, designers or scholars. "The school is now being looked at seriously with the likes of Pratt and Parsons--that is big company and we are a private non-profit institution," Craig says. Ringling has already added three new minors, which Craig says are likely to become majors. They include Business of Art and Design, Visual Development and Game Art and Design. "Gaming is huge right now, and the Gaming minor is already full," she says. "Electronic Arts has offered 27 of our recent graduates positions, and 11 summer internships." The Center For Career Services helps students learn about job opportunities and internships and hosts career preparation seminars and workshops.

STUDENTS: While the school's non-traditional student (pro) category has been growing, it is only 11 percent of the student body. The rest are traditional students.

HOUSING: Dorms and apartment room and board ranges from $8,454-$9,756.

TUITION: $19,995 per year. First year fees are $1,535. Estimated books and supplies are $2K.

CHALLENGES/TRENDS: With more than 1,000 students now, "We are in a huge growth mode and keeping ahead of it is a big challenge," says Craig.

SCHOOLS & TRAINING FACILITIES

Academy of Art University, S.F.                    www.academyart.edu

American University, Washington, DC                  www.american.edu

The Art Institute of California, S.F.              www.aicasf.aii.edu

The Art Institutes, 31 locations                www.artinstitutes.edu

Berklee School of Music, Boston                       www.berklee.edu

Burlington College, Burlington, VT          www.burlingtoncollege.edu

Cerro Coso College, Ridgecrest, CA                   www.cc.cc.ca.edu

Columbia College, Chicago                               www.colum.edu

Columbia College, Hollywood                   www.columbiacollege.edu

DAVE School, Orlando                               www.daveschool.com

DePaul University, Chicago                             www.depaul.edu

Desktop Images, Burbank                         www.desktopimages.com

DH Institute Media, Santa Monica                        www.dhima.com

Digital Film Tree, West LA                    www.digitalfilmtree.com

Digital Training, Dallas                            www.digitrain.com

Digital Tutors, Oklahoma City, OK              www.digital-tutors.com

DR Group, Hollywood                                www.drrawstock.com

Five Towns College, Long Island, NY                 www.fivetowns.edu

Florida International University, Miami                   www.fiu.edu

Full Sail College, Winter Park, FL                   www.fullsail.com

Gnomon School of Visual Effects, H'wood              www.gnomon3d.com

Henry Cogswell College, Everett, WA             www.henrycogswell.edu

LA Film School, Los Angeles                            www.lafilm.com

Magnet Media, NYC                             www.digitaltraining.com

Media Technology Associates, Atlanta                  mtatraining.com

Mesmer Animation, Seattle                              www.mesmer.com

The Mind Labs, Menlo Park, CA                     www.themindlabs.com

Moviola, Los Angeles                                  www.moviola.com

New York Film Academy, NYC                               www.nyfa.com

NYU Film School, NYC                         www.nyu.edu/tisch/filmtv

Oregon 3D, Portland, OR                              www.oregon3d.com

Otis College of Art & Design, Los                        www.otis.edu
Angeles

Pratt Institute of School of Art & Design,              www.pratt.edu
NYC

Rochester Institute of Technology,                        www.rit.edu
Rochester, NY

Seneca College, Toronto                             www.senecac.on.ca

(For our complete list of schools, visit www.postmagazine.com)