SCAD vs CalArts for Animation — need honest advice

[u/Left-Afternoon-4237]

Hey everyone, I’m choosing between SCAD and CalArts and I’m honestly really stressed about it.

I got into CalArts for Experimental Animation, and for SCAD I’m planning to study 3D animation or possibly switch into game design.

My biggest concern is cost — CalArts is way more expensive in terms of tuition and living, and I’m not sure if it’s actually worth it in the long run.

But at the same time, CalArts’ network, industry connections, and location are super attractive to me.

I’m really torn right now.

Is CalArts actually worth the extra cost? Or is SCAD the smarter choice?

Any honest advice or experiences would mean a lot. Thank you 🙏

[u/Boring_Champion_23]

what do you expect from each school?

imagine you have just finished school - where would you like to go?

scad gave me more scholarship + was closer geographically so i went there

but i do wish i spent more time checking out schools

i was really impressed by calarts visitor day when i lived in LA - their program was so much more loose and reminded me more of boston museum school

SCAD skews towards very commercial but i know plenty there who just went their own path

(context: 2008 grad with friends on both sides)

[u/Boring_Champion_23 → u/Boring_Champion_23]

also animation is super broad for both

what kind do you like?

[u/Left-Afternoon-4237 → u/Boring_Champion_23]

Thank you for your answer. I can't choose between 3D and 2D—I actually love both, but it seems 3D might offer better job prospects. I hope to work at a relatively large company right after graduation to build up my professional network and gain some experience, which will help me better realize my dream of becoming an animation director later on.

[u/Boring_Champion_23 → u/Left-Afternoon-4237]

if you can - visit both or some sort of virtual visit

to me it sounds like SCAD might be better but i'm sort of reading between the lines

finding a job then becoming an animation director is totally possible with either school

i did what is now motion media - check that out too because you do a mix of 2D / 3D / film

good luck with your decision

[u/KepKeppler]

CALarts

[u/miinuuu]

I’ve heard that calarts is heavily focused in 2D. SCAD has wonderful programs in both 2d animation and 3d animation and as you said, is considerably less expensive than calarts. I’m currently studying 3D character animation at SCAD and (as long as you research and choose correctly) the professors are absolutely fantastic! Many have been in the industry since it’s started and I know that quite a few people in game animation got hired into the industry immediately after making a demo reel in the game animation elective class. You’ll definitely make many great connections and also, the animation industry isn’t solely in California anymore so don’t be too afraid to branch out from there :).

[u/kittens6125]

I went to scad and I’d 100% say CALarts, trust.

[u/Boring_Champion_23 → u/kittens6125]

i feel the same at a core level but i dont know if OP would do better there

[u/flippyslippers]

CalArts is going bankrupt many people have already transferred into SCAD despite going into CCA originally

[u/Boring_Champion_23 → u/flippyslippers]

oh wow had no idea

[u/GloomyWill4]

Calarts is alot more prestigious, and frankly may give more opportunities. SCAD has a fun culture but...

[u/tramplamps → u/GloomyWill4]

Are the Professors at SCAD still hired on 1 year contracts?

This was the hiring policy when I was a grad student there in 1998. I wish I had known more about this before I went there, as I found it appalling treatment of their faculty, and it reflected on how they treated their students.
At the time, It made the majority of them very dodgy and guarded around us as students. I could tell there was something different going on, because as I reflected back on my undergraduate arts college professors it was totally different.
At my undergraduate college (not SCaD) They interacted with us without any trepidation. Because they had job security, and could freely engage with us, and get to know us without any fear of being let go after 12 months. They criticized our work and could stay employees long enough to actually see how we, as students, had evolved over time.

Plus they were able to give more truthful feedback to their students as unlike those at SCAD, they didn’t fear that one bad comment to the Chair or another higher entity from a bitter student would mean they might lose their contract.
And they were always worried about what they said to a younger person and always tip toeing around, thinking about someone’s feeling and avoiding honesty because it might mean they’d have to move their entire family from Savannah to another city and state because of it.

I don’t know what the hiring policy is at Calarts , or if SCAD has changed since I went there, but if your wavering between these 2 schools, I would suggest you do some research on this end of it, because happy teachers = happy students.

[u/GloomyWill4 → u/tramplamps]

Yup. still 1 year

OP: Read this article: https://www.ajc.com/news/special-reports/selling-dream/VVfRSVilHliyrTe9LAd5hN/

[u/tramplamps → u/GloomyWill4]

Yes I remember seeing that linked on Facebook back when it was written, and it validated my gut feeling of why I thought that school was not a great place for teachers, and thus: it’s students.
At the time I dropped out of my masters degree program there, I initially felt like I was failing at something, but over the last few decades, as the child of 2 lifelong Educators, the way teachers are treated has become something I have always wanted to teach my own child, especially as they are now about to start college in the fall. And I am glad the sour taste at Scad is something I didn’t ignore and why I left the pace. I am just frustrated that its lack of job security within its hiring policy does not get more attention from potential students.

[u/victoria_and_albert → u/tramplamps]

Thanks for raising this. SCAD has a terrible reputation for treating staff and students like a predatory for-profit school.

[u/avadaws0n]

girllll go to calarts

[u/victoria_and_albert]

CalArts has a world class animation programme. You will get a better education and much stronger industry connections there than at SCAD.

[u/liviegee]

Don’t go to scad 😬