Deciding where to attend college is one of the most important decisions in a high school student’s life. Receiving a degree is the first step into adulthood, and it is imperative that students pick the right college or university to fit their desired career path. There are hundreds of colleges in the United States to choose from; even art schools are extremely abundant in the country, and offer an educational experience unlike other universities. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is one option for education that students interested in a career in art might peruse.

SCAD is located in Savannah , Georgia with another location in Atlanta (scad.edu). It is a private college that offers many programs in the arts; these range from architecture to fashion, and even design (scad.edu). Students may attend this college for four years, and can work for a Master’s Degree if they so choose (scad.edu). Students will pick a program to major in, and have the opportunity to minor in another area as well (scad.edu). New students are allowed to enroll to SCAD every January, March, June, and most popularly, September (scad.edu). Students planning to enroll should keep in mind that portfolios and auditions relating to their desired major are not required, but encouraged for admission (scad.edu). Information that should accompany an application include either SAT or ACT scores, three letters of recommendation, and a seventy dollar application fee (scad.edu). The admissions office at SCAD also takes into account extracurricular involvement, volunteer work, and high school courses when granting admission to future students; students involved in Advanced Placement classes will most likely receive college credit for those courses if the proper standards are met (collegeboard.com). Of the students admitted to SCAD, a majority had a GPA of 3.75 or above, received a 490-600 in reading, 470-590 in math, and 470-580 in math on the SAT, and a 20-26 on the ACT writing section (collegeboard.com).

SCAD offers some of the best art programs in the country; they have an excellent photography program in which students can achieve the goal of a Master of Fine Arts degree (scad.edu). There are many photography courses that undergraduates can participate in, and classes are fairly small. While each department at SCAD possesses the same attraction of many courses and small class sizes, students should keep in mind that this is a prestigious, private art school. That being said, it should be no surprise that attending can become rather expensive; tuition for the 2011-2012 school year is expected to be placed at $30, 510 (scad.edu). This does not include room and board, which is expected to be set at $11,750 if a student plans to live on campus (collegeboard.com). Students are estimated to spend about $1, 560 on themselves, and another $1,248 on transportation (collegeboard.com). However, financial aid is offered at SCAD through six different grants, various scholarships, and additional loans (scad.edu).

Aid is also granted to those students who are selected to participate in athletic programs at SCAD (collegeboard.com). The college has many athletic teams, including intercollegiate sports such as baseball, basketball, cross- country, soccer, swimming, and tennis (collegeboard.com). There are also intramural teams for students to participate in recreationally; these include fencing, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and others (collegeboard.com). Other ways for students to get involved at SCAD include student leadership positions, the student newspaper, and festivals and events that occur frequently at the college (scad.edu). The college sponsors events such as fashion shows, art exhibits, and many festivals of art. Any student is welcome to participate in these events; there are even special events for the university’s international students (scad.edu).

Many students desiring to study art may consider the Savannah College of Art and Design. For many, it may offer the correct programs needed to major in a certain area, which will lead to a lifetime career for many students. Selecting the right school is an important choice that will impact the rest of a student’s life.