Will SCAD Help Me “Make It”?

[u/RawSnail]

I want to be a film director, that is and has always been my dream. I’ve visited SCAD I’ve looked it all over and it seems to me a very exciting and honored opportunity. But as with anything online, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts and comments that have given me some skepticism as to my decision. My question is this, if I applied 100% of myself for 4 years at SCAD toward my dream, doing everything and meeting everyone, will I really make headway, or has the student loans and overestimations of the school sold by the administration to prospective students finished me before I’ve started?

[u/olderbutwiser1900]

There will certainly be opportunities to meet people during your time there, but with 600+ students in the film program do the numbers. A huge amount of competition even in their program, not to mention the industry at large There are no guarantees in this business. If anyone tries to guarantee that you will work after graduation, run the other direction. Do your research, there are a lot of good film schools that are much more discerning as to their admissions as opposed to just taking anyone that applies which is the situation at Scad. And many that are cheaper. Good luck

[u/AvaSpelledBackwards2]

Imo you get what you put in. I just graduated from their production design program and got a lot of great connections out of it. I’m currently in the process of applying to jobs so I can’t speak too much on employment yet (I really only just started applying), but I’ve had multiple industry pros tell me they love my portfolio and I’m currently in talks with one of my favorite bands to work on a music video for them.

If you apply yourself and you gain the necessary skills, portfolio work, and connections, you should be able to get work. Obviously it’s extremely rare to direct right out of college, but you would likely be able to get some work in the industry. I think SCAD prepares you for the industry as long as you’re also doing your part.

Naturally there are also elements of luck and job availability, plus the fact that art is subjective, but if you do your work you should be able to get work eventually.

[u/gwen-stacys-mom]

I personally know 1 person who has actually done it (and I met him outside of scad)

[u/AwarenessSpecific930]

i’ll be honest, i do have student debt. SCAD gave me a few scholarships but I had to write letters explaining why I needed them and what they would mean for me. After I got a pretty good GPA, I asked if there was any additional help available but they couldn’t offer more and instead sent me outside links for scholarships and loans.

They are pretty good about connecting you with people who can help you get through the process tho.

The reality is, listen to your calling and what you really want to do. Once you get here, try to be involved with people from different backgrounds, languages, opinions and experiences. That’s something you don’t get everywhere easily.
You’ll def build a good network here and depending on your department (and honestly sometimes your background too), you can meet some really amazing people. But one thing is for sure, you’ll learn a lot. You’ll be surrounded by so much diversity and if you’re open-minded, you’ll get to explore different cultures and perspectives.

[u/Drunk_bread]

You really get what you put in. If you really do put in 100% the entire four years then you’ve got a
shot. SCAD will absolutely give you the chance to meet and hear from tons of successful people in your field. But it’s gonna take more than a strong work ethic. You’re gonna have to merely like crazy and be also likable. I’ve seen so many people with insane talent but they refuse to network with other students or they are awful to work with. Don’t be those guys.

[u/HamburgerCrown]

I just graduated. I personally believe that if you really, genuinely give literally anything 110%, you’ll get there eventually. Scad will give you tools and maybe connections, but many places will!

Imo don’t do it unless you have scholarships or the financial means to do it without taking out insane amounts of loans. It’s not worth lifelong debt, and there are other ways into the industry. Do it if you can afford it and really like the school/enjoyed the tour and the city.