Serious question here folks. I currently attend a relatively high ranked state college on the east coast. I’m absolutely fixated with the automotive industry. The business side, advertising side, and of course - the design side. I find myself sketching cars on just about every assignment I get during class, and it’s been this way since I was a child.
I got a portfolio together, applied to ACCD and got in. Great. Looked into the program a bit more, got cold feet, never followed through…which is building a cloud of regret inside me. Let me first break down why I didn’t attend:
Cost
$17,000 per semester for tuition x 8 terms = $136,000 USD for tuition
$12,500 for living expenses per year x 2.5 years = $30,000+ for living
$1,500 per term on materials x 8 terms = $12,000 +/-
$6,000 for misc. expenses
Factor in student loan interest and this could easily end up costing $200,000. Parents are not offering to help as this doesn’t seem like a worthwhile education.
Industry demand
I understand ACCD has high employment rates, but when the advisor told me 96% I kind of chuckled, especially in this economy. She also mentioned how many students received internships this semester, but struggled to provide me with actual employment numbers.
Now, the student loans wouldn’t concern me as much if this industry was craving talent and continuously hired right out of the school. Lets face it, the graduating class is less than 20 I assume, there is no reason any of them should be unemployed…but from what I’ve heard, only 3 or 4 of the graduating class make it to the larger companies…which really scared the **** out of me considering any joe blow with a business degree can easily find a job making $50-60k per year without much effort or debt.
On top of the low demand, it doesn’t seem like the top talent is being paid much either. This is almost jet-fighter like selection process with extremely average payout, especially if you plan on comfortably living (saving for retirement, buying property, starting a family, etc.) in California - where most of the studios are.
So, those are the two main deterrents that pushed me away from the program. Do I lack balls? Maybe, but I do not want to end up like the majority of my peers swallowed whole and financially crippled by student loans. I only have 3 semesters left @ $4,300 per semester at my current school but have completely lost interest in the program and withdrew this semester. I am tempted to reapply for ACCD because it almost feels like a calling, or brilliant marketing on their part.
Any advice? Tips? Experience? Words of wisdom?