Quote:
As a previous fine arts major at one of the best art schools in the nation (money ran out after a year & transferred to state) I can tell you that we worked our rears off. It was a common misconception that we were taking the easy way. Out of 5 classes in art school, 4 were 5 hours a day long, and those teachers expected 2 hours of homework for every hour of class. Plus I worked, as did many. The teachers worked hard and were always on time or early for class, while maintaining their own art creation. In state school we often had students from other majors take art classes expecting an easy A and were shocked at how much they were expected to work. To be honest, I could write a paper fast and get a good grade, take a test cold and get a good grade, but there is no faking how much time you spent on your art projects. It takes work and dedication. In high school I took and got A's in all of the advanced placement classes available in my small school. Developing my art skills took much more time and effort. As an art teacher, I was early to class and available to students, spending hours preparing. Yes, art students often times dress differently (I do) and have creative leanings, but often times they are quite intellectually gifted and bored in other classes, needing the challenge of a creative endeavor (if they aren't engaged they will engage themselves, and not always how you want them to). Living in a college town, I can definitely see that many students are spoiled and don't take it seriously, but it's not generally the art students.
As to college in general, I have not finished and I may not. I have taken every class I would need in my chosen major to graduate, the rest are filler "required" classes. My husband has a BA and did need to have that piece of paper for his career path. He didn't really learn anything from it (this was in the 90's and he was getting into video game production, art, design and ultimately project management). It was early in that field, he actually helped the school set up classes to offer future students, helping the professors develop a curriculum. This as an undergraduate. So, it was a game we had to play to get him in the field he chose, but the degree really did nothing else. I know it's not this way in all fields, but it seems to me that so many degrees are so general that they waste student's time and resources instead of allowing them to specialize more. If you can put off deciding what you want a degree in until your junior year and still graduate on time, there is a problem in the system IMO. If for some reason I find I need to go back, I will. But, we are fortunate enough to be able to live on one salary, and as an artist I have many other fulfilling areas to create in and explore so I really don't see a point at this time. I consider myself a life-long learner, just not in the classroom setting.
Silkie; Those drop out rates at your high school are ATROCIOUS!