pay 65k for school?

[dansazz]

so is it worth 65 thousand dollars to go to school for computer animation, game design, or digital cinematography? Because I know these are all hard fields to get into and I'm not sure if a bachelors degree will matter much.

[Flackle]

Wanna do game design or computer animation? Just start doing it. The amount of free information on the internet is daunting. If you can make high-quality animations that people want to watch, there are a lot of opportunities on you tube alone. Building up a reputation on there can lead to more long term success than a career. As far as game design go, indie games are hugely popular right now. The internet has opened a lot of opportunities for those willing to work at it. I operate my business on the internet, and I don't even have to build a website and try to get a lot of traffic.

[dansazz]

Wanna do game design or computer animation? Just start doing it. The amount of free information on the internet is daunting. If you can make high-quality animations that people want to watch, there are a lot of opportunities on you tube alone. Building up a reputation on there can lead to more long term success than a career. As far as game design go, indie games are hugely popular right now. The internet has opened a lot of opportunities for those willing to work at it. I operate my business on the internet, and I don't even have to build a website and try to get a lot of traffic.

Yes I know this and i have been doing as much as I can, but I want a better education and to be more credible. I haven't figured out what I want to go for yet, probably digital cinematography, because im bad at math, and I can do animation on my own if i dedicate enough time and energy into it.

[lovekat]

That sounds like a great place to start, because it will always be businesses in need for that talent.  Just remember complete college and you aspect of what you may want to do will show.  I am getting my Bachelor in Business Science Management; and I am stuck on what to do when I'm done.


Good Luck!!!!

[cloudsoup]

small community colleges and career centers
have the SAME type of programs that $65k will buy you
at an art school or university - including game design,
animation, etc.

you should "shop" around for the best deal on the degree
you want. you'd be surprised! i wish i'd taken that advice
before i wound up in so much debt 

[Tresbn00]

Does it really cost that much?  I think that maybe a top school would cost that much but you could get a similar education at a community college...if the education is what you are looking to achieve.  Personally I have seen that an Associates degree gets people into a field, allows them to see if it is a career that they want to follow, and helps them decide if more education is needed. I think that a two year degree also allows time to gain experience in the field so that you can apply concepts learned in school. I think that a lot of people that get their four degree (bachelor's) have attained nothing more than connections in the field. Post graduate is where the education takes you to a specialized level of education.

[bessie1111]

I was also going to suggest a community college.  Our community college has game design, etc. and it is associated with several of the major universities so that if you want to go to the community college for 2 or 3 years, you can transfer to the larger university and finish there and everything transfers as if you went to the major university the entire time.

[Flackle]

Wanna do game design or computer animation? Just start doing it. The amount of free information on the internet is daunting. If you can make high-quality animations that people want to watch, there are a lot of opportunities on you tube alone. Building up a reputation on there can lead to more long term success than a career. As far as game design go, indie games are hugely popular right now. The internet has opened a lot of opportunities for those willing to work at it. I operate my business on the internet, and I don't even have to build a website and try to get a lot of traffic.

Yes I know this and i have been doing as much as I can, but I want a better education and to be more credible. I haven't figured out what I want to go for yet, probably digital cinematography, because im bad at math, and I can do animation on my own if i dedicate enough time and energy into it.

It is harder to do things alone. If you cant program, find a programmer who'd be willing to make a game with you. The internet also breaks a lot of barriers when it comes to finding people to work with. You don't have to hire anyone if you can get someone as passionate as you are and excited about the project. The old way of credibility is fading. You don't have to have a college degree to be taken seriously anymore. Make a killer profile of you skills and talents. Display them to people, make a website or put your animations out there. People will find you.

The only real reason to get a college education is for select careers. Being a good doctor is hard to display to people. In order to understand a doctors skillset you have to have that skillset yourself. Thus a college degree is needed because that's the best way to go about gaining credibility. If you want to be a lawyer, electrician, plumber, or engineer then credibility through a formal education is pretty much required. In most of these you have the potential to put someone in a life or death situation, or at least your in a situation that can negatively impact a large number of people. Everyone and their mother can judge whether or not they like your animation , and in this case its the only thing that matters since you're not putting anyone in any danger.

[dreamyxo]

It's not always what you know or where you go but who you know.  Network and intern. 

[jwallbank]

Yes, I believe that is worth it! If that is the cost for 4 years! You can probably make that in the field in 1 year. I believe any education is worth it. It has proven in my family alone that the one's with the BS or higher are making much more than the one's not with the degree, and it does not matter what field. My niece is working on her PHD at the age of 26 and is already making 75K a year in a Science and Technology school at her age, she isn't much older than her students at the HS she teaches in.