Hello, Facepunch. I have a bit of a problem.
I'm starting school at the end of September and I need $14,000 to cover the rest of my tuition and housing. Because the school I'm going to is not a traditional program, it does not have a federal school code, and thus I cannot get student loans or federal aid through the FAFSA. The school itself loans out $28,500, but the rest must be found elsewhere. My financial situation is kind of shitty, due to my dad having to work out of state. We're essentially running two households and it's been putting a strain on us. I'm not sure how great my parents' credit score is. I myself have not built up credit. I have an older brother in the military who has offered to cosign on any loans I might get, and I believe his credit is good. I've done some research and most of it points to local banks and credit unions as the best place to start. I've also discovered sites like Prosper and Lending Club exist and have considered those as well. I figured before I do anything I might as well ask you all. I suppose what I am asking is what should I be looking for in a loan? I'm sure a lot of you have some knowledge and experience in loans, and I would be very grateful for anything you could share.
Thanks to whoever takes the time to read this. If you need any more information for me, please ask.
First of all, do you have a job? Every time I do a credit check that is literally the first thing they ask. You're not going to get a loan if you do not have sufficient income.
I had a part-time in retail, but I quit a month ago if that's relevant.
I'm actually in a similar boat. Apply for whatever scholarships are left. Though Sallie Mae and Wells Fargo both offer student loans that behave like federal loans. They need to be cosigned, but I think they're slightly more lenient and determine off your cosigner's credit. You kind of have to have rich parents to not get fucked over by post secondary tuition.
[b]Go to community college for a transfer degree to a normal four year college[/b], for fuck's sake don't spend such an extreme amount of money when you can't afford it. The fact that you can't get the FAFSA should be enough to put you off from it.
Name doesn't really matter, you will regret spending so much after graduation and employment. This school sounds shady as hell, $42,500 for one year and it doesn't have a federal code. What does 'not a traditional program' mean?
What kind of school doesn't offer/qualify for federal subsidized loans?
If you are doing a private school, don't
They are rarely worth the insane costs they have and your degree is often worth less there. There are an extreme few amount of private uni's that are worth going to and if you decide to go to them you need to make sure you are top of the class AND you are sufficently wealthy enough to afford them, otherwise they aren't worth it. The few I am talking about are colleges that are famous enough that they can afford to have extreme prices due to their prestige and demand - places like Digipen, Ivy League Schools, etc. Even then, I really really think those kinds of schools are overrated. Someone with a modding background and a CS degree at any local university is going to be just as valuable (if not more so) than a digipen graduate.
Trust me - stick with in-state colleges/community, especially if you aren't financially stable and wealthy. Being 100K in debt will literally ruin your life. Taking 2-3 extra years to work hard graduating at a public university but being debt free will still get you a degree that 8/10 times is worth the same as a degree from an expensive college, but debt free/little debt.
College is NOT worth the high end price most of America expects it to be. Why waste your money getting a degree from fancy pants school at the cost of your financial future for 1-2 decades, when you could get that same exact degree without that? If you work hard while getting your degree (join apprenticeships, work on your passion outside of class, really go above and beyond just a degree in a way you can prove in a resume) you'll likely even be more valuable than some kid who cruises through harvard for 4 years despite getting the same degree at bumfuck community college for the first 2 years while finishing up at shitstain university for the last 2-4 years.
There are very few exceptions to this - a degree that leads into a guaranteed high end engineering/doctor/etc job can be worth it. That is because those degrees are generally hard enough to make their degrees more valuable, and the jobs they lead to will pay so much that even having a mountain of debt isn't a huge issue. Most occupations don't fall under this however.
Thank you all for the input, I really appreciate it.
As for where I am going, it's [URL="http://www.daveschool.com/"]DAVE School[/URL] in Orlando Florida. It's a career school focused on digital animation and visual effects in film, hence it's (stupid) name. It's actually on Universal Studios property. It's a one year program involving hands-on experience and is taught by pros in the industry. Believe me, I know it raises red flags, but I have done my research. The whole thing costs $42,500 ($33,500 for tuition and $9,000 for housing). They used to get loans through Sallie Mae, but apparently Sallie Mae jacked up their rates and scared people away. They do not qualify for federal loans because they do not have a federal school code. I know I will not get a degree, but the experience is worth far more. The school updates their curriculum very frequently to stay current.
I've chosen a technical program over a traditional one because I cannot learn well in a traditional classroom setting. Believe me, I tried VERY hard before. I went to tutors and group tutors and left not much better than I had when I started. I also chose this because it is the one thing I've ever felt like I wanted to do, and could do well. I have clinical depression and anxiety, so choosing to do anything and sticking with it is a big deal. I feel okay going into this, which to me means that I made the right choice.
Visual animation is for those with parents who have huge wallets son.
[QUOTE=A Beaver;45203132]Thank you all for the input, I really appreciate it.
As for where I am going, it's [URL="http://www.daveschool.com/"]DAVE School[/URL] in Orlando Florida. It's a career school focused on digital animation and visual effects in film, hence it's (stupid) name. It's actually on Universal Studios property. It's a one year program involving hands-on experience and is taught by pros in the industry. Believe me, I know it raises red flags, but I have done my research. The whole thing costs $42,500 ($33,500 for tuition and $9,000 for housing). They used to get loans through Sallie Mae, but apparently Sallie Mae jacked up their rates and scared people away. They do not qualify for federal loans because they do not have a federal school code. I know I will not get a degree, but the experience is worth far more. The school updates their curriculum very frequently to stay current.
I've chosen a technical program over a traditional one because I cannot learn well in a traditional classroom setting. Believe me, I tried VERY hard before. I went to tutors and group tutors and left not much better than I had when I started. I also chose this because it is the one thing I've ever felt like I wanted to do, and could do well. I have clinical depression and anxiety, so choosing to do anything and sticking with it is a big deal. I feel okay going into this, which to me means that I made the right choice.[/QUOTE]
Sorry but this sounds sketchy as fuck and extremely risky. I would reconsider.
Believe me, as I have said before I have looked into this. I know it isn't completely risk-free, but nothing is. They have a placement rate of 85%. Over 30 graduates worked on the new Godzilla movie alone, and many others have worked on other films such as Avatar and Avengers. I've spoken to both the admissions and housing reps. I've searched the internet for graduates who can confirm a positive experience with the school. The only negative review I've found was a poorly written one on Yelp about how a guy had the police called on him by his neighbors because he was making too much noise and then getting kicked out of the school and something about they wouldn't let his dad in (what). Edit: That being said, if anyone can find any concrete evidence that it is shit, please share it.
Is anyone familiar with Prosper? It seems like something I might consider if all else fails.
It's not worth it. I've gone to a private university like this (though they allowed for FAFSA), and it's just too much money. Especially for you, since it sounds like you don't even get a degree or a certificate. That experience you can get there can be earned for free, like many of the artists here have learned, with years of work.
Go to community college where FAFSA can cover it all, get a degree that won't stress you out with a heavy curriculum, and pour your all into using the resources gifted to you to learn on your own. The internet can give you all you need and more, and I'm sure there are communities dedicated to this stuff you can speak to and have a better idea.
Sure this school sounds cool now, but I guarantee there is another school that can offer the same thing and give you more in the end. Along with being more affordable.
Yes, that is also one major thing to consider.
In a creative profession, your portfolio is KING and is what matters most by far. Your credentials are just a nice suppliment.
I don't doubt that this school will be able to kick start your education towards this field in a manner that will let you develop a great portfolio, the problem is that such a thing can be done on your own time. High end "art/design" schools are hard to reccomend for this reason alone - someone who decided to say "fuck school" and who worked just as hard on their own personal body of work for a year while studying things on their own time will likely have just as good a portfolio as someone who went to that expensive art school.
There IS value in having a degree though (a real degree not just a single certificate) - it shows you can accomplish long term goals, which is HUGE if you don't have any other proof of that in your resume. A certificate is nice and will help your resume, but it doesn't really prove you can accomplish a truly long term goal.
Considering that, is a single year of that program to get a certificate worth more than what it cost to do my entire 5-6 year education, or spending that time on your own working just as hard to learn the same stuff? Especially when jobs in that field rarely pay more than 30K starting, 60-70K experienced? And you'll need to somehow find a job right as soon as you leave the program at a younger age than most people will likely hire (I assume you are 18 or so) or suffer massive debt?
If your plans don't follow through, you can come to Valencia with me. East campus.
At this rate it sounds more feasible to dig a hole for myself in the Nevada desert and live off of the money I could make by selling my non-vital organs. :suicide:
I would just look into commmunity colleges that offer art/design programs, if you are lucky like mine, it'll be nationally accredited and very high quality.
Also, read this:
[url]https://medium.com/i-m-h-o/138c5efd45e9[/url]
Its pretty much backing up my points on why paying for an expensive art school is a bad idea and some alternatives you could do instead, directly from a guy who went through the same type of stuff you are thinking about doing.
[editline]27th June 2014[/editline]
The above link relates to this topic from a traditional/concept art perspective but it pretty much applies to CG/film as well. Swap out books on traditional art with ones on 3D/film/etc (though traditional art skills are SUPER useful in any creative field, so don't discount them). CGMA linked in the article above has full courses set up for 3D as well, and its perfect for you since its all hands-on.
I'd still look into getting some kind of education (at least from a CC) because having a degree is valuable. But if you play your cards right in a creative field, you won't need one. Getting a job as a creative professional is all about creating demand for yourself through your portfolio and through your connections. It takes time to establish both, so get involved in communities that will allow you to grow both.
$42,500 for something that doesn't even give you a degree is perhaps the stupidest thing I have ever heard
[QUOTE=Zeke129;45239027]$42,500 for something that doesn't even give you a degree is perhaps the stupidest thing I have ever heard[/QUOTE]
It's weird for sure. That much money, in Australian dollars, can pay for my undergraduate university double-degree of Business and Commerce.
[QUOTE=A Beaver;45228996]At this rate it sounds more feasible to dig a hole for myself in the Nevada desert and live off of the money I could make by selling my non-vital organs. :suicide:[/QUOTE]
Or sperm banks.
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