what do you plan to be after high school?

[JohnnyAR]

I've known what I wanted to do since 1st grade.

and that is?

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

You still have time to decide what you want to do, but at the same time it doesnt hurt to brain storm some ideas.  Not sure how the system works now a days but back when I was in school I was suggested to take the SAT's until I got a score I was happy with.  So if is still the case try to take them a few times ;D

Now a days, the SAT is essentially close to pointless.
Or so my teachers say.

-_- and yet i'm still paying close to 200$ for it

sat I, retake, both sat II's....


ABABAKJSAOI

annoying.

Now THAT sucks.

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

Hell, when I grow up, I want to be a Witch-Doctor!!!

[questionette]

I kinda wanna be a graphic designer

And then I realize what a lot of their paychecks look like.

[Yuu]

I kinda wanna be a graphic designer

And then I realize what a lot of their paychecks look like.

I've heard that really good graphic designers do make bank, but that it's a VERY competitive field and for every successful graphic designer there about 10 who need a second job.

[Jun-Watarase]

I kinda wanna be a graphic designer

And then I realize what a lot of their paychecks look like.

I've heard that really good graphic designers do make bank, but that it's a VERY competitive field and for every successful graphic designer there about 10 who need a second job.

Lol. You need to stress the "VERY COMPETITIVE" part a little more. In graphic design, the majority of people don't do well... many of which don't even get jobs in their field. In an art major, you have to acknowledge the fact that you will be leading a life of uncertainty if you don't have anything that guarantees success for you, and you DO need talent and the ability to successfully contribute your work into good marketing. Another reason why graphic design is so competitive is because... many people choose to do it, thus the percentage of failing is a lot higher.

Art majors are somewhat whimsical, and it'd be awesome to be successful in one... but again, is VERY uncertain. I wanted to be a studio engineer, majoring in audio engineering, spending times learning programs, recording equipment, acoustics, etc... and realized that I could just use it as a hobby and choose a more stable and liberating major. If I become good enough IN art, then I wouldn't need to pay for a degree-- either I'd get an awesome scholarship or have a way to skip certain processes because I was certainly successful in that field above a majority, but that isn't the case.

[Evelle]

I was supposed to be something? Dang I've just been playing video games for the 12 years since. :P

[Emerge]

I kinda wanna be a graphic designer

And then I realize what a lot of their paychecks look like.

I've heard that really good graphic designers do make bank, but that it's a VERY competitive field and for every successful graphic designer there about 10 who need a second job.

Lol. You need to stress the "VERY COMPETITIVE" part a little more. In graphic design, the majority of people don't do well... many of which don't even get jobs in their field. In an art major, you have to acknowledge the fact that you will be leading a life of uncertainty if you don't have anything that guarantees success for you, and you DO need talent and the ability to successfully contribute your work into good marketing. Another reason why graphic design is so competitive is because... many people choose to do it, thus the percentage of failing is a lot higher.

Art majors are somewhat whimsical, and it'd be awesome to be successful in one... but again, is VERY uncertain. I wanted to be a studio engineer, majoring in audio engineering, spending times learning programs, recording equipment, acoustics, etc... and realized that I could just use it as a hobby and choose a more stable and liberating major. If I become good enough IN art, then I wouldn't need to pay for a degree-- either I'd get an awesome scholarship or have a way to skip certain processes because I was certainly successful in that field above a majority, but that isn't the case.

Adding on to that - from what I've learned going to an art school for a year and a half, sometimes it's not WHAT you know that'll net you a job in any field; sometimes it's WHO you know. A diploma is all nice and good, but if you can't get people to see that diploma, you're better off using the backside of it as stationery. I'm not saying that a diploma is useless, because it does prove that you've learned the minimums of what's to be expected of a person in your field. Connections in the industry, however, can sometimes take you farther than what a piece of paper can.

[Jun-Watarase]

Adding on to that - from what I've learned going to an art school for a year and a half, sometimes it's not WHAT you know that'll net you a job in any field; sometimes it's WHO you know. A diploma is all nice and good, but if you can't get people to see that diploma, you're better off using the backside of it as stationery. I'm not saying that a diploma is useless, because it does prove that you've learned the minimums of what's to be expected of a person in your field. Connections in the industry, however, can sometimes take you farther than what a piece of paper can.

Ah, forgot to add that. While it's good to have a degree, having connections is always a big big BIG plus, if not almost mandatory in some cases. Everything else counts in your ability, work ethic, and sad to say... luck. Of course, this all varies depending on what you want to do.

[Yuu]

I kinda wanna be a graphic designer

And then I realize what a lot of their paychecks look like.

I've heard that really good graphic designers do make bank, but that it's a VERY competitive field and for every successful graphic designer there about 10 who need a second job.

Lol. You need to stress the "VERY COMPETITIVE" part a little more. In graphic design, the majority of people don't do well... many of which don't even get jobs in their field. In an art major, you have to acknowledge the fact that you will be leading a life of uncertainty if you don't have anything that guarantees success for you, and you DO need talent and the ability to successfully contribute your work into good marketing. Another reason why graphic design is so competitive is because... many people choose to do it, thus the percentage of failing is a lot higher.

Art majors are somewhat whimsical, and it'd be awesome to be successful in one... but again, is VERY uncertain. I wanted to be a studio engineer, majoring in audio engineering, spending times learning programs, recording equipment, acoustics, etc... and realized that I could just use it as a hobby and choose a more stable and liberating major. If I become good enough IN art, then I wouldn't need to pay for a degree-- either I'd get an awesome scholarship or have a way to skip certain processes because I was certainly successful in that field above a majority, but that isn't the case.

Don't get me started on 'art' majors.

Like I've already said, I used to be into art but have seen become one of those horrible people who belives art to be completely useless.

It's almost entirely due to the popularity of Anime which has made every kid with an 'original character" think that they can be an animator. ( So I guess it's more specifically animation that I have a problem with, rather than art in general)
I think is more suited as something to do on the sides, like commissioning costumes, or selling things in artist alleys.

Then there are those who go into criminal justice an forensics so they can " OMG be like the guys in CSI"

I shit you not every time, EVERY TIME I tell someone I'm working on a major in law they're response is " Oh! You mean like 'criminal justice" ?! No, no I don't.

Aside from my interests, I think it will be a good major to have because the particular major I'm working on is VERY broad.
I  could use it to get a career in everything from Mall Security to State Prosecutor or Private Practice.
Even if it doesn't get me a great career, the knowledge itself will come in very handy.

[Jun-Watarase]

Don't get me started on 'art' majors.

Like I've already said, I used to be into art but have seen become one of those horrible people who belives art to be completely useless.

It's almost entirely due to the popularity of Anime which has made every kid with an 'original character" think that they can be an animator. ( So I guess it's more specifically animation that I have a problem with, rather than art in general)
I think is more suited as something to do on the sides, like commissioning costumes, or selling things in artist alleys.

Then there are those who go into criminal justice an forensics so they can " OMG be like the guys in CSI"

I shit you not every time, EVERY TIME I tell someone I'm working on a major in law they're response is " Oh! You mean like 'criminal justice" ?! No, no I don't.

Aside from my interests, I think it will be a good major to have because the particular major I'm working on is VERY broad.
I  could use it to get a career in everything from Mall Security to State Prosecutor or Private Practice.
Even if it doesn't get me a great career, the knowledge itself will come in very handy.

Er, well, while my stance on art majors are pretty cynical...

People who find art "useless", just as how people find "animation" as a lower form of art... and people who assume that law is just like how it is on action-packed scripted TV shows, I think that's just ignorance. Ignorance comes in many forms, and examples like these could probably be applied to most, if not all, major careers and fields.

Animation and the like have a reputation of being lower because of their nature. I do believe that animation and cartoons have some artistic aspects of them and they require skills and talent just as any other artform does. Just because there's an abundance of people that are bad at it and with stupid ideas doesn't make it anything less of art. In all styles, there are those who are skilled and those who aren't. So, discriminating against it because of the groups of retards who do badly at it, to me, is another form of ignorance.

Art careers are just tough. They're competitive, and because people constantly make the assumption of "OH, MAKING ART IS EASY!! *scribbles some shit on a napkin* ABSTRACT ART! YAY ME!" people try it out, and fail without realizing how much work and talent the field entails, which is exactly why ignorant people find it a field to be taken less seriously than say law and medical fields.

[Yuu]

Don't get me started on 'art' majors.

Like I've already said, I used to be into art but have seen become one of those horrible people who belives art to be completely useless.

It's almost entirely due to the popularity of Anime which has made every kid with an 'original character" think that they can be an animator. ( So I guess it's more specifically animation that I have a problem with, rather than art in general)
I think is more suited as something to do on the sides, like commissioning costumes, or selling things in artist alleys.

Then there are those who go into criminal justice an forensics so they can " OMG be like the guys in CSI"

I shit you not every time, EVERY TIME I tell someone I'm working on a major in law they're response is " Oh! You mean like 'criminal justice" ?! No, no I don't.


Aside from my interests, I think it will be a good major to have because the particular major I'm working on is VERY broad.
I  could use it to get a career in everything from Mall Security to State Prosecutor or Private Practice.
Even if it doesn't get me a great career, the knowledge itself will come in very handy.

People who find art "useless", just as how people find "animation" as a lower form of art... and people who assume that law is just like how it is on action-packed scripted TV shows, I think that's just ignorance. Ignorance comes in many forms, and examples like these could probably be applied to most, if not all, major careers and fields.

Animation and the like have a reputation of being lower because of their nature.

Art careers are just tough. They're competitive, and because people constantly make the assumption of "OH, MAKING ART IS EASY!! *scribbles some shit on a napkin* ABSTRACT ART! YAY ME!" people try it out, and fail without realizing how much work and talent the field entails, which is exactly why ignorant people find it a field to be taken less seriously than say law and medical fields.

I never used to have a problem with animation, and I still don't. It's the majority of the students one of the biggest problem being  arrogance; the way some of them go around giving everyone advice on they're drawings., or that simply being in art school makes them a professional.

The medical field is starting to be taken less seriously because of those 'six month' collages and the fact that the majority of nurses don't even have to speck a word of English.

Law does have it's problems too. Thanks to that damned Pheonix Wright you say "law' and everyone jumps on the " You wanna be Pheonix!" Band wagon. Oh, and people tend to hate anyone in law...that whole..thing.

[Jun-Watarase]

I never used to have a problem with animation, and I still don't. It's the majority of the students one of the biggest problem being  arrogance; the way some of them go around giving everyone advice on they're drawings., or that simply being in art school makes them a professional.

The medical field is starting to be taken less seriously because of those 'six month' collages and the fact that the majority of nurses don't even have to speck a word of English.

Law does have it's problems too. Thanks to that damned Pheonix Wright you say "law' and everyone jumps on the " You wanna be Pheonix!" Band wagon. Oh, and people tend to hate anyone in law...that whole..thing.

Again, all problems with ignorance. :(

But hey, I'm not master artist but I have decent perception and observation skills to offer advice in certain aspects of art... like anatomy and whatnot. And if I'm in the position to, I lend my opinion on aesthetics based on personal preferences or popular taste. 6-month colleges are just easy ways out, and you don't see much of those people making it very far in their fields the majority of the time. Every career has its reputation and people will always have their own ideas and opinions about them, no matter what it is. I mean, look at night-shift construction workers-- I'm sure a lot of people don't exactly revel about being construction workers given how people perceive jobs with that sort of handy work... but they make a good amount of money, regardless.

Just do your best to take the high road and remember that you're studying your field for your own reasons. Studying and getting a degree is only part of getting into a career-- being successful entails a lot more than just that, in most cases. My best friend was studying in a medical field in Columbia for about 3 years, then took a break (getting married and whatnot) and is working successful in business all based on genius and talent, and his friend asking him to help out at a company. All roads to a good career branch out in many different ways-- I've looked into so many fields in majors during my escapades of wondering what I should do with my life so it's all too familiar to see how differently lives are lead during studying and working towards a career.

If you know that's what you want to do, you shouldn't let ignorant people get in the way of doing what you feel would be ideal for you. I mean, look at the anime and cosplay community-- tons of people even feel ambiguously shameful to share the same fandom of most idiotic weeaboos, but most don't let it get in the way of liking what they like and doing what they love to do.

I like art and appreciate many different forms though study and observation-- but I don't feel that I can successfully contribute to it via a profession. Instead, I think of doing something more suitable, not to mention the instability with art careers drives me away.

[soakrates`]

Just before graduating high school, I had planned on attending Berklee College of Music in Boston and becoming a musician. At the time, I didn't know a whole lot about the music industry and Berklee was well out of my price range, so I settled on journalism school instead.

I don't regret the decision, but I was bitten by the music bug again a few years ago and decided to see about getting a music career going. Since then I've stepped up my practice routine, acquired a whole buttload of new gear, and started writing and recording again.

Unfortunately the music industry is dominated by trends, nepotism, and a million other horrible things that make it nigh impossible for musicians with less "marketable" music to break in. So if I decide to go that route, I know it won't be easy (especially for a guy about to enter his late 20s), but I have some pretty good contacts so I remain cautiously optimistic.

[Jun-Watarase]

Just before graduating high school, I had planned on attending Berklee College of Music in Boston and becoming a musician. At the time, I didn't know a whole lot about the music industry and Berklee was well out of my price range, so I settled on journalism school instead.

I don't regret the decision, but I was bitten by the music bug again a few years ago and decided to see about getting a music career going. Since then I've stepped up my practice routine, acquired a whole buttload of new gear, and started writing and recording again.

Unfortunately the music industry is dominated by trends, nepotism, and a million other horrible things that make it nigh impossible for musicians with less "marketable" music to break in. So if I decide to go that route, I know it won't be easy (especially for a guy about to enter his late 20s), but I have some pretty good contacts so I remain cautiously optimistic.

lol. Someone who relates, high five. o/

[JTchinoy]

Y'all are babies.  ;D

I just applied to Cal Poly for grad school, what.

My bro just got his BA in EE from cal poly last weekend :P

[soakrates`]

lol. Someone who relates, high five. o/

Heh, with any part in particular or just in general?

The funniest thing is about all this is that I majored in journalism thinking it'd be a lot more lucrative than pursuing a music career. Man, don't I feel stupid. :P

[Erin]

If it makes you feel any better I just got my BA in graphic design and I work in a lab filing papers and data crunching. XD This of course definitely does not mean that I will stop all my unfinished projects or building my portfolio, but still....

you should hear the things my parents say to me about this.  A job's a job, dammit!

[Jun-Watarase]

lol. Someone who relates, high five. o/

Heh, with any part in particular or just in general?

The funniest thing is about all this is that I majored in journalism thinking it'd be a lot more lucrative than pursuing a music career. Man, don't I feel stupid. :P

I was a fellow music major, but the idea of it was just far too whimsical and unrealistic. Since then, I've decided to aim for a more realistic (not low) goal that I can personally apply to my life (financially) and feel accomplished doing, rather than the having to deal with the large amount of uncertainty an art major entails. I've yet to decide on what to major in, but supposedly at my age, I have time.

It all depends on your end goal, really. I'm by no means against going after an art major, but you need to have what it takes to become successful. If you don't, expect to work really hard to become better, make connections, and hope for good luck. Most failed art majors that I've seen were missing at least one of those, and some fail despite their hard work because they lack the talent, and ability to do well or appeal to marketed trends. After that, it's either working unrelated jobs to bring in the dough, or having very humble lifestyles doing whatever they can with their degree. Looking upon it, it makes one quite cynical about studying art. If one really wants to make it, they keep going at it and work towards their goal. The rest just give up.

If anything, I'm keeping music a hobby-- as long as I never have to pay for Ableton, fullprice. =P

[protocol7]

I was supposed to be something? Dang I've just been playing video games for the 12 years since. :P

Woo! I applaud you for this! :D