calarts or germany?

[edds_bestfriend]

hey everyone,
so i have a bit of a problem...i got accepted into calarts for character animation; however i also got a full scholarship to germany for one year where i'll be staying with a host family and going to high school there. now the thing is i really want to go to both: calarts because i love storyboarding and am beginning to love animation. also when i went to visit i really liked it and i think i will in the end really love going there. i also got a 12,000 dollar scholarship from calarts and 9,700 from cal grant...but i want to go to germany for a year because..come on, its a year in another country for pretty much free. i get to learn about another culture and language and who knows what else. i know i love art and i know that going to calarts will be awesome for me, but i just feel like theres so many things i havent experienced yet and even though i know i can travel any other time i want during or after college, i just feel like this is the right moment for me. so i pretty much dont know what to do. ive talked to a lot of people about it and my friends say germany, while my family says calarts, but i feel that both of them are kind of bias in a way...i would really love to go to germany, but something my parents brought up is that my financial situation may be different next year and i might not get the same amount of money and i also might not make it into calarts the next year...so i guess what im asking is for your opinion about this and what are my chances of making it to calarts next year because i have no idea...

heres some stuff that i included in my portfolio for calarts:

figure drawings:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_002.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/002.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_003.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/003.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_005.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/005.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_006.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/006.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_008.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/008.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_009.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/009.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_DSC06084.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/DSC06084.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_DSC06087.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/DSC06087.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_P1010007.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/P1010007.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_woo_k_drawing_malefigure.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/woo_k_drawing_malefigure.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_001.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/001.jpg)

other stuff:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_happy_belated_b_day_winnie__by_edds.png (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/happy_belated_b_day_winnie__by_edds.png)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_happy_halloween_by_edds_bestfriend.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/happy_halloween_by_edds_bestfriend.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_kristenwoo_cards.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/kristenwoo_cards.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_kristenwoo_onwood.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/kristenwoo_onwood.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_kristenwoo_sketchbook.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/kristenwoo_sketchbook.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_kristenwoo_sketchbook2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/kristenwoo_sketchbook2.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/th_kristenwoo_twomes.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v374/edds_bestfriend/kristenwoo_twomes.jpg)

[MurdokX]

You never know when you can travel again, on a differrent country for free????? come on just do it!

[Meloncov]

CalArts will be there when you get back. Just don't fall out of practice in art.

[Elwell]

Deutschland über CalArts.

[Zazerzs]

Germany:just dont stop drawing, draw more, and don't make any money :P

[Candy Rain]

Have you spoken to the CalArts program about deferral, and whether that would affect your financial aid?

[thesinfulsaint]

If you got that money at CalArts this year, you can get it again next year. Go to Germany!

[Maxine Schacker]

Where did you study life drawing? Was it offered by your high school?

[Lizzybeth]

If you really want to go to Germany then go there. It'll be a great experience. Like everyone else said, CalArts isn't going anywhere. Besides, you'll have time to improve you work even more, you're not going to suddenly regress. If you're really bothered about things just call the school up/email them and talk to them about it.

[edds_bestfriend]

Have you spoken to the CalArts program about deferral, and whether that would affect your financial aid?

yeh, ive talked to one of the counselors about it and she said that they dont give deferrals and that if i dont attend this year then i have to do the application all over again next year....

[edds_bestfriend]

You never know when you can travel again, on a differrent country for free????? come on just do it!

i really want to do both! aaaugh, its really hard for me to decide...

Where did you study life drawing? Was it offered by your high school?

yeh, i go to an arts high school.

If you really want to go to Germany then go there. It'll be a great experience. Like everyone else said, CalArts isn't going anywhere. Besides, you'll have time to improve you work even more, you're not going to suddenly regress. If you're really bothered about things just call the school up/email them and talk to them about it.

i guess im just more worried about letting an oppurtunity slip by. ive talked to a counselor about it and she said that my chances of getting into the program depends on how good the next year is...and i may not get the same financial assistance...

[Helioth]

Deutschland über CalArts.

this message would be too short otherwise.

[Maxine Schacker]

I think Lizzybeth is giving you good advice.

[FearSelf]

I'm biased, I would pick Germany, simply because I was born there. It is a great opportunity, but so is the financial aid for CalArts. Germany is a new experience, getting a taste of other cultures can only improve your knowledge and art, giving you a well rounded portfolio. Which is always a plus, yes? Do you think you'll be able to go to Germany after CalArts?

Feel free to look over the above. But I think this part is important.
Maybe you should look at it as a win-win situation. Not many people get these opportunities. Either way you pick you benifit from it. Which choice will help you out in the long run? How will this benefit you?

[CTseng]

Oh man. Go to Germany!!
You can always apply to CalArts again later. Hey, who knows, you'll most likely improve much more not just in art techniques but also in gaining life experiences and worldly perspectives over there. And then when you come back and reapply to CalArts you might have a stronger portfolio. And get more moneys ;)

Go for it!!

[Danuh]

I would say go to Germany just because I'm going through a similar situation. Though I haven't been accepted into any colleges just yet I'm giving up a chance to study at Yale during the summer to live in Russia for two months.

Yaayy culture~

And hoommgg <3 Thank you for putting up pieces from your portfolio - I'm currently looking into the calarts character animation program and so far it's my college of choice *A* Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions over PM?

[edds_bestfriend]

I would say go to Germany just because I'm going through a similar situation. Though I haven't been accepted into any colleges just yet I'm giving up a chance to study at Yale during the summer to live in Russia for two months.

Yaayy culture~

And hoommgg <3 Thank you for putting up pieces from your portfolio - I'm currently looking into the calarts character animation program and so far it's my college of choice *A* Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions over PM?

yeh, im pretty much leaning towards germany...wow, in russia for 2 months, sounds exciting! :D

and yeh, feel free to ask me anything! :D

[Maxine Schacker]

Good luck, and do stay in touch.

[bbwolf]

Well, beeing a german, having been raised there and ever struggeled to get real decent art education here:frustrated: , I´d say you´d be totally outta your young mind if you´d swap a Calarts scholarship for comming to a mostly rainy, pretty general unfriendly place. Okay I am exagerating, I love my country but I know it´s total shit on the art edu side. Germany will be here when you got your degree. NOTHING is worth a good education. I figure it´s gonna be a lot harder getting another Calarts scholarship when you didn´t take one the first time. Talk about beeing dedicated. :dad:

My Tip, get your education foundation NOW, travel later. Beeing an US based artist you´d prolly can couch surf germany for a whole year (feel yourself invited to mine) and have lots more fun than when you´re tied to a german school. German education is not very good compared to some US schools anyway. :grandpa:

[Kfeeras]

where would you be in germany?

[edds_bestfriend]

Well, beeing a german, having been raised there and ever struggeled to get real decent art education here:frustrated: , I´d say you´d be totally outta your young mind if you´d swap a Calarts scholarship for comming to a mostly rainy, pretty general unfriendly place. Okay I am exagerating, I love my country but I know it´s total shit on the art edu side. Germany will be here when you got your degree. NOTHING is worth a good education. I figure it´s gonna be a lot harder getting another Calarts scholarship when you didn´t take one the first time. Talk about beeing dedicated. :dad:

My Tip, get your education foundation NOW, travel later. Beeing an US based artist you´d prolly can couch surf germany for a whole year (feel yourself invited to mine) and have lots more fun than when you´re tied to a german school. German education is not very good compared to some US schools anyway. :grandpa:

well the thing is, im not going to germany for art. im going for the experience of doing something else other then art. also i go to an art high school, so its not that exciting for me to go art college. to you it may just be germany because its your home, but germany for me is totally new and much more exciting then calarts. (i also live like 40 mins away from calarts..so...) hahaha, another words me going to calarts is like you going to germany. XD

where would you be in germany?

i would be in hedersleben for 1 month of language camp and then in Hamminkeln for 9 months.

[bbwolf]

Well, maybe with this background it is more interesting to come here. Still I´d say edu first, travel later. But once in a while everyone needs a break.

Have you done some research on Hamminkeln, and is it a carefully thought thru choice, or just happens to be your destination by chance?

Hmmm. Right next to the german/netherland border. I can see where´s that making everything intersting. :party: :rocker: But without a car.... deep in the totally flat nothingness. Well, almost. Has it´s merrits too. A nice truck stop at the Autobahn at the Hamminkeln exit. :D That´s all I know about that place, btw. :wink: I have to pass thru there everytime I visit friends in NL.

[Ramon Hurtado]

well the thing is, im not going to germany for art. im going for the experience of doing something else other then art. also i go to an art high school, so its not that exciting for me to go art college.

I'd say go to Germany and apply to Calarts later like others have said. However, you should be more than a little worried if you're not all that excited about going to art college. The animation industry is going to be filled with people who live and breathe art...and never really get sick of it, so keep that in mind while in Germany. Go enjoy yourself, learn from another culture and all that good stuff, but know your priorities. :) I would say go visit the museums when you can, particularly if you're going to be close to the NL.

Have fun in Deutschland!

[edds_bestfriend]

Well, maybe with this background it is more interesting to come here. Still I´d say edu first, travel later. But once in a while everyone needs a break.

Have you done some research on Hamminkeln, and is it a carefully thought thru choice, or just happens to be your destination by chance?

Hmmm. Right next to the german/netherland border. I can see where´s that making everything intersting. :party: :rocker: But without a car.... deep in the totally flat nothingness. Well, almost. Has it´s merrits too. A nice truck stop at the Autobahn at the Hamminkeln exit. :D That´s all I know about that place, btw. :wink: I have to pass thru there everytime I visit friends in NL.

i was actually put there by chance, but im talking to my host mother over email and it just sounds like so much fun. :D

I'd say go to Germany and apply to Calarts later like others have said. However, you should be more than a little worried if you're not all that excited about going to art college. The animation industry is going to be filled with people who live and breathe art...and never really get sick of it, so keep that in mind while in Germany. Go enjoy yourself, learn from another culture and all that good stuff, but know your priorities. :) I would say go visit the museums when you can, particularly if you're going to be close to the NL.

Have fun in Deutschland!

yeh...thats why i want to take a break, because ive been around art so long i dont know if im doing it because i love it or just out of habit...well we'll see...