How to get to Ringling?

[Ruski]

alright...

I am located in Puerto Rico and I will be headed for Ringling pretty soon. In a month to be precise...

anyway...I am currently trying to buy tickets....

I am having a hard time to decided whcih day better to come and which way should I travel.

Should I buy ticket to Tampa and then rent a car? Or is there someway from PR to Miami to Sarasota?

about hotels nearby?

Will they let me stay on campus from August 18? or should I be staying in hotel before the classes beggin?

I know maybe this is not the place I should ask such questions...but I still have some time and I would like to hear recomendations from students themself.

thanks...

-Art

[sula_nebouxi]

Hey Art,

There's an airport 2 miles north of Ringling. Bradenton-Sarasota International Airport I believe. It's a lot closer than Tampa or Miami. Are you going to be a student at Ringling? If you go over there August 18th that's when the dorms open to students. They open at around 8:30 am. You move in on that date and the next 5 days is freshman orientation.

Hope that answered your question.

-Anthony

[Ruski]

yes, I am going to be a student there...in CA department.

but will they let me to stay in my room after and/or during August 18?
Because I have heard from one graduate that he had to stay at hotel until the classes began...

as for an airport, I have not heard of it, thanks I will look it up.

Please...any kind of info is essential...anything, advice, etc, maybe what to bring what not? eh.

thanks again

-Art

[sula_nebouxi]

Art,

Yes, you should be able to stay there starting august 18th. The academic calendar on the Ringling website says that dorms open to new students on that day. It seems kinda weird that someone had to stay in a hotel until classes began. Usually schools allow people to move in a few days before that. But, I'm pretty sure that during the orientation period(august 18-22) you stay in the dorms. I've been told that there's supposed to be some kind of group trip to Targets or Walmart to get whatever you need...but I don't really know if that's true. Bring some heavy clothing. Yeah...I know it's fricking Florida, it never gets cold! But, when you stay there a long time your blood thins out and warm weather starts to feel cold. Even though it may be 60 degrees out, it will feel a little chilly. You probably won't need much else besides clothing and a computer. Maybe bedsheets a pillow and a blanket although I have no idea if they give you these or not. You could just buy this stuff when you're there though if you don't feel like carrying all this crap to Ringling.

Those 5 days of orientation should be enough time to get everything set up in your dorm and get acquainted with the area. There's no point in coming any earlier than the 18th. The school doesn't open until then and there's basically nothing to do.

Oh, and about the airport, I think I messed up the name. It's Sarasota-Bradenton not the other way around. Airport code is SRQ if that helps.

Enjoy your stay in Ringling(I envy you) I wish I could be going. Good luck there and kick ass! If you need any more help check out the Ringling thread part 1 or 2(deux). There's lots of helpful people looking at those threads.

PS Oh! before I forget, do you mind if I could see the portfolio you sent to Ringling? :D I'd like to see what I need to do to have a chance at getting in. I don't know if I'll be good enough when the time comes :( Must... draw... more...heh anyways, good luck again.

[Ruski]

they thanks alot man...everything seems clear now.

about the portfolio...well get on AIM sometimes I have added you on my list(or use my SN: MrCrazyArt )...or gimmy your email..I will send them...sorry I dont have a hosting space.

besided...its pretty crappy portfolio...hehe...in fact those were my first paintings ever done. I started doing fine arts recently....like a year ago, I took classes only saturdays once a week...turned out not bad...I will show you later....just get online..

ohh and my GPA was 3.54 and very shitty SAT score(which they dont care about)...

[sula_nebouxi]

Awesome Ruski...I think email might be better, I'm probably not gonna be on AIM much. My email's jomama702 at yahoo.com (just replace the 'at' with @ I hate those little bots that look for email addresses everywhere) Don't worry too much about size, I've got enough mailbox space to spare(95 megs w00t)

Heh, is it me or does every artist think their work sucks while everyone else loves it? I know my stuff sucks because it truly does suck :P I also need to work on my GPA :/ It's at 2.66 right now and I'd like to get it above 3 if I can and I don't know if it's possible to do that with only 1 semester left. I think I need to get like straight A's all the way till January...ugh...It sucks that Ringling doesn't really take the SAT's into account...I got a fairly good grade on that(1210) Oh well...I still need to get a super portfolio anyways...

Thanks Ruski:)

[AnarchyAo2]

Yep, mine is around a 2.5. Its amazing, I get bad grades on my quizzes and tests because I spend the whole class period drawing...lol And then drawing is the one thing keeping me from art college. Ironic, eh?

[beechdbum]

Ruski- Hey another CA freshman here. anyways make sure to check out ringling freshman welcome website if you already havent, it has allot of the answers to question like what to bring and when to get there.

My Gpa was basically like a 2.7 total but i had a 3.0 for the last year and a half and my SAT scores were like a 1240. So sula_nebouxi just push for that last 3.0 like i did, it makes it look like your really trying to get what ringling wants.

[Ruski]

Where is the welcome site!!!??? :ep:

[beechdbum]

check your private messages :fish:

[sula_nebouxi]

Thanks beechdbum, I was originally thinking of taking 18 credits that semester but knowing me, I'd burn out(I would be taking 2 art history courses). I tried to pack in that extra course so I could bring up my GPA a little more. So basically next semester I'll be taking 1 art history course and 4 studio courses(holy crap) Hopefully I can get into the ones I want since I need special permission. They're upper level courses and I'm not a student to this art school and I haven't completed all the prerequisites. It's possible though.

I guess one of the good things about my GPA is that it consistantly went up each semester. Yeah...I totally screwed up my freshman year. I ended up with a 1.4 GPA. This was my very first semester. But after that I got it up to 2.3, now 2.66. Hopefully with the summer courses I'm taking and the courses in the fall I'll have a nice even 3.0 or somewhere near it. But I did some math and according to my numbers my GPA won't get to 3.0 even with straight A's in 8 courses(that is so not right...gotta do this again) But if I do get straight A's I think I would be set in terms of grades(hopefully)

Thanks for the encouragement Beechdbum. That GPA thing has been bugging the hell out of me. Here's to hoping I see you guys there(in a classroom preferably;))

[AnarchyAo2]

If you have a 2.9634 then do the schools round that up to a 3.0?

Sula, I was talking on the RISD thread, and I was told to talk about my grade situation in my essay. If you have good ability, okay grades and showing them that you're putting an effort into your academics, they made decide to let you in (Unless they thought otherwise). You know, its worth trying.

Do you guys have CP, Honors, and AP classes at your school? I usually take Honors classes because it has the .5 wieght on your GPA, its the same material as regular classes, and you get better teachers. You should do that if you can. It boost your GPA pretty well.

[sula_nebouxi]

I don't know if they round GPA's. I doubt they would though, it's like giving free points.

Heh no Honors or AP classes here. I'm a sophomore in college. It's definetly worth a shot saying how I've improved. The essay supposedly counts for quite a bit. I think it's considered 3rd in priority behind the portfolio and GPA. Then comes teacher recommendations and whatnot.

I'm still keeping the portfolio top priority though. Just hope I can have time for all of this.

[RefrigeratorCo]

My dad has 2 guest rooms and a cottage out in St. Pete if you still need a place to stay before August 18th.

I'll probably be in Sarasota by August 1st (living off campus) but if you realy need help I don't mind.

GL!