How to Evaluate Visual, Fine and Performing Arts Schools

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Choosing a visual, fine and performing arts school can be a difficult and time-consuming choice. At first you will need to make many decisions - whether you wish to pursue a degree, diploma or certificate, study on a full-time or part-time basis, what majors and areas of specialization interest you, how important special features such as coop, international exchange and so forth are to your decision, and the importance of cost, location and other similar factors. Once you have decided on these, you will still need to undertake a significant exploration and consultation to focus your interests and choice of a business school.

Here is a step-by-step process to help you evaluate each school:

• Visit the school's website. Most visual, fine and performing arts schools provide detailed information about their programs - degrees/diplomas/certificates offered, amount of tuition and fees, admission requirements and intake times, student demographics, faculty qualifications, industry experience and research accomplishments, and more! Often the school's website will provide a "Q&A" which will answer the most common questions about the school.
  
  
• Visit the school. Many visual, fine and performing arts schools also have "open days" where high school students are invited to tour the school for a day. Campus visits allow you to learn things about the institution and school that might not be obvious from the institution's or school's marketing materials, such as just facilities, campus lay-out, transportation and how it feels to be on campus.
  
  
• Speak with an academic advisor at the school.  Advisors have a thorough knowledge of the curriculum and study programs that can lend a perspective to your decisions, and sometimes lead you in new directions.  
  
  
• Research other sources of information.  There is a wealth of things that you can do here:
  
  
  • If you know past graduates of the school, talk with them about their experiences while a student.
    
    
  • Confirm which organizations have recruited graduates in the past and talk with their human resources departments to determine their satisfaction with the school's graduates and programs, whether they continue to recruit from the school, and whether they value the school over others on a regular basis.
    
    
  • Search the Internet for information on awards and achievements bestowed on specific visual, fine and performing arts schools - competitions won, faculty honors, research grants, etc.
    
    
  • Consult Face book and other social networking sites that may provide testimonials and other student comments on specific schools. 

Then match these facts and figures against the visual, fine and performing arts schools that you are evaluating.

You can get started by searching CampusStarter's database of Canadian Visual, Fine and Performing Arts Schools and Programs that will help you narrow your choices to a smaller set of schools that are of most interest to you and best suited to your needs.   

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