Quit college?

#1

My story is rather strange. I did not enter the university because I did not know how it would help me with a CG career. Eventually, I went to Vladivostok Maritime college to stay out of the army (Russian legislation). Education will give me the opportunity to work in the seas, but I do not want to do it. In this regard, I want to quit college. Would it be a mistake?

#2

Everybody’s story is different. As such, so will the answers you get. The best I can do is give you mine.

I’m a self-trained artist. I started at as a kid doing 2D pixel art and game programming at the age of 8. I didn’t start doing 3D until about 15 years old because, well, there really were no commercially available apps before that. Anyway, I’ve been doing 3D for about 30 years now.

I did go to college for a period of 2 years. Regrettably, due to financial circumstances, I had to drop out. I was not, however, an art student. My areas of concentration were computer science and physics. As such, the CG stuff I know is due to endless hard work, picking apart others’ work for technique and style tips, and making TONS of mistakes along the way. The things that I don’t know are a direct result of me not having formal guidance along the way.

There are numerous pros and cons to school. Let’s start with the cons.

CON

  • School is expensive and can put you into debt that you may not be able to pay off for decades.
  • Course pacing is designed to fit everybody and not you specifically. It’s a Goldilocks situation. Some people will feel that they’re being doled out information too slowly. Some people will be overwhelmed. Some people will find that the pacing is just right. This is in direct contrast to self-education where you pace yourself.
  • Most schools only provide you with a broad overview. You’ll have to do a lot of independent study if you really want to be prepared for the real world.
  • Unless you’re being mentored by industry insiders, there’s a good chance that the techniques you’re being taught aren’t on the cutting edge. Schools have a hard enough time keeping text books current. As a field, CG practically evolves in real-time.

That said, there are some distinct benefits to school.

PRO

  • Not everybody has the self-discipline to teach themselves. School provides structure.
  • In the real world, you will have many deadlines. Thanks to tests & project work, school can prepare you for that too.
  • As a self-taught artist, there are no consequences for failure. The only things keeping you motivated are desire and interest. School can keep you focused because, if you fail, you risk wasting money, having to take the class again, or outright expulsion.
  • Being an artist isn’t just about application. It’s also about theory. At school, you can take any number of art theory or art history classes. This is the sort of stuff that might otherwise be difficult to learn on your own.
  • Employers like to see that you’re well rounded. Being a skilled artist is great, but an ideal candidate brings more to the table than just a great portfolio. School can teach you how to communicate your ideas in a professional manner. It can teach you to synthesize ideas by drawing from other disciplines such as history, philosophy, and literature.
  • School isn’t just about the classes. It’s a time to build relationships, make connections, and grow. If high school is an in-game tutorial and the real world is the boss level, college is that set of levels and challenges help you transition from newbie to demon slaying badass. Going straight from the safety and “bubble world” of high school to the pressures and uncertainty of the real world without a transition period can be daunting for some people.
  • At some companies, simply having college on your CV can mean the difference between staying a drone and moving up the echelons and into a management role.
  • Those with college experience and (preferably) a degree typically earn more than those without.
  • Life is weird and can take you in unpredictable directions. Having a formal education can prepare you for the off chance that your life plan goes up in flames. A lot of people move to Hollywood with the goal of becoming famous. Most don’t. Having a backup plan and other skills to fall back on never hurts.

Everybody’s story is different and their mileage may vary.

A high school friend of mine spent 4 years at very expensive and prestigious ivy league college. They now work as struggling actor. My brother skipped college (Cornell University) after one year, took his first job selling pagers, and is now vice president of creative something or other for an international bank. Conversely, I have a relative who skipped college and is now a security guard while I have another relative who went and is now an in-demand veterinary surgeon.

College isn’t for everybody. Some people are good at it. Some people aren’t. Some people use it as a stepping stone and become well rounded. Others just gain the freshman 15 and major in beer pong. :stuck_out_tongue:

What you need to do is weigh the pros and cons on your side. You may have some very valid reasons for not going. Nobody can force you to go. Just know that, if you don’t, your future is in your hands alone. Nobody else will be in charge of your growth. Apart from the critiques you get here, only you will be able to decide the path and focus of your portfolio. You’ll be responsible for making sure that you’re well rounded and are more than just a trained monkey with a Wacom.

Ultimately, if you don’t go, you’ll probably have to work twice as hard to prove yourself to potential employers. You won’t have that piece of paper to back you up. If you’re okay with that, go for it. Skip. If, however, you feel that school can give you structure, focus, discipline, and cred, don’t be afraid of that pricey four year challenge.

#3

Two things to add about schools.

  1. School may not be as crazy expensive for the OP- as it is in the US. In some countries university is free(!)

  2. A degree proper (Bachelor’s, Master’s, etc) -but not necessarily just a diploma- tend to help for international work. aka for getting work Visa’s abroad. Studio’s may have an easier time ‘importing’ you if you have a degree…

#4

When I was a college student I wanted to quit a few times but didn’t do that. I just started to cheat using https://www.australianessays.org/ so I had much more time to spend on things that were much more important for me. And I don’t regret that I did so. I think that the decision was smart enough.

#5

I’ll resist the urge to talk like a soundbite, but, really, there’s only 1 thing to consider:

When your CUSTOMER, you know, the guy/girl with CASH in his hand, is standing in line at the movie theater, waiting for say, Toy Story 4 or whatever - they will not ask to see the CVs of the people who made the movie Before They Pay For It. They will choose to see it or not depending on whether it Entertains them, whether it has a good story and makes them Feel Good, things like that.

Same goes for games - do you know any teenager who asked John Carmack whether he completed college or not before they bought Quake, LOL? :slight_smile:

…And that’s all I have to say. How many people agree with my point of view? Come on…? :slight_smile: