Westwood or The Art Institute

Maccd · 11-13-2011, 03:43 AM

I want to be a game designer but I am having a hard time chosing between Westwood college (Upland, CA) or The Art Institute (Inland Empire,CA)

I know they do game art programs but I think the art institute has game design programs. Which one would be better for me?

yaustar · 11-13-2011, 12:41 PM

Why are you having a hard time?

tsloper · 11-13-2011, 03:46 PM

Just make a decision grid. But you really should add mainstream colleges to your short list - not only for-profit game art schools.
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/designprep.htm
http://archives.igda.org/breakingin/
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson25.htm
http://www.igda.org/games-game-june-2009

Maccd · 11-13-2011, 06:35 PM

I don't want to make a wrong choice.

tsloper · 11-13-2011, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maccd

I don't want to make a wrong choice.

Then don't. Read those articles. Talk to your guidance counselor at school. Talk to your parents.
And read this too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For-profit_education

yaustar · 11-14-2011, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maccd

I don't want to make a wrong choice.

What is causing you problems that you can't decide between the two? The choice has to be right for you and without knowing why you can't make a clear cut decision between the two, it is impossible to give any specific advice.

tsloper · 11-14-2011, 07:04 AM

More reading (fresh from IGDA), pertinent to this question:
http://www.igda.org/forum/westwood-even-viable
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/entry65.htm

Maccd · 12-29-2011, 01:44 AM

Ok I'm thinking of going to the Art Insitute of CA is it good for becoming a game designer. I took a tour and it seems to be the right choice.

tsloper · 12-29-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maccd

Ok I'm thinking of going to the Art Insitute of CA is it good for becoming a game designer.

I'm guessing that you have not read these yet (I recommended last month that you read them)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For-profit_education
http://www.igda.org/games-game-june-2009
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/designprep.htm
After you read those, let's discuss how the Art Institute choice is impacted by those articles.
Game design is not art. So. Art school? Really?
Does that school offer a four-year bachelors degree in game design?
Is it a for-profit school?

Maccd · 12-31-2011, 02:38 PM

I checked and it have Game Art and design,Media Arts and Animation ,Interactive Media Design ,Graphic Design.

Dont you need to be good at art to be a game designer

(I look at the links the middle one didn't show much.)