Sooner or later, you’re going to have to take electives.  Maybe you’re taking Physics 1 and Chemistry 101 at the same time.  Maybe there is a math class in there too.  Or maybe your advisor just told you that you need an elective to be able to graduate.

Either way, more than likely, you’ll start looking at the art classes.  It’s a coast class right?  Draw some pictures, get a little paint under your nails, maybe make a charcoal drawing of fruit.  Simple.  Relaxing

Until you meet… The Art Major.

She will show up on the first day of class with a portfolio already in hand.  It doesn’t matter if she’s a freshman or not; her portfolio will be as big as Barbie’s dream house and contain every sketch, scribble, and doodle she ever made.  Be careful about this one.  There’s a great possibility that you’ll get whacked with that thing before the semester is over (she doesn’t always care/is too high to notice where she’s  swinging it).

Just like any other stereotypical person on campus, the Art Major one has a uniform.  This person is going to be wearing a black hoodie zipped up.  The hoodie will have <insert “artistic” band name here> on it.  They wear jeans or cargo pants.  Their shoes will be flats with something like stars on them, oftentimes doodles on by the wearer.  Sometimes the uniform will vary so, when in doubt, look at the face. Read More »

Last week, I wrote about choosing a school. This week, I get a little more specific: choosing a program. This might seem like a no-brainer; I mean, you’re probably not going to attempt an MFA in Puppetry if you just spent four years studying Atmospheric Science, right? Well… you never know. Afterall, Elle Woods went to Law School after majoring in Fashion Merchandising or something. Besides, I can tell you from experience that even if you think you know what you’re applying for, you better double-check.

Case in point: In college, I majored in English, and I was one class shy of earning a film minor. My final semester of college, no film classes that would fulfill my final requirement were offered, and even though I had taken film classes that weren’t part of the minor’s plan of study, they wouldn’t give me the “Film Studies Minor” title unless I took a class that wasn’t freakin’ available. I still get riled up about that, as you can see.

Anyway, I was seeking a Masters degree in English, though I really enjoyed Film Studies as well. Now, when you apply for a grad school program, you might have to choose a field within the realm of your chosen subject. For example, many English programs divide their grad students into Rhet/Comp or Lit majors; my friend is currently getting a PhD in Psychology, but her specialization is Early Childhood Development. So while you may earn a degree in a broad major like Politics, Journalism, or Philosophy, you may have to narrow it down to a specific topic when you apply to grad schools. Read More »