Please tell me....if I present quality work and an
accomplished demo reel can I still achieve my goal of being employed in the
animation field? I am presently a 4.0 student but I am unsure that the
University has much more that it can offer me that I cannot learn and
accomplish on my own. Does the employer look significantly favorably if the
applicant has a Bachelors?
I already have obtained a Bachelors from a previous
educational experience in Biology with a Minor in Philosophy. I don't know if
I can justify putting myself another $10,000 in the hole for a piece of paper
which might not be a necessity if I can tangibly prove myself through the
media.
Thanks in advance for any input
Well, normally when people ask "Do I get the degree or
drop out?" the best answer is "get the degree." But in your case, you
already have a degree even though it isn't in computer graphics, so that answer
doesn't automatically apply to you. (^_^) When you are getting a job
in graphics, by and large it all boils down to what is on your demo reel, how
quickly you are able to work, the quality of your work, and whether you play
nice with the other children. Employers want to make sure you can get the
work done and whether you will fit into the team well. In these cases, the
degree doesn't hold a lot of weight. Since you already have a degree, it
shows you have the drive to finish what you started and not quit in the face
of all the crap college can throw at you. So if you really feel that
you can learn more on your own than through your instructors at the school (and
be sure to check out the instructors you would have next semester/year too),
then I say you should take the money you would invest in school and use it in
your own personal training. In art, it really does boil down to what you
can do, not what some piece of paper says you can do.
That's my opinion anyways,
Michael Duffy