   Full Sail for Film
  Hello all:I recently finished my first year of university (taking CSWE.. Computer Software Engineering).Frankly, I'm not impressed. Almost nobody here, even the graduate students have a passion for programming. Not just game programming, but even any type of programming at all. All everybody cares about is partying. I almost get this vibe from the professors too, who don't really know what they are talking about and/or don't give a shit.To be honest, I DON'T want to work in the game industry, or at least be stuck doing game programming. I like all types of programming, and doing games all the time would be annoying. One of my other hobbies is film/photograpy, and I was wondering if anybody had any experience with the Film school at Full Sail. I'd really like to learn practical real-life stuff. No garbage and stuff that most universities teach. I already have an extensive liberal arts background from high-school (I graduated with ~45 credits iirc... normal is 25). Does Full Sail really just teach you the stuff you need to know?Basically, I'm just wondering if it's worth 50 grand. And what are the job prospects for graduates? (Are any of you on these forums graduates?) I know that the Full Sail program is particularly intense, but if I'm learning useful things I get very dedicated to learning, so I don't see that as a problem.I'm on vacation atm, so my internet access is going to be off and on for a few days, so I won't be able to respond to stuff as quickly as usual.Anyways, thanks for the help in advance...-Kurt   
Quote:Original post by curtmax_0No garbage and stuff that most universities teach.Are you afraid of a little fine arts or something?Quote:And what are the job prospects for graduates?There's tons of photographers out there who are better than you. They'll get the jobs you'd want. Do you have the dedication to one-up them?   ;  I've already finished about 70% of my fine arts classes. It's the classes in my major I'm not too excited about. I've already talked with many of the professors, graduate students, etc. To be honest.. the class topics and classwork are completely unrealistic. The professors don't really care about their classes because they are already tenured. The only thing I will do them for is to get my little piece of paper. I'm just wondering if Full Sail is a good school to go to, in terms of actually learning useful information. If I have to dredge through this retardedness at my current uni I will, but if there is an alternative....   ;Quote:Original post by curtmax_0I've already finished about 70% of my fine arts classes. It's the classes in my major I'm not too excited about. I've already talked with many of the professors, graduate students, etc. To be honest.. the class topics and classwork are completely unrealistic. The professors don't really care about their classes because they are already tenured. The only thing I will do them for is to get my little piece of paper.My university is the same way (gasp!). I think everyone's is. Get what you can out of it (I highly recommend options) so you're more marketable than someone who just focused on his major. It gets better in later years, provided you don't have an incompetent prof who screws up your marks and sets you back (I did).I would try to make my own fun before I give a lot of money to Full Sail; when I first arrived at my university I felt the same way about my fellow students and now the CS undergrad society is planning on paying some friends and I to put together an arcade cab to showcase indie games. It does take a serious amount of work to get what you want out of it -- but that's what makes it worthwhile. If you just treat it as a JavaSchool I'm afraid you're going to hate almost any school out there.I don't know if Full Sail is any better; maybe hunt down some review sites. I remember seeing a fullsailsucks site, though they're hardly an unbiased source.In any event, why are you letting this ruin your vacation? Go sip booze by the pool.   ;  Oh it's not ruining my vacation. I just had some time to think. Most likely I'll just finish my degree in CSWE before I did anything else. TBH, I don't know if I would enjoy sitting in a cubicle farm for 8 hours writing code. Anyways, i'll probably just try and get through my CSWE degree ASAP (take full summer courses and stuff) and go from there...   ;Quote:Original post by curtmax_0Frankly, I'm not impressed. Almost nobody here, even the graduate students have a passion for programming. Not just game programming, but even any type of programming at all.Computer Software Engineering has nothing to do with programming. Probably should have read the prospectus/brochure a little more carefully, instead of making a silly assumption then throwing a (minor) hissy fit after the fact.Quote:From US Bureau of Labor Statistics : Career Guide to Industries : Computer Systems Design and Related ServicesAlthough programmers write and support programs in new languages, much of the design and development now is the responsibility of software engineers or software developers. (See the Career Guide statement on software publishers. [Note by Oluseyi: Replicated below.]) Software engineers in the systems design and related services industry must possess strong programming skills, but are more concerned with developing algorithms and analyzing and solving programming problems for specific network systems than with actually writing code. Computer systems software engineers primarily write, modify, test, and develop software to meet the needs of a particular customer. They develop software systems for control and automation in manufacturing, business, and other areas.Quote:From US Bureau of Labor Statistics : Career Guide to Industries : Software Publisherscomputer software engineers design, develop, test, and evaluate software programs and systems. Although programmers write and support programs in new languages, much of the design and development now is the responsibility of software engineers or software developers. Software engineers must possess strong programming skills, but are more concerned with developing algorithms and analyzing and solving programming problems than with actually writing code. These professionals develop many types of software, including operating systems software, network distribution software, and a variety of applications software.Don't blame the system if you didn't RTFM.Quote:One of my other hobbies is film/photograpy, and I was wondering if anybody had any experience with the Film school at Full Sail. I'd really like to learn practical real-life stuff. No garbage and stuff that most universities teach.Without the "garbage and stuff that most universities teach," you won't know how to make use of the "practical real-life stuff."Quote:I already have an extensive liberal arts background from high-school...LOL. I think I have nothing further to say.   ;  Actually alot of the extra credit was dual-enrollment so it wasn't "high-school level"... so don't "lol".And yes, I know that software engineering isn't hardcore programming.  I'm not ignorant. "more concerned with developing algorithms and analyzing and solving programming problems than with actually writing code." <-- That's exactly what I like to do. My uni does have lots of code monkeys that blindly write anything... and I don't get along with them much.My point is that the students and even the professors aren't really that great. I think I simply might need to change schools...   ;Quote:Original post by curtmax_0Actually alot of the extra credit was dual-enrollment so it wasn't "high-school level"... so don't "lol".Oh, please. I have a BA in Cinema and Cultural Studies. I took "Visual Culture," "Images as Text," "Film Theory," "Gender and Genre in Film Noir, " "The Media Industry" and other such classes. I made a student movie and am currently involved in two film collectives - in addition to a full-time job. What, exactly, is it that you think your dual enrollment engagements have taught you that grants you the right to pooh-pooh college-level liberal arts instruction?Look, neither going to college nor going to film school will make you a good film maker (or photographer, as appropriate), generally speaking. But given your carelessness of expression and blithe dismissal of things without substantiation, I think that you, as a specific individual, stand to benefit a lot from some sound theoretical instruction in addition to practical.Quote:I think I simply might need to change schools...That's probably a start. Consider also visiting a career counselor.   