California College of the Arts is a diverse and integrated school that really cares about community and individual growth. At CCA I spent four wonderful years discovering new things, immersing myself in art culture, and meeting like-minded passionate people who care about art and their community. I would highly recommend CCA to any art student who wants to learn from industry professionals and is looking for a memorable experience.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
I would recommend going on tours, and absorbing as much information as possible. Also, getting involved with the school is a great way to meet people and learn from your fellow peers. Lastly, I would try selecting electives that you would normally never choose because you never know what you might fall in love with. To make the most of your school experience try saying no less and yes to everything, you would be surprised.
Do you find there’s enough academic rigor at your school?
Academics can be very challenging at time and seem to consume a lot of your time and social life. Don't let that get in the way of exploring the city or taking some time for yourself and friends. Making a schedule for yourself is a great way to balance the challenges you will face. Art school rigor is no joke, at CCA the professors will challenge you and you will gain a lot from it if you are up for the challenge. I learned a lot from the Humanities and Science classes at CCA, which really helped shape my perspective on life and how initiate some change starting with my actions.
Describe the dorm life at your college.
I had the pleasure of living in the dorms all four years at CCA and they were some of the best times of my life. My first year was the best because it was the first group of friends and people I met at CCA. We all instantly bonded, and became like a little family and hung out together in the lounge and had work parties late at night. The wonderful thing was it didn't feel like work with all those people in there working with you and the time would fly by. Not only do you meet great people in the dorm, but you are also get to meet people from so many different disciplines like Illustration, Fashion, Animation, Design, Architecture, Writing, and Jewelry to name a few. The best thing about the dorm is the community you build, which is really helpful when you are new. You tend to feel closer to school than those who live off campus, and already you know people on day one.
Describe the food and dining at your college.
The A-2 food is not bad for the price you pay and you get a variety of food ranging from pizza, sandwiches, pastries, coffee, soda, and even soup. My favorite would be the breakfast treats, I would order myself a coffee with a bagel and cream cheese, or if I was feeling fancy I would purchase a mushroom bagel with egg and cheese and some fruit on the side. The best part of having your school located in the bay area is the variety of food you have at your disposal. If you are in the mood for Asian cuisine, Mexican food, Mediterranean, or some burgers all you have to do is walk and your there. I enjoyed walking around and trying different food whenever I could, I would make it into a food adventure. There is a little something for everyone and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
What’s there to do for fun at your college?
What isn't there to do for fun, it's the bay area. For starters there are so many fun places to visit like China Town, Japan Town, Union Square in San Francisco, the Wharf, museums and the list goes on. You could spend countless hours in any of the places I mentioned but my all time favorite is Art Murmur. Art Murmur is an event hosted ever first Friday of the month where artist sale their work, musicians play their music, eat great food, and stroll around telegraph enjoying all the different venues and great atmosphere. My other favorite part of the bay area is all the museums you can visit such as the SF Moma, Dey Young, Asian Art Museum, the Jewish Museum, and even the Walt Disney Museum. If you are feeling like taking in the sights you can even take the Bart Berkeley, and San Francisco and simply walk around. Taking public transportation makes it fun and affordable to move about the city.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
China Town has great affordable food and pastries that I would recommend if you were on a budget, not only for eating out but also groceries too. The best place to go for groceries if you live in Oakland would be Smart and Final, they sell in bulk but for the most part you save a lot. The great thing about the city is that there is very affordable and filling food. My favorite food chain is Pizza Man, which was right down the street from Webster Dorm. Their pizza is three dollars a slice for pepperoni and the slice is usually the size of your face. Another great eatery next to the dorm sold 10 pieces of Louisiana style fried chicken for five dollars, plus you would get fries with that, oh yea. If you are like me and like to stretch your dollar you would be happy living in downtown Oakland like I did.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
As far as unusual traditions go the animators had plenty. Every year for the Animation show the animators would make an intro for the show, which consisted of a different theme each year. Last year was a Rocky theme that had several remade Rocky moments starring the Animation students and other art students as extras. Along with that tradition is showing Animations on a large movie theatre sized projector but not before you eat lots of gourmet pizza and drink. The Animation show was my favorite event of the year, not only because of the food but also the Animations shown which demonstrated everyoneâ??s hard work. CCA would always have some type of food event or BBQ that would bring students together and helped cultivate a tight knit student body.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
Simply put the school is great for anyone who is looking taking away a memorable experience, to be challenged, to grow, and to most importantly have fun and meet amazing people.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
One of the things I really loved about CCA is that if we did not have a club you wanted you could always make one as long as you went through the right channels and made the arrangements. I was in the Animation club, which was very helpful because it was used to go over Animation topics or for us Animators to get together and hang out outside of class. Regardless of which club you join it is a great way to get together and know your fellow peers. If you involve yourself in school activities you will find your self waving to everyone.
CCA does not have a Fraternity or Sorority and I like that. This way I feel people feel more equal and less segregated. CCA does have plenty of ways to get involved with the school such as being a Chimera Leader which is a student body representative and an R.A. which is very similar but more specific tot he dorms. I had the privilege of working at both those jobs and really enjoyed the people I met and the person it helped shape me into.
Are you involved in any clubs or activities?
There are no Sororities or Fraternities at CCA, and I like it that way. I feel this way people can focus more on including everyone and becoming a closer community of artist citizens. If you want to get involved with the school you could try applying as a Chimera leader which is a student body representative or an R.A. which is a Resident Advisor with similar task but more specifically to the dorms. I had the privilege of working both positions and really enjoyed the students I met, and the person it helped shape me into. There are so many different way to get involved with the school, and making the most out of your college experience.
How would you describe campus safety? Do you feel safe on campus?
Safety is one of the most important things at CCA. We have what is called Public Safety officers and they make sure that the school is safe during the day and night. They are also located at the dorms and can escort you to Bart or from Bart whenever you call them. Not only are they there for your protection but are also very friendly and helpful. I befriended many of the public safety officers and whenever I called them they were always very attentive toward my safety.
California College of the Arts is a diverse and integrated school that really cares about community and individual growth. At CCA I spent four wonderful years discovering new things, immersing myself in art culture, and meeting like-minded passionate people who care about art and their community. I would highly recommend CCA to any art student who wants to learn from industry professionals and is looking for a memorable experience.
I would recommend going on tours, and absorbing as much information as possible. Also, getting involved with the school is a great way to meet people and learn from your fellow peers. Lastly, I would try selecting electives that you would normally never choose because you never know what you might fall in love with. To make the most of your school experience try saying no less and yes to everything, you would be surprised.
Academics can be very challenging at time and seem to consume a lot of your time and social life. Don't let that get in the way of exploring the city or taking some time for yourself and friends. Making a schedule for yourself is a great way to balance the challenges you will face. Art school rigor is no joke, at CCA the professors will challenge you and you will gain a lot from it if you are up for the challenge. I learned a lot from the Humanities and Science classes at CCA, which really helped shape my perspective on life and how initiate some change starting with my actions.
I had the pleasure of living in the dorms all four years at CCA and they were some of the best times of my life. My first year was the best because it was the first group of friends and people I met at CCA. We all instantly bonded, and became like a little family and hung out together in the lounge and had work parties late at night. The wonderful thing was it didn't feel like work with all those people in there working with you and the time would fly by. Not only do you meet great people in the dorm, but you are also get to meet people from so many different disciplines like Illustration, Fashion, Animation, Design, Architecture, Writing, and Jewelry to name a few. The best thing about the dorm is the community you build, which is really helpful when you are new. You tend to feel closer to school than those who live off campus, and already you know people on day one.
The A-2 food is not bad for the price you pay and you get a variety of food ranging from pizza, sandwiches, pastries, coffee, soda, and even soup. My favorite would be the breakfast treats, I would order myself a coffee with a bagel and cream cheese, or if I was feeling fancy I would purchase a mushroom bagel with egg and cheese and some fruit on the side. The best part of having your school located in the bay area is the variety of food you have at your disposal. If you are in the mood for Asian cuisine, Mexican food, Mediterranean, or some burgers all you have to do is walk and your there. I enjoyed walking around and trying different food whenever I could, I would make it into a food adventure. There is a little something for everyone and I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
What isn't there to do for fun, it's the bay area. For starters there are so many fun places to visit like China Town, Japan Town, Union Square in San Francisco, the Wharf, museums and the list goes on. You could spend countless hours in any of the places I mentioned but my all time favorite is Art Murmur. Art Murmur is an event hosted ever first Friday of the month where artist sale their work, musicians play their music, eat great food, and stroll around telegraph enjoying all the different venues and great atmosphere. My other favorite part of the bay area is all the museums you can visit such as the SF Moma, Dey Young, Asian Art Museum, the Jewish Museum, and even the Walt Disney Museum. If you are feeling like taking in the sights you can even take the Bart Berkeley, and San Francisco and simply walk around. Taking public transportation makes it fun and affordable to move about the city.
China Town has great affordable food and pastries that I would recommend if you were on a budget, not only for eating out but also groceries too. The best place to go for groceries if you live in Oakland would be Smart and Final, they sell in bulk but for the most part you save a lot. The great thing about the city is that there is very affordable and filling food. My favorite food chain is Pizza Man, which was right down the street from Webster Dorm. Their pizza is three dollars a slice for pepperoni and the slice is usually the size of your face. Another great eatery next to the dorm sold 10 pieces of Louisiana style fried chicken for five dollars, plus you would get fries with that, oh yea. If you are like me and like to stretch your dollar you would be happy living in downtown Oakland like I did.
As far as unusual traditions go the animators had plenty. Every year for the Animation show the animators would make an intro for the show, which consisted of a different theme each year. Last year was a Rocky theme that had several remade Rocky moments starring the Animation students and other art students as extras. Along with that tradition is showing Animations on a large movie theatre sized projector but not before you eat lots of gourmet pizza and drink. The Animation show was my favorite event of the year, not only because of the food but also the Animations shown which demonstrated everyoneâ??s hard work. CCA would always have some type of food event or BBQ that would bring students together and helped cultivate a tight knit student body.
Simply put the school is great for anyone who is looking taking away a memorable experience, to be challenged, to grow, and to most importantly have fun and meet amazing people.
One of the things I really loved about CCA is that if we did not have a club you wanted you could always make one as long as you went through the right channels and made the arrangements. I was in the Animation club, which was very helpful because it was used to go over Animation topics or for us Animators to get together and hang out outside of class. Regardless of which club you join it is a great way to get together and know your fellow peers. If you involve yourself in school activities you will find your self waving to everyone. CCA does not have a Fraternity or Sorority and I like that. This way I feel people feel more equal and less segregated. CCA does have plenty of ways to get involved with the school such as being a Chimera Leader which is a student body representative and an R.A. which is very similar but more specific tot he dorms. I had the privilege of working at both those jobs and really enjoyed the people I met and the person it helped shape me into.
There are no Sororities or Fraternities at CCA, and I like it that way. I feel this way people can focus more on including everyone and becoming a closer community of artist citizens. If you want to get involved with the school you could try applying as a Chimera leader which is a student body representative or an R.A. which is a Resident Advisor with similar task but more specifically to the dorms. I had the privilege of working both positions and really enjoyed the students I met, and the person it helped shape me into. There are so many different way to get involved with the school, and making the most out of your college experience.
Safety is one of the most important things at CCA. We have what is called Public Safety officers and they make sure that the school is safe during the day and night. They are also located at the dorms and can escort you to Bart or from Bart whenever you call them. Not only are they there for your protection but are also very friendly and helpful. I befriended many of the public safety officers and whenever I called them they were always very attentive toward my safety.