By Cathy Sivak
AdvertisingSchools.com Contributing Writer
October 5, 2004
Cost is always a factor in advertising, and the same holds true for funding an advertising school education. The field of design is wide open for new ideas, and numerous higher education opportunities exist for potential students.
With tuition, room, and board, plus other costs such as books, supplies and computer programs, the tab for an advertising education can reach towards $40,000 to $50,000 annually at career-focused schools as well as private colleges and state universities. And the costs rise annually. For 2004, average tuition at four-year public schools jumped 14 percent over 2003 levels to an average of $4,000, while tuition for a four-year private school increased 6 percent to $18,596, the College Board reports.
Treat it like an advertising program, of sorts: develop a funding plan, fill out financial aid forms and compare the options. Beyond savings and families with deep pockets, federal financial aid, grants and scholarship opportunities can be combined to absorb much of the cost, however, many students still need to work part-time to supplement expenses.
Some schools seem to be budget-busters, but have reputations that may serve to boost career options. Community college is a cost-effective way to gain credits and even two-year degrees which then allows transfer into a design school; meanwhile, various technical-focused schools increasingly offer accelerated coursework to get students into the workforce more quickly.
Students and their parents often expect grants and scholarships to cover most higher education costs. However, most U.S. students tap into the U.S. Department of Education federal financial aid program for low-interest student loans, which will provide about 70 percent of all student aid for postsecondary education this school year. More than 10 million students apply for aid annually, and roughly 9 million receive a grant or loan. For the 2002-03 school year, $105 billion was distributed in student financial aid -- a record amount, $13 billion more than distributed the previous year. Total aid per full-time equivalent student averages about $9,100, including $3,600 in grants. Applications for financial aid can be made online at the site link above, or forms can be printed for traditional mailing. "Most students in most disciplines will have to use some type of federal or private student loan program," says Paula Cady, the president of the Arizona Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators, who also serves as the director of student financial services at the Art Institute of Phoenix.
Individual advertising schools offer varying levels of scholarship support. Admissions catalogs and websites should help gauge the scholarship opportunities and financial aid support available on a school-by-school basis. The Art Institute of Phoenix offers one half-tuition and one full-tuition award per discipline annually.
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Advertising has 12 scholarships and fellowships available to graduate and undergraduate advertising majors. Awards range from $500 to $2,000. Students are invited to apply for these scholarships/ fellowships in the Department of Advertising each spring. Awards are made based on both the student's academic performance and financial need. Some scholarships are awarded to students in specific areas in advertising.
Many financial aid offices have staff members and even departments dedicated to helping students find outside sources of scholarships. At Syracuse University, for instance, the scholarship office hosts a data base of available scholarships, along with requirements and entry forms. For instance, the Syracuse scholarship office site lists various areas of concentration, then applicable scholarships and requirements. It lists a $5,000 scholarship from The Ad Club eligible to those who "Demonstrate enthusiasm, commitment and intent on pursuing a career in the Advertising/Marketing/Communications or related industry." In addition to assessed leadership potential as a professional in the field, applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A current resume, a current official transcript and two letters of recommendation also are required.
At Syracuse, the estimated cost of one school year just misses the $40,000 mark; that figure includes $27,520 for tuition, plus costs such as room and board, books and miscellaneous fees.
The University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa touts its advertising program as being among the country's top 10, with the popularity of its program being a major force in the reevaluation of entry-level criteria for students.
"Our best students compete at national and regional advertising campaign competitions. We pride ourselves on preparing broadly educated students with a skill set that can be applied in many areas," says Lance Kinney, Ph.D., an associate professor of advertising and public relations for UA's College of Communication.
In addition, students are eligible for several advertising-specific scholarships through the communications college, with more than a dozen endowment opportunities ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 per school year.
Scholarships from sources beyond the school of choice can be explored at the local library with reference books as well as online at various scholarship search engines and on the sites of various educational and professional organizations (see links with this article). "The individual scholarships are not as easy to apply for as general financial aid, but it's sure worthwhile when the checks start rolling in," Cady says.
Often , national and regional organizations and professionals can be a source of scholarship money for advertising students. A few examples found by AdvertisingSchools.com include:
The Foundation for Outdoor Advertising Research and Education offers scholarships to advertising students ranging between $1,000 and $2,000.
The Advertising Professionals of Des Moines (Iowa) awards two annual scholarships of at least $1,000 each. Candidates must be majoring in advertising or a major that will lead directly to a career in advertising. Criteria used to judge applicants include the applicant's thinking process, communication skills, scholarship, need and a commitment to Iowa, with the first two criteria carrying more weight by practical default.
Similarly, the Hawaii Advertising Federation (HAF) offers annual scholarships to students planning to pursue an advertising career in Hawaii. Annual scholarships not to exceed $3,500 per student are awarded to students attending an accredited 2-year, 4-year college or university.
In Ohio, a corporate-funded and distributed scholarship is available to advertising students: The David L. Stashower Visionary Scholarships in Communication, which was established to honor the former Chairman and CEO of Liggett-Stashower, Inc. and his lifetime achievement in advertising. Two $2,000 scholarships are awarded annually on a merit basis to college students majoring in advertising, graphic design, public relations or communications and entering their senior year at a recognized Ohio college or university. The award is based on academic achievement, faculty recommendations and documentation to support the applicant's request for consideration.
For more on higher education costs:
For more information about advertising design and advertising design scholarships:
More scholarship and financial listing sites:
- FastWeb - a free online search service to locate scholarship money.
- SuperCollege.com - information on how to pay for college.
- FinAid! - scholarship, loan and savings guidance.
Top of Page
| 
