10/25/10
Uarts college visit reflective essay
During my visit to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia I noticed how unique its campus and facilities are. It is located in the city so it is conveniently near transportation like train and subway stations, shops, museums, restaurants, and other colleges. Also, the campus has several different buildings to accommodate different areas of art. For example, one building was mainly composed of classrooms and studios while another building across the street had a theatre. In the buildings, there were a lot of interesting installations and art work on display. The art work was in a variety of media, from sculpture to painting to photography. I think this represents the diversity of the areas of study at the university.
Although I do not plan to attend an art school, one of the colleges I am applying to, The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, allows you to take classes at Uarts. Throughout college I hope to continue art as hobby, whether it be in elective classes or my free time. I think taking an art class is very different from a traditional class, such as math. In an art class, although you do receive instruction from a teacher, the majority of the time you are working by yourself. In a more traditional subject, the teacher lectures or does an activity for most of the class while students observe, listen, take notes, and ask questions. It seems to me that art classes allow for more independent style and creativity, and a better opportunity to teach yourself and reflect. The art students I saw during my visit seemed passionate and happy about what they were doing.
During my visits at other colleges, I have been mainly focusing on finding out information about a specific six-year program I want to enter in order to get a PharmD. These programs are very focused and structured, with the curriculum already determined. The majority of the classes you need to take, even the electives, relate to science. This is different from an art school, where you have more freedom to select a variety of courses depending on your interest.
Another major difference I noticed was the facilities on the campus. The colleges I had previously visited had specialized labs for simulations, laboratory components of class, and research. At Uarts, I liked the environment of the studios because they were cozy and for small class sizes. The computer labs were equipped with image editing software and modern technology for graphic design. Overall, I think the school has an innovative atmosphere and I hope to take some art classes at whatever college I choose to attend in the future.
