Advise needed please

[spike222]

Well hi everyone, I'm faced with a dilemma. Since i was little i knew i wanted to make games so i axed my life and studies around this, i got my a-level results today and they were better than expected, so i have two universities to pick from.

University one - Is recognized (has a good rep) and the course is mainly based on game programming aspect with some implementation of 3d modeling and environment.

University two - Has a poor reputation however the course description sounds like what i want to do, its axed on 3d modeling , mainly and has some programming involved.

In terms of getting a job after finishing university which degree would be more beneficiary? Does uni rep matter when getting employed? Also last question, is the 3d graphics world a hard place to acquire a job? both universities have a year placement, so i would have some experience when finishing this course.

Thanks for any information on this matter, sorry if i posted in the wrong section.

/Mike

[richard_cousins]

It’s hard to say.

I myself and just finished a degree in 3D and while I had a good time and did learn a lot I felt I didn’t learn as much from the course as I would of hoped. Most of my advanced learning was done by myself. Like now I am starting to learn Modo and Z Brush, something that was never touched on my course.

You don’t have to go to uni to get a 3D job but I think it helps as there is a structure there for you to learn and progress. You could just learn in your spare time but for myself I find I can drift off and do over things like oh let’s say drinking. But you get the point I am making.

I don’t feel uni rep matters as much as it used to. Some jobs to ask for students who have a 2.1 or high but I think it comes down to your artistic merit if you’re a bloody good artist and don’t have a degree or you are a mediocre artist with a degree I think they would pick the latter.

Yes at this moment in time it is bloody hard to get a job in 3D, I’ve been trying for the last two months with no success. It’s not just 3D it seems to be the whole multimedia sector, most of the time you will hear the line you don’t have enough experience but there doesn’t seem to be anyone these days willing to give you that experience.

On that note you have a lot to look forward to :P, spiralling student loan debts and being jobless ha-ha.

[supertom44]

Id say go for the course that is more suited to you. If you are doing a course you dont enjoy you will struggle with it. I personally think its much better to do the course you know you are going to enjoy more, it will make the course a bit easier, it will be easier to motivate yourself to do the work.

[spike222]

Originally Posted by richard_cousins

It’s hard to say.

I myself and just finished a degree in 3D and while I had a good time and did learn a lot I felt I didn’t learn as much from the course as I would of hoped. Most of my advanced learning was done by myself. Like now I am starting to learn Modo and Z Brush, something that was never touched on my course.

You don’t have to go to uni to get a 3D job but I think it helps as there is a structure there for you to learn and progress. You could just learn in your spare time but for myself I find I can drift off and do over things like oh let’s say drinking. But you get the point I am making.

I don’t feel uni rep matters as much as it used to. Some jobs to ask for students who have a 2.1 or high but I think it comes down to your artistic merit if you’re a bloody good artist and don’t have a degree or you are a mediocre artist with a degree I think they would pick the latter.

Yes at this moment in time it is bloody hard to get a job in 3D, I’ve been trying for the last two months with no success. It’s not just 3D it seems to be the whole multimedia sector, most of the time you will hear the line you don’t have enough experience but there doesn’t seem to be anyone these days willing to give you that experience.

On that note you have a lot to look forward to :P, spiralling student loan debts and being jobless ha-ha.

I've looked in the newspaper and on the internet and i have found several organizations that are taking in 3d artists with no work experience they just need a strong portfolio, have you encountered such positions and been turned down? Also wouldn't my chances of getting a job increase once i finish work experience?

As for student loans i'm fortunate enough and my parents are paying for it, they don't believe that i should start off in line with dept, im not gonna argue with them either :P.

[jasonmclaren]

I pretty much agree with Richard on this one. Go for what you will enjoy, if you're happy and positive then good things will come, if you're miserable then the opposite will be true.

Do all the tutorials from 3d-Palace you can. If mum and dad are paying then you should be able to talk them into getting all the DVD's here as well (you know, to help you study). I am 30+ years old and have been trying to learn max for a few years now. It wasn't until I found this awesome web site that my abilities sky-rocketed. I learnt more in one night watching video tuts then I did in a year reading.

I am getting the missus to buy me the shipwright DVD for christmas, can't wait.

Good luck
Jason McLaren
down under in New Zealand.

[FLUXITY]

Do what you want to do more. If you don't like scripting/programming then you'll find the first one boring as fuck.

As a general note, in terms of 3D, the majority of Uni's are crap so it prolly won't make much difference to which one you choose.

Me and 13 others are taking ours to court for a full refund and compensation, should be fun.

[Zerflag]

you're taking your school to court.... good luck with that. do they guarantee employment? if so, do they define what kind of employment? i say, suck it up and go get a job. :P

[FLUXITY]

A person from the Midlands who was on some Lawyer course, I believe, was in a similar situation to us and he got £30,000 compensation. Apparently since the course fees over here have gone up the amount of court action has increased exponentially.

[Zerflag]

what are you, an american in disguise? litigation against a school because you can't find work? come... on... i'm sorry, but that's nonsense.

[tadpole3159]

Originally Posted by Zerflag

what are you, an american in disguise? litigation against a school because you can't find work? come... on... i'm sorry, but that's nonsense.

he didnt say its because he cant find work, he said it because the school did not give him the education he payed for. and i fully understand because after 2 years at college all i learnt during those 2 years was on these forums.
if i payed for those 2 years i would be doing what fluxity's doing