Why I Will Never Hire An Art School Graduate

This is one reason I take my current involvement in college education with a grain of salt. While, much like Lee's experience here, I am top film and photography student in my classes, I am also bolstered by my pursuits at more demanding real life work. I also share my work with professionals in my area for their criticism and have learned how very valuable their insight can be (and how a large ego can destroy your potential to expand).

Best article I've read all year!

Great article. I had always wanted to go to art school, but never actually had the money to do it. Now I am glad. I think that being self taught I value what I learned more and have a more honest opinion of my work, as well as a constant desire to learn and teach myself more, which would not have come from having answers and praise handed to me. Just about the only useful thing friends of mine that did go to art school had that I didn't was industry contacts that would allow them to get their collective feet into more doors INITIALLY (though it wouldn't necessarily keep them there). Knowing what I know now, if I had it to do all over again, I would still skip art school and teach myself, but I do think I would have tried to go to business school, as it seems that one can be an amazing photographer, but if (like me) you are not both good at and comfortable with the business aspect of being a photographer, you will struggle.

I saw things like this coming. This is why after my AS in 3d animation and VFX i went and studio toured and coffee ran for a while learning all I could. Now I've worked for agencies, studios, myself and I have a blast with my career.

This brings back memories. At a newspaper I worked at we had a joke about untraining college interns. When I went to college I ran headlong into the academic way of doing things vs real world of doing them. I was already working for newspapers before when I was in junior college by the time I hit my four year school I was full time photojournalist for a daily paper.

I remember more than once sitting class and biting my tongue because the practices being taught. What I think the big issue is that you have instructors who want teach idealistic way and who have not been working 5-10 plus years in their industries.

What schools tend to do well is give the basics and help build foundation. This is where internships come into being import just as you experienced real world vs academic.

Where I work now the media company requires some form of formal training with work experience because we dealt with to many self taught disasters. A good portfolio will get your foot in the door, but thats it. If the person is self taught they need a substantial work history,

I remember I had a new photographer straight out of college give me a lecture that I was doing things wrong according to what she was taught. I took her to cover her first fatal traffic accident and that tone changed. Latter she left journalism and decided to pursue a law career. ;)

Lee, I was lucky to work in my primary creative field (music) for many years before I ever set foot in an academic institution for music and even at one of the top schools in the country, many of my peers sit on their hands with the expectant attitude that their degree will open doors for them, while a smaller contingent of us seek out as many outside opportunities as we can to bolster our practical experience and not succumb to being totally disconnected from how the real world operates. My point is that there does exist a group of people that have academic involvement, but are ever aware of the issues you speak of and work tirelessly to improve themselves on both sides of the coin. I think you hit the nail on the head in describing that type of personality that unfortunately pervades creative industries, but I don't think it's fair to generalize entire groups like that. In my time in the math department, I've met tremendous mathematicians whose ability was exceeded only by their ego and I've met terrible mathematicians who were equally egotistical and scarily apt at rationalizing why their lack of success was not due to a lack of ability or commitment. These Dunning-Kruger types of people and issues exist in all fields, creative or not. There is not a universal background or set of qualities that makes a person so arrogantly oblivious to their own lack of knowledge. Don't count people out based on their background without giving them a chance. People can surprise you.

This article is well-written, seemingly well-lived, and profoundly inspiring. I was expecting to [from the title] read this and automatically counter every point made simply due to the catching headline; however, from the second sentence, I was hooked. My hope is that graduates, or simply the "unemployable egomaniacs", absorb the message of this piece, and allow themselves the chance to be affected by its "glimpse-in-the-life"-esque genius.

Do not allow what I said above to go to your head, Lee. Instead, thank you for this thoughtful divulgence.

Good article, but I do think "all ego, no talent" people exist in all fields just as much as in art.

I think inflated ego is part of being young and fresh out of college. It's not necessarily a bad thing, if you can back it up with work ethic and talent it can be a recipe for success.

Those who become good at their craft learn the shortcomings of their formal education quickly and begin the lifelong process of absorbing professional know how while still having the "base" of the academic theory they were taught.

The creative industries do seem to have an over abundance of bullshitters though!

Usually I don't go for rants, but exceptions are made when they're good ones.
Like this one!
Great read, Lee! (I always seem to confuse Lee Hall with Patrick Morris)

Artists are by definition supposed to be poor, so commercial validation seems to be left out in art schools.
Please, don't get me wrong, art schools are good and a sound education is vital.
However, there should be a post graduate course to the likes of "Art and commerce", "Selling your Art" or "Art for clients".
As the saying goes, The worm has to be tasty for the fish, not the fisher.
Just my $0,02

I think this is an interesting generalization of art school. Being an art school graduate I am not sure I can completely agree. While I also experienced feeling high on my own horse when left school only to be knock of it as soon as I meet the "real world". It was not my first time being knock off my horse. That is what college was for. Now I did not have the privilege to a top art school or even a private school but when I showed up for my first photography class and hung a picture of a sunset and cherry blossom up, it was completely torn apart. Not because I didn't nail the focus, because I did. The lighting was technically correct and I even use the rule off thirds. But the photograph had zero purpose. For example there are a million picture of flowers and sunset but they have nothing offer other than an aesthetically pleasing look. A good photograph should uplift, educate, or question. As we look back in history (something that art school forces you to do) we look as great photographers Jacob Riis, Lewis Hine, Margeret Bourke White, or the many many others out there. There is purpose in their photos, weather it is asking if we should be help the poor or if children should be allow to work if factories. This concept of purpose is something that I would not have learn without college. I do see many photographers who are successful that lack this Idea and I wonder if they will stand the test of time or be washed out with the billions of images that make to the web every day.
Art school forces you to look at art history. This is important in so many ways. For example, It is a postmodern belief that everything that can be done has be done and we are just remixing. (http://www.ted.com/talks/kirby_ferguson_embrace_the_remix). It is important to know what you are remixing with. A great example of this is the post of fstoppers called “The Ultimate Guide Composition Part One”. Where is a better place to learn about art history and composition than in art school? Breaking each painting down to understand why it was successful and stood the test of time. Where would Photography be without Rembrandt?
College in itself teaches you how to live own your own. Balance your social life with your professional life. How to meet deadlines and give quality presentations. Not to mention how valuable a business class or two could be to you. In the words of Steve Jobs, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward.” It would be hard for me to believe that Chase Jarvis does not use all of knowledge of philosophy in his day to day work.
Art school forces you to shoot outside you comfort zone. You can’t stick to what you like/know/feel comfortable with. It forces you do things differently weather that is table top work, portraits, events, b&w studies, motion studies, or something else. Not every piece of work will be good and you will have to accept constructive criticism to move forward.
Lee Morris, you are right. You do not walk out of college with a fantastic portfolio and a broad knowledge of the world but nor should you. That is not what art school is about. It is about giving you tools to allow you to go out on your own and have an idea of what you want.
Perhaps it is not that you don’t like hiring art school graduates but the fact that you do not like hiring recent graduates because they are immature, and inexperienced. Give them time and they will either grow or move on.

"You couldn't possibly go to a reputable college for biology and come out with a 4.0 GPA and no understanding of your major."

Tell that to bobby jindal

I got my Associates in Business Management many moons ago (Little did I know it would be a BIG HELP with running my business), self taught myself photography (While working on my Bachelor's), Now I want to get an MFA ( the catch is it's a STATE SCHOOL and a personal goal) I can't tell you how many people I know who went to the Art Institutes, Scad's, and the list goes on are catching hell in the pocketbook. A lot of really good photographers I know went the small state school route and are doing well for themselves. The other side of the coin is to get off your ass and network and network really hard. It's not who you know but WHO KNOWS YOU!!

Assist while working on the degree and don't become dependent while assisting. Step out and do your own thing as an artist!!!

Great read and nice talking points from all commentators.

The title, and overall tone of this article just kind of makes you seem like an asshole, and is really just discouraging to younger photographers like myself. The problem is that most universities accept way too many lame artists, and hire way too many lame professors.

The points made in the article are relevant in many fields. I managed a large scale manufacturing facility for years before starting my full time photography business. Many high GPA, engineering and management graduates from well known programs were real world failures due to the same reasons mentioned in the article. However, I've seen a few managers with minimal education blow the doors off the high end graduates due to their work ethic and street smarts. At the end of the day, formally educated or not, it all comes down to each individual and their work ethic and passion to be successful.

Wonderful article, one of the best i've ever read on here. Obviously there is value in the education, but some of the most artistic and creative people i've ever met or worked with have been self taught, driven people.

This article sounds like you are just addressing bad students. I feel you took a generalized approach to insult the art school student. Yes, there is one person in every class that fits the stereotype you portrayed, but overall, I found this to be a poor representation of how a true art program prepares one for the real world. Instead of just graduating with a degree, my art program required real world application, submissions to art shows, and giving back to the community, in addition to being a willing learner. Art students are some of the hardest working students I know, but, I guess I have a graduate student perspective. As a freshman in college, I remember scenarios you address such as like throwing a project together, but sometimes that teaches you that you CAN overwork or overthink a piece. Keep it simple. I feel your experience is quite different from what mine is. I agree to disagree with your approach on sharing your viewpoints on this subject. Too judgmental, negative, and you could have mentioned some pros instead of saying all the cons. I would never hire you, either. Feels nice, huh?

*edit I just saw the comment above mine and am relieved I am not the only one who felt like unfollowing Fstoppers over this. Your reply to the above comment helps somewhat, but, usually the overly confident artists exist as one per class or so. Still feels offensive to see art programs attacked and disregarded in value on a site like this.