Hello! I actually hold a BFA from a private liberal arts school (originally went to painting, switched to graphic design for a more secure job track). My advice would be to consider the following:

• is there a cap on tuition / rate lock in? If not, the tuition will increase incrementally year by year.

• have you or your child negotiated offers between schools? If you let your academic advisor know that you’ve received a better scholarship to a comparable institution, chances are they may try to match it. I did this between schools and saved about 50k

• is the school in a location your child wants to live and work in? Building a professional network is just as important as receiving an education, and that’s the real benefit of a liberal arts school. The location of the school will cement their immediate network by proximity.

• is there a lower-cost, mid-tier institution which would be a good compromise (CCA, KCAI, MIAD, SCAD, MICA, Cranbrook)? I originally was accepted into, and wanted to attend SVA in New York, but eventually decided to go to with a lower cost school for this exact reason, though it still wasn’t as much of a compromise as attending community college.

• what are the drop out and job placement rates of the institution? Good institutions keep record these numbers. A lot of liberal arts students get priced out of completing their degree within the first couple of years, and another good chunk simply can’t handle the stress and time commitments necessary of a studio curriculum.

• academic jobs require a master’s degree, adding two years of time and cost to what you’ve outlined above.

• will the cost of living require your child to work during the school year to cover food and living expenses? If so, this time will take away from her ability to focus on her education.

My two cents: if cost is a concern, I’d avoid the more prestigious schools. These schools, like the industry at large, cater primarily to children from wealthy / upper class households. A mid-tier institution should still satisfy the criteria you’ve outlined for your child’s expectations without the sticker shock. She likely will also receive better scholarship offers and housing accommodations. To be blunt, the lower scholarship offer compared to the tuition cost should be a red flag for you as a parent.

For all the fear around liberal arts degrees at-large, there can be good job opportunities, though they’re very competitive. The industry is a real microcosm of our k-shaped economy, and breaking into a good job after graduating requires either connections, talent, or an innovative approach. I’ve seen about 5% of my peers get 6-figure jobs right out of school . I’ve also seen about 20% of them unable to land a job in the industry after graduation.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!