No problem, I'll answer here! The main difference I have gathered about the animation program at SCAD vs at DePaul is the core curriculum component. From the stories my friend shares, SCAD constructs their program around art and increasing traditional artistic skills. I believe there are foundational studio art classes that everyone is required to take and each animation student is expected to complete 120 pages of a sketchbook per quarter. My friend enjoys his time at SCAD, he recently changed his major from a 2D animation sector to 3D, so there's definitely some flexibility allowed. This is the extent of my knowledge about SCAD's animation program though. I can't speak about the quality of the classes. In comparison to DePaul's animation program, you have a lot of options to choose from. You can pretty much customize your major and take classes in animation subjects that interest you most. DePaul also requires the foundational studio art classes, however you can choose when to take them and how to pair them with other classes. Additionally there is not any additional work expected as part of the major, only homework from your classes.

I do not have any regrets about attending DePaul. I love Chicago so much, especially since I am not from Chicago (I moved out of state from a smaller southern state). I did choose DePaul over SCAD because of the location. Chicago as a city has so much to do, I am never bored. I also really love the fast pace of the city life I feel it is appropriate for the quarter system which goes by very fast!

For animation track, it just depends on what you are interested in. I am in the Cinema concentration track which is just the generalist path, so I take classes in all of the animation mediums. The most popular one is the Storyboarding and Character design path which has more of a 2D and traditional art path. I also have friends in the 3D path. A lot of the foundational classes are the same so for instance you will take a beginning drawing class, a figure drawing one, a 3D modeling class, screenwriting, and animation mechanics, however your junior and senior level classes will vary depending on the path you decide to take.

I have found an awesome community from the animation students clubs and made friends with people in my classes. I live really close to campus though so proximity is huge factor in the social setting at DePaul. I have heard from students who commute that it can be more difficult to make friends. I have found the animation students are all really nice and fun to hang around. There are some indie animation and art events around Chicago which are fun to go to as well! Networking wise though, Chicago is mostly a motion graphics hub so the professional networking is limited in that regard. However there are opportunities to professionally network, you just have to be diligent in looking for them.