California Institute of the Arts — Local services in Santa Clarita

This is purely a review of the guided campus tour for high school students, not the teaching or student experience.

My child had CalArts at the top of her college list for the last three years. We finally visited in 2025. And after the tour she left in tears, saying she’s not going to even apply.

Some positives. The surrounding setting is beautiful. The reputation is excellent. The admission rate is low, meaning they are very selective. The school has all the arts covered: animation, fine arts, sculpture, music, painting, ceramics, puppetry, acting, directing, lighting, etc.

Now for the tour experience. The inside of this place is as crummy as an underfunded middle school. Old lockers fill the halls (never explained by the guide), doors and windows with peeling paint, worn surfaces everywhere, old lighting, empty rooms, etc. I’ve been in/on more than a dozen college campuses in my lifetime and this is the only one that has felt like a school on the verge of bankruptcy. But, obviously, they aren’t.

The art that we saw was bad. Sculptures, drawings, ceramics, woven art. It looked like struggling 8th graders who wanted to be Artists some day. Meat hanging from strings? Female warriors fully dressed except for pants, revealing male genitalia? Ceramic bowls that look exactly like my own kids’ Mother’s Day gifts when they were 6?

We looked out a window at “The Wild Beast”, a beautiful concert building. But we weren’t allowed to go inside?

We stood outside and the guide pointed to some apartments across the parking lot. She took three minutes to explain that these were dorms, but there’s also an apartment complex “15 minutes away” where they put underclassmen. Then she asked if we had any questions, and when no one had any, she said “oh thank God.”

The lobby has a men’s and women’s restroom. But the rest of the school has “gender neutral” bathrooms…that include urinals and stalls so we can all pee together.

The school encourages self-expression, like any art school. Apparently, however, 75% of the self expression on the walls was all about sex.

My daughter’s interest was animation, and even the guide called it “the most prestigious program here”. But when we got to the animation wing, we were told that we couldn’t “go in” or “see anything.” And then we walked away. No discussion, no details.

Our tour had over a dozen kids and their parents. Several times the guide asked if we had any questions. At no point in the tour did a single student or parent have a question. And when it was over everyone dispersed. Very blah. Let’s be clear - with an acceptance rate this low, the leadership at CalArts doesn’t really care about making a good impression on these high school kids. But as a parent, my takeaway was that this school has so much money and such a good reputation that they have become a haven for wandering minstrels, itinerant artists, and lost souls. Basically, a bunch of 19-20 year olds who just want to make art, and don’t care if they live with their parents or tend bar to pay the bills. My daughter wants a career in animation. She’s serious about creating characters, telling stories, and using her talents, the latest technology, and top-notch education to make it happen. CalArts may be that place, but you’d never know it...

Calarts...is basically great place to learn. You may know something you’ve never ever known even in the future if you were going for your own artistic desire. The thing is that art school is the art school. Pretty much expensive to afford its tuition and I agree with it. However, the tuition doesn’t lie to you about what to learn and what will you see or gain for your art future. I mean, the quality for the education is totally the different class. I was the part of the summer program offered by Calarts and had the opportunity to learn from the Calarts professors. And I found the whole new world like they gave me the big vision to see and activate what I actually and exactly have to do by leading me to guide myself with the portfolio. I know that lots of students including me can’t afford the whole tuition. But remember this, once you step on this school and start to learn, you will see what’s the value.ok, additionally, I was in part of the animation major. Faculties are so sweet. Most of students are really supportive and very kind to each other. And don’t you think that every racial discrimination or part of some problems could be happened in everywhere? Look around. There could...

Cal Arts is a top Art, Performance Art, Design, and Film college. Tim Burton is an alum! Perfect balance of the pragmatic and the insane! For film it represents the future of moving art better than virtually any other school. Animation and CGI? Built by Walt and Roy Disney. Amazing location! Just moved my son in and the diversity in spite of he cost is striking. The Dean of Students told me that the 4 year graduation rate is average for art schools but is under 50%. On the other hand most of the drop outs leave because they can get a great job and really don't need the cost or accolade of a BFA... Do you know what degree Brad Pitt or Quentin Tarantino have? The suggestion that is left leaning is really what you want to be concerned about at an art school! Not! Anyway hard to find thoughtful liberal arts schools that don't subscribe to global warming...