my room mate is interested in moving to portland in about a year and a half. he's a pretty cool guy and i think portland could benefit from his presence. he was wondering what the general living situation is like out there. he's also planning to go to portland state and was wondering if there is anybody who's transfered there. if so, are they pretty good about transfering from another (out of state) college i.e. is their curriculum similar most other colleges? what are there programs like, specifically art? study aboard programs info anyone? just checking to see what anyone thought. any insight is welcomed and apprieciated.
I transferred to Portland State in 1999 (graduated in 2000). I'm not any kind of authority on art classes, but I can tell you that PSU has 4 instead of 3 credit classes as the standard. Math, Science, Language, or any class with a lab will be five credits. Rather than general educatiojn requiments (or Liberal Arts core classes, or what-have-you) PSU uses a weird series of classes Freshmen and Sophmore Inquiries, 300-400 level area focus classes (of which you take three), and a senior capstone (6 credits and usually involves some voluntary civic work or project). I came in as a junior, and avoided the two inquires. They accepted all my classes, which were mainly social studies type classes, and they will accept up to 112 credits. Further, if you took an AP test in high school, you have to have scored a 4 or higher for them to accept it.
Jobs are hard to find at the moment. I just started working at a bar where my roommate works. Before they even put a sign in the window, he got me the job, then informed me there was an openning at his work and I could have it if I wanted it. Lack of career type jobs, and a steady influx of transplants from around the country, has created a situation where educated people are competing for lower-wage service jobs. Case in point, I have a master's and am lucky to have gotten the job at the bar.
On a bright note, a little artist talent and an aptitude to verbally bullshit convincingly, and he might get his stuff shown at one of Portland's many galleries.
Lastly, I walked through PSU's art building once, and they had recent student artwork displayed all over. I'm not sure if in other colleges this is a common level of support for the art students, but they do do it. I am no judge of art so I won't even try to tell you if it was any good or not.
ms_n_thrope
Columbia, MO
August 2004
OCT 04, 2004 11:40 PM