When you were at MICA, did you encounter pretentious professors frequently? For example in one class we were given free rein on a project with a simple prompt, but only the works that matched the professor's style (glitch) did well. I'm doing OK but I really hate compromising my learning just to get good grades, it seems I'm learning more about how to conform than actually improving my art skills. Any ideas on how to combat this?

YEAH THAT’S SORT OF SOMETHING I ENCOUNTERED AT MICA.

it’s part of why I quit. not the whole reason! I quit mostly because I just didn’t want to struggle to afford it anymore, but the driving kick-in-the-ass-reason was that all the classes I had started the final semester seemed like they were run by pretentious people or that I’d have to do very specific things I did not give a shit about.

I combated it by leaving :( I know that’s terrible advice. the only other advice I can give is to try styles that are so not like you or anyone else present. I have a secret style of art I don’t show anyone at all which I bet would’ve done really great at MICA, but it’s not the thing I want to do all the time. I guess you can do ultra experiments with your art styles if you want to fight it in a nontraditional way.. or you could just not care about grades, as well. either way! just give it your all no matter what you do, even if it’s just sticking to your regular stuff