Platt College-San Diego (PCSD) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Located in the heart of one of the most active and vibrant cities of California, Platt College – San Diego has been offering students the opportunity to advance in the fields of media design and visual technology for several decades now. The school actually traces its roots back to the Platt College of the Missouri community of St. Joseph that was founded in 1879, which established this San Diego branch campus in 1980. By 1985 the San Diego institution severed ties with the original school and proceeded to expand under its own auspices, having flourished into the highly relevant and engaging technology school that it is today as a result. Having undergone several expansions in both the fields of academics and campus facilities/size since 1985, Platt College – San Diego is now offering degrees through the bachelor’s level.

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Information Summary

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Overall Score (about)	Insufficient Data
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$18,637
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	18 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	N/A / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	145

Academics

The academic accreditation of Platt College – San Diego is given by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. The academic focus of the school’s programs is almost invariably the media arts with a strong focus on the technological aspects thereof, with the academic level ranging from diplomas to associate and bachelor’s degrees. The four principal programs of study at Platt College – San Diego are: 3D Animation, Web Design, Digital Video Production, and Graphic Design.

All four of the programs lead to either a diploma, a professional development certificate, or a Bachelor of Science degree in the Media Arts, with the corresponding focus of the program. The Graphic Design program is the only one to offer the option of an Associate of Applied Science degree. In each of the programs the school espouses a philosophy that considers it necessary to teach students both traditional techniques as well as the mastery of the latest technological tools and programs, which means that students will not only be able to develop their underlying artistic skills but they will also be able to learn to use some of the latest media arts software available.

Ensuring that students come out well-rounded from their studies at Platt College – San Diego, the school also includes General Education electives and core subjects, which guarantee students will emerge from their highly specialized programs with sufficient knowledge of other academic fields in order to be able to get ahead in life.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

The requirements for entering into a course of studies at Platt College – San Diego are fairly basic, in accordance with the school’s avowed open admissions policy. Essentially, the school only formally requests applicants to possess a high school diploma or equivalent (GED) by the time they will begin classes. The school does, however, recommend that applying students familiarize themselves further with the institution and the programs by having a personal meeting with an admissions representative and furthermore visiting classes and touring the campus prior to enrollment. In such visits, the applicant will not only be able to discover which of the school’s programs best meets their interests and needs but will also get to see actual examples of what students work on, the kind of hi-tech equipment they use and get to chat with faculty.

Financial Aid

As an eligible participant in the federal Department of Education Title IV financial assistance programs, there are many different kinds of financial aid options available to students. The most practical and efficient way to access such aid is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid as early as possible to be able to qualify for the need-based disbursements, which are given on a first-come, first-served basis. Among the kinds of financial aid that Platt College – San Diego students may qualify for are Federal Pell Grants, CAL Grants, Federal Work-Study, Federal PLUS Loans, and so on. There are also limited institutional loans available.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Alumni

There is a fairly impressive rate of graduates from Platt College – San Diego that actually wind up working in their chosen field of training, which is ultimately the best testament to the academic quality of the school. Several alumni have made it pretty big in life, and include: David Schorn, who is currently a senior artist working with gaming giant Neversoft; Favian Beltran, a leading artist at the Walt Disney Company; and Tyler Phillips, who works on character animation at leading studio DreamWorks.

Platt College-San Diego