Maine College of Art

The Porteous Building, a 1904 Beaux-Arts design historic building, which houses MECA's classrooms, libraries and galleries.
The Porteous Building, a 1904 Beaux-Arts design historic building, which houses MECA's classrooms, libraries and galleries.
[source]

Maine College of Art

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

The Maine College of Art (MECA) is a fully accredited, degree-granting art college in the city of Portland, Maine. Founded in 1882, it is the oldest arts educational institution in Maine. In addition to offering Bachelor, Post-Baccalaureate in Art Education and Master of Fine Arts degrees, the school has a continuing studies program for adults and high school students. MECA is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD), a consortium of thirty-six leading art schools in the United States. MECA is located in the heart of Portland and educates artists at all stages of their creative careers.

Impact on Portland

Maine College of Art's renovation of the landmark Porteous Building at the center of Portland's Arts District has been a major catalyst for downtown revitalization and has received national attention as a model of urban renewal. New classrooms and studios feature panoramic views of Casco Bay. The annual influx of new students has risen between 1998 and 2005 and the college has become the largest employer of visual artists in the state.

Mission and Values

Maine College of Art educates artists and designers to think critically and to create. It is a small, student-oriented community led by artist educators. The baccalaureate and graduate degree curriculums, together with a continuing studies program are conceived for students of all ages and stages of creative development.
In an ever-changing world which is transformed by technologies, communities and cultures, the Maine College of Art believes that the best education is found where students can do the following:

  • shape their own educational experiences;
  • live and learn in a nurturing and diverse environment;
  • learn the fundamentals of art, design and critical thinking across multiple disciplines and emerging art forms;
  • excel when challenged by working artists, designers and scholars who teach at all levels of the curriculum;
  • explore individual visions and define their own creative voices;
  • experience classroom teaching integrated with experiential learning;
  • connect to communities, professions and issues of the times.

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Northeast
Setting:
Large Town Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
447
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
99%
Athletic Programs:
Unavailable
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 23,883
Students Receiving Aid:
100%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 40
Selectivity:
Selective
> More Admissions

Students

General
Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 99%
Part-Time 1%
Men vs. Women
Women 65%
Men 35%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 82%
Other 16%
Hispanic 2%
Asian 0%
African-American 0%
Geography
In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 64%
In-State 36%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
Maine 36%
New Hampshire 15%
Massachusetts 14%
Vermont 9%
New York 6%
Percent of Students International: 2%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 37%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: No
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
$ 23,883    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 23,380    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 503    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 4,246 31%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 898 18%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 6,261 100%  
Student Loans:
$ 4,282 66%  
Any Aid:
  100%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 69% (Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 93%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 480, Math: 450
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 590, Math: 570
ACT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting ACT Scores: 3%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Composite: 17, Verbal: 18, Math: 16
Top 75th Percentile: Composite: 20, Verbal: 29, Math: 26

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 40.00
Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Required
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Not Required
High School GPA: Recommended
High School Rank: Recommended
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Required

College Advice

Yahoo
just wondering where MECA is placed on the list of best art schools in the nation.
19 months ago
Best Answer
It is not among the elite art schools, but it is a significant step up from schools like the "Art Institute" chain of proprietary colleges. Maine is reputable. Not a bad art school at all, but there are stronger in New England. In New England, I'd place it above Montserrat College of Art, perhaps slightly below Mass Art, and well below RISD. RISD, of course, is one of the elite. What other schools are you considering?

Photos

  • The Porteous Building, a 1904 Beaux-Arts design historic building, which houses MECA's classrooms, libraries and galleries.
    The Porteous Building, a 1904 Beaux-Arts design historic building, which houses MECA's classrooms, libraries and galleries. [source]
  • [source]
  • Maine College of Art
    Maine College of Art [source]
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