Pharmacy School or Art School?

Question

I have a passion for writing and drawing, considering majoring in creative writing, illustration or animation. However, job market, payment, and security, I've heard, isn't really good for an illustrator or writer. It's usually all free lance.

Pharmacy school is another suggestion from my parents. It's about 6 years of science specific schooling, but it's a great job to pursue according to salary and the high demand for pharmacists.

Should I go with what I love? Or should I go with the major that pays more? The story "Death of a Salesman" keeps coming to mind.

Answer 1

Money certainly doesn't guarantee 100% happines, but it certainly does give peace of mind.

An art degree unfortunately does not offer that piece of mind. Granted you'll be doing what you love, but things could easily go to the point where things can get very very tough. If it continues month after month, pretty soon you'll begin hating the very thing that you love. And unless you plan on teaching it, there's almost no guarantee of any kind of good and secure job out there short of anything in the computer animation field.

A Pharmacy degree however gives all sorts of comforts. Something like $85,000 is the usual starting salary. Granted it sounds like you won't love it as much as art, but here's something I would recommend. Do the pharmacy degree (or something to its equality in terms of salary and security) and stay in the career about a decade after graduation. In the meantime with its great salary keep saving up on the side. With an eventual large amount of money saved after that decade you can then start pursuing an art career with as much comfort and flexibility as possible. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Pharmacy is a hot field to get into, in fact most health care professions are in high demand and only getting higher. Maybe find something that would require less time to train for, pay well and still do the art that you love on the side. Try Nursing or X-Ray techs. The other benefit of healthcare professions is most hospital jobs are 3 - 12 hour shifts a week as full-time. Leaving you with 4 days a week to do your art!! Nursing & X-ray are 2 year degrees with good starting pay. Good luck!!

Answer 3

You should definitely do what you love. The problem is that in the art world it's very hard to make a secure living. You could do the pharmacy route (or any other practical, traditional career). What that will do is give you a "day gig" that will pay well. You can then do as much art as you want in your spare time, and guess what? Then you can do EXACTLY what you want to do because you don't have to be worried about who's going to buy it. You can also save up your money and maybe pursue the alternative career on the side with the regular gig as a secure hedge.

Answer 4

You can make good money as an illustrator, whether you work as an employer or as a freelance.

If you're freelance, however, you need to figure out a good strategy for selling your work. Doing charicatures in carnivals is one strategy, but that's probably not the kind of illustration you had in mind.

The book is more oriented to writers than artists, but it would still do you a considerable amount of good to read "Sell Copy" by Webster Kuswa. It was published by Writer's Digest about 25 years ago, so you may have to search libraries to find a copy.

I wouldn't want to be a pharmacist these days. It's soul-less production line work.

Answer 5

I am looking at this from the other side of the problem. I made the safe decision and went into Accounting, when all my life I've loved art. I made my decision based on the same criteria - accounting is much safer than being an artist! Now, after working in accounting for 5 years, I have gone back to my art and joined a community group of other artists. Talking to them and reflecting on my past decisions I wish I would have chosen art college. It may not have worked out but I would rather be happy than rich! The key is ... whichever you choose, you have to work at it with all your ability. If you choose art, it is a path like anything else. You have to work at it to see any result.

Answer 6

As much as your parents will hate me for this advice; do what you love. You have to spend your life doing it. I personally choose the later. I am in a career that I don't love. It pays the bills, and that is it. Its a job. I regret not following my heart. On the other hand, my "job" has allowed me to buy a house and all that other "stuff", and I might be struggling financially if "followed my heart".
I would of went into theater, but went into medicine instead. My father talked me out of going into theater. I should have never listened to him. Good Luck!!

Answer 7

To be a pharmacist, you first need to complete college and then go to graduate pharmacy school. While in college, you can double major in pre-pharmacy and something creative and then see how it goes from there.

Answer 8

Do as your parents want first sometimes they are right but become a pharmacy techinician instead of a pharmacist less money but more time to do what you want just make sure you remember competition in your career cluster...more need in pharmacy correct ???

Answer 9

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Answer 10

I say go for a compromise: take up Multimedia Arts! There's a high demand for digital artists and they get paid well... AND you still get to do what you love best, :)