If you love video games enough to make them into a career, getting an education is key. There are dozens of aspects that go into game design that can take many years to learn. If a career in video games is in your future, check out these must know tips to choosing a video game 
school below.
1. What you want to study – There are many different teams working on various aspects of games, so deciding which you want to study is important. There are education paths that focus on design, animation, and even storyline. If you know which area you would like to study, research the school to see if they offer a degree or specialization in that area.
2. Where you want to work – If your dream has been to work for Nintendo ever since you played your first game of Super Mario, find out which school(s) the company works with. Calling the HR department of your potential future employers can give you a better idea of not only which schools they work with but also what kinds of education they look for. You can also learn more about internships, student positions, and other entry level jobs they might offer.
3. What you want to work with – Although many games can be designed on your home computer, the equipment located in a school that teaches video games for a living can have impressive pieces of equipment. Ask about what equipment they have, how it compares to the industry standard, and even if visitors are allowed to see or use it.
4. Career placement – Schools often keep numbers on hand of how many of their graduating students go on to work in the fields they study in. This is usually a percentage derived from numbers of graduating students who got a job in the field to number that actually graduated. There are also college review sites such as Students Review where actual students give reviews about how helpful their college was.
5. Cost – The bottom line is always the bottom line. As any student can tell you, school is expensive and involves paying for everything from tuition to textbooks. A good idea to remember is that the cost of school isn’t always as it seems. Just about every school has financial aid programs and can often decrease out of pocket cost.
Bonus! Top Ten – The experts at Princeton Review and GamePro teamed up to create a list of the best undergraduate schools for video game design. Have a closer look to see what they looked for in schools to see if it matches your preferences.
Author Bio
This article was submitted my Sara McDowell. She owns the site Video Games Design School and is an avid Gamer.
