Schools

Nah, go to your local institution for Education, surely a community college has something to offer, either full time or night courses.

I received their full package of their course outline, it's o.k. but, everything is online, no, one to one comunication with Prof, I prefer having to deal with a human instead of online stuff.

It's up to you though.

Corey, this is a pretty difficult decision.  At least it was for me.  The college thing just wasn't going to work for me with my family and career obligations.  Also, I did not (and still don't) know if this was ever going to be a full time career possibility for me.  Because of this, the time and expense of a college program were prohibitive.  Although being able to work one on one with a professor can be great, it can also be problematic because many of them will try very hard to force their 'way' on you.  I know the local college in my area is really bad for that and have heard many, many, graduates complain that they were unable to get good grades and feel accomplished because of this.  Funny thing is, most are very successful nonetheless.

On the other hand, the NYIP is somewhat basic.  So, it may depend on your level of proficiency at this point.  When I started NYI, I didn't understand many things that are vital to good photography.  Basics of lighting, depth of field and hyperfocal distance, tonal range and exposure latitude, etc.  I had been painting for years, so I knew some about color and composition, but I couldn't figure out how to get the results I wanted with a camera.  The course was absolutely the right choice for me and I don't regret it a bit.  You do have to be self-motivated though, because you won't have a midterm test or assignments or a professor keeping you on track.  The ciritiques were informative and helpful, but the real value is in their texts, videos/CD's, and assignments.

I am now studying to get my Certified Professional Photographer certification through the PPA, and I am realizing how much of the information needed for this credential I have learned from the NYI.  Again, it was the best thing for me.

What's your situation like?  Is college a feasible option for you?  If so, it may be the best way to go; if not, maybe the NYI isn't such a bad decision...

Travis

P.S.  I am pretty sure that Benji is also a graduate of the NYIP, so he may have some information as well.

It is REALLY hard to try to figure out whats going to work the best.
I would LOVE to keep it local and do night courses or something to that effect. The trouble, at least for the moment, is little kids and a husband who travels a lot. In combination with zero support structure as for family and or free child care at hand.
I do wonder about the lack of one on one with a teacher in regard to online courses. But, I just havent seen a better option yet to fit within my current circumstance.
What I really really want is a good foundation in pretty basic stuff for the moment.
I had a pro here locally who was mentoring me prior to the arrival of my kids. I would like to do that some more.
Im sort of overwhelmed about where to start, and anxious to get started all at the same time.
Thanks for your input.
Corey