Avoid Art School.
Graphic design?! Unless you are ungodly talented, like not from this planet excellent... forget about it.
Art is a hobby, do it on the side.
I have grad and undergrad degrees in studio art & visual communications. I use neither.
I wanted to cartoon, and smoke week, and do rape letterz everyday for life.
Not that I am a failure.
I started in illustration, but graphic design paid more so I switched up.
Web design (Basic HTML & Photoshop) paid more than Graphic design, so I switched up.
Optimizing websites for search paid more than designing them, so I switched up.
Advanced coding pays extremely well, but that shit bores me, so I avoided it.
Optimizing campaigns for paid search pays very well, but that shit bores me too, so I avoided it.
Marketing strategy pays more than SEO, so I switched up.
All of the above can be done from the comfort of home, or in an office; I've done both but prefer an office. The office isn't bad because agencies are fun to work at. Suit up one day, jeans most others. Nerf guns & liquid lunches like champions. Paid travel.
There is no real degree to do what I do, it was just becoming a jack of all trades that built my expertise. A good resume (or list of solid clients) and knowing the right people is all you need, I've never really interviewed for a job that I didn't already have in the bag. I've gotten lucky to fall ass backwards into the perfect job for me.
Networking is better than school erryday - SO BE NICE TO PEOPLE!
Geek out and code websites, you'll make more money an hour than most do in a day.
I contract coding work out at $60-200/hr depending on the skill level. So like I said, learn LAMP 'cause I don't want to.
YOU CAN TEACH YOURSELF HOW DO IT for the price of a couple books (that you can buy used.)
I feel like Damon in that MIT movie, I wasted a ton on college, when everything I do today I taught myself from reading a few dozen books.