In article <43t4cf$3mo@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, obsidian@ix.netcom.comö says...
>I need help on this topic. I want to become a professional
>photographer and I thought that going to school would help.
>Here is the problem: Do I attend a community college for an assoc.
>degree in photography or do the study at home "New York Institute of
>Photography" that I have seen advertised in numberous Photo mags ???

My advice would be to find a professional photographer whose work
you respect, who is doing well, who would be a good teacher, and who
would be willing to take you on (probably for free, at least at first)
as an assistant. I think you will learn much more, and much more quickly, about the field than school will teach you. BUT - it may be
useful to get SOME education to start in order to get you to the point
where you may be interesting for the photographer to take on and teach
(hard-working pro's may have little time to start you from the very
beginning).
Hope this helps.