Core77

[thirdnorth]

it looks like SCAD requires an outstanding product with some research to back it up, where IIT requires an outstanding research project backed up by a product.

These days it's almost impossible to develop an outstanding product without outstanding research.

That's exactly why I've hired two IIT grads on my staff.

I agree that research and development go hand in hand. I was merely drawing a distinction between the program emphasis from each school.

Which brings me to these questions and hopefully it might help answer sajidkhan's original question:

1. Assuming you had a choice between candidates from both schools, what aspects of the IIT program lured you to choose them over SCAD grads.

2. If research is required for excellent products, do you feel that IIT students produce better results than SCAD students?

3. Does that have something to do with the amount of focus each school places on research?

[sajidkhan]

thanks for all the feedback and i appreciate all of you keeping it on the constructive. i just got back from chicago this morning and I'm heading out to savannah tomorrow, here's what I'm thinking about IIT so far:

1) i love the incubator feel of their campus. five floors, and 150 grad students (and only grad students) with a core group of kids that you work with through foundation. question: they claim that they hold the design school model that most other schools model off of. how true is that?

2) great alumni network and respected faculty. I was able to get contact information for students that had graduated from the program and talk to a few kids on the way out.

3) their mdes/mba program is interesting, but still needs tweaking. I initially applied for both programs through one application in october, but on this visit I ended up having to burn an hour (of only 7 that i had in the city) sitting in front of a computer filling out an online app (a formality). I'm still waiting to hear my official reply from the business school and the program starts in 5 days.

4) eeexpensive. ends up running about double scad. what's ya'lls feelings on the pricetag vs. the potential on the way out? a great program is a great program, but it's still gotta get paid off.

Why did i choose these two programs? i did like how they were very different schools with very different atmospheres, and when looking at their research, they were my favorite schools of the two opposing approaches (fab focused scad vs. resaearch innovation focused iit).

hey cg, i read an earlier post about how you only note iit and one other school when you're looking at resumes. why is that? and are you at liberty to tell me about the other school?

once again, thanks for the talk.

sidenote, i'm cool with keepin an eye out for bad sections around each campus (as there are around any city) and i'm cool with the accredidation issue. just lookin for program that leaves me in the best place 3 years from now.

-sajid

[sajidkhan]

hey to all. i just got back visiting scad this morning and i think i've made a decision.

I'm thinking i'll start at savannah this spring. here's my reasons why:

1) i checked out profiles of my fav designers (Yves Behar, Rajan Sedalia) and they all have taken a pragmatic approach which is SCAD's current focus. I'm thinking they've got their shit together. Anybody got counter examples?

2) all the accreditation argument is bullshit. its in the IDSA south, enough said. the schools quickly gaining respect and attracting professors because of its hands on approach. And i'm hoping that this comment isn't going to prompt pages of accreditation ego trips. we all know that's already been done. Please try and refrain.

3) While IIT's design strategy approach might be great for some, it seams like theoretical approaches to problems that managers/directors are unfamiliar with has to do a lot with what's gotten the U.S. into the corporate rut that its now (think detroit, motorola's current stall, etc.). I'm a fan of going ground up. thoughts?

Again, thanks for all the dialogue. I hope this topic is serving useful to others.

sajid

[cg]

hey cg, i read an earlier post about how you only note iit and one other school when you're looking at resumes. why is that? and are you at liberty to tell me about the other school?

For my particular needs in corporate medical device design, I want the equivalent of a "User-Centered Systems Engineer." Someone who can understand and solve complex design problems in concert with many other disciplines. Specialists are then outsourced as needed.

I think IIT is one of the best programs at creating this type of designer. They're pushing boundaries. I also like Carnegie Mellon.

[sajidkhan]

quick update:

last minute, just before giving IIT my 'thanks but no thanks' letter, I switched my decision and now I'm here up in the Institute of Design at IIT widdling away on my second quarter! I'm in their foundation program, which is an intense overview of all things design smashed into a single year. I love it so far, and for the following reasons:

-IIT has a great rotation of faculty from well versed profs (i.e. marti thaler from IDEO for product) to working adjuncts (like Robert Zolna from gravitytank) that keep the program grounded to what's really going on in the professional world.

-The foundations program is based around kids from a range of disciplines which gives it this really cross polinization feel.

-great studio space. sounds trivial but the big openness of their work area creates killer opportunities for collaboration. someone's always teaching someone something.

but there are a few things that can be worked on:

-there's a bit of self conciousness coming from the faculty and its reputation of a very 'fuzzy' university and lacking pragmatism. it results in lectures that overcompensate with almost disdain for highly artistic schools like crambrook. I sense that IIT feels like there's a bit of rivalry, but I also feel like crambrook couldn't care less.

-the school has great recognition in the design world, but its low outside recognition and arbitrary connection with a 'technical school (IIT)' can eat at the morale from time to time.

-the mdes/mba program's a bit disjointed, and the relatively weaker mba program offers most kids a scholarship. having said that if completed over 3 years, the scholarship that the business school offers most design kids offsets the total tuition by a couple 1000.


But Overall, Im pretty happy hear and I love the 150 strong masters only environment. come on over as long as your willing to drive your emotive side while in the process focused program.

-sajidkhan

[erzm]

I applied to both of these programs as well..my vote is IIT. When i went to visit SCAD the prof. i spoke with from the program referred to IIT as the "crown jewel of design"...so he basically sold me on that. Also, i think if you are studying design, you should live in a city where there are more resources. And the program at IIT seems better connected, publishes info about hire rate, and there are more classes and student to share the knowledge/resources/post grad connections.

[rav]

Sajid,

Thanks a lott for the posts and a great explanation for your decisions. I am an undergrad in Mech Engg from India. ( am with Caterpillar for about 1.5 yrs now)

I am planning on design grad studies and the iit's dual program seemed really cool. Your post has helped me clear a lotttt of questions i had about the program. Once again thanks for sharing.

Rav

[nate_cougill]

My knowledge of both schools is limited, but after visiting both cities, Savannah is a lot more fun. The people are genuine and easy to talk to. The city is very walkable. The beach is 45 minutes away. Chicago is just, well if you're not wealthy, kind of a cess-pool. Savannah is not without its ghettos, but they're much more pleasant than the rough parts of Chicago. I hope that helps inform your geographical decision at least.