Why did you choose your school?

Why did you choose your school? Looking back would you choose it again?

Since I asked it’s only right that I answer my own question. I chose my school based on 3 things.

  1. proximity to home - 4 hour drive was far enough to feel on my own, close enough to come home for holidays.

  2. reputation - everyone told me it was a good school

  3. campus - the clincher, I loved the campus

Would I choose it again? If I knew then what I know now, probably not. None of my three reasons are very good ones. If I had to do it all over again I would have looked at more schools in a wider geographic area and sat in on some ID classes to see if the type of program felt right.

Only applied to 3 schools, accepted into all.
-School #1 started sending me form letters claiming I needed to pay back my old student loans already. Crossed them off the list immediately.
-School #2 was in my same city. I really wanted to go to a new place so I picked…
-School #3. Campus looked cool from the small pictures I saw in a private art college catalog. Seemed like the facilities would be cool. Never got a chance to visit beforehand.

But to qualify… I didn’t really know anything about applying to colleges, etc, was the first in my family + friends to ever do it. Didn’t know anything about my schools reputation, never heard of it. After I was accepted already, my high school art teacher said it was a pretty good school. I also originally went for illustration. With my background, the only thing I knew about any art was comic books, bob ross, and norman rockwell.

Knowing what I know now would I have gone? Tough one. Never heard of ID before going there, learned about it from my friends and roomates. I think I would’ve still gone because I was a very rigid and analytical thinker before going. It did help me explore new things / points of views I would’ve never thought of.
I would say yes, the experience was invaluable. I just wish that I knew about ID before going there so that I would know how to ask the right questions to get the education I wanted. All I ever knew / understood about ID was what I learned from the school, which was definitely not the best place to have your only understanding of ID come from.

My friend told me to see this website.
Really great discussion. Can you give me some advice?

I want to study design. But, I want to go to Europe, maybe Italy, to study. I will have my undergrad in International Relations next summer . This is why I want to study in another country. I have not visited the schools there yet. I know the names however. Like Domus or IED or NABA. I have knowledge in Italian- Intermediate level and still parcticing. I am leaning to fashion design or brand marketing. I want to go to Italy because the country live and breath fashion and I want to immerse myself in it. Also, to learn beyond my border. This would propably a good experience for me.

What is your advice?

Thanks!!!

Two words…“CO” “OP”…okay, maybe that’s one :smiley:

Applied to a couple different schools, but in the end, it was the schools co-op program that sold me. Attending a university vs. an ‘art school’ was nice too. Provided me a solid, well-rounded education. I would definitely make the same choice again. Being out in the ‘real world’ while in school really exposed me to what I had in store following graduation, and also allowed me exposure to designers outside of fellow students and professors. At the beginning of each quarter, students would return from co-ops from all over the country and share ideas, techniques, etc. that they had learned from the previous co-op quarter.

I went to another college, one of those reputable big name over 30k popular ones, then after a while of liberal arting around majors, too much B&B, and too much $, I decided to switch to another school. When I did, i didn’t even know what ID was. I just closed my eyes and pointed. Worked out well.

I “heard” it had a good reputation and was somewhat affordable. And no, I would not choose it again (unless they fire the idiot who is running the program).

i applied to 3 places (lboro, brunel, and glasgos school of art), and got accepted to the first two - both with excellent reputations, etc etc
i was told by those ‘in the know’; (ie teachers etc), that i should go with loughborough… but i didnt, i ended up at brunel. why?
brunel is on the edge of london, whereas lbroro is out in the sticks. i felt design and my design education would be enhanced by access to all the culture that london has to offer… and so far id say that has worked out - ive been to several exhibitions etc.
the other main point that made me pick brunel was the possibility of going abroad, either an industrial placement or an exchange period… lbroro seemed to say it might be possible but it didnt seem to be encouraged or common…
thirdly, brunels projects and degree show projects seemed that little bit more… varied, although the quality was of an equal standard
on the other hand lboro had better facilities, but i felt that the design culture i felt at brunel outweighed that. both have excelent replutations, so that didnt really go one way or the other

would i make the same choice again? at the moment yes, but ive only been here since september… so there is plenty of time for me to either regret or be gald of my choice. hopefully ill remain happy with it…


regards

Mayo

I got into all the schools I applied to but it came down to money. I ended up going to my back up school (state school) because not only was the tuition low they game me a ton of scholarshop money. After 2 years and most of my liberal arts & foundation art classes out of the way I transfered to the art school of my choice.

because of the program for the bac. in commerce
french is my first language and in montreal (quebec) we have english and french universities, was looking to improve my english, 45 minutes of public transit.

this is where i go: http://www.concordia.ca/

cee ya

I went to San Francisco State University. Why? I don’t really know. I had a bad first year at UC Davis, and figured it would be a good rebound. It actually turned out that way too. Although SFSU’s philosophy is infant at best, the professors they do have are really hands on and try and help you succeed. It’s a very small community. The actual courses I had taken there weren’t all that impressive, as the professors aren’t too hardline on breaking bad habits, but like I said it’s a new and growing department. Besides, the experience of linving in the city was awesome and amazing. Although you had to work twice or four times as hard to push yourself on an individual basis, the access to some of the worlds best designers was a priceless experience. Of course the choice to take advantage of these opportunities has always been an option that had not been excercised by all. But of those who did, there was a very tight and excited community of young design students. Now if given the opportunity again would I have switched schools? Yes, I think that what I would have learned more from going to Art Center or Pratt. And the networking alone would have been worth the cost. But at the same time I could say that I learned alot and saved about $20,000. But still I think I would have rather gone to Art Center, if I knew what I knew today.

I didn’t want to learn how to give birth to more crap in the universe.

I wanted a school to teach me not just how to design but help me figure out who what where when and why to design.

I chose mine based on:
Only ENGLISH school in the city with ID. (there’s concordia with design art, but thats not the same).
Tution below 200$/semester (arount 100-170 depending on courses selected)
School was 3 minutes walking distance from home. (my highschool was 5 minutes walk)
Damn fine ladies at my school :smiley:

Would I go again?
Yes… however I’d love to have teachers that moved on to stay for longer.
Started out with really great teachers. Finished with good teachers, just not as diversified (opinions and teaching styles).


And to respond to the guest who would return only if they fired the idiot who’s running the program… Not pointing fingers, but it has been my life long experience that if they hired an idiot in the first place, they’ll hire another one to replace him.

I chose Pratt because I love NYC, and Pratt is the only grad program here.
I have been living and working in NY/NJ for many years, so I thought I could go to grad school while I work part time. I am saving lot of money because I commute to school.
Although I had never studied ID, I have BFA in Finearts/Computer arts, and these studies were very helpful to understand the Designs in general.
After a year later, I quit my job and just focusing in ID.
If I am not qualified to find an ID job even after ID grad from Pratt, I can continue work in graphic design relation while I keep develop my portfolios and audit other schools’ design courses.
The passion for my life is the Life itself-not just an area or a company that I can sit and work. Through out my undergrad and grad in arts, meeting many different characters of people and struggled for becoming an artist in NYC, I realized that honesty and hard work back up the survival. The other thing that I am learining in NYC is that there are always people better than I am, but there are always people who are not a better person than I am no matter what degree or college education they have. People can not make into somekind of form. If they are blinded by ego and hatred, they are just who they are for their own struggling life.

I had a friend who got her undergrad in ID (in the States), then went to Domus for a Masters in ID. I visited her there after, and the experiences she told me about were really cool. She said that she wished she had done something other than ID (mainly because she had already done fashion), like fashion. Apparently the fashion program at Domus is Ace.

I applied to 3 schools, got into all of them.

I didn’t like the environment of #1. There was no water nearby…I need water to be happy. Plus, the campus wasn’t the most diverse.

#2 Looked like a decent school, but it was 8 hours from home and going to cost me 3-4 times what it costs me to go to…

…school #3, which is 2 hours from home and a great campus (we have underground tunnels connecting every building, and skyways between some others). Plus the program seemed the most balanced - ie., not a focus on styling, but on industrial design.

All in all, I have to say that I am at the right uni, and doing the right course, and I abosolutely love it!

Im doing graphics at the LCP and it was the best move I ever made. I was wanting to stay in bournemouth after my foundation but was offered a place at the LCP and Vrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooom!

My advice to others? Look up ALL the options, pros&cons of the course, location, access/transport, housing & cost of living, these are all factors that are more important than how pretty the campus is. Talk to friends & randoms who went or are still going there for uni.
Go to UCAS fairs and Uni open days, and question the socks off the people about eveything you want to know about the place!

So now thats done, I was wondering if anyone could give me a hand?

I’m planning on doing a 3 month exchange with the diploma in industrial design next year to get some real experience of working in industry - can anyone give me any tips/hints about this?

(btw, i think this website is fantastic, the real bees knees! I’ve been looking for something like this for years! even tried setting one up myself… still trying actually! Good on ye mate!)

I chose to go to CCS because I had friends there that rode bmx. I knew that I would study some sort of art or design. I applied to fine art, photo and ID. I was accepted to all. Initially my love was photo but after evaluating how much an average student spends on supplies and equip I ended up in ID. Funny how it all ended. I love the industrial design profession. I can’t imagine a better career fit for me. Detroit…what a bombed out hole! But I made the best life long friends and acquaintances during my time in Motown.
I can say, my school was top knotch and my instructors were excellent …the only problem…I didn’t ride bmx (bicycle motocross) as much as I thought I would…the program was demanding and didn’t afford much extra time for goofing off on a small bike! All in all it was the best haphazard decision I ever made.

c!

I am just planning to go to domus, I need your valuable tips and suggestion

what is ID?