Which would you choose?
- RISD MID
- PNCA & OCAC MAC
- DAE man + humanity
I’ve been accepted to the MID program at RISD. I’ve also been accepted to a brand new joint program between the Pacific Northwest College of Art & the Oregon College of Art and Craft called a Masters of Applied Craft. And, I’ve been asked to interview with the Design Academy Eindhoven for their Masters of man + humanity program.
I don’t quite know what to do. My visit to RISD was amazing. Despite the trash talk that sometimes happens about it on here, it is steeped in prestige and has a track record of great designers coming out of there. They have an amazing campus and LOTS of workshops. And, I could get some teaching experience. But this program in Portland seems like it would be so cool (study abroad, mentorships, a focus on sustainability and making things + Portland is way cool). And then there’s Eindhoven. I love Dutch design and this is a very forward thinking program. But who knows if I’ll actually get in?
I need help. Anyone have any advice?
seems like you pretty much sumed it up .
it dosen’t seem like cash is a problem, you can always transfer if you don’t like it once there.
What was your Bachelors degree in?
What do you want to research?
Where do you want to live when your done?
helo
i go to the bachelors at design academy, i sometimes poke around the masters area to see what they are doing.
masters man+humanity has a blog of sort. maybe you can get some info from there. Links to the current students are there too. So you can spam them… 
the masters programme organized “Source” lectures/programs. The bachelors have the “White Lady” lectures. Both, i think have very good diverse speakers, and are intertwined and happens frequently - at least once/twice a month.
http://sourcedesignacademy.blogspot.com/
hope this helps a little.
succes.
no_spec: My bachelors was in ID. Money is definitely a concern (they’re all private schools that cost lots more than I have…so it’s more a of a “how much debt can I deal with when I’m done” question…I’ve not yet received financial packages). As far as thesis work. I’m into systems…thinking about connections between commerce, ecology, community, and how that relates to design. I’m interested in slowing down the design I’ve been doing. Being more thoughtful. I’d like to explore how to integrate handmade more into everyday (ie: how do you make a mouse feel like an heirloom). I’m sure it will be expounded upon as I go…but that’s the nugget for now.
I’m from North Carolina originally, so I’d like to be somewhere within ~days drive from that part of the world. So, that seems like RISD is a good option. Keep my network building on the east coast. …Am I answering my own question here?
plantationfarmer: Thanks for the links. It’s good to have a more in-depth look at what’s happening in the program.
I just believe that.
if you get the chance to go as far as you can, just go…
And You said that,
“I’m into systems…thinking about connections between commerce, ecology, community, and how that relates to design”
If you think so, RISD may not be the best place for you. I am NOT saying that RISD is not good. RISD put too much energy on the figure of the product. DAE man + humanity got a closer relationship with firm and company, more practical.
Even not concern with the professional things, KEEP the passion of trying the newing things, feelings and enviroment, they will never let you down.
I’m curious if anyone else has had difficulty communicating with the Design Academy Eindhoven? They set an interview date for me without asking when a good time was and are unwilling/unable to change it (after many weeks of asking). The date they set happens to be the day AFTER the deposits are due for my other 2 school choices.
Ugh. I suppose I could always go ahead and make a deposit then potentially lose a few hundred dollars…which would not be so pleasant…or fair to the other programs. This is frustrating. Has anyone else had a similar experience? What did/would you do?
haha yes the DAE admin is a little chaotic. its not really their fault - small admin staff. most likely reason for the inability to change dates is because the lecturers are all part-time. they come in once/twice at most per week - and the whole day is spent on just lessons.
keep calling i guess. emphasise u can’t make it on that date and that you have 2 other schools on the list. i had an almost similar issue. we agreed on a phone interview - which is a little weird.
Thanks for all the tips and advice (both public and private messages). In the end, I’ve decided RISD is the place for me. The other 2 programs sound amazing. The Masters of Applied Craft at PNCA/OCAC I think will be great…they have a very smart and very enthusiastic director, and I look forward to seeing what will come out of such a cool new program. Design Academy Eindhoven…seems also like it would be an incredible experience, however, they were completely unwilling (or unable…either one) to change the interview date they set for me (without confirming this with me first), and it happened to be the day after deposits were due for the other 2 programs. They also continuously referred to me as “Student” in all of our exchanges, and perhaps it is a cultural difference that I am not totally familiar with, but it felt like another sign that either they are understaffed, overworked, and/or that they are not as student focused as I am looking for in a program.
In the end the consensus seems to be that grad school is what you make of it. It is a means to an end, and not the end itself, and that was important for me to remember when deciding. I am very much looking forward to digging in and working ridiculous hours and loving it (well, that is my hopeful intent anyway).
Thanks again to you all for you help. Looking forward to meeting a few of you in Sept.!
The only one I know anything much about is RISD. But I’ve been there and if you like beeing in the city, and don’t mind not having much green place around, it’s a really nice place. The ID teachers there are really nice, and there’s a lot of studio space. And one really cool thing is that ID has their own building.