<p>so i’ve done a bit of research on this, and i have some questions and i’d like to see just some general responses on this, if at all possible.</p>
<li>how competitive is it?</li>
<li>is forced residency between the two schools a killer on an established social life?</li>
<li>are most people satisfied with it?</li>
<li>what’s it like spending 5 years in college?</li>
<li>i know you must be accepted to both RISD and brown, but can you still send in art supplements to brown to boost your application there?</li>
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<p>i’m kind of hesitant with this program for questions 2, 4, and 5 above. i’d probably never consider going to an art school because i need strong, hard academics, and this seems to provide the best of both worlds. </p>
<p>however, what seems to jump out more at me right now is a double major in art & some academic field at one school, so i’m kind of confused. what other colleges have strong art programs in addition to academics? so far i’ve got yale, nyu…</p>
<p>It is a new program (the first class of dual program students has just finished its first year), so it’s not really fair to ask “if most people are satisfied with it” since they haven’t even spent a year at Brown yet.</p>
<p>It is an extremely competitive program. I haven’t seen the numbers yet for the past admissions cycle (i.e., for freshmen that will be entering this fall), but I do have the numbers for the current students that entered the program last year:</p>
<p>Out of roughly 400 applications, only 30 - 50 students admitted to both RISD and Brown.
Of those, just 18 were admitted to the dual degree program (which is an acceptance rate of less than 5%).
13 actually enrolled.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the dual-degree program, but my D is a Visual Art major at Brown, and really loves it. She has not yet taken a course at RISD, but will do so soon. She knows many RISD students, so I think the social piece would not be a problem. The two schools are next door neighbors, and students from both schools work together on several extra curricular projects, go to the same parties, hang out together etc. She sent in an art supplement with her application and I don’t know if it helped her get accepted, but I have to assume that it did.</p>
<p>As worried_mom said, it’s such a new program that it’s hard to answer some of your questions. But I think you ask some good questions. </p>
<p>I know that the first group of students did go through Brown orientation – but then they spent the year as RISD students and their focus was very much RISD. I think it depends on your personality whether you as a RISD student decide to interact with Brown students. Franglish’s daughter may know RISD students, but when I was at Brown I didn’t (never interacted with a single RISD student) and my daughter, who is a student at Brown now, knows one (a HS classmate of the roommate of a friend). </p>
<p>Now going into their second year, the RISD-Brown group is not in a freshmen unit, but living in various dorms scattered around campus. Which means their first year at Brown will not have the same foundation (freshmen unit) as other first-year Brown students.</p>
<p>Here’s my personal opinion, based on what I know: I think academically the program makes sense, and is probably a great deal for students who want an in-depth art program along with an academic degree. But there is a lot more to college than academics, and I worry that the structure of the program could make students’ social life problematic. Will they feel affiliated with Brown or RISD or both – tough to say. For students who want to feel part of one school for four years, be part of one community – this may not be the right deal.</p>
<p>For questions 2, 3, and 4, you might want to go on Facebook and search for Brown/RISD Dual Degree Class of 2013 (or 2014). You should be able to glean some helpful info.</p>
<p>If you’re looking at doing a dual degree at one school, think about Wash U or maybe BU. It’s doable to get a double major or dual degree at Wash U, and I think their Sam Fox School of Art and Design is worth a visit (my daughter was very impressed but eventually decided on RISD). BU also has a College of Fine Arts and you can do a dual degree with a variety of majors - I think BU’s dual degree program is called BUCOP. The Wash U DD program is supposed to be 5 years and the BU program is 4.5. Those are just two universities that come to mind - I’m sure there are more, oh, like UMich. Also, try asking or searching in the Visual Arts forums in CC, if you haven’t already. Good luck!</p>
<ol>
<li>how competitive is it?</li>
<li>is forced residency between the two schools a killer on an established social life?</li>
<li>are most people satisfied with it?</li>
<li>what’s it like spending 5 years in college?</li>
<li><p>i know you must be accepted to both RISD and brown, but can you still send in art supplements to brown to boost your application there?</p></li>
<li><p>Meet what is quite possibly the most competitive program in the country. You must gain admission to one of the most compeitive colleges, the best art school, and then, on top of that, the program itself. But as always, go for it. </p></li>
<li><p>Shouldn’t be. In fact you’ll probably have more friends. Maybe just less of a cohesive group or small clique.
3.It’s new. There’s no data on this. </p></li>
<li><p>No different than 4. I’m entering my 7th year of college (health problems), and it’s a bit weird, but not earth shakin. </p></li>
<li><p>Yes, there are instructions on the art department page. Don’t listen to the bull they say about “craft”</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li><p>Also RISD and Brown are REALLY close. RISD kids are all over the place. Although it would be a bit harder, keeping friends at both school definitely wouldn’t be a problem. It’s like living in Andrews and having friends in Perkins (freshman dorms on opposite ends of campus).</p></li>
<li><p>Definitely send in art supplements. I don’t see how they would hurt your chances for getting into Brown.</p></li>
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