Current BRDD Student happy to answer questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Rhode Island School of Design
1

Hello, I am currently enrolled in the BRDD program. I’ve worked with admissions to share information about the program and I notice that there’s quite a lot of misinformation about the program on this forum. I’d be happy to answer questions to the best of my ability. Make sure your question isn’t already answered here: http://risd.brown.edu/faq/index.html

Let me know if this is posted in the wrong forum. Ask away!

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Hello! I was recently accepted into the Brown/RISD program and I have a few questions. (I apologize in advance for the length!)

  1. What has your experience been like so far? How was/is Foundation Year at RISD?
  2. What was the atmosphere like at Brown? At RISD?
  3. How much money would you recommend saving for college as a student in this program? Does RISD provide any of the art supplies for class or are you required to buy everything?
  4. Would you say that having a work-study job would be doable for BRDD participants?
  5. What type of projects do you do during the RISD Foundation Year?
  6. How stressful is Foundation Year? Did you have any free time?
  7. I've heard that students in the BRDD program never really feel connected to either school. Do you feel this way? Was the transition from school to school difficult?

Once again, sorry for the interview! I’d just really appreciate some insight from a current BRDD student. Thanks so much!

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@KEDArts17 Congrats! Everybody’s experience is different so I will answer to the best of my ability.

  1. So I'm a fourth year and earning an Sc.B at Brown and doing research, so these days most of my time is spent at Brown. I didn't figure out what I wanted to do at Brown til the end of my second year and I was surprised at the flexibility I was afforded. As for Foundations - some of my peers put in very little work and some pulled three all nighters a week. It all depends on your time management skills and desire to balance work and life.
  2. Personally, I love the people and atmosphere of Brown, and I resented having to spend all of my first year in Foundations classes at RISD. Most people in the program would say the opposite, that they're more connected to the people and classes at RISD. Brown students are really open and welcoming, RISD students are incredibly creative and I'm always impressed at their passion and their creations.
  3. $1000 would be my conservative estimate. If you are already receiving financial aid from Brown, talk to the financial aid office about getting a stipend for RISD studio fees - this is a newly implemented feature of the program. Definitely bring ALL the supplies that you possibly can from home.
  4. This is doable, depending on your studio and class schedule.
  5. There are three foundations studios: 2D Design, Spatial Dynamics, and Drawing. Design projects ranged from website creation to poster design. Spatial Dynamics covered sculpture, product design, and furniture making. Drawing involved the use of a wide variety of media like charcoal, ink, graphite etc. and drawing from life/stills/master works. It depends on your professor. Most of these will be quick projects that teach you to work like a RISD student and very few of your freshman year works will make it into your final portfolio.
  6. Foundations year was stressful! I did have free time and went out on the weekends and joined clubs, but some people devoted themselves to studios (or partied and skipped studio). It depends on you.
  7. I am really close to my friends at both Brown at RISD. That hasn't been my personal experience.

Let me know if you have any more questions! You can PM me for my email if you want as well. If you’ll be in town for ADOCH this week I might be able to meet you in person.