<p>Hi,
My daugther's a junior in HS and interested in fashion design. It's been tough for me to evaluate schools for this as there are no published ratings, but I know Kent State is a CFDA-participating school and I'm intrigued.</p>
<p>Anyone studying fashion here? If so, I'd be grateful for a thumbnail explanation of how you chose it over the other schools.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I don’t know of anyone who is studying at Kent State, but I do know they have a very good reputation with regards to their fashion program. Other programs that you might want to look at that fall in the traditional college bucket (non art school) would be:</p>
<p>Syracuse
Marist
U of Delaware
Michigan State
U of Wisconsin-Madison
Univ of Minnesota
University of Cinncinati
Iowa State</p>
<p>My D is also applying for Fashion Design and Kent State is on her list. She has been accepted to their program. It is still early in the year to make a final decision as she has other schools on her list so I can’t answer the “how did you make your decision” question, but I have lived this process for the past 2 years and she has attended programs at FIT and Marist so I do have a lot of info if you are interested.</p>
<p>Thanks, dogs. I’d all but given up checking for replies to my post!</p>
<p>Of the schools on your list, we’ll also look at UW Madison (who have an optional 4th year at FIT) and Cincinnati. Our main concern about the non-design schools is their ability to get internship opps for these kids when few of them are near NYC which I assume to be the hotbed of those jobs. Cincinnati appears to do so with their co-op program and I guess I think Kent St does also but can’t say for sure. We plan to visit both these schools in the spring (D is a Jr.).</p>
<p>From your research, what are the distinguishing features of Kent’s program?</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about Marist and am definitely interested in your thoughts. Maybe by PM as it’s maybe not appropriate to the Kent forum. </p>
<p>Thanks very much!</p>
<p>Kent actually has been rated one of the top 50 fashion designs programs in the world. [The</a> Top 50 Fashion Schools In The World: The Full List – Fashionista: Fashion Industry News, Designers, Runway Shows, Style Advice](<a href=“http://fashionista.com/2010/12/the-top-50-fashion-schools-in-the-world-the-full-list/]The”>http://fashionista.com/2010/12/the-top-50-fashion-schools-in-the-world-the-full-list/)</p>
<p>My cousin is in her sophomore year at Kent and is majoring in fashion design. She absolutley LOVES the school and its fashion program. They get to design clothes all the time and present them in school runway fashion shows. She even got a taped interview of her explaining her designs and who inspires her etc. and it was shown during the most recent fashion show as students walked down the runway wearing her clothes. She even gets to go to New York City next spring for some fashion trip. I also believe that student’s junior/senior year can have the opportunity to intern in New York City at fashion design firms and get to go to spring fashion week in NYC as well. They do a top notch job at Kent State with their fashion program. It has to be the best fashion design program in the state of Ohio and it’s one of the best in the nation and is “13th BEST in the world”. I would highly reccomend Kent State’s fashion design school/program for your daughter if she’s really interested and passionate about fashion as my cousin is. If she is, she’ll love what Kent has to offer.</p>
<p>[Kent</a> State’s Fashion School Ranks Third in U.S., 13th Best in World](<a href=“http://www.kent.edu/news/announcements/success/fashionschoolranking.cfm]Kent”>http://www.kent.edu/news/announcements/success/fashionschoolranking.cfm)
^ ^ ^
*This is a link with a recent story about Kent State’s fashion school. Check it out!</p>
<p>Thanks, EMS and 200171884! This thread festered here for months with no replies, so I appreciate yours.</p>
<p>The rankings are very interesting! Not sure how reliable they are, coming from a fashion blog, but clearly it’s a nice endorsement of Kent’s program.</p>
<p>I’m happy to say that my daughter and wife and I are visiting Kent next week where D will participate in a full-day shadowing a Kent fashion student and touring the campus. There are only a few such visit days all year and I’m thrilled there was room for her.</p>
<p>Also excited about the chances to study and intern in NYC!</p>
<p>If you want a more credible and prestigious source of Kent’s ranking, the fashion program was ranked in the Top 10 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.</p>
<p>I work at the call center for KSU, asking alumni for donations to the university, so we have to know these facts haha.</p>
<p>And yes, they get to study in NYC and/or Florence, Italy for a semester.</p>
<p>Also, students and graduates of Kent’s fashion program have been placed in the world’s fashion capitals, including NYC, Florence, London, Paris, and Hong Kong. Over 90% job placement for graduates.</p>
<p>The director of the Fashion School seems to be extremely busy extending the reach and prestige of the school. Check out his huge list of achievements this year:[Reflecting</a> on the 2010/11 Academic Year as Director of the Fashion School The Fashion School: Director’s Blog](<a href=“http://thefashionschooldirector.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2011/07/29/reflecting-on-the-201011-academic-year-as-director-of-the-fashion-school/]Reflecting”>Reflecting on the 2010/11 Academic Year as Director of the Fashion School | The Fashion School: Director's Blog)</p>
<p>The Fashion School has a lot of respect on campus, and wow, the girls are amazing (speaking as a former male student).</p>
<p>Like everyone has said, the program is quite excellent. There are study abroad/away and internship opportunities (the most popular are of course NYC and Florence, but there are more!). The students put on fashion shows and there is a new store downtown to sell student designs. If your daughter has a good academic record and is admitted to the Honors College, there are Honors sections of some of the introductory level fashion classes. It’s definitely very respected on campus!</p>
<p>I am happy to say my daughter has been accepted both into fashion and Honors College, and with scholarships that make Kent irresistible. I was unaware of the store downtown - that’s very interesting, emma11. Also I did not know of Honors sections of intro classes. Thanks a lot, emma11. She is really pumped to be a Golden Flash!!</p>
<p>I’m so glad she’s decided to come to Kent!!! She will absolutely love it. Maybe not so much the weather, but everything else, haha.</p>
<p>Also, I’m a sophomore here at KSU and a member of the Honors College, I lived there last year and may be a Resident Assistant in the Honors dorms next year - and I’m currently working as a sketch model for one of the introductory fashion drawing classes. So, feel free to PM me if you want any insiders info! I’d be happy to talk to you or your daughter about anything:)</p>
<p>Hi tagalong11! Thanks for reaching out. Did you live in Stopher/Johnson? This is my daughter’s pick. Do boys and girls live on the same floor or on alternate floors? She’s excited about the private bathroom, but who cleans it?! And would you describe this as a social dorm or pretty quiet?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Hi…I am hoping for some feedback on the Fashion Merchandising program at Kent. My daughter has applied as a transfer student. She recently spent a day shadowing and loved everything she saw. She is more interested in the business end of fashion, but also wants to take a few design classes. I know that Kent has an excellent reputation for their fashion design program, but does that also extend to the merchandising program? Any information would be helpful! Thanks so much.</p>
<p>hopeful,
I’m the dad of a daughter entering FD this fall but I wouldn’t be surprised if she switches into FM at some point.</p>
<p>I believe their FM program is very strong and what I think is REALLY amazing is their 5th year MBA program. Students start working in their business classes as juniors and seniors and thus complete the MBA in just one additional year. Sadly this option does not currently exist in their FD program although a minor in business or marketing is possible.</p>
<p>One of the things that strikes me about Kent’s fashion school is its relationships with industry and understanding that fashion students, by they in design or merch, need to have business background.</p>
<p>Thanks Beastman. I was aware of the MBA program and am certainly encouraging DD to take that path. So far, everything we hear is very positive about both programs and I am hoping that she gets a chance to do some crossover into design also. She definitively wants to focus on the business end, but has a flair for design too.</p>
<p>Maybe they will meet up next fall!</p>
<p>Pretty neat article on KSU.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>Just read your post, We will be at Kent St this Th and Fri behind the scenes fashion show. Coming out from CA, What can you tell me? I am a dad of a daughter who was admitted into the Fashion Design school with $$.</p>
<p>We will visit the store downtown, what is it called and on what street name in Kent?</p>
<p>What is the honors college for kent ST?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Hi, We will be out CA this week for the "behind the scenes fashion show. Our daugher is considering attending KSU Fashion Design major. What is the honors dorms/program at fashion school/kent st?
Never heard of it.</p>
<p>We are considering the Acemedy of arts in SF, CA, But I don’t think they have the internship connections as KSU?</p>