Hi! I was accepted into The Fashion Insititute of Design and Merchandising (LA) (studying merchandise marketing) as well as The Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC) (fashion business management). I also was accepted into the University of San Diego (marketing) and Virginia Commonwealth University (Fashion merchandising).
My parents and some people I speak to recommend that I get a business degree at a university, because employers will acknowledge it more, I’ll be more competitive, and I’ll be securing a better future with a broad business degree. But then other people I speak to say if the fashion industry is where I want to be and I am determined then I should go for a fashion school.
I know the fashion industry is brutal and I will have to work hard and long hours to get to where I want, but I feel like it’s worth it. I feel like going to a fashion school will offer me more opportunities to network and succeed in the career field I want. Ultimately I want to become a stylist (whether celebrity, magazines, photo shoots, etc.).
I live in VA so my financial aid basically covers my tuition for VCU, but it was my safe school, and I don’t know, I guess I’m willing to go somewhere that doesn’t offer me as much $ to be at a school I feel I can really succeed.
I really am just conflicted and I want to follow my dreams but don’t want to screw my future over by not "securing it.
" Please help! I need the honest truth and appreciate any advice!
VCU seems like the best choice. You can get a business degree but still take art classes, and I think it’s a bad idea to pay lots of money for a degree with very little financial security.
is that considered VCUarts ? Because if it is, that’s one of the top schools in the entire country .
Run the numbers here: http://www.finaid.org/calculators/awardletteradvanced.phtml
What does this mean “my financial aid basically covers my tuition for VCU”? Are there loans in that package? If your tuition is basically covered, what about your other expenses (housing, meals, books, etc.)? What were your aid packages like at the other places? How will you and your family cover the difference?
Any place that will require that you take out more than the standard Stafford loans is a place that is going to leave you with too much debt for a person in the industry you want to start out in. If VCU is your only truly affordable option, then go there, and do your best to get summer internships in the fashion industry so that you’ve got a decent chance of landing a job in that industry after you graduate.
@CherishM, I don’t think a business degree from VCU would necessarily make you more employable than a degree in fashion business management from FIT. Both are reasonable options, but for someone who wants to work in fashion, I would give FIT the edge as door opener to the industry.
Which degree would you go for, the AAS or the BS? Both are good, but the BS in fashion business management from FIT offers extraordinary access to many aspects of the fashion and retail industry. It IS a business degree.
You should, however, look carefully at how much the FIT degree is going to cost you (or your family) and how much debt you will incur. This is a critical consideration which will impact your eventual career. Entry level fashion jobs don’t pay a lot so you’ll want to avoid heavy debt.
Have you already worked in fashion or retail? It’s a broad and diverse industry. You may end up being a stylist or you may become interested in other channels such as merchandising/buying, product development or marketing. FIT will give you the exposure and contacts that you need to better understand what’s available to you.
@momrath, VCU has a Fashion Merchandising major in the School of the Arts. VCU’s School of the Arts was just ranked #2 in the country, behind Yale.
I know the Fashion students at VCU spend lots of time in NYC because they are constantly featured in the local newspaper, winning awards and taking part in shows.
The first school you mentioned, FIDM in LA is a for profit school that will accept you if you have the money. It costs $50k per year.
http://fidm.edu/en/admissions/financial+aid+scholarships/
FIT is well regarded but NYC is expensive. If your parents can pay, great, but I would absolutely not take out loans for FIT because your salary in the first years after graduation is not likely to be high. There are not tons of well paying entry jobs in the field. No debt will give you more options. That being said, their COA at $31k isn’t really hugely expensive:
http://www.fitnyc.edu/admissions/costs/cost-of-attendance.php
USD, I believe is about $50k per year out of state so I would eliminate that.
IMO it’s between VCU and FIT. I would go to the school that costs the least. You can move to NYC when you graduate.
op --if you’ve been accepted to VCUARTS that would be my #1 recommendation. If not, go to VCU and attempt to transfer into VCUARTS by taking some of the arts classes offered and working on a portfolio. As Osprey has mentioned , VCUARTS is one of the top schools in the country only YALE fine arts ranked higher.