Grads for Graphic Design

<p>VCU has a fine grad program but admission is pretty competitive these days; very good faculty attracting smart and talented students.</p>

<p>We never thought that VCU was hard from an undergrad perspective. I guess graduate school is s different kettle of fish.</p>

<p>i know you said mostly on the east [ i would reconsider risd,its a good school ]</p>

<p>but have you considered art center or calarts?</p>

<p>Absolutely not. While I know that they are good, they are not good enough to keep me here when I know that there are equally good schools on the east coast.</p>

<p>liek- thanks for the suggestions. I'm undecided about which class to take in the fall, but it will probably become clearer to me over the summer. At this point I'm mostly concerned as to which one will help my portfolio more, as that will be submitted around christmas time, and I'll probably end up taking both at one point or another.</p>

<p>larationalist, since you are interested in SCAD, you may wish to check out this site just sent to me; it has recent work of 2006 SCAD G.D. graduating students, undergraduate and graduate. I am quite impressed.</p>

<p><a href="http://savannahsecession.scad.edu/flashindex.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://savannahsecession.scad.edu/flashindex.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>BTW, apparently you need Flash 8 plugin to see this page.</p>

<p><a href="http://savannahsecession.scad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://savannahsecession.scad.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>good to know. I was having trouble before, apparently only had flash 7.</p>

<p>Anybody know of a solid, inexpensive safety? I got UBaltimore's catelog a couple days ago, and I'm disenchanted. They're mostly a commuter school, and there's a lot more writing to their program than most. So I'm on the hunt for another safety.</p>

<p>actually, just installed it, and I STILL can't see anything other than the teeeniest thumbnails of work, and a bunch of other buttons (down at the bottom) that don't do anything when clicked. That is an unfortunately bad website that is not really reflecting well on SCAD.</p>

<p>//actually, just installed it, and I STILL can't see anything other than the teeeniest thumbnails of work, and a bunch of other buttons (down at the bottom) that don't do anything when clicked. That is an unfortunately bad website that is not really reflecting well on SCAD//</p>

<p>Sounds like you still have the Flash 7 or earlier plugin installed. A student designed it using Flash 8. If you have problems, then...the plugin wasn't installed properly as I have downloaded and installed it on a number of systems to check and it has been fine. You also might want to clear your browser's cache which will load local files instead of updated files, possibly. I did send word to him through channels to back save it to Flash 7 or earlier, but who knows?</p>

<p>Not really reflecting well on SCAD? I agree the student was short-sighted for ham-stringing the audience, but the site is 100% compliant with the technology for which it was designed.</p>

<p>I do have issues with the usability per interaction, but I give the kid credit for getting it up on his own in less than three days start to finish while finishing his thesis and his last class it seems, plus preparing for graduation.</p>

<p>///actually, just installed it, and I STILL can't see anything other than the teeeniest thumbnails of work, and a bunch of other buttons (down at the bottom) that don't do anything when clicked. That is an unfortunately bad website that is not really reflecting well on SCAD.//</p>

<p>well apart from design and interface issuse, the thumbnails are active and functioning. You can see an enlarged image (when u click on a thumbnail) if thats what the purpose of this website?</p>

<p>//You can see an enlarged image (when u click on a thumbnail) if thats what the purpose of this website?//</p>

<p>The purpose was...a small group - maybe 6? - of graduating students (thus the savannah secession) wanted to hold an end-of-year exit show on their own, and publish a catalog. They took submissions from any graduating student that wished to partcipate, had the work juried, and made arrangements for an exhibition. I understand faculty helped to coordinate a few things, but it was largely produced by these kids and I was very impressed by the effort. It appears to be primarily undergraduate work although there is some graduate as well. This is what the missus tells me.</p>

<p>I still can't view large images on either my home or work computers, after installing Flash 8, and after clearing the browser memory on both. When I click a thumbnail, an outline flickers around it, but the image stays itty bitty, which sucks because I really do want to see the work and not just rag on the website.</p>

<p>So.... safety schools? Anyone? Towson? Boston U? Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Actually, you might have the plugin installed properly, but may be using the site incorrectly, but I am not being critical of you at all. It is entirely the student designer's fault if what I think is happening, is happening. After you click on one of the thumbnails on the right - the primary section - then click on the thumbnail on the left. This one should open up an enlarged image. If it does, then what we have here is a very good example of how not to design an interactive site. There are a number of issues that are problematic regardless so if you wanted to rag, you would be justified. Still, I must say that I am very favorably impressed by the efforts of the students who put a catalog and site together during a very busy time otherwise.</p>

<p>yeah, that's the one that just flickers at me. I don't think it's a horrible navigation concept at all. Being in architecture, I'm used to some baaaaaaaaaad websites, because too many architects think they can just do it themselves. Anyway, I click the one on the right to select the student, then I click the individual piece on the left. It flickers at me, but doesn't get any bigger. So I try clicking those little buttons on the lower left, with no result at all. <em>sigh</em> And Flash 8 claims to be installed on my computer. I can see the flash ani saying "Flash 8 Sucessfully Installed!" and everything.</p>

<p>Update: my fundamentals of graphic design class is going GREAT. Definitely getting an A, which should look good to schools, and it's the highlight of my week.</p>

<p>taxguy- I just got my RIT graduate catelog in the mail today, and I am officially on the bandwagon! They actually have 'minor's for grad students, AND plenty of electives, and about a million core courses. This just seems like the perfect program for someone changing careers. I can't believe that they manage to squeeze so many classes in, but am so excited to be able to learn all that. I am completely wowed. You probably don't care, but I know you think a lot of RIT, so you'd at least understand. ; )</p>

<p>larationalist: We were wowed by RIT's curriculum too. If you can get a coop in the summer, I believe that you will obtain a sterling education with RIT. It was a tough decision for my daughter to turn them down in favor of Cincinnati. You should also check out the University of Cincinnati's program.</p>

<p>I did, but they were VERY specific about wanting people to have a BFA. Instead they encourage people to apply for the last three years of their Bachelor program... <em>rolls eyes</em> I appreciate their intensity, but for myself I prefer RIT's method of what appears to be easier admissions and separating the wheat from the chaff with a difficult curriculum.</p>

<p>Just an update, in case anybody got interested in the past few pages of this thread: I ended up applying to California College of the Arts, University of Washington, SCAD, MICA, Pratt, and RIT. I've made it onto the shortlist for UW and am visiting and interviewing in Seattle next week. Other than that, no word.... MFA programs are sloooooow.</p>