<p>I'd like some opinions about where you would apply early if you were in my position: I want to major (or concentrate or focus or whatever it is) in graphic design, and also take some classes in film and photography, and also have the opportunity to take classes in literature and creative writing. I have really strong grades as well as a strong portfolio. I have narrowed my list down to Wash U (Sam Fox School of Design) and Brown (in which I would have to coordinate my schedule so I can take classes at RISD). So, I'm wondering what you guys would do in this situation and if there are any other schools you would suggest (I know about the Brown/RISD dual degree program, but it's like impossible to get into so I'm not considering that right now). I'd appreciate any opinions, thanks.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’m just missing them, but I don’t see any graphic design courses at Brown, where the Visual Arts Dept. offerings are more focused on digital imaging and fine arts. That means that you would be relying solely on RISD’s offerings to get the graphic design classes you want. </p>
<p>Be aware that you will be restricted to ONE such course at RISD per semester and can take it only if there is room available. (RISD’s studios are deliberately kept under 15 students and obviously, RISD students have priority.) Scheduling will almost certainly create some difficulties for you, and you need to consider that very carefully. RISD has a 4-1-4 calendar that does not really match up with Brown at all from January - June so you may have to give up your part of your Christmas break and definitely all of your spring break to take RISD classes then. (The calendars for the two schools are only one week off from each other in the fall, so you’ll have a much easier time then.) And fitting a 4 - 6 hour studio class in with your more traditional class schedule at Brown may not always be doable. Also, note that RISD’s courses are rigidly sequential (meaning that most classes have prerequisites and you have to take classes in a specific order), which will further restrict you.</p>
<p>Given all that, WUSTL seems to be the much better choice for you. It has a communications design major and also all of the other subjects you want. Going to Brown – on the assumption that you can “back door” into RISD to get the classes that you want – seems very risky.</p>
<p>^Agreed completely. Are there any other schools you would suggest?</p>
<p>Frankly, for communication design, I wouldn’t pick either one! Brown has its limitations as noted by worried_mom. Wash U, however, doesn’t have a lot of offerings in Communications design. I asked them about this problem. They answered me with, " Students are encouraged to double major." Frankly, I found this to be a very unsatisfactory answer.</p>
<p>Check out Carnegie Mellon. Also , Check out University of Cincinnati, DAAP school and, of course, RISD.</p>
<p>Just got back from the RISD by Design Parent/Alumni weekend, so my perspective is biased, but by all means, look at RISD (and many other arts programs) by itself. RISD REQUIRES literature and other liberal arts courses (about one-third of curriculum), so I think you could get everything you want there. As I recall, MICA was similar. And the Brown/RISD campus is very nice.</p>
<p>lpage3, if you are considering Brown and Wash U, you must be a smart cookie. Why not try for the Brown/RISD dual degree? Here’s an idea: Do the Brown app first because it has a deadline of January 1, then work on the RISD application and portfolio, which as a deadline of February 15. You can be accepted into either school, or accepted into both. To be safe, be sure to keep other schools in the mix. Do you have a portfolio yet, in full or in part? If you want some more suggestions or info on the dual degree program, let me know. My daughter is in it and loves it. The first year was Foundation Studies at RISD and it was exceedingly intense. This year at Brown is proving to be much more relaxed. </p>
<p>We also have a very high regard for Wash U. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>lpage, some other schools to look into, aside from Brown/RISD and Wash U are University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon and University of Cincinnati. </p>
<p>UMich - One of the accreditation agencies (NASAD?) wrote that if they could create an art & design program from the ground up, it would look like UMichigan’s. Their normal deadline is pretty early, as I recall.</p>
<p>CMU - Intense, well-known, great job opportunities for their design majors, which include Industrial Design and Communication Design. </p>
<p>DAAP at UCincinnati - Flagship co-op program. DAAP has an early regular deadline too (my D missed it last year). I’d guess you could get a scholarship if your grades are good enough for Brown and WashU.</p>
<p>WashU - Great art facilities, lots of options to double-major. I don’t know how well known their Sam Fox School of Art is, but I got the impression they are investing heavily in it.</p>
<p>RISD - If you’re really into graphic design, they have both a 4-year (BFA) and a 5-year (BGD) major in it. They’re one of the more well-rounded art schools, with a good liberal arts program, and of course, the ability to take classes at Brown. From what I’ve heard, it’s easier to be a RISD student and take classes at Brown, than vice versa.</p>
<p>Brown - Doesn’t seem to fit your needs as much without RISD. I don’t know much about Brown’s Visual Arts department, but if you did apply Early Decision there with the hope of ultimately getting into the Dual Degree program, and then didn’t get into RISD (or did indeed get into RISD too but then didn’t get into the dual program) you’d be “stuck” at Brown. A pretty good place to be stuck, unless it doesn’t offer what you really want…</p>
<p>I’m sure there are more schools to consider; we didn’t even look in the South or the West when we were searching last year.</p>
<p>I checked out Michigan’s art and design program. Frankly, I didn’t see a lot of courses in any one area and was a bit unimpressed. My take on them was that you get broad based design training but NOT enough for a specific career. Thus, if you want Graphic Design or Industrial Design, you will get some training in each area, but not the same degree of specificity that you would get at CMU or Cincinnati or RISD. You can check them out for yourself. See [A&D</a> - Course Descriptions](<a href=“http://art-design.umich.edu/courses]A&D”>Courses | U-M Stamps)</p>
<p>One other school I forgot about is Boston University. They do offer a graphic design major in their School of Visual Arts, and the ability to get a dual degree through their BUCOP program, which I believe you can apply to during your sophomore year. I’m not sure how much exposure you will get with film (hey, that might be a pun), but it looks like there are some photography classes required as part of the g.d. program. [Boston</a> University College of Fine Arts](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/cfa/visual-arts/prospective/undergraduate/design/]Boston”>http://www.bu.edu/cfa/visual-arts/prospective/undergraduate/design/)</p>
<p>Does anyone know how well regarded BU’s School of Visual Arts is?</p>
<p>Although Boston University is considered, overall, a good school, I have never heard anyone rave about their visual arts department. Moreover, I have never met any designer from any field that went there.</p>
<p>If you were confident that you were brown material, you might want to take a shot at yale, they do offer graphic design courses (as well as everything else you mentioned) at undergrad level and you would have the ability to take a few graduate level courses (keep in mind yale’s graduate programs in art are some of the “best” in the US). I think The School of The Museum of Fine Arts also has a partnership with Tufts university so that even if you weren’t enrolling in their dual degree program you would still be able to cross register classes but you might want to verify that. The University of Pennsylvania is also supposed to have a strong art department (according to my fiske guide) and they do offer design courses.</p>
<p>In my college hunting/researching experience most general universities and liberal arts colleges do not offer programs in graphic design. However those that do usually allow you the ability to mix all kinds of art and design courses to fulfill your major requirement, much unlike art schools such as RISD, Parsons, Pratt etc which have very rigid and focussed curricula.</p>