<p>I've been accepted to Pratt & SAIC graduate graphic design programs. They are very different programs, but both harbor very attractive qualities that coincide with what I am looking from a graduate school. I've already done extensive research on both schools and now I want other people's opinions and insights. </p>
<p>Qualities I desire in a program:
-training in aspects of graphic design foundation (I am a self taught designer)
-theoretical, critical, and conceptual focus
-interdisciplinary and multi-medium supportive curriculum
-opportunity to pursue a career in the design industry and also design pedagogy
-a city with a robust design community
-nationally recognized and respected program
-quality/ supportive faculty
-some access to traditional liberal arts courses (i.e. social sciences and philosophy)</p>
<p>If you are going into graphic design look for the best program using computer technology, if the program is weak in that area and you want to work in design find another school.</p>
<p>From your comments of “conceptual focus, interdisciplinary, multi-medium support curriculum, city with robust design community, etc.” – it sounds like you are describing SAIC! With so many other colleges in the immediate vicinity and a very contemporary and young community, it sounds like SAIC would be ideal for you. Pratt is also a well-respected school with obvious connections to NYC – but it is in Brooklyn, not Manhattan. Epecially as a graduate student – I think the campus aspect of Pratt would not be relevant to you and SAIC is in an incredibly vibrant area of Chicago.</p>
<p>Pratt’s main campus is in brooklyn, but the graduate communication design dept is in manhattan.</p>
<p>And thanks for the replies. SAIC seems like a great fit based on the interdisciplinary and conceptual focus. In regards to a strong design community(I’m referring to the city, the organizations, job opportunity, art scene, etc) and a school that would provide a strong technical foundation Pratt & NYC seem like a great fit.</p>
<p>A conceptual focus for someone who wants to be a graphic artist with no actual study background is like icing on the cake. You’d best know how to make a delicious and well textured cake or you won’t have a good base on which to place the icing. And a lot of cakes are real real tasty without the icing. Seems to me you would want to go with the technical instruction and any school that provides that will also provide a lot of work in design concept…which, by the way, is generally quite different from conceptual art.</p>
<p>Actually though on second thought I also think that the reality of what graphic design is will be changing and very fluid with all the handheld devices and aps and such becoming more and more of a replacement for traditional design venues. So I guess also you should be looking for a program that acknowledges and works within that framework which is why I think looking at the way computers are woven into the program is very important. It’s a hard decision, love Chicago, love the loop, love New York, all of it!
Good luck</p>
<p>You make good points. Pratt is the school that will offer the stronger design foundation, they also have digital design and new media departments that will focus on the new technology. </p>
<p>I know “conceptual” as related to design and as related to art are two totally different beast. I want both. I would like to pursue a career in mainly in graphic design, but I am a fan of conceptual work. I think graduate school would be as good as place as any to explore that further. I think SAIC would be the best place for that. </p>
<p>My wide range of interests is making my decision very difficult. </p>
<p>Do you or does anyone else know which school has more mfa design graduates in tenured faculty positions at the collegiate level and which has more graduates successfully working in the design industry?</p>
<p>Hard to know, look for percentages not actual numbers, there are places where you can look at alumni reviews on-line. Check for college reviews by alumni, I looked for you and in one place Pratt had an 80% satisfaction with current work rating, SAIC’s was lower 44.4%. But this depends on who replies and their personal situation, perhaps more telling was helpfulness of reputation and preparedness for real world, SAIC was 5.4 on both, Pratt was 6 and 7.3. In fact Pratt’s responses on this one place were more positive than grads of RISD and Cooper Union. Maybe Pratt does better intake of students therefore gets more satisfaction, it’s all so subjective and each school is not a perfect fit for each student. However, take a look around, I don’t think you would find answers to your exact questions out there but certainly there is information about alumn responses to the schools after graduating.</p>
<p>As I learn how to say out loud those four, five letters art schools use to shorten them names
MICA ( mai-kah) RISD (rizdee) SAIC ( I always thought as of “sike!! hahaha” it is actually ess ei i see)
now I see as</p>
<p>Pratt = "PRA"c"T"ical "T"raiing
RISD = please "R"everse four years that "I S"pent so much money on the "D"reams for better income/job didn’t happen (yet)
SAIC = "S"o "A"mazingly "I"nterdisciplinary "C"ould never tell what the h*ell I am learning
CU = "C"onceptual "U"niverse<br>
or
so "C"onf"U"sing why the most selective art school could be fiilled with those kids that can’t/won’t draw</p>
<p>I’m filing this under “another reason why we love Bears”</p>
<p>and I am adding ^this to the list of “why smarty is not just those matron-ey uppy righty things sayer (AKA downer)”</p>
<p>love the names!
bears; you are VERY creative :–)</p>
<p>Moi? “righty” Never my dear bears never just practical</p>
<p>Bears, that’s hysterical! Gotta send link to my D, who is cranking out her finals now. Yesterday she sent me a “doodle” she did to de-stress - it was something it would take me days to do and stress me out!!</p>
<p>Oh, as we’ve always pronounced SAIC “Sayk” with a long A vowel sound. Wonder what they call it?</p>
<p>sorry if I can’t do pronunciation thing
as ^ it is, just read each alphabet as is, “S-A-I-C”
they should always attach what-you-call sound key with them, no?
who knows, if people never heard of them, MIT could be taken like, baseball mitt, VCU could be vacuum cleaner (that’s how I used to read, hahaha)</p>
<p>MCAD ( em cad - as of computer aided drawing “CAD”) should be
“M” y very “CA” pable “D” aughter chose this school over RISD MICA because it’s that special and her great-est fit and because we are not like those prestige monger</p>
<p>OK
OP, you can have your thread back.
only, if you answer my survey in your other thread.</p>
<p>OH would that be Sayek as in Psych-otic or Psych You Out?</p>
<p>Aiyyyyy, that was a bad joke, I was in some sort of mood yesterday I guess. </p>
<p>Anyway from what I know just to verify SAIC is pronounced just that way by the letters, S A I C. It’s a mouthful but maybe they decided that Psych or “Sayek” was too risky what with bad jokesters like me around.</p>
<p>No, not SAIC-Psych, I meant SAIC that rhymes with bake. Now that I think about it, I never heard anyone pronounce it when we visited…</p>