I applied RD to the Stamps school of art and design, but I’ve heard mixed reviews about the program. Does anyone have a word or two to say about the courses/faculty/etc.? How hard is it to transfer into the School of Information after first year? Thanks in advance!
My daughter is a freshman at Stamps. So far she has enjoyed it. Stamps is unique in that you can combine other interests with Art. She wanted a college experience where she can take classes other than just Art. She has decided to declare a minor in creative writing along with her BFA at the encouragement of one of her professors that she had outside Stamps. She would not of gotten that opportunity if she went to just an Art school. The faculty at Stamps has been very supportive of her too as she had some bumps with school starting (friend passed away unexpectedly at the start of the semester). If you want academics along with Art than Stamps at UM is for you. Not many Art schools offer the possibilities that Michigan has with art and academics. The only downside to UM as a whole is the amount of partying- way more than my daughter and us expected at a school that has such high academic standards to get in. It might just be her dorm too. First semester she had 2 guys on her floor hospitalized for alcohol poisoning and she says her floor constantly smells of pot.
Thanks for your thorough reply! How challenging are the art and design courses? I’ve heard students complain that the fine arts courses offer depths similar to that of highschools. Also, what stats got her into Stamps?
@amypan my daughter never applied to Stamps but had been encouraged to, given her strong academics. She opted instead for Pratt which is a dedicated art/design institution (one minor correction to @DBY2017’s post is that Pratt also offers the creative writing minor to complement a BFA in something else).
Stamps is accredited by NASAD so I wouldn’t worry so much about rigor. One thing that differs from other dedicated programs is that there is more focus on academics relative to studio. Credit-wise, it’s about 50-50:
https://stamps.umich.edu/undergraduate-programs/bfa#review
However, looking just at credits earned can be deceiving if those studio courses run long. You really want to look at contact hours (ie time spent in studio or classroom). Typically, a rigorous BFA program runs about 2/3 Studio to 1/3 academic. Hopefully someone can weigh-in on whether that’s the case at Stamps.
According to the Stamps FAQ page, “Students admitted to Stamps have an average GPA of 3.7, an average ACT of 29 and an average SAT of 1300 (verbal and math). Don’t forget, these are averages, not minimums - and academics are only part of our admissions evaluation. Your portfolio is going to count for about 50% of our admissions decision.”
Finally, you not only need a portfolio to be admitted - since it counts for 50% of the admission decision per the FAQ’s - but you also must undergo a Sophomore Review. Therefore, advancement in the program is simply not guaranteed once you matriculate. Guessing that the weakest get weeded out/transfer to the BA program or similar.
Whether Stamps, or any particular school or BFA program, works for you is an individual decision that is best answered by visiting and seeing what it’s like. There are several considerations: Stand-alone vs. University, Public vs. Private, etc. Programs might also differ from one another by degree of specialization. For instance, some might allow you free choice of studio electives, while others admit you to or have you declare a specific “major” (say in graphic design or animation or drawing/painting). Lots of choices.
@amypan - also, I believe you can only apply to the I-School once you have sophomore standing:
“Bachelor of Science in Information
The Bachelor of Science in Information is an upper-level undergraduate degree, completed during junior and senior years at U-M. The richly interdisciplinary program encompasses both the social and technical aspects of the digital revolution, examining major issues at the intersection of people, information, and technology. As the first iSchool in the world to offer this integrated degree, UMSI gives students the opportunity to gain breadth and depth through rigorous coursework, frequent interaction with faculty, high-level practical experiences, and research engagement.”
https://www.si.umich.edu/content/bsi
“Currently enrolled U-M students – Cross-Campus Transfer
Current University of Michigan undergraduate students apply once they have sophomore standing and transfer to the School of Information as juniors. The application deadline is February 1 each year.”
https://www.si.umich.edu/programs/bachelor-science-information/bsi-admissions
@JBStillFlying Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time, your info and sources are beyond helpful! I will definitely refer to your words when I make my college decision.
P.S. I am also admitted to Pratt this year 
How does your daughter find it there?
@amypan - she’s really enjoyed her time at Pratt. Communication Design. Graduating this spring! (PS she says the dorm food has improved vastly since she started there 
).
I probably should have been more clear at Stamps- they are extremely flexible and you can combine a BFA with another degree or minor outside of Stamps. Since UM is a large University you have a lot more options other than what an Art school could offer. So far the art courses have been fairly challenging for my daughter. She did say in her classes there are a mix of students and skill levels. She said she felt bad for some of the photography students who had to take figure drawing, she said some were pretty bad which makes it awkward when you have to critique work. It is early to have a good opinion since my daughter has only completed one semester, but so far she does like it and her second semester is going well too.