<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I've been accepted to all of these schools in the title, and I really don't know where should I go. I'm nudging towards Parsons (Design & Technology), but I really don't know how the others stand in terms of reputation / networking.</p>
<p>As for the majors in all schools:
Parsons (Design & Technology)
Pratt / SVA / Art Center (Graphic Design)
Ringling (Graphic & Interactive Communications)</p>
<p>Can anyone help?
Thanks.</p>
<p>ffrisco, first congrats on your acceptances. You don’t mention your personal criteria for selecting these schools. Are they all equal in your mind in terms of location, campus/lack of, dorms/lack of?</p>
<p>OP
I went to see Artcenter and gawd they are good.
if you have a way to pay and live and not in NY is OK, I’d go there for design/illustration in traditional-employable-training-way.
but is it ^ your thing?</p>
<p>@mom4art,</p>
<p>Thank you, I worked very hard and didn’t get any help or support until after I got accepted, so it was harder than usual. Living in Croatia also made things more complicated.</p>
<p>As for my personal preferences, I just want to receive the best education, everything else is secondary. The impression that I got from these schools are like this:</p>
<p>1) Parsons - very prestigious school, pays great attention to the business side of art & design so you learn to cash your creativity and knowledge. Great connections in the industry and great reputation. New York is their campus, and that’s also very appealing since I come from a small city in the Mediterranean where every day is the same - I want to escape from that kind of living and I think that NY couldn’t be the better place. Also, you don’t have much of a problem to find a job after graduating, because Parsons students are known for their work ethic and effort to do the best job they can do.</p>
<p>2) SVA - Also great reputation, but somehow more oriented too much on the ‘art’ side. I didn’t read too much about this school so I don’t have an impression of it rather than what I said before. Their catalog is great tho, I was very impressed by it.</p>
<p>3) Pratt - Too old, way behind the latest technology, located in the suburban area which is what I want to escape from here. Emphasis on the ‘too old’. I also heard that their administration is very rude, and that the halls and the bathrooms / dorms are in terrible shape and dirty most of the time. Accepts students just to pay for the latest construction rather then being selective.</p>
<p>4) Ringling - Beautiful campus, has many connections in the industry and generally enjoys a great reputation (mostly for Computer Animation but my major would be Graphic & Interactive Technologies, don’t know much about the majors reputation). The only problem is that it’s located in a small resort town in Florida (Sarasota), which is generally more of a town for older rich folk, rather than for a young college kid with not much money to throw around. Maybe the biggest turnoff is is that it’s located a couple of blocks from a ghetto, which is very dangerous by night and many students had terrible experiences. The only thing appealing for a small town is that it’s generally a safe place to live in - but this is a exception from that rule. I don’t want to pay $50k to feel unsafe.</p>
<p>5) Art Center - maybe the biggest reputation of all of the schools before, but most expensive because they don’t have a campus, so you have to rent an apartment and pay your bills and food which is very expensive. On the bright side, I could cook by myself (which I love doing), but I suppose that it would be very expensive to live that lifestyle, and commute every day to Pasadena (no car).</p>
<p>So these are my impressions that I gathered ONLY by looking at the school’s catalogs and websites, and also reading on forums. Sorry if anything I said that is wrong, I’m only telling you so you can maybe correct me if I didn’t get the right impression.</p>
<p>I got accepted in the Parsons MFA Design and Technology as well. I also applied to SVA, didn’t get accepted though 
From what I know, SVA focuses more on typography and font making and some film. The Parson’s program has a Bootcamp workshop for Coding I believe during the summer that might be separate in pricing than the tuition. (I saw on their website it was 2000 dollars) Anyway, good luck with your decision and hopefully you’ll be my classmate next semester!</p>
<p>I’m not MFA, I’m undergraduate. Good luck also, see ya!</p>
<p>Ah, my mistake. I forgot that Parson’s had a Design and Technology undergraduate program as well.</p>
<p>Pasadena is a college town in and of itself. So there’s no reason to not live within bus distance of the Art Center. You should be able to find a shared housing arrangement with other students if not from the art center then from Cal Tech (where my husband got his Undergraduate degree from) or Pasadena city college students. You could check with the housing offices of those schools, maybe they can help you. I had a friend who lived in a small cottage in Pasadena with her sister and the rent was very affordable for them (this was a long time ago, though – but still, it is a college town and there are places that are affordable for students).</p>
<p>ffrisco - Wow! Lucky you living along the sun-drenched mediterranean! We visited Croatia last year and were completely charmed. Gorgeous! D considered Art Center and visited them at NPD. I agree with Bears about it - fabulous design school. I asked the NPD rep whether there were apts in walking distance and she looked surprised and said most students drive. She also said they could help connect you with other students looking for apts. You sound very independent and determined, so city challenges will likely be less of an issue. If all these things are equal, I would think total cost would have some weight in your decision. </p>
<p>Surely there are opinions out there on the Graphic Design and Interactive Technologies programs at these schools -folks?? Also, comments on the job placement/recruiting opportunities at these schools?</p>
<p>^I copied down what was on the students’ board, can’t find the note now but there were many options for housing. shared apartment to house or hi end loft, anywhere $500-2000 per month.
the school is in this bowl, nothing around. thou bus (more like little shuttles) comes and goes to Pasadena right in front of the school, not that often and not sure about nights or weekends but I heard kids without car somehow managing.
did not see anyone walking or biking. once you get to Pasadena, commuter train that goes into LA is right there, very easy and quick.
It was interesting little town, people are surprisingly diverse. I did not buy/eat anything so can’t tell about price of things.
Did you get any scholarships? they give away freely to internationals, lots of Asians.
15-17K for half a year is not that bad for what you could gain, and it was said to be impossible but you can speed up to max 2 and half years (8 month) to finish required 8 blocks for BFA.
I would have tried if I was young and fearless.
at least visit if you can before making decision. NY never goes anywhere. Your job or relationships might bring you here sometime in the future if you are staying for good.
then again, if I am not in the NYC all these years, won’t be wow-ed by Art Center as much as I did.</p>
<p>one downside
I was bit by mosquito while waiting for the bus in end of January. what is summer like?</p>
<p>Hot and smoggy. Generally mosquitos are not much of a problem in S. California – but where I grew up was closer to the ocean so there would be more breezes, so maybe less mosquitos.<br>
But Pasadena in the summer is hot and smoggy, no doubt about that.</p>
<p>if OP wants do cramming three terms instead of two a year, suppose have to deal with Pasadena summer.
warm, T-shirt, lemons hanging from trees winter (is this like, Mediterranean?) and smoggy hot mosquito-y summer.
something to think about.
Gmom
should we then tell OP about last week’s frozen hail/sleet/snow fall in the end of March in NY?</p>
<p>I’ll take hot and smoggy in Pasadena any day over hot and humid (and smoggy) in NYC. At least in Pasadena (if it’s not too smoggy) you can look at the mountains and imagine feeling cool. Better yet, you can travel up to the foothills overlooking Pasadena and gaze down at the sea of brown muck below you and be glad you climbed up where it’s cooler and clearer and more comfortable. </p>
<p>Hmmm maybe the OP should consider Laguna College of Art and Design… very small but maybe up and coming. Plus you can’t beat the location for weather. There’s the beach. And then there’s the beach. And then there’s more beach. Very much a meditteranean state of mind. </p>
<p>Yes, New York weather has not been very Spring-like lately, has it. I was almost lulled into putting the heavy winter coats and gloves and stuff away, but now I’m glad I procrastinated. We still need those things and we’re looking down the throat of April.</p>
<p>Check out taxguy’s thread for some more Pratt and SVA info:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1112161-my-take-mfa-programs-usc-pratt-sva.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1112161-my-take-mfa-programs-usc-pratt-sva.html</a></p>
<p>He’s talking about an MFA program, but gives good advice regarding atmosphere, location and hidden fees. I must add that Brooklyn is hardly suburban in feel!</p>
<p>I also wonder about your costs to fly from Croatia to NYC or to California. Will you stay here for 4 years or be going back and forth a lot? If so, those extra costs will add up. California is sunny, happy and friendly. You’ll be happy there too. Then again, in NY you will find other Croatian people, probably a special bakery, restaurant and newspaper too. And could visit your embassy’s local office if you need to. </p>
<p>By the way, my Grandmother’s family was from Lusin Picollo! I’m sorry I don’t know the proper Croatian spelling for that.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for the information, I appreciate it. :)</p>
<p>@greenwitch - Yeah I’ll be going back and forth, at least 2 times a year. By Lusin Picollo you mean Mali Loinj - not very far from my city (Zadar). Beautiful, as most islands here are.</p>
<p>Yeah, Croatia is a beautiful country, but it’s not a great country to live in. It seems great when you come as a tourist for 2 or 3 weeks on the summer when the city is crawling with other tourists, but that’s only like that for the summer. During the rest of the year, the towns are pretty much dead, no people on the streets after 7PM except for a few bars for the younger crowd. It would be nice to live here when you are older, but for a young guy it pretty much sucks. The mentality of the people here is stuck in the war era, which was over 20 years ago. People treat others poorly if they have a last name that has origins in Serbia, and you are generally discriminated against if you have different political views (either you’re a communist, Ustasha, etc.). Very primitive. The corruption in politics is beyond normal.</p>
<p>I want to escape from the way of living which is present here. Every day is absolutely the same, everybody knows everybody, etc. That’s why I want to go to a bigger city.</p>
<p>Well, good luck with whatever choice you make! You certainly have the drive to do well, and to be happy in a new place. Keep us all posted.</p>
<p>ffrisco:</p>
<p>first off, congrats in getting into these schools. you must be very talented.
i am a former parsons grad, MFA c/o '07.
i think overall, you made some good observations about all the schools.
for me, what was most important, as an designer, is your place of inspiration. as i work now, professionally, i cannot tell you how important it is to be in an environment where you can find that inspiration. i know with technology and all that now, you can go online, etc…but there is nothing like being able to step outside, walk around, and be filled with amazing things happening before you.
remember, the difference between art and design, is that with design, you are solving problems. it is absolutely outward facing…an interaction of you and your space around you. it is not an inward thing…like art. not to say we are not all artists…but the objectives are very different. so to be a successful designer…you need outside influences. </p>
<p>looking back, going to school in nyc was the best thing i could’ve done. in this day and age, nyc is the modern day rome. you have some of the highest caliber of talent in EVERY field…not just the arts…remember, inspiration comes from everywhere.
i am currently in San Francisco, and as beautiful as the city is…it cannot touch nyc in terms of creativity and variety. it is very limited in what you can see or do. the city is not dynamic. so as a creative professional, i am constantly hurting for inspiration. i am a person who does not believe in sitting at your desk, perusing thru Flickr or google images for inspiration.
with that said, i also came from southern california…so i know the prestigious reputation of art center. it is one of the best schools in the nation, IMO. as amazing as this school was, and by name alone, you could get a job…going to art school is not just about sitting in a classroom…it is about taking what you learn in the classroom and applying it to your life, your perspective…the lenses which you see life thru. this is what will make you an amazing designer.
the reason for me not attending Art Center, was simply b/c southern california is NOT a city…metropolis. it is a HUGE sprawling suburb. i always found it very disconnected and difficult to access things quickly. for example…if you live in pasadena (middle-upper class city), and i live in silver lake/los feliz…and i ask you to come over b/c i just ran into some amazing band playing with some interesting visuals…it would take you about 45 min to an hour…IN A CAR to get over to where i am. and along the way…all you see are cars on a highway.
however, in nyc…if you were uptown…and i was downtown…you’d have to walk to the subway…you might see some interesting things on the way…at the very least…you are interacting with people. you SEE how ppl interact. or say you take a cab…you have things to see all the way down town.
don’t get me wrong, nyc has it’s faults. it was one of the most difficult times going to school and living in nyc. it is a TOUGH city. but that saying is true…if you can make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere!
parsons strengths…DEFINITELY their alumni. pratt and sva also have extremely good reputations as well. what you might want to look into is their career centers, and their job placement rates. i know that at parsons…if you do really well…the faculty there are all working professionals with TONS of connections. so if you do shine…they would be more than willing to get you connected.
the way i see it is…figure out what you want out of your education. remember it extends beyond just the classroom…so you have to consider what program/city can offer you the best experience.
any questions, just message me!
good luck
michael</p>