<p>I just learned that Pratt has a branch in Utica, NY called PrattMWP. Does anyone know anything about this? Is it any easier to get into PrattMWP than Pratt in Brooklyn?</p>
<p>PrattMWP is a two-year program and students transfer to Brooklyn after two years. Also, the tuition is cheaper at PrattMWP than it is in Brooklyn.</p>
<p>Would love to hear more about it!</p>
<p>MoD: I don’t have much info, other than that daughter applied after finding out about it at the last minute, and was accepted. We call it “SnowyPratt” because their website has all those pictures of students in the snow! The problem we’re having now is that the document requirements for financial aid are a bit intense – they want copies of social security card and license, notarized statement from student that they did not file a tax return, stuff like that. They accepted her after Feb 1, then sent a letter this week asking for all that info, “due by Feb 1”. Not sure how they expected us to know they wanted all of that, as it wasn’t on the website.</p>
<p>Did you have a chance to visit the campus? What’s your impression of the place (aside from the financial aid organization)?</p>
<p>Have you made a decision about where your daughter is going to go? Did she finally choose Pratt MWP? If so, why?</p>
<p>MoD: Oh, you haven’t been reading other threads! 
We’re EFC=0, we can’t afford campus visits. As I said, daughter found out about it at the last minute and applied. Our impressions of the place are entirely from the website. I don’t decide where my children attend college, they do – she will decide based on the financials entirely (unless she can choose between full rides like my son did!) So, if she chooses PrattMWP, it will be because they were the most affordable school. I would love it if she could pick a college based on other factors, but that’s just not realistic; there is no family money to contribute to her education and I do not believe in accruing debt for college.</p>
<p>I am from Utica and MWP/Pratt is VERY well-respected. I encourage you to look into it. The “campus” is small and near Utica’s downtown. Utica is a small city in Upstate NY. Like all cities, it has some crime, but I view it as pretty safe (I am relocating back there from Northern Virginia later this year to live closer to family). It does have a snowy climate, although this year I don’t think that they have had as much snow as I had in Virginia. I am not in the “art world” and just stumbled on this thread; but I do have a friend who is an artist and he knows of MWP/Pratt independent of me – it really enjoys an excellent reputation.</p>
<p>Thanks…the snow doesn’t bother us, we’re in New England. I’ll see if my D wants to pursue this. I like the reduced tuition they offer.</p>
<p>What is there to do in Utica? Does anyone know what the school/social environment is like there? Do most people who finish their two years at Pratt MWP stay move to Pratt in Brooklyn, or do some transfer to other art schools?</p>
<p>Wow, some one sent me this link - great to know you’re considering PrattMWP. Straight from the horses mouth - we, here at MWP have a huge endowment and so lots of scholarships. It is easier to get accepted to MWP then Pratt Brooklyn and once you’re accepted you’re a Pratt student. 75% of the students here decide to move to Brooklyn for their junior and senior year - which is an automatic matriculation. 25% decide to go to other schools, usually with large or full scholarships. you can email me directly at <a href=“mailto:fcaprino@mwpai.edu”>fcaprino@mwpai.edu</a> for more information but it’s definately a good idea to here from other students and parents.</p>
<p>We visited PrattMWP in December. Other schools we’d visited over the previous 6 months included Columbia College (Chicago), Goucher, SCAD, Art Institute of Boston, MassART, SUNY New Paltz. The college was already on C’mas break and quiet. I’d never been to Utica NY, though I grew up about 2 1/2 hours away in Malone. Utica was certainly not on my list of top choices to have my daughter be stuck, even for 2 years, but my daughter wanted to visit, it was ‘kind of’ on the way to our Christmas destination, and I figured it would be worth a quick stop and an hour tour - I mean, how much time could a tour of an art school in Utica take, right? HOWEVER (and there’s often a ‘however’) we finished what turned out to be a 1+ hour tour of the compact ‘campus’ (a wonderful mix of restored and / or renovated Victorian houses and new academic/studio and residential buildings in a quiet old neighborhood of Utica). The studio spaces are superb - huge. The buildings - without exception - meticulously maintained. The faculty that we happened to meet enthusiastic and welcoming. Then met with the Admissions director, Francy - as a family, not just my daughter as had been the case in other reviews - for a portfolio review: this was a wonderful experience, very relaxed, great critical comments, excellent general guidance. It was a very reinforcing experience for both daughter and dad, no sales job whatsoever. After the portfolio review, our ‘tour guide’ Brittany, the assistant director, took us back to the college bookstore - we had wanted to pick up a souvenir or two of our visit, but it was closed due to the C’mas break. Brittany had arranged with the manager to have it opened for us so that we could pick up a souvenir or two of the visit. We then stopped by to see the adjacent Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Museum (the ‘MWP’ of PrattMWP) and were just blown away by the buildings themselves - modern, airy multi-story building connected by breezeway (past outdoor sculpture garden) to the old Williams mansion which has been maintained fully furnished for historical tours and has connected to it another modern gallery. The depth and breadth of the collection is just tremendous - painting, sculpture, jewelry, furniture. Certainly one of the best collections in the US. I kept saying over and over again - “And in UTICA!?!” A superb museum / gallery by any standard - and a superb resource for the students.</p>
<p>The student body is around 200 - very small. Utica is a small city. As for ‘what do students do on weekends?’ question, Brittany’s answer was “…art!” - and this seemed like a great response. Of course there are things to do, but the students attending were there to develop as artists. It’s a particularly good fit for my daughter - she’s lived overseas all her life, never lived in US, and the 2-year stint in Utica before going to Brooklyn would be a good transition - as it would be for many kids transitioning from the cocoon of home to the college world. Whether or not my daughter ends up at PrattMWP, we do without reservation recommend and urge anyone interested in art/ design to at least visit the website, but also take the time to visit. It’s in a great part of NYState, on the edge of the Adirondack Park, very close to a beautiful natural world of lakes, forests, streams, mountains, and yet also close enough to NYC and very close to other NYS cities. Give it a serious look.</p>
<p>Based on a tour of the campus, PrattMWP sounds like an excellent, inexpensive alternative to Brooklyn or any other art school. There are definitely perks about it: the small student to teacher ratio, accessibility of the small campus and great museum are a few that come to mind. Actually going here, however, is a completely different story. First there are only so many kids so if your kid doesn’t fit in it’s going to be a lonely two years. Cliques form and it can become a live-in addition to high school. Second Utica is tiny, uninspiring and post-apocalyptic - expect little to no exposure to the contemporary art world and absolutely NOTHING to do off campus except browse at the Salvation Army. This place is like a purgatory between high school and college, please keep this in mind when applying.</p>
<p>loomer: Your description is almost word for word why my daughter didn’t accept their admissions offer. It was the best option financially, but she was gravely concerned that the environment would not be enriching enough and the social options might not work out. The other issue is that it’s hard enough/expensive enough to get there that none of her friends would be able to visit her, nor would she be able to afford to fly back to visit them. </p>
<p>It does sound like a nice option, but I think it would be a stronger option for someone from the general region who could use the trains to visit home/friends/family.</p>
<p>Did any of your son/daughter attend the school later? If yes, how was their experience?</p>