Ringling College of Art + Design

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
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<p>Hi! I haven't been on the site for awhile and came across a question that I've seen others post regarding visitors to the Ringling campus getting the impression that it's too quiet and/or that students leave campus on the weekends. My daughter just finished her freshman year, and as a very social kid she couldn't be happier with the school. As a parent, I am immensely pleased with the college in every way, so thought I'd address what I've seen as a concern about the social environment. In addition, I have visited a number of times and as far as things to do in the area, we never seem to see everything we'd like! I wrote this post in reply to a message I received, but am not sure what thread it was under so I started a new one here. If anyone has kiddos starting at Ringling this summer, feel free to ask any questions you may have about what to bring, where to stay, the workload, the first year, etc. I'm happy to help!</p>

<p>(my reply to a message)
Oh no! I am just reading this very old message now...my apologies! I don't know how I missed it, and it didn't appear as a response in my e-mail. Anyway, I hope I can clear up your question for others and hopefully it won't be too late for you! The Ringling ID department is impressive, and if your daughter chose the school I hope it rockets her into a great career! I've seen the students' work and can see why she liked the department. As an aside, if she did choose Ringling and there is a way for you to reach me with questions I would be more than happy to answer any you may have about starting her out there! OK, on to your question: (I have to post in parts due to character limits)</p>

<p>Yes, I see Sarasota as a pretty safe place, and am happy to report that the 5 year plan for the school includes an expansion which to me looks like the school is perhaps buying up surrounding properties. There are plans for more buildings, pathways, even more green space, etc. Very exciting and will be implemented in stages starting immediately. I'm glad my dd will be there to take advantage of all the new facilities! So, what I have called "sketchy" in past posts is being replaced with college buildings. Yay!</p>

<p>My daughter just finished her freshman year at Ringling and says it was the best year of her life! I am so proud of her accomplishments, not only academically but just adapting to a new place far from home and all the changes being away for the first time entails. She is an extremely social kid, will never choose to work alone if there is an option! I have been a little confused reading past posts about how quiet the campus seems, so I'll try to clear that up. I've visited both before she started there and several times this year. Yes, during the day kids are in classes and since each class is 3 hours long, the campus is quiet during the day. Most kids take 2 or 3 classes/day so that is why you won't see many kids walking around. Many of the guest speakers come in at lunchtime so the kids can grab something to go and take in a lecture by a visitor, or meet friends in one of the on-campus cafes or dining halls. Sometimes clubs have meetings during the lunch hour, too.</p>

<p>There is always something going on. I think you can see a list of daily activities if you go on the website (I have different access as a parent so maybe I see everything). Every week student life e-mails the kids a list by day and time, more than they can do with their workload! There are club meetings, guest lecturere, films, recruiters (open to all when they give a presentation, very cool!), screenings, trips to the beach, rock-climbing, theme parks, free tiks to the performing arts center, tons of volunteer opportunities, parties, free food nights, etc. etc. Really there is more to do than my dd has time for and I hope she can find time next year to take advantage of more.</p>

<p>Most of the kids are from distant places (US and abroad), so it's definitely not a suitcase campus. My dd is with a group all the time; they are always working but every night a whole bunch of them meet, put on a movie, and work on their projects. She doesn't do anything alone and always seems to be greeted if we are walking around. Makes my heart happy that she is in such a friendly place! As the kids get to know one another they will go shopping or out for a bite, really seem to help each other out. When I did the college tours with my kids, we made it a point to stay at least overnight in every town so we could see what it might be like to live in a place; wanted it to be lively, safe, and like you said, a good quality of life (my exact words)! So, your dd's desire to be social will be met, and if someone is more reclusive they can choose that, too, even getting a single room as a freshman. My dd wanted a roommate and the freshman dorm was wonderful for her!
There is also an active parents' association; you'll get invites to some nice events for orientation and also family weekend. There's a facebook page for parents, too, and a link on the Ringling site for parent info. </p>

<p>This is getting wordy so I'll stop here, but feel free to ask any questions or for more specific info. I am so pleased with the school in every way; genuinely nice people who care deeply about the kids and their ultimate success. I wish your dd the best next year, wherever she chose to go!</p>

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<p>p.s. My dd is an Illustration major if anyone has questions pertaining to that. First year students all do a Core program so they meet kids from all majors, and of course they meet a mix of kids in the dorms. Dd connected with kids in all majors, and said it was funny on movie nights to hear all the comments depending on one’s perspective!</p>

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<p>thanks for the great review. My daughter is a junior and will apply to Ringling, but we have not had time to visit. She is also interested in illustration.</p>

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<p>Hi phillyartmom, Let me know if you have any questions! If your dd decides on Illustration, she will have the benefit of the new ill studios since from what I read those are first on the agenda! Most of the buildings are pretty new anyway, especially the places freshman spend time (new freshman dorm, new academic center that is just beautiful). If you visit, try to plan some time in downtown on Main Street and on St. Armand’s Circle just for fun. The beaches are over by St. Armand’s, too. The kids will be back on campus after August 22nd, so you might want to plan for after that. Except for Thanksgiving and spring break time, airfares are very affordable! Are you coming from Philly? We love that town! We’ve done lots of trips there over the years, and then dd spent quite a bit of time at CHOP. You will love to visit Sarasota; the weather is fabulous and sometimes it is hard coming back to the northeast! Good luck to your dd wherever she chooses to go. There’s a fit out there for everyone!</p>

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<p>Colcon, yes we live outside of Philly, but we are from SF and Boston, originally. Philly is a great city, but one that does not get the good press it should! Glad you liked it here, but sorry that your dd had to spend time at Chop. Are you from the neighboring areas? I will let you know if we have any questions about Ringling. I expect it won’t be until after the summer. Dd will be in Italy for the first part and then she will be doing “Camp College Application”, which will include Portfolio time too!</p>

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<p>Hi Phillyartmom, We’re a few hours away from Philadelphia, but it’s always worth a road trip! So much to see and do in the area, and we started visiting before we had kids and just kept going! When dd was at CHOP we were fortunate to have access to the Ronald McDonald House on Chestnut Street…what a lifesaver! Dd is doing great thanks to the miracle workers at CHOP!</p>

<p>Wow, sounds like your dd has a wonderful summer ahead! The trip to Italy should pump her up for her applications. Good luck with those and getting her portfolio together; at least you can submit that online and do it in bits and pieces, saving it until you are ready to finalize her application. Quality over quantity is best, with drawings from life (observational) and a full range of values (whitest white to blackest black, not everything in the mid-range). My dd also submitted some sculpture since that is something she loves to do. This time next year she’ll be all set and you’ll be shopping for dorm room stuff!</p>

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<p>Hi, my daughter has applied to RCAD for fall of 2012. We’ve read some very negative reviews about RCAD: ghetto surroundings, high crime, very expensive and totally biased toward animation and gaming. Since your daughter has actually attended and is interested in illustration, what do you feel about those negative comments? We live on the west coast, so she’ll be VERY far from home and I don’t want her to be miserable.
Thanks.</p>

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<p>Hi calgam, Ringling is a great school! If you search my posts (I think you can click my screen name) you will see my responses to questions about the school, and I am always happy to answer more either here on the board or you can pm me. See my 5/23/11 post below for starters! Phillyartmom’s husband and daughter visited the school, too, so she may also have an objective viewpoint since her D hasn’t started yet! Yes, my D is an illustration major and continues to be very happy at school: professors, dorms, friends, etc. The 5 year plan I addressed last May is well underway, with a brand new Illustration building (among many other things) and upcoming studios for the illustration majors. There are some big name professors in the department and it is very challenging. The college is very honest with the kids from the time they are accepted on: they will work harder than they ever have in their lives, but Ringling students are pursued because they are trained to meet professional standards all through school. The college is definitely sinking $$ into Illustration and the other majors, not just animation and gaming. If you look at the Ringling home page you will see the kids are winning awards across the board: film, animation, interior design, advertising, etc. and of course Ringling consistently has a large number of students accepted into the Society of Illustrators. I have no complaints and feel that D is getting everything she deserves. I would not be a happy camper if I felt her program was deemed less important than another.</p>

<p>That brings me to tuition! Yes, it is expensive, just like any other art college. Here in NY D could have attended FIT for about $3000!! But she knew Ringling was the place for her over all the others, and for a private college I don’t think it’s out of line with the others. Housing is very affordable, much less than the dorms cost here in the NE, even at state schools. The college is very up front about the cost and where the $ goes, and it is easy to see all the capital and program improvements. There is something new every time I have visited.</p>

<p>I have addressed what I called the “sketchy” neighborhood in the past, and now that others have visited the school I have gotten some ribbing about that! I guess compared to the suburb where I live, the area east of the college is gritty, but some of those on the board who have kids attending school or living in Baltimore, Philadelphia, etc. laugh at me! Maybe you have to see for yourself b/c my perspective might be off! There is an area across the bayou, east of the college that is definitely a depressed residential area. West of the college is fine, nice neighborhoods where some kids live off-campus, typical stores like CVS and Walgreens, little cafes, coffee, and south of the campus is gorgeous Sarasota. North of campus is a little run down, but the kids do go over to Goodwill to find stuff for their projects, and a little further north it gets really nice with the Ringling Museum, the airport area and hotels, and lots of normal shopping north and east. In the immediate area next to the campus east and north, the college has been buying up property and this is included in the long range plans for more dorms, dining, and academic buildings, studios, etc. These projects are underway to some extent (I guess as they can purchase houses in the area they do so). My D is not a street savvy kid, and I feel very safe with her being where she is. On campus is very safe and the college has all the typical public safety lights, escorts, etc. and the kids generally are together anyway. I would recommend you call the public safety office for a chat; they are so nice and will honestly answer your questions, and again when the kids go to Orientation they get a presentation (as do parents) from public safety. I would never send my kid to a place where I didn’t think she was safe to the extent one can be anywhere these days! Of course I always wish for their safekeeping when they are far from home! Maybe ask public safety (or admissions) about the crime rate in Sarasota city vs. the crime rate on campus. I would do that for any college or university. </p>

<p>I hope that answers some of your questions! Feel free to ask more. It’s a big decision, and one you want to feel comfortable with! My kids all went far away so I know exactly where you’re coming from and had the same concerns. Best of luck to you!</p>

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<p>Hi Calgam, my dh and dd went to visit Ringling and my dd loved it. She liked the atmosphere and felt the kids were very supportive ( she has also spoken to kids from her high school who are there and very happy). I don’t think my dh was all that concerned about the sketchy area around campus. But having applied to Tyler at Temple which is surrounded by some terrible parts of Philadelphia and MICA which also has some very very sketchy areas, I think that Sarasota would be fine. We also have found the admission counselors at Ringling to be so helpful. I went to a meeting here without my dd and the counselor said some stuff about my dd that really let me know that he cared! We are also worried about dd being far from home, although not as far as Cal(where I am assuming you live)! But we will get over it. Good luck.</p>

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<p>Well there is no doubt about Ringling being an incredibly beautiful campus. The location is absolutely ideal as well. One plus about the location is that there are so many places close by to visit if there is a desire for more hustle and bustle. Tampa is not far away, and is very busy. There is also the close proximity of G-ville with its flocks of college students.</p>

<p>It is understandable that it seems quiet there, most likely because of what other posters mentioned about the long duration of studio classes. There are not going to be loads of kids running around between their hour long math classes, or skipping those math classes. </p>

<p>It seems at Ringling that there are people studying what interests them and what they are passionate about. That can make it seem more serious and quiet but will not keep anyone from having social interaction.</p>

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<p>Hello, my dd is interested in Ringling for Illustration. She will be a hs junior next year. Would you mind providing an update on your experiences with the school now that it is 2014? </p>