<p>does anyone have any idea of how successful SCAD's graduates with a fashion design major are? I applied to Parson's Design Management program because of its great reputation and got in...but I wasn't really feeling it after I visited, plus Parson's is ridiculously expensive, even with the Chase scholarship I got. however, I know that work experience and internships are important and there's no way I could get that in savannah or balance out a summer internship with a paying summer job at home in Chicago. For people on here who like to hate on SCAD, I'm aware of the crime rate and the higher acceptance rate, the lack of accreditation, and the faculty turnover. I visited and I just loved it because the facilities were clean, the students were happy/not zombies like at Parson's, and the displayed student work was on par with the student work. I'm not lazy either. I do really well academically and I have taken classes in fashion design at my high school and my local college. I am experienced with still life. However I feel a little shaky with my figure drawing because I still need magazine photographs to guide the proportion and shading of my figures. but like I said I'm not lazy, not a partier, and I'm willing to learn and take the initiative in order to do what I want to do. It's just that the "you have to go to Parsons or FIT in order to be successful" message is freaking me out a little.</p>
<p>sorry</p>
<p>*...the displayed student work was on par with the stdent work [at Parsons]</p>
<p>yeah, I can understand your worries about Parsons-- it is ridiculous expensive even with scholarships simply because it's in NYC. And several of the kids I know who go there party ALL the time, so that's a realistic concern as well.</p>
<p>I can't say anything about scad since I have no personal experience there, though I know one girl who transferred out and another one who goes there and is relatively happy- she says fashion majors seem to work really hard. success rates though? no idea. I did talk to someone who chose risd over scad who says that it's the faculty that makes a huge difference, so you might want to look into that since scad has a high turnover rate.</p>
<p>I'm personally going to risd though, probably for fashion, and I think the whole "parsons or fit = success" thing is bs. You should go to the program you feel like fits you best, and in the end it's what you do and make of it that determines your personal success. I'm sure there are plenty of Parsons grads who don't end up being remotely successful because they didn't work hard and flew under the radar (which seems pretty easy to do given Parsons' enormous fashion dept size). And one of my dad's friends' daughters who went to FIT couldn't find a job afterwards.</p>
<p>again, it's what you make of it! good luck!</p>
<p>If you go to an AICAD school, you can always spend a semester at Pratt or Parsons! You don't necessarily have to go to one of the NYC schools to make connections :)</p>
<p>what is an AICAD school?</p>
<p>Like the International Academy of Design and Technology or Illinois Institute of Art?</p>
<p>I don't think I could afford to attend Pratt or Parson's for even one semester :-). Honestly, I don't really think I would even like to live in New York after I graduate. I get that it's the fashion capitol of America, but if you've ever been to Chicago, you'd understand that it's like the greatest city in the world. The only place I'd live besides there is Paris..but that's not happening. Plus Mayor Daley is pushing the fashion industry here, so I'm not worried about being able to find a job here in a few years.</p>
<p>AICAD - Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design.
AICAD</a> - A Directory of Leading Art & Design Schools</p>
<p>Many of the leading art colleges are part of it, and as part of the agreement you can spend a semester at any one of the schools for the tuition cost of the school you're enrolled in. So if you went to, I dunno, lets say SAIC, but still wanted to get that NYC experience - you could go to Parsons for the same price of your SAIC tuition (probably a bad example since SAIC is $$$$ as well. But you get the idea.) The list of all the schools is here: AICAD</a> - Find a School by Name I think they also have sister schools in foreign countries.</p>
<p>Unfortunately SCAD is not part of AICAD. But did you apply to any of the other schools on the list that are cheaper than Parsons? Maybe they are still a good option.</p>
<p>RainingAgain? Are you out there????</p>
<p>Some current (2010) thoughts about the SCAD Fashion Department from an insider. There is no Chairperson - nobody wants the job. The Dean is new and inexperienced in education and design - clueless. There is difficulty keeping profs. 3 good ones left this past year and haven’t been replaced.
Aside from the flashy visitors, the connections to NYC are zero. Not what they are at FIT / Parsons and Pratt - . The placement person is useless. Half the profs are excellent and the rest going thru the motions - of the remaining ones - all have no current connection to the fashion world. Half have their Masters degrees from SCAD. You are on your own getting an internship. Job placement figures they quote are a lie. Because of the open admissions - classes are dragged down by the less talented and lazy… The most recent collaboration with Malandrino and Posen was a disaster.</p>
<p>//…Half the profs are excellent and the rest going thru the motions - of the remaining ones - all have no current connection to the fashion world. Half have their Masters degrees from SCAD…//</p>
<p>Please post accurate information, thanks.</p>
<p>4 of 14 profs in Savannah have their MFA from SCAD = 29%
3 of 14 profs in Atlanta have their MFA from SCAD = 21%</p>
<p>Hopefully I counted correctly, overall 25% have their degrees from SCAD, not “half”.</p>
<p>As per the quality of the faculty? Yes, it looks like it is lacking based on superficial information.</p>
<p>///…The most recent collaboration with Malandrino and Posen was a disaster. …///</p>
<p>How so? I know nothing about fashion or the fashion program, but when someone makes a claim, I think it’s important to try and explain why. Here is some information I could find online. What story does it tell? I have no idea. Others can judge for themselves:</p>
<p>Links:
- [SCAD</a> Style Lab announces this year’s mentors](<a href=“http://www.scaddistrict.com/?p=5592]SCAD”>http://www.scaddistrict.com/?p=5592)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>[Young</a> Designers From SCAD Show Off Their Stuff…](<a href=“http://www.stylecaster.com/news/8340/young-designers-from-scad-show-off-their-stuff-to-andr-leon-talley-zac-posen-and-dvf]Young”>http://www.stylecaster.com/news/8340/young-designers-from-scad-show-off-their-stuff-to-andr-leon-talley-zac-posen-and-dvf)</p></li>
<li><p>[SCAD</a> Fashion Seen](<a href=“http://www.scadfashionseen.com%5DSCAD”>http://www.scadfashionseen.com)</p></li>
<li><p>[SCAD</a> Fashion 2010](<a href=“http://issuu.com/ashearer/docs/scad_fashion_2010]SCAD”>SCAD Fashion 2010 by Andy Shearer - Issuu)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>/////…Having taught there and escaped with my reputation intact it’s fun to see which of my former colleagues who are now stuck at SCAD for life weighed in on the wonderfulness of SCAD in the comments. Pathetic and very telling. Their immediate and over-the-top reaction to the criticism is typical of SCAD…/////</p>
<p>Are you referring to me? I was terminated years ago - as in fired. I live 1000 miles away. I was perceived as “troublesome” to the administration, and I was. I could easily come on forums like this and flame away with bitterness, but I choose to not to be that way. How can anyone be “stuck” at SCAD? They can pick up and move if they don’t like it. All faculty are on annual contracts. I moved. It wasn’t hard.</p>
<p>I don’t think SCAD is perfect or beyond criticism. If criticism is warranted and relevant, then provide examples to establish credibility. I can’t and won’t argue points that are valid.</p>
<p>I’ll send you a PM and let you know my name. I am curious to know yours. Just respect my privacy, and I will do the same for you, thanks.</p>
<p>/////…Better schools - ones that have decades of results - don’t care what anyone thinks of them - the work speaks for itself - and SCAD work is mediocre…/////</p>
<p>Is the work mediocre? If you put ALL of it in a blender and mixed it up, yes. It has a broad range of students. This can be a valid criticism for some. SCAD does not want to be a top-ten school. Some departments are better than others - can’t argue with that.</p>
<p>/////…Feel sorry for the kids and their parents that have taken the bait. Sad puppet show…/////</p>
<p>You are painting the college with a very broad brush. Do you speak for all of the people on this list?</p>
<p>[SCAD</a> > 2010](<a href=“http://www.scad.edu/info-for/alumni/where-are-they-now/scad/]SCAD”>http://www.scad.edu/info-for/alumni/where-are-they-now/scad/)</p>
<p>I don’t think so. Regards.</p>
<p>Hello,</p>
<p>I was going through this thrad and realised that i hve similar problem</p>
<p>I have decided on taking up graduate fashion design program,. and i recieved acceptance from the following universities</p>
<p>1.SCAD with scholarship
2. Drexel University , Phil
3.Academy of Arts University, SF</p>
<p>Which is the best school to freeze on from the above. I dont want to make a wrong choice,.</p>
<p>kindly suggest n help… 
:)</p>
<p>I think one of the best ways of picking a school is to speak with people all ready in the industry and try to get a mentor. On my blog, <a href=“http://www.myfashioncareer.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.myfashioncareer.com</a>, I give tips about breaking into the fashion industry and about industry schools if you are interested.</p>
<p>One quick thought:
It’s always a good idea to put yourself in a position where people who are working in the field are on the faculty. It’s not a good sign in general to see a large percentage of a small school listed as graduates of the school. They wouldn’t necessarily move away as RainAgain says because they wouldn’t have the credentials working in the field to get work at a school like Parsons or FIT. I think Parsons and FIT have a reputation that is deserved because you will really get a feel for the industry and how to negotiate through to work. You probably won’t get that information so much in a smaller school located outside cities where there’s a lot of work in the field going on.</p>
<p>However just as there will always be graduates of touted schools who can’t find work (especially in this economy) there will also be graduates of lesser known schools who move onto huge success. It’s what you yourself make of where you are to a degree. But yes, there is something to be said for being in a place where you are in contact with industry leaders and instructors who inspire, not to mention can show you how to negotiate the business . . . because they’ve been there and not just teaching at the school they graduated from.</p>
<p>Fashion is an extremely demanding field, students looking tired isn’t such a bad sign, they may just be getting a taste and feel for the demands of the business at the entrance level.</p>
<p>But again, if it’s beyond your reach financially, go where you can afford to go, and work your little self really really hard so you can be one of those who comes out of nowhere and shines.</p>
<p>Fashion_freak, Have you seen SCAD? I am not going to comment on their fashion program since I know absolutely nothing about it. However, we did check out SCAD for their graduate animation programs,which has a very strong reputation. Frankly, I was aghast at their location. Their location was HORRIBLE in my opinion. The problem is that you have to live somewhere and then take your car or walk to the appropriate building. I would NEVER want my daughter to walk at night anywhere around there, which might limit the amount of work she would do there and the amount of time she would be there.</p>
<p>However, you may not agree with my assessement. I would check it out if I were you.</p>
<p>SCAD Atlanta seems to be in a much better location. The problem is that most people that we contacted felt that SCAD Savannah had the better profs and better facilities.</p>
<p>Bottom line: Check out the location of SCAD.</p>