<p>I've read many reviews about this school but most of them seem to be from people who never actually attended SVA or visited the school with their kids.</p>
<p>Will someone who actually attends SVA give me his or her personal perspective of the school?
Please mention faculty, dorms, academics, facilities, and anything that the school offers (both good and bad).</p>
<p>Much thanks,
minniemicky</p>
<p>I’m not sure there is anyone here who went or someone with children there. I visited, but I’m not sure I have that great idea of the school myself.</p>
<p>Bumping this thread … hoping for more responses.</p>
<p>We are checking out their grad school for my daughter on Wednesday 3/22/11. I will post my thoughts.</p>
<p>oh my gosh!!
guru is coming to town!!!
taxguy, can I get your autograph?</p>
<p>Ha, It won’t be worth much.</p>
<p>Think very very urban, NYC urban. The building is older, I’ve only seen the admissions entrance and am not sure if they have other buildings, if it’s just that one it’s not all that big and old. I used to work for years in the neighborhood, did I mention that it’s very urban. The neighborhood is a mix of business, residential and in a very compacted section with a lot of traffic on the streets that run north-south. I would be curious about others opinions also. It appears that the dorms are in buildings in the neighborhood which is a pretty safe neighborhood, but caution at night as in all cities. However there is a lot of street traffic around there at night which makes it safer.</p>
<p>As far as the quality of the school, etc. I’m curious as to what others say also.</p>
<p>Oh by “street traffic” at night I actually mean people out and about walking around which keeps an area safer in a city at night.</p>
<p>We have taken the official tour of SVA and my D has taken pre-college classes there. The buildings run from the east to the west side of the city from about 21st to 23rd streets. Neighborhoods are completely fine and safe (Grammercy Park and Chelsea/Village)-- but of course it is the city, so a bit of street smarts will go a long way! The admissions building is on the east side, and there are two dorms within a block or so of that. We saw the New Residence and George Washington dorms – both are a bit dark and depressing, sadly. A comforter or rug might have brightened things up a bit. Mixture of suites and single rooms. There are also dorms on 10th street and 3rd Ave (East Village) – haven’t seen them inside, but great area of the city. One other dorm downtown on the Lower East Side (not close to classes) and an all-girls upperclassman dorm on Gramercy Park – beautiful brownstone a block or so from the east side buildings. There is no “campus” so you are pretty much living apartment-style in the city. Can’t speak to the sense of “community” there as a result.</p>
<p>Class facilities are large and very good. Security present at all buildings. Faculty is excellent – all pre-college profs (who also teach undergrads) were terrific. All are very connected to the professional world, so great contacts for students. </p>
<p>And then it also depends upon what area you are interested in studying. I know photography and illustration are incredibly strong. Cannot address others disciplines – but I’m sure someone else can comment on that. It is very well-know in the city (I don’t know about elsewhere in the country) and is a good choice if you want to be in Manhattan. Similar to Parsons, in terms of layout and such. A bunch of buildings spread out (including dorms).</p>
<p>there is one residential hotel converted into SVA dorm on Lex or Park Ave south on 26-27st-sh.
residential I meant like Martha Washington or Jefferson, people live in weekly or monthly rate and share showers, maybe kitchen sort of cheap hotel. I haven’t been inside so I don’t know how much renovated it would be.
location is not so bad walking to farthest studios, 8th or 9th Ave I can’t remember.
I took few adove crash CE courses and building was just like smarty said, a building. but room was well lit for special all-day-screen-staring use and the chair was those mesh seat and back which never get your button sore nor sweaty kind.
When I visited state schools’ art dept, I saw what difference that money could buy in comparison.
Instructors also taught undergrad, superb communicator, very precise. then after we get to know each other and found out I have dayjob in the vicinity, one asked if anyone need private tutoring.
I don’t know if it is moonlighting or everyone does it, which made me wonder about their job security, slot/salary/benefit whatelse.
people are all professional for sure. not necessary have terminal degree like uppy tighty art schools but know their trade.</p>
<p>smarty, I am going to whisper you…
you are old
there are clubs galore in the area. side streets traffic is crazy Thu Fri Sat even some weekdays where I walk (14- 23st sh) giant Hammer limo, black Mercedes cabs cabs cabs cabs cabs cabs Jersey plate cabs cabs cabs cabs Jersey plate cabs cabs cabs</p>
<p>there is a mom poster named unsoccermom from few years back had D in SVA honors.
did you search the forum?</p>
<p>hi SLH we got crossed.
a friend lives on the 10th street and says noise and trash over weekends are plain awful. But it is prime NYU land and there is no proof even if it is in front of SVA dorm, not always SVA trash.
how do they pick which dorm to live in? why is that I feel that dark hotel is for freshmen only? so far I have only seen stern looking international kids coming and going.
where did your D stay?</p>
<p>Bears,
You are right. I am old.
However when I worked on Park and 22rd wasn’t all that long ago but you see I was working nights and finished sometimes 2am or 4am so I’m talking night as in almost morning. and you’re right, even at those hours there were always as you put it cabs cabs cabs cabs.</p>
<p>I’m just trying to give the picture to those parents who aren’t familiar with NYC. Bears, when I lived downtown for awhile on the edge of Soho when it was still a little rough on the edges but getting pricey and definitely a very safe NYC neighborhood a relative from a small town came to visit. Got out of the cab took a look around at the bit old gray warehouses and buildings that almost look abandoned except by then the first floors had shops in them . . . and the traffic streaming down Canal street past the street merchants and all the lovely dark gray pavement (it looked just about like it does today). Eyes widened, and my relative said “Is it safe here?” And totally did not believe my attempts to reassure her that yes it was actually a very safe neighborhood. </p>
<p>The SVA neighborhood, to those coming from more calm & green spaces, will looked very intense. Of course younger people will see the excitement, the hipness, the urban loveliness while some parents might just get that same look on their faces my relative had and want to crawl back into the cab. And many parents might just think it’s great too. Ah I miss all those great restaurants.</p>
<p>Bears is right , the neighborhood is chock-a-block with clubs, restaurants, Union Square, it’s a veritable sensory overload if you’re coming from the country. But if you’re looking for a campus fawgeddaboudit.</p>
<p>And before you ask Bears, no I’m not rich, just a street wise New Yorker who knows how to work a deal, hence the temporary edge of Soho address.</p>
<p>The dorm on Lex and 23rd is the George Washington – hotel residence-looking place. That one was very dark and dingy inside. The New Residence is immediately adjacent to the admissions building on 23rd street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, less dark, but not the best – that’s the one that is mostly, if not all, freshman. I know someone who was in the 10th street dorm for her freshman year and said it was fabulous (she was not from NYC) My D did pre-college on Saturdays during the year, so there was no residency involved. The dorms are a distance (cross town) to the painting studios – might be a haul over there with canvases etc.</p>
<p>smarty dear
I’d still make stink for you saying “missing restaurants” heheheh
I see wee kidie in suit sat with parents in say, Gramercy tavern and just wonder they have glass wall just so we commoners could drool over envy!?
or
did you wrote off as business expense?</p>
<p>let’s all wait on taxguy what/where he had lunch with lovely D.</p>
<p>doh! SLH you beat me again!!
yep I see poor kids with half done canvas in the heat rain snow wind and -are you being mean on purpose never budging for art students-people around them. It is always the drawback of SVA discussed in here.</p>
<p>Bears
Never that upscale or foolish with what money I had, I was standing next to you looking in the windows of Gramercy too. I’m thinking bagel stores, cheap good Japanese, the Indian take-outs over on 3rd and around 26th or so that the cab drivers go to, ah yes and how could I forget the PIZZA! Bears, am I right, wouldn’t this neighborhood be great for a kid that wanted to go to school, live in a dorm and have a part time job around the corner. Seems there were a lot of places that would hire college kids in this neighborhood. Or has that changed?</p>
<p>maybe college grad boomeranged kids.
I donno people seems professional in those real food places, means business.
McD or Starbucks maybe Trader Joes but I heard say, wholefoods’ casher is now a coveted real job…</p>
<p>Well maybe with the economy changing those sorts of jobs are harder to come by even in NY. And yes, the fancier restaurants consider those jobs professions and they are. By the by, if any of our posters here eat at Gramercy I believe I mis-spoke when I said “foolish”, I should really have said just expensive beyond my budget. That was a little too quickly written. </p>
<p>At any rate, I’m thinking maybe if things don’t pan out with what we’re doing a second look at SVA might be in order as the descriptions here sound right up my kids alley. Would sure be interesting if anyone who attended there could/would weigh in.</p>