<p>My daughter has her heart set on college in NYC for a fashion merichandising program, but I think she would be better off with a good business degree and internships in the fashion industry. Any suggestions for schools in the mid Atltantic...she has a solid 3.5 gpa, 1560 SAT, and very strong EC's and community service.</p>
<p>correction… her SAT incl. writing is 1650, not 1560. M and R alone is 1130.</p>
<p>Good luck to her. From the little of what I’ve read about the fashion business, it sounds very difficult to get into. I read somewhere that an internship at Vogue was being auctioned off for thousands of dollars. That is, you paid money in order to get an internship. Crazy . . .</p>
<p>[Fashion</a> Institute of Technology - Home Page](<a href=“http://www.fitnyc.edu/index.asp]Fashion”>http://www.fitnyc.edu/index.asp)</p>
<p>First job is the hardest. My sister worked in the industry for many years with Perry Ellis and Michael Kors. First job was in some tiny shop just making puffy coats back in the 70’s. She had an art degree from RISD and then a certificate from FIT.</p>
<p>Marist (NY) is good in both areas. Also, Stevenson (MD) and Ashland (OH) have both majors. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Your advice is correct. Have her major in Buisness Admin and do a minor in Fashion; additional classes in fashion; internships in the fashion industry.</p>
<p>Check out:</p>
<p>FIT (NYC)
Parsons School for Design (NYC)
LIM College (NYC)</p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter!</p>
<p>penny, I’ve worked in the fashion industry for forty years. (Yikes!) Either approach is good as long as it’s supplemented with industry jobs and internships. If your daughter were interested in design then I’d say that a school like FIT, Parsons or RISD would be the top priority.</p>
<p>Fashion merchandising is a little more ambiguous. There are also corollaries like sourcing, marketing and product development that draw on more general business skills.</p>
<p>I’ve worked with merchants (both buyers and CEOs) with a wide range of backgrounds – from FIT to law school to masters in biology. The key is to do well at whatever you study and get those summer jobs in retail or with a brand.</p>
<p>The easiest way to do that is to go to a college that actually offers fashion merchandising and that has a career placement department that can put you in touch with hiring alums. Skidmore comes to mind, but there are others.</p>
<p>NYC location is a plus, just because of access to the biz. This is not the only track, but it is the fastest track.</p>
<p>Alternately, a business degree is always a plus. What retailers and brands are looking for in entry level candidates is basically a demonstrated interest in fashion – how you dress, what you know, where you’ve worked – and an understanding of their brand’s customer and taste level.</p>
<p>In addition you need good communication skills, both oral and written, good persuasive skills as fashion is very collaborative and you must be willing really (REALLY!) to put in the hours. Fashion is not for the faint hearted.</p>
<p>Kent State’s Fashion Merchandising program is nice.
[Undergraduate</a> Programs in Fashion](<a href=“http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/undergraduate/index.cfm]Undergraduate”>http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/undergraduate/index.cfm)</p>