<p>Hi, I am an international student from Mexico. I am currently studying in UTB (Texas), and I am looking to fashion design universities, but the ones i´ve found in Texas (Art Institutes and IADT) have very bad reviews and I am scared to go there and just spend my parents money. I have talked to some people who say that if I really want to study fashion design I should look for colleges in England or in Paris. Is there someone in a situation like this who has experience? Please, every information you can give is appreciated. Is it better to study fashion in the US or in Europe?</p>
<p>The US has some pretty good fashion design schools. FIDM, for example, is really well-known, with a great reputation. Drexel has a good program and it’s quite easy to get in, and there are many others too, like the Academy of Art University or the Savannah College of Art and Design. You say you’re from Mexico and studying in Texas, so it may be easier for you to stay within the United States.
People may say that you should go to Paris, because it’s the fashion capital of the world, but unless you intend to stay abroad or want to study French, I don’t think it’s worth it. Sure, it sounds good to say you studied fashion in Paris, but I’m not too sure. Paris and England usually have 3 year Bachelor’s degree courses, and the tuition is much lower than in the US, however. The International Fashion Academy in Paris costs about USD 10,000 a year, for example. There are also intensive one-year design courses, eg. at the Instituto Marangoni which has campuses in Milano, London, Shanghai & Paris, where you can combine it with other courses to get a BA (Hons) degree after 3 years.
The system is very different in Europe and in the US. I personally prefer the US and some design schools are quite cheap there too. In Europe, many non-EU residents have to pay extra fees. I think your chances are greater in the US, where you can get a better college experience. In Europe, universities & design schools are very work-oriented and much less personal, especially when it comes to fashion design.</p>
<p>Research some people who you admire in the industry you are interested in. Especially people who are not quite at the top (most people aren’t). Where did they go to school? I strongly suspect that many in this industry did not go to fashion college. They learned on the job, especially in Europe. For the colleges you are interested in, see if you can find out if many graduates actually work in the fashion industry. Or do they go and do something else? You need to find out where the industry hires from.</p>