Top Five Things to Look for in a Design School
Here are five factors you should consider when choosing a design school.
You're a creative thinker with a passion for the visual arts.
You have the vision, drive and self-confidence necessary to become a professional designer. You can't wait to start taking classes in your chosen field, but there's just one thing holding you back—you're not sure how to go about choosing a design school. If this sounds familiar, read on to discover how to find the right design school for you.
Here are a few key factors you should take into consideration when you're comparing design schools:
1. Location, location, location
As a young designer, one of the most important keys to launching a successful career will be the internships you'll complete—either while in school or immediately following graduation. So location can be a major factor in your decision. If you're considering a career in fashion design, for instance, choosing a school in a major design hub like New York or Los Angeles may be especially attractive.
2. Quality of the faculty
Ideally, many of the faculty members in your design school program of choice will have spent several years working in the field. Not only will this give you real-life insight into the concepts they're teaching—faculty with strong industry connections can benefit you immensely when it comes time to seek employment recommendations.
3. Time to graduation
If you're looking to start working in the field as soon as possible or keep your school expenses as low as possible, you might want to seek out schools that offer shorter programs. Many design schools offer associate's degree and certificate programs that will give you the same core design skills as longer programs.
4. Tuition
Whether you choose to attend a relatively expensive private design school or a less costly program at a state-run institution, you should make sure that your tuition dollars will generate an acceptable return-on-investment. As part of your design school evaluation process, be sure to inquire about former graduates' job placement rates and career successes.
5. Job placement services
A good design school should be able to assist you with finding exciting internships and employment opportunities. A bustling career services office is a good sign that a design school is doing everything it can to help its students launch their dream careers.
Related Reading
Learn more about career paths in design.