Need to choose a school- HELP!

[traingosorry]

Hi! I stumbled upon this awesome site- think I will hang around a little while, seems I could learn loads here!
I have a question, and I am hoping maybe someone could give me some insight.
I am looking to get into graphic design and I have two schools I am looking at; one takes little time but LOTS of money, the other, not so much money but much more time.

Has anyone ever attended the Art Institute and is now working as a GD? I was visiting the campus where I am yesterday and while it looks good, I am hesitant to spend the amount of money they charge for only 20 hrs of schoolin a weekin a year and a half's time. It just doesn't seem to have a solid curriculum but I have yet to speak to someone who has actually attended that school and is working in the field now to back it up. I asked the admissions officer if they could tell me of any past grads and they did some name-dropping, that of Ty Pennington and Venus Williamshttp://www.graphicdesignforum.com/emoticons/dry.gif ! Thanks, but I want REAL- Live people!!

The other school seems great, the only thing is it takes 3 yrs to complete. ( That's my only gripe with that one.) What should I be looking for specifically in a school?

Anything at all would be great!
Hope this is alright for my first post.

Cheers!
Heather

[DivineDesign]

I'm at an Art Institute and I love it. ;)

http://www.stu.aii.edu/~rfe031/personal/banner.gif
I wanna be like Case when I grow up! *I shop...therefore I am*

[Big Perm-dizzle]

just remember when you complain about length of time in school that you dont want to be to rushed and not learn because with this industry its about what you know not about the degree....

you can graduate from harvard in graphic design and if you dont know what you are doing with prepress or dont have the computer skills needed your screwed.....

its all about putting in the time and learning the skills.....

you get what you put in with graphic design and school

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side note: I have learned more in one year on this board than in 4 years of college.....

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also you will need time during school to intern somewhere... intern at as many places as you can

think of your internships as classes learn all you can at that one place then move on

JUST LAUNCHED - www.hirethisdesigner.com (http://www.hirethisdesigner.com) - check it out

[D-Frag]

I went to AIPX, I graduated in 99', and I ive owned my own company for a little over a year now. I say go for it, great school, awesome job placement, it costs a ton of money that is the only downside. I do suggest though, if you go to the Art Institute, either go to the one in Seattle, or Chicago. Both of those are there biggest and best campuses.




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[DivineDesign]

eh hem..ATlanta.......

http://www.stu.aii.edu/~rfe031/personal/banner.gif
I wanna be like Case when I grow up! *I shop...therefore I am*

[Holliday]

Figure out what you want to do. Do your research, it may not be JUST graphic design. You might want to do advertising, teach, do pre-press, or open your own shop like D-Frag. I went through school as an art major and when I got into design I thought 'that's it, I'm in THE career'. After a couple of years, not so much. So I came back to school for advertising and in another year I'm going to be a snot nosed, hot-shot creative. :)
Once you figure that out, look at every school you can get your grubby little fingers on. Pick up a bunch of copies of CMYK, look at the work you like and see what school is doing it. Ask everyone to send you stuff. Who's stuff looks the coolest? Who's is written the best? Look at what type of degree you're going to get, does the school offer a full-fledged masters or just a certification? Look at the faculty, what have they done, are they well respected in their field? If you can, get to some recent grads and some not-so recent. See what their experiences were like. Look at the cirriculum, does that interest you? Are there any classes that you'd HATE? Love?
Now, having said all that when I decided to look at going back to school I looked at these: Brainco in Minneapolis, Creative Circus in Atlanta, Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Miami Ad School and VCU Adcenter. Out of those I picked two to apply to (Brainco and VCU) and got in to both and went to VCU. I can't afford it, I'm in a world of serious financial hurt. I left a good job and all my friends and family. Instead of living with my sis in a spacious townhouse I live in a small room in a house with 4 other roommates. I no longer have hobbies and my TV is about 12'. BUT. It's worth it.

You have to feel that way about the place you choose, otherwise it's a waste.

[D-Zine]

You just gotta do the research with the schools. When I graduated high school in May of 93 I had NO FKN IDEA what I wanted to do. Correction - I knew what I wanted to do but didn't think I was good enough. I got info from the Art Institute in Atlanta (GO DD!!) and I got info from SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design)....but they were both so expensive! So I applied to my local college back home planning on majoring in just Art in general. At the time I applied there they were getting changed over to University status and apparently I wasn't good enough for them because I did NOT get in. I took a tour of SCAD with my folks...took some work to them when I met with them (not even in a case or anything, just stuff I threw in the trunk of the car when we left home!). I applied to SCAD because I fell in love with the atmosphere and their course study was right on! 2 weeks later I had a letter saying I got in. One month later I was in Savannah...I graduated in 97 with a BFA In GD.

I would think you could prolly go to the AIA's website and it would tell you somewhere about the students who have succeeded in their career. Maybe under Alumni or something. You can go to SCADs site http://www.scad.edu, click on alumni and it lists everyone that is alumni and has registered ans tells you what they are currently doing in their field. You can kinda tell that way about their success rate.

Anyways...bottom line - you will absolutely learn from real work experience 10 times over whatyou will ever learn in college. I needed the push from college to get me going but some people don't. You do not get anywhere near enough printing / prepress knowledge in college as you will need when you get out there. But that is something you NEED to know, no doubt.

Ok - I'm done...LOL! Oh and welcome to the GDF traingosorry (great name....LOL!)

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[traingosorry]

You guys rock my socks!! Thanks for replying and so soon too...you know that feeling when you hate to wait!


I think I am going to go with the school that takes 3 yrs....I don't know but something about Art Institute having only a 20 hr school week and calling it ' full-time' doesn't sit right with me. I want to make sure that I am getting the most I can out of my education. And I will also be able to do a bunch of practicum work like some of you mentioned AND I can take the computer I used the whole time with me when I leave.


So thanks again for confirming what I think I already knew to begin with!!


Heather.