ArtBistro

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a school that would provide a good education for a BFA on Graphic Design. Well besides going to AI, are there any other schools? I'm kind of thinking about Academy of Art University, but San Francisco is really expensive to live in. Any other schools that would be good for Graphic Design?

,thanks

-matt

Well AI stand for art institute that is mostly everywhere you look. I have hear a lot of bad stuff about AI that; it's not wort the money, students can't find a job after, etc.



So you when to San José State University? was it good?

Hi there!  Just thought I'd mention the Ringling School of Art.  It's an outstanding school with a great curriculum.  They say students are hired  straight from there by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' operations no questions asked.  Certainly worth checking out.  Sarasota is very beautiful.  I used to live in LA and it;s really no comparison.  Linda Roberson  

Matt, I can tell you without a doubt, the absolute BEST art school in the world is Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. Ranked higher than Pratt, Copper Union, SCAD, RISD, and CCA. you do NOT want to go to ANY art institute ANYWHERE! It is a rip off, and they are only in it to make money off of you!

Not only is this school set amongst the tropical foliage of Sarasota, Florida, but the beaches are amazing, and the school itself is so far beyond anything in California or the northeast. For one, this college has a Career Services office that will allow you to use their services for the rest of your life after graduation. Second, the instructors are absolutely the best. Not only do they teach, but they create art, and show art themselves, and all of them have either a Master's of Fine Art, or a Doctorate in some field or another. All classes are collaborative, and have art as an element in one way or another. You don't have to take math to graduate, and student life is lively and packed with fun stuff, too. They have visiting artists from all over the world, and the list of successful graduates is ENORMOUS!

This school is very expensive ($28,000 a year, or the equivelent two semesters,) but they have enormous resources for grants, scholarships, work study, and volunteer work (they PAY for volunteer work here!!) It is known as one of the largest philanthropists in the state of Florida, plus you also have at your fingertips ALL the enormous resources of the Ringling Museum of art, where John Ringling, of Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, built a museum just to house his enormous Medievil, Renaissance, and 18th and 19th century collection of fine art. He owned paintings from Titian, Carravagio, Rubens, and much more.. There are more than 7000 peices in this collection, one of the most important collections in the world. Plus, the museum has the Asolo Theatre, a 17th century italian theatre that was transported from italy and rebuilt, but there is a huge library of art, and a library of video sources, too. And for modern art, this city is crazy for galleries. Everywhere you turn, gallery after gallery...you're only 30 minutes from St Pete, Fl., and only about an hour from Tampa.  Not only do you have all of this at your disposal, but this college has amazing benefits for students, and they even have a special program to calm parents fears of their kids becoming starving artists! There alumni get jobs with places such as Pixar Studios, Disney, Universal studios, the CIA (the government, not the culinary school!) and are in such demand that more than 200 companies come to this school for recruitment every year to catch these students before another company does.Plus, every student is issued, for the entire time they attend school there, a Mac Book Pro, with all the art software to go with it!

Check out the college at Ringling.edu. Take a look at students work from past classes. I think you'll see what I mean.

Check out the museum at Ringling.org

Research John and Mabel Ringling on Yahoo, to see why they were so damned wealthy! John bought all the circuses in America, gaining a monopoly on the only entertainment available to rural America in 20's and 30's. John invested in multiple business, and was diversified so well that he maintained his fortune, even through the crash of the stock market in 1928. Cities are named after him: Ringling, Montana, Ringling, Oklahoma. He owned railroads, oil fields, and many other enterprises. He was in the top 10 richest lists at the time. He built the city of Sarasota, which was a backwater stop for tourists on their way to Miami and the Everglades.

How do I know all of this? Because I am a student there myself! And if the cost worries you, I can tell you now, I haven't paid a dime to attend. Not one red cent! I get 6 scholarships from the college, 4 grants from state and national governments, and 3 private scholarships. If I want to take out a loan, I can have it "forgiven" if I work for a state or federal entity, such as a school or a college, or some place like Dept or Transportation, etc.

So, go to their website, check out al they offer, find some scholarships, apply for them now, because thousands of others will be applying, too. And make sure your portfolio is the slickest, and best it can be, because Ringling only accepts the ABSOLUTE BEST artists into their school. Good, luck, Marc! I hope you get into Ringling! Tell them I sent you!

Alan R. Neal

I don't know if you are willing to move around, but the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL has an excellent graphic design program. Mostly the entire staff are currently working in their field and have excellent and insight.