Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Fashion Designers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Columbia College, The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, College of DuPage, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Lewis.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, Triton College, University of Chicago, and Harper College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider College of DuPage, Triton College, Dominican University, and Sauk Valley Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Chicago, Columbia College, and Loyola University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Loyola University, Lewis, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Chicago, Loyola University, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Chicago and The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at University of Chicago, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Dominican University, and Loyola University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
College Of Dupage • Glen Ellyn, IL
Studying Fashion Merchandising (completion in 2008)
• 9/24/2011
"My school was exactly what I needed for what I was doing. I learned more than I even imagined I would and it took me to places I never thought I would go."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is great for those who just want to pursue an associates degree. My program there was phenomenal and all of the instructors were extremely knowledgeable and interesting. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | For an associates program I believe it is rated very well. I know the institution as a whole is a favored one for two year programs. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My program was really great and really hands on. In addition, we had a lot of special events, such as fashion shows, that really made everything we were learning make sense. |
| Instruction | 9 | With the field of work I'm in, all of my classes were extremely different and interesting. I never once thought a class was boring - there was a great variety in the selection of classes based on individual interests. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The work load wasn't bad at all. Because it's a hands on field, much more of my time went into projects and construction, which is what I prefer anyways. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was extremely hands on. I would say that ninety percent of my assessments involved constructing clothing or doing some sort of project. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | There are tons of options available as it really is a commuter school. I myself took lots of classes at night so that I could also work during the day. I never had a problem with my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Classroom resources were always available to us. We could use the studios and dress forms whenever we needed to and accommodations could also be made if we needed to use resources when there was another class going on. |
| Social Life | 4 | It is a commuter school so there wasn't much available. There were clubs and organizations of course, but nothing like a four year institution would have. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I did not not take part in any placement help, but I know it is available. I have friends who were placed in careers they love through career services. |
| Alumni Network | I don't really know anything about the alumni network as I have not looked into it. I have moved away now so there is not much need for me to be contacting alumni. |
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