Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Graphic Designers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Ivy Tech Central Indiana, Purdue, Indiana Wesleyan, and IUPUI.
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 IUPUI, Oakland City University, Purdue, and Indiana Wesleyan.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Ivy Tech Central Indiana.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Indiana Wesleyan, Ivy Tech Kokomo, Ivy Tech Northcentral, and Ivy Tech Columbus.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Notre Dame, Grace College and Theological Seminary, University of Evansville, and Indiana Wesleyan.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Notre Dame, University of Evansville, Anderson, and Grace College and Theological Seminary.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Notre Dame, Purdue, and University of Evansville.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Notre Dame.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Notre Dame, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, University of Evansville, and Anderson.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Indiana Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Indianapolis
- Programs: 19 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Master
- Locations: Indianapolis, Plainfield
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Newburgh, South Bend
- Programs: 8 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
See these schools on a map
Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
International Academy of Design & Technology Online
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Pre Law And Art (completion in 1998)
• 5/8/2011
"I loved IU. Although I am a city kid and miss college that environment."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. Well rounded business, and liberal arts school. Good music department as well. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | IU, I believe, still tops the charts in law. It is an educated guess, and having been around the block and having been involved with other universities, that the art major program(s) are top notch. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Indiana University allowed (after a bit of hell) a dual major program. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I did not come from an art background. Basic principals were difficult for me. By my 4th and 5th year I 'came into my own' and course of study became much easier. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I spent the second and third year studying media (required). I walked into the school (having prior been a set designer and writer for a small tv show) thinking 'hands on! hands on! This was not the case. The beginning course work wanted to hammer in 'principals' for a few semesters. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I finished my 5th year while in Japan and coupled with taking language courses at Sophia. IU was helpful in arranging this. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The art department was often overwhelming. Resources were abundant. |
| Social Life | 10 | I lived mainly in Teeter Quad. A notorious party floor. Laughs. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I am not sure. I did not look to the school for job placement. I orchestrated my own gigs by myself. From former friends who did place employment through the school, I believe, quality help was available. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I, honestly, have not engaged in alumni associations so I do not know the strength or weakness to adequately answer this question. |
Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Journalism (completion in 1987)
"I attended more than five years ago."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | IU provides a decent education for students who put in the effort. The school is respected and fairly well known nationally. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | IU is fairly well known for its journalism program. Some fairly well known people have graduated from it. |
| Program Quality | 7 | College is just a way to get a foot in the door. The things learned in college classes, with a few exceptions, don't have that much to do with the actual work experience. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | I attended more than five years ago. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Most college classes are not that demanding, unless it is honors work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In the journalism program, there was a good deal of "real world" emphasis. Students were encouraged to do internships and to work for IU media. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | IU, like most colleges, offers distance learning. I am not that familiar with current offerings. When I was there, it wasn't as flexible as it is now. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | It has been a long time since I was at IU. I don't know enough about the current situation. |
| Social Life | 8 | IU is known as a party school. It was like that when I was there and I believe it still is. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I got a job on my own after college. I didn't use placement services at IU. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't know much about the alumni network. I get a lot of mailings from IU but that's about it. They mostly want donations of some kind. |
University Of Indiana • Indiana, IN
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 1998)
• 5/4/2011
"I am very glad I made the decision to attend this school. I hope anyone looking into this school applies."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think they are a great school. A school that is always willing to help you achieve. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I think it is wonderful and the school is highly regarded Again, I would recommend. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I think it was wonderful. I would highly recommend it to anyone! |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 5 | I feel it was no difficult or less difficult than any other school. Great training for your future! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say it is 50-50 when I went. I am sure it is about the same if not better these days! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I think they are just as flexible as any other school. Most are willing to work with you and this one is no exception. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Simply Great. Not a whole lot more needs to be said about this really! |
| Social Life | 5 | It is not really considered one of your social type schools. It does good for what it is though! |
| Placement Services | 5 | They do the best they can do. Jobs are hard to get these days. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They were typically always there when you needed them with a helping hand. A few could have done a better job but for the most part they were right on par! |
Purdue University • Lafayette, In, IN
Studying Computer Graphics (completion in 2003)
• 7/7/2011
"I think Purdue should no longer offer my major because they have no success with instruction in this area. The only thing Purdue did well was their dining service."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It is impossible to find a job with a graphics degree from Purdue. Every time I meet someone considering entering this field, I beg them to reconsider and tell them they will end up poor like me. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | None of my friends from Purdue who graduated with a graphics degree managed to find steady work in the field. I have never heard of someone being successful in Graphics from Purdue. |
| Program Quality | 1 | I feel like my four year degree from Purdue University in Computer Graphics is absolutely worthless. It is very hard to find a graphics job in my area that pays a livable wage. Most jobs available are only temporary. |
| Instruction | 2 | Very little career preparation was provided and there was certainly no job placement help at all. Also, I had to take many classes in things that were useless and unrelated. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Purdue's program was extremely difficult because it required classes like Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry. In addition, classes taught theory instead of practical application in most cases. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I learned very little practical application. A friend of mine who went to a 2 year community college was actually taught the software hands-on and could do much better than I could with my fancy 4 year degree. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | All students were forced to take the classes in the time slots the computer stuck them in. No consideration was ever given to anyone who had to work. |
| Academic Facilities | 1 | The computers were slow and could barely handle the graphics programs we needed. The computer labs were always full and very hot. |
| Social Life | 1 | I felt no school spirit for a school that treated me so badly. I resent that millions of dollars were spent on the football field, but I had to fight for a spot in the computer lab when I needed it. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no job placement at all. Purdue took my money and gave me nothing in return. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Every few years there is a networking event, but it costs money to attend and is far away, so I don't bother with it. |
Ivy Tech Community College • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Visual Communications (completion in 2009)
• 7/28/2011
"They are awesome there in the Viscom department. I don't care for the other parts of the school, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | You will learn a lot and not have to spend much. It doesn't matter what school you go to, what matters is your work. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's about average, though I think that it is very underrated. It's a community college though, so people don't expect much from it. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The instructors were great. I really loved the classes they taught me. |
| Instruction | 9 | Most of what I learned in my classes is entirely applicable in the field. They taught us how to interact with those you work with, and how to take/give criticism. |
| How Difficult | 4 | For me it was easy, because I have been doing this since high school. For others, however, it might be a little harder. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A lot of the things we did can't be written in a book. How does one teach graphic design through books? | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | All classes were face to face except for a few, but you have to expect that with graphic design. It would be very difficult to take an online graphic design course. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They had a Mac lab, which was awesome, but everything else was lacking. This is because they are a community college and have very low tuition. |
| Social Life | 6 | I made a lot of friends that will last, but there aren't any athletic teams. This, again, is because it's a community college. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They really didn't have 'job placement;' they had us meet with companies to work on our portfolio, but it wasn't a job placement type deal. They wanted us to get jobs based on our work, not based on where they could place us. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The instructors are great, and they love to hear about alumni projects. They are also always willing to help out if there is a question that we have. |
Purdue University • West Lafayette, IN
Studying Technical Graphics (completion in 1998)
• 10/28/2011
"I got excellent experience and built a knowledge base. I gained competitive skills that others in my field do not have.."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have recommended family members and friends to Purdue. The company I currently work for recruits grads from Purdue as well. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It's consistently top ranked by major publications. It's very well respected in the technical community. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Great school overall, but the program was in the middle of a changing curriculum so some odd class combinations occurred. Professors were very supportive and open to discussions. |
| Instruction | 10 | Professors were practicing professionals. They pushed students to the highest levels. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Course work was demanding but paced very well. Projects were engaging but most of the time was spent on executing the project instead of learning more design theory. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In the design field, you really need to be hands-on and have a lot of projects to work through to hone your skills. the theory lessons were always backed up with projects / labs to drive home the theory. During senior year students worked in design firms and were paired with real clients. Lots of student dropped out due to the demands. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Scheduling was flexible within the week but some core classes were very rigid in time and could not be worked around. No weekend, night, or online classes were available at that time. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Professors were top notch and went well out of their way to meet with students to answer questions or review projects. Advisers were run of the mill but I only met with them to schedule classes. |
| Social Life | 4 | I worked full time through college so I didn't have a very active social life between work and projects. I never had time to really enjoy the events the college offered. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I didn't use the service that much. I went freelance out of college. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm not active in the alumni network. I do enjoy reading the newsletters the university sends out. |
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