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 Montgomery College, The Community College of Baltimore County, UMUC, and Anne Arundel.
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 Morgan State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Morgan State, Montgomery College, UMUC, and University of Baltimore.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Anne Arundel, Carroll Community College, Hagerstown Community College, and Montgomery College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Maryland Institute, UMUC, Morgan State, and Hagerstown Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Morgan State, Stevenson University, Maryland Institute, and Frostburg State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Maryland Institute.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Morgan State, Maryland Institute, and Stevenson University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Morgan State, Maryland Institute, Frostburg State, and University of Baltimore.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Maryland Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Columbia, Greenbelt, Lutherville Timonium, Rockville
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Owings Mills
- Programs: 8 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Locations: Hagerstown
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate
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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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Maryland Institute College Of Art • Baltimore, MD
Studying Illustration (completion in 2011)
• 10/15/2011
"I was satisfied with the school, but not completely satisfied with my education. I feel that the curriculum include many trivial and irrelevant courses that ultimately were of no use to me as a graphic designer."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend my school to certain artists and designers. However, I would also suggest that they consider a less expensive school and take some courses at my school in order to save money. This is the advice I would have wanted. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | As an art school, my school is considered one of the best in the country. In addition, the school's graphic design and illustration departments are two renowned departments. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school I attended had a very strong Graphic Design Program and excellent teachers. However, the school did not fully prepare me for the reality of working and sustaining a lifestyle as a freelance artist. |
| Instruction | 9 | For the most part, I had excellent Graphic Design and Illustration teachers. They focused heavily on assuring that I had a good sense of typography and craftsmanship. Additionally, they encouraged me to base the directions I went in own my particular skill sets. |
| How Difficult | 5 | My program was by no means "easy." However, because I had a strong foundation in visual art and have studied it for so long, applying it commercially (via graphic design and illustration) was a new way of directing my talent. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While most of the work was created on the computer, assemblage and sketches were all done by hand. Teachers emphasized good craftsmanship because all of our work was presented off screen. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | The schedule flexibility at my school was less than average. Many courses are only available in the spring or fall and sometimes, only certain times every other school year. Additionally there were no winter courses offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The school had very good facilities, especially the dorms. However, access to places like the print lab was difficult at times, because of the lack of adequate hours of operation. |
| Social Life | 7 | My social experience at my school was fairly decent with a wide array of student activities. However the lack of diversity often left me feeling uncomfortable in certain social situations. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I feel that while the school does provide job placement assistance, it is often not in design or artistic fields. Moreover it often leads to temporary jobs or unpaid internships. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | My school encourages a strong alumni network. Alumni are encouraged to participate in annual events like the schools art market. Additionally, alumni have access to the school library and other resources. |
Howard Community College • Columbia, MD
Studying Web Development (completion in 2012)
• 10/31/2011
"HCC provides an adequate educational framework for me to continue in my studies in graphic design, web design, and web development. All of my expectations have been met so far in attending this school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this program to a graphic designer/web designer with a moderate level of experience. That way they would come into classes with at least some level of knowledge, which would prevent them from becoming too lost in more advanced courses. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The program I am in is reasonably well known in the area. HCC as a whole has a stellar reputation for providing quality education to students. |
| Program Quality | 7 | My school has provided me with adequate training in subjects relevant to graphic design (e.g. Photoshop, Flash, web design, etc.) However, there are probably other schools that are better suited for such a line of study. |
| Instruction | 9 | The curriculum was very thorough in its preparations. We were given sample projects to work on that could be placed in a portfolio. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The work was challenging enough. However, those who already had a background in the field found certain projects to be more of a review than an educational experience. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | All classes require textbooks, so I would say that the school is fairly book learning oriented. However, we are also assigned team projects, so there is a hands-on aspect as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | HCC offers day, evening, and weekend courses. They also offer some online and hybrid courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The computer labs are state-of-the-art and equipped with relevant design and programming software. There is adequate classroom space for all classes. |
| Social Life | 7 | HCC is not a four-year institution, so school spirit is probably not as strong as it could be. However, a fair amount of students seem to participate in clubs, events, etc. |
| Placement Services | 9 | HCC has monthly job fairs, which allow one to discover relevant job opportunities in the community. They also have a job board where you can discover new job postings. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | As I am still in school, I cannot quite give an accurate response in this area. However, to my knowledge, it seems that HCC has an adequate alumni network. |
Maryland Institute College Of Art • Baltimore, MD
Studying Painting (completion in 2008)
• 11/7/2011
"I was satisfied for personal reasons. I loved the teachers, the classes, and the other students. I was less than enthralled by the administration, but most of the worst policy changes did not occur until after I graduated."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It really was a great experience in many ways, and I feel a certain residual loyalty due to that, but I am not happy with the turn the school has taken recently. In addition, in the current economy, I can't advocate throwing oneself into a black pit of debt for a degree in art. I feel that professional art/design should be taught through small, affordable, accredited schools similar to trade schools or community colleges...something more nimble, personal, and adaptable than the rather corporate and money-centered institution my beloved Alma Mater has become. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | As far as I can tell, it's still ranked among the top art schools in the US, if not the world. |
| Program Quality | 8 | There was a bit too much favoritism going on in most departments for comfort, and the tuition is astronomical. Still, those were four years that I look back on fondly. At the time, the facilities were more than adequate to do my work. Now, unfortunately, things have changed for the worse (greater and greater overcrowding and the continual reduction in the students' access to their facilities - no more late-night studios available, etc. - while the tuition continues to go up). Those reductions did not affect me directly, but I feel for the current students. |
| Instruction | 9 | All but two teachers were, in one way or another, very good to excellent. A few were downright inspirational. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Yeah, I know it's "Art," and most regular college folks assume that art students spend a few hours a day doodling and the rest playing guitar on the grass, smoking marijuana and copulating, but this is not the case. Our studio classes lasted 7 hours, with lunch/dinner included, and we were expected to put in at least six hours on the homework for such classes. Most students were driven by passion to do at least that, and the teachers had a pretty keen eye for a work that didn't quite measure up. While grade evaluation was mostly based on effort, the subjective nature of the study added to the stress of the situation. Contrary to popular belief, not everything is "good art" as long as you "express yourself," especially when applied to an academic setting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was an art school, so the bulk of the classes were hands-on studio work. However, MICA does have a fairly good academic offerings as well, and a decent academic load was required. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There was often a lot of difficulty in getting into some of the more popular classes/electives, but on the whole, there were a lot of options, many of which were quite good. Often, students were able to take classes outside their major (a painter taking a sculpture class, for example), which is nice when one has diverse interests as an artist. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Every year, it got worse...building and studio space being available less and less, the hour reduced, and the classrooms becoming more and more crowded. At this point, I am very unhappy with the offering, but it mostly affects new students. |
| Social Life | 10 | This is a very personal answer. The school itself had no athletics, and no proclivity towards "spirit" (we're talking about an art school here), but since everyone was there with a shared passion, it was quite stimulating, socially. I met some of my best friends there. |
| Placement Services | 6 | At the time when I graduated, there was one class offered for professional development (which I thankfully took...it was not required), and vague attempts by some departments to address the matter. There is a good and well intentioned, but it would seem, underfunded and underpowered, Career Center that bears mentioning. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | Some of my best friends and associates I've found at this school, but this was more through natural processes. I know that the career development office does their best to care about and reach out to alumni, which is why my score goes slightly above average, but aside from them, there are few formal programs in place...the only time the school as a whole seems to remember alumni is when they need someone to donate some more money. |
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