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 Central Piedmont Community College, Wake Technical Community College, and Duke.
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 Chowan, Peace College, and North Carolina A & T.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Peace College and Meredith College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider North Carolina A & T, Elizabeth City State, Chowan, and School of Communication Arts.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Piedmont Community College, Lenoir Community College, Central Piedmont Community College, and Pitt Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Duke, Chowan, Queens University of Charlotte, and Lees - McRae.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Chowan, Meredith College, Elizabeth City State, and Lees - McRae.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Duke, NC State, and Appalachian State.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Duke, Campbell, North Carolina A & T, and Chowan.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Duke, Meredith College, Peace College, and NC State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of North Carolina Wilmington • Wilmington, NC
Studying Digital Arts (completion in 2010)
• 7/6/2011
"I loved my school. It was not only helpful, but fun. I learned a lot and I do not regret the years spent there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend my school to others. It was very helpful and it offers many great programs for anyone. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Many people know UNCW for its film and digital arts programs. Many classes are offered there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | UNCW was very helpful for me. They have really good professors. |
| Instruction | 7 | My professors taught me a lot. I learned a lot of information during my internship as well. |
| How Difficult | 5 | My classes were difficult but not impossible. I enjoyed them because they presented a challenge for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were many programs that I considered to be hands on. the professors let their students make a lot of projects. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | My school provided many classes during the day and night. There were even classes as late as 8 and 9 at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | I believe that my school could've had more modern software on their computers. There was only one computer lab that offered Macs. |
| Social Life | 7 | I attended many of the school events that were offered. I was not into watching sporting events, though. |
| Placement Services | 7 | UNCW offers a program for graduates to search for careers. That site was very helpful for me. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | UNCW offers a program for graduates to search for careers. That site was very helpful for me, as was my adviser. |
UNCG • Greensboro, NC
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2013)
• 7/21/2011
"I like the environment. Getting a degree is the ultimate goal."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Go to a more reputable school for my major. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | UNCG is considered poor when compared to surrounding schools. They are known mostly for education programs. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Their program isn't the most up-to-date, and the professors are about the same. The coursework is challenging, though. |
| Instruction | 7 | The professors were on the whole very good. A couple seemed to be behind on current practices and technology. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The coursework isn't as difficult as that of other schools. I also rarely find schoolwork extremely difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a good mix. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Numerous online courses. Several sections of classes available. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Numerous recently updated buildings. Several buildings with new tech upgrades. |
| Social Life | 1 | I do not like people. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I've had no involvement with this office. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | They have a large community of alumni that never left Greensboro after graduation. This lends to long-term connections to the school. |
King's College • Charlotte, NC
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2008)
• 8/29/2011
"I was very satisfied with the program in general. The school as a whole was very deceitful about tuition and expenses, however."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The program for graphic design is very comprehensive and beneficial. The school itself was deceitful, and I wouldn't recommend this school without a warning. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Although not well known, the school produces job ready students and helps place them in the field. I've never heard anything negative from employers. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The program was very comprehensive and applicable to a real world environment. Only minimal general education classes were required. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction was very comprehensive and applicable to a real world environment. Instructors were knowledgeable and have experience in the field. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Five hours of class a day/ five days a week. Sixteen month program with minimal breaks. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program was a good mix. Traditional syllabus learning as well as hands-on projects were offered. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The classes are scheduled for you with no leeway. If you fail a class, you have to wait a year to retake it with the next student group. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The campus is small and it's easy to maneuver around. Mac and PC computer labs as well as a well stocked library were provided. |
| Social Life | 8 | Social interaction within your program was encouraged. Social interaction with students of other study programs was not encouraged. |
| Placement Services | 10 | This school offers lifetime job placement assistance in your field of study. They acquired the interview for my current job. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Very easy to connect with your own graduating class, but not so with previous classes. School offers lifetime job placement assistance. |
Tri-County Community College • Murphy, NC
Studying Internet Technology (completion in 2008)
• 11/29/2011
"I would not recommend this school. It was a bland experience, with no real help for my career. All of my learning was self-taught."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would not recommend starting in a two-year college for graphic design. I would recommend going directly to a university. As a result of such poor training, I find myself now pursuing an English degree in a four-year school. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | Tri-County is known as the school to go to if you want to become a plumber or an electrician. It provided nothing more than a piece of paper with a credential. |
| Program Quality | 3 | My school provided no real instruction. As students, we were left to essentially educate ourselves in our chosen major. |
| Instruction | 1 | There was no instruction. There was no real-world application or any hands-on learning. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Assignments were given based on the textbook. No techniques were taught; the students had to have a knack for design. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was all basically textbook learning. We had a few times when we were given hands-on assignments in logo design with Illustrator. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Plenty of online classes were available, making the schedule easy. There were also plenty of night classes available. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | The library books were dated, and the computers were extremely out of date. There was only one Apple computer with Adobe Creative Suite per lab, leaving long lines waiting to use it. |
| Social Life | 1 | No one really appeared to be into the whole college experience. I don't recall seeing any school-sponsored events. |
| Placement Services | 2 | No assistance was given for job placement. Furthermore, no one even bothered to inquire about job prospects. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I never met any alumni. The alumni only showed up on graduation day. |
Lees-McRae College • Banner Elk, NC
Studying Communication Arts (completion in 2010)
• 2/24/2012
"The school and athletics were great. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I would have liked a little more social options, but other than that, it was great."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a good program that is not too stressful. It helps you learn a lot and is fun. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I hear good things about it. And the major includes a lot of different fields, which is good. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I learned the Adobe programs, which helped a lot. However, if someone already knew the programs, I can't see it benefiting them very much. |
| Instruction | 8 | I didn't know the programs at all, so it helped me tremendously. I learned the tools well, but I could have used stricter deadlines like those you face in the workplace. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The teachers were really relaxed, and most of the assignments were art pieces that reflected the designers' own thoughts and ideas, so there was really no wrong answer. It was easy to make good grades. You had to push yourself if you wanted to challenge your ability. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Definitely hands on. Always learning through doing, rather than reading. This really helped me learn a lot. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There weren't a whole lot of different options, but the ones offered were at good times. The advisers were really good at helping us with our schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There was a good Mac lab with good hours for working. Professors were always available for questioning as well. |
| Social Life | 7 | I was really involved in athletics, and I absolutely loved that aspect. That is why I attended this school in the first place. But outside of athletics, the social atmosphere lacked for me. Not too much to do unless you are an outdoors type or you like small parties. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I was never offered help with finding a job. However, I did already have one lined up, which may have affected that. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I never really heard anything about it. I'm not sure what it is like. |
UNC Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC
Studying Journalism With A Minor In Graphic Design (completion in 2010)
• 3/4/2012
"I enjoyed the experience and gained a great group of friends. Again, I probably would have chose somewhere with a better arts program if I had the chance to do it over, but in the end I am not disappointed with my choice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you are looking for a great arts program, do not go here. Otherwise, the experience, students, teachers, and campus are second to none in the south! |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Carolina is more well known for the sciences and business, but the journalism school is also well known. |
| Program Quality | 4 | It mainly revolved around journalism and not so much design, but I ended up gaining the majority of my experience through internships. |
| Instruction | 6 | The curriculum was interesting at Carolina, with it being a liberal arts school and all. If I had to choose again, I would probably pick somewhere with a better arts program. |
| How Difficult | 5 | At times it was challenging, but for the most part it was a very simple course load and workload. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a good mix as to book vs hands on learning. Professors didn't start experimenting outside of the books until later in my junior year. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I had a lot of flexible time to enjoy my hobbies outside of school. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Carolina has a great infrastructure in terms of libraries and work systems. Their equipment was always up to date and available to journalism students. |
| Social Life | 8 | What a school with spirit! Everyone loved going to Carolina and I was hard pressed to find someone who didn't have a good time. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Our school's career services were amazing. They had a very intricate network of employers and past alumni who they kept up relations with in order to benefit the students. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Carolina had awesome alumni relations, and these were very helpful in finding a career. |
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