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 Northern Virginia Community College, Tidewater Community College, Germanna Community College, and Thomas Nelson Community College.
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 Regent University, Bluefield, Marymount, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Northern Virginia Community College, Marymount, Thomas Nelson Community College, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Regent University, Bluefield, Patrick Henry Community College, and Danville Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Regent University, Virginia Intermont College, Marymount, and Bluefield.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Emory and Henry, Virginia Intermont College, Radford University, and Bluefield.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Bluefield.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Emory and Henry, Virginia Intermont College, Regent University, and Marymount.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA
Studying Art (completion in 1991)
• 7/12/2011
"I enjoyed my time at my school a lot. I learned a great deal in courses such as English, math, social sciences, etc. On the other hand, I wish the graphic design courses prepared me a little better for my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'm not familiar with how good the art department is currently. I think it has expanded over the years, in which case I would recommend the school. Virginia Tech is a great school overall. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I think the art department has expanded in recent years, so it has more to offer. But I don't feel like it is a school one would think of first for graphic design. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The art department was fun and great. But it was small and had a small budget. A few classes were held in the basement. |
| Instruction | 5 | The art department had only one graphic design instructor. I don't feel like the instructor covered design basics that well, or taught a whole lot about career preparation. |
| How Difficult | 4 | I would say that the art curriculum was somewhat easy. The painting, drawing, and design work was mostly fun and relaxing. Even the art history courses were very interesting and only mildly stressful at exam time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the art courses were, of course, hands on. But other courses (math, English, history, etc.) were very book oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I guess there was a little flexibility. I took a couple of art classes in the evening when it was more convenient for me. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was great and there were always computers around that could be used. Classroom space was always good -- I never felt the classrooms were small or crowded or in poor condition. Professors and tutors were very accessible. |
| Social Life | 4 | I probably socialized less than the average student. I focused on studying and working a part time job. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I guess it was good. I didn't use it at all. But I knew it was there if I needed it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't participate much in the alumni network. I receive a newsletter every few months. |
Piedmont Virginia Community College • Charlottesville, VA
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2010)
• 7/15/2011
"I have no major complaints. Their parking policy is poor, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a convenient and low-cost alternative to a 4 year school. Instructors know their stuff. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I have no idea of the schools reputation. It's local and affordable. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Instructors and advisors were available as needed. The required internship for my certificate became a full-time job. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instructors all worked/currently work in the field. Equipment used in classes was state of the art. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work load was fairly intense at first. Once I got past the software learning curve, it became much more manageable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was definitely more of a hands-on experience. With design, you can only learn so much from a book; you have to do it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Excellent flexibility for most classes. Niche programs like graphic design, however, were a little less flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Up to date computers and software in all labs. Wonderful library system. |
| Social Life | 1 | I didn't go there to be social. there were some hotties, though! |
| Placement Services | 7 | The internship required for my certificate became my full-time job. Can't get much better than that. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I haven't seen any evidence of alumni support. I haven't really looked for it, though. |
James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA
Studying Fine Arts (completion in 1997)
• 7/26/2011
"There were many resources available that I didn't know existed or didn't understand were significant. In hindsight, I would have liked to have taken advantage of more if I had realized, but generally I am satisfied with my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | While VCU might or might not still have a better art program, the rest of the college experience and the liberal arts education is much better at James Madison and will give students a more rounded, more adaptable education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | At the time I attended, James Madison was considered to have an excellent art program, second only to VCU in the state. Since then, the reputation of their design program has grown and perhaps has come even with that of VCU. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The graphic design program was still being developed while I was there. I had quite a few design classes but I was able to take a broader range of art courses. |
| Instruction | 8 | I felt prepared for my career overall, but due to the infancy of the design program I feel I could have learned more. The faculty was generally enthusiastic. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Many of the studio classes encouraged exploration and creative expression. As a result, while they required a lot of outside work, the work itself was not difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While there were several theory classes for my major that were required, the majority required direct participation. It was a good mix, but I definitely favored a hands-on approach. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | The class schedule's flexibility was a good fit for me. There were a lot of evening and afternoon classes. However, there were many required classes that were not available in the evening and I don't recall very many weekend classes at all. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I always had quick access to computers, labs, studios, and the extensive library. Class sizes were very small for the major courses and the advisors I had were pretty good. |
| Social Life | 9 | The excellent thing about the social experience at James Madison was that there were so many diverse options. No matter what kind of person you were, you could find like-minded people to interact with. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I assume that such services existed. However, I never had contact with them, even though I could have used the help. It didn't occur to me to go looking for that kind of assistance until long after I had already graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The Alumni Association has contacted me a few times, but mostly they have just requested contributions without giving me any particular benefit. I haven't sought them out to find out what kind of support they might offer, but they have not made that information readily available. |
Central VA Community College • Lynchburg, VA
Studying Business Management (completion in 2011)
• 8/8/2011
"I don't brag about my school, but it did serve it's purpose. I learned a lot and I got a degree. Even though I don't use the degree I have, that is not the school's fault."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | My school is not helpful to those who want to be graphic designers. They can only teach you the basics, which can be learned just about anywhere. Honestly, I think reading the Adobe instruction manual would be more beneficial than taking some of the classes there. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Business management degrees from community colleges aren't very prestigious. They're really just a stepping stone to the next phase of your life. |
| Program Quality | 4 | My community college does not have a very good advertising training program. They teach students how to use Adobe programs but there really isn't anything to be proud of for accomplishing at the school. |
| Instruction | 8 | My degree doesn't really apply to my job. I think there were a lot of good teachers there, but almost all of my classes were irrelevant to my career. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Business management is about average when it comes to difficulty. You have to be good at a variety of thing such as science, English, history, and math, but not an expert in any of them. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Depending on which classes are being taken, sometimes there is a lot of book learning and sometimes there is a lot of hands-on learning. Biology, for example, had a lot of hands-on learning and history had a lot of leaning from a book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | You can take just about any class they offer just about whenever you feel like taking it. If they don't have time to fit you into a classroom they will enroll you in on-line classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Tutors are easily available to anyone who wants them. There is a pretty big library and numerous computer centers. There are very good resources. |
| Social Life | 2 | A lot of people there are only there because their parents are making them go or because their friends are there. Others just don't know what to do with their lives. Immaturity is common. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They don't offer any career placement services. I really wish they would. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | After people graduate they usually move on with their lives and don't come back to the school. I don't think the school really supports alumni even though the alumni did want to give support. |
Virginia Commonwealth University • Richmond, VA
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2011)
• 9/5/2011
"I loved VCU, and was so glad I decided on it for my undergrad. It's getting better with age."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's one of the top schools to go to for graphic design, and it's so inexpensive compared to other programs. You also have a chance to experience the liberal arts aspect, so you have a more well-rounded experience. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | We consistently receive top ratings from magazines and are continuing to get better. VCU is on the up and up in general, especially the art school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It's one of the top programs on the East Coast, and I felt like I learned a lot. I wish we had a bit more insight into the real world experience, which is why I didn't rate it higher. |
| Instruction | 7 | Career preparation wasn't discussed until near the end of the program, which is something I found to be frustrating. I did feel like I learned enough of the fundamentals to allow me to explore on my own and learn my own way as a graphic designer. |
| How Difficult | 9 | They expect the very best from you. Not just the best you can do, but better than the best you can do. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Definitely a lot of learning the history and basics before delving into the hands on element. But as an art student, the majority of your work is hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | The schedule is set, you just get to chose the professor. I found it hard to double major or take a few classes outside the program that I was interested in. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Professors were definitely accessible, but our printing lab was in a weird transitional phase. I wish there were cheaper resources for the art students, especially in terms of printing projects (which got expensive). |
| Social Life | 8 | We don't have a football team (the source of a lot of school spirit in colleges, I believe), but our basketball team has more than made up for it. I experienced the party scene, and some of my best friends I made while I was still in school. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I haven't had a chance to use it myself, but it seems like its a good thing. I do wish there was more emphasis on it before graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Still learning the ropes, but we do have a facebook site that allows you to stay in touch and keep up with the goings on in the program. A lot of people in my program moved out of state, so there's that. |
Blue Ridge Community College • Weyers Cave, VA
Studying Associates - Transfer, Certificate - Graphic Design (completion in 2008)
• 9/14/2011
"I didn't expect a lot from community college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Hopefully with my Bachelor's under my belt things will improve, but graphic designers should not go to technical school, they should go to a university. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | I doubt anyone's heard of this school. |
| Program Quality | 2 | Because it was a technical school we had very little training in creativity and it was mostly focused on the programs. |
| Instruction | 5 | I had teachers who were interesting and decent, hardly better than average. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Technical schools don't really have a heavy course load. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was very hands on; we didn't get any books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There are usually two class sessions, a night class and a day class. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | For the area, it was pretty reasonable. |
| Social Life | 1 | There was little campus life. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I was not given any help finding a job. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | We don't really have any alumni support at my school. |
Radford University • Radford, VA
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2007)
• 10/9/2011
"It was a great school for me, but maybe not for everybody. There wasn't a whole lot of direction, as college should be. That was fine for me, but I saw a lot of people drop out due to lack of structure."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend it. When it comes to design however, you get out of the classes whatever you put in. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | MY school isn't known for its design program. It is more of a business or nursing college, but the design program was still decent. |
| Program Quality | 5 | My school was not an art school, so I think the training could have been a bit better. However, they helped with internships and held lot of local design competitions, which played a big part in developing portfolio material and simply gaining experience. |
| Instruction | 6 | There was a lot of quality career preparation. The teachers were all current designers, and knew the market we were entering. That helped give us an edge when entering the workforce. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The work was extremely easy due to the major. There were not many tests, and all grades were based on the teachers opinion of your work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We hardly ever opened books in our classes. There were mostly projects that involved hands-on work and presenting. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Flexibility was no different than most other colleges. Mostly daytime classes, and a few evening ones. Online classes weren't an option for my degree. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The facilities were rather good. The computers and software were always up to date. |
| Social Life | 5 | We didn't have many popular sports teams, so that limited school spirit. However, it was a big party school, so nights and weekends were very social. |
| Placement Services | 3 | There was no job placement. There were opportunities for freelance work, but nothing that led to many full time jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | To put it plainly, it doesn't exist. The few connections I have through school are the ones I've maintained. |
Northern Virginia Community College • Alexandria, VA
Studying General Studies (completion in 2012)
• 12/6/2011
"It was a great price. The flexibility was more important to me than anything else, and I got that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are better public schools for art. VCU has an awesome program. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I've never heard anything good or bad about it. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I have taken a lot of classes over a long time span and they accept all of them. At times even my lower grades were accepted. |
| Instruction | 10 | Professors were usually adjuncts who still worked in the field they taught, so they had a lot of practical experience. Older professors were very accomplished. |
| How Difficult | 1 | There were no difficult classes; it's what you would expect for a well-rounded program. The courses didn't challenge me very much at all, but the instructors were passionate about their topics. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most professors lectured from a book. One professor had written his own book and lectured from that. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Lots of online and weekend courses. Also had accelerated summer courses that allowed you to complete a course in half a semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Going to a public school allowed me access to libraries of other schools and universities. Great computer lab and libraries. |
| Social Life | 1 | I usually attended at night and never participated in social events. |
| Placement Services | 3 | The Career Center was no different than going to the library. I didn't get special consideration because of the school I attended. |
Virginia Commonwealth University • Richmond, VA
Studying Design With A Focus On Photography/Film (completion in 2003)
• 2/22/2012
"I wish there had been more professors with current skill sets at the time. However, I learned much from the few professors who did as well as from my peers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a very reputable school. There are a lot of opportunities if you are a self-starter. It is way better now than when I went. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Lots of new professors since I left. Also, a great interim chair in place now. |
| Program Quality | 8 | VCU School of the Arts is one of the best art schools in the country. While I had access to lots of courses in all the departments, my department was a little behind the times. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instructors were great at teaching broad concepts. However, the instructors were not teaching current technology. |
| How Difficult | 5 | There were times when I had to work hard. But mostly, it was a breeze and there was very little work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Concepts were presented with readings. Final projects were hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | My department had bank hours. There were no weekend or evening courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The special collections and media library was stellar. However, the equipment in the film and computer labs were dated. |
| Social Life | 10 | It was a nonstop party. Lots of arts events were sponsored by the School of the Arts. |
| Placement Services | My school did not have job placement help when I was there. That's all I can say about that. | |
| Alumni Network | I know nothing of this service. I get mail for it but I have not joined. |
Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA
Studying Visual Communication Design (VCD) - BFA (completion in 2004)
• 3/13/2012
"The school provided me with everything I needed. The job market outside of school does not provide outlets for creativity, however."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on their goals in life. I don't think I came out of college doing what I thought I would do going in. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | We were not a big art school like those in Chicago or New York. We were respected for the work we did, though, and people love our football team, so they thought highly of us. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school was great and focused on creativity. They pushed us to go outside the box, but they did not prepare us for the "real world." |
| Instruction | 6 | Most professors were intelligent, but there are a few members of the school of visual arts that were not smart. Their lectures were unproductive. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The courses themselves were easy to pass. There was A LOT of competition between students. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a mix. The nature of doing graphics on the computer meant that much of our time was spent sitting behind one while the teacher talked. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I took summer classes. Many classes I needed were available at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We had great technology. A very nice computer lab. Printers and printing services were very accessible as well. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not get very involved with my school. I did party a lot, however. |
| Placement Services | 7 | As I said earlier, they still email me job offers. I used the career services center to get my first internship. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The alumni still contact me. The support network still emails me about job positions. |
TNCC (Thomas Nelson Community College) • Hampton, VA
Studying Computer Arts (completion in 1999)
• 3/13/2012
"I needed better motivation. I needed more guidance and a different program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The school was like Middle School. There is not much of a chance to make it in the big leagues. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | I don't think many students went on to make a good career. I may have just lucked out. |
| Program Quality | 3 | It was just a community college. It didn't provide much real world experience. |
| Instruction | 4 | There was not enough career preparation. I didn't learn how it was like in the real world. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Community college was not very hard. It wasn't challenging enough. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I don't have enough experience to answer this question appropriately. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It's as average as you can get. No wins or losses. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I wish I had more to compare it with. But I don't |
| Social Life | 4 | Just a bunch of recent high school grads just trying to get a start. Sort of like me at the time. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I tried an internship, but there weren't many to choose from. It was a poor place to work. |
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