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 DigiPen, Bellevue College, Cornish, and Everett 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 DigiPen, Eastern Washington University, Walla Walla University, and University of Washington Seattle.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Shoreline Community College, Edmonds Community College, Everett Community College, and Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Olympic College, Edmonds Community College, Lake Washington Technical College, and Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of DigiPen, Walla Walla University, Seattle Pacific University, and Cornish.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Walla Walla University, Seattle Pacific University, Cornish, and Central Washington.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Washington Seattle, DigiPen, Seattle Pacific University, and Western Washington University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at DigiPen.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Cornish, Walla Walla University, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Washington Seattle.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Edmonds Community College • Lynnwood, WA
Studying Visual Communications (completion in 2011)
• 5/4/2011
"I loved going to school!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I already have to many people! |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Mine was just a community college, one of many, not outstanding. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The school was amazing! Teachers answered all questions. Hands on skills provided. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instruction was easy to follow. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Graphic design is definitely a technical thing and not as simple as it appears. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We used 99% books and Mac computers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Really, there was NO flexibility there. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The advisors were very in depth and willing to help guide me through the process. |
| Social Life | 10 | I made endless friends at school. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The job resources were also very good! |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I got endless support in every way at my school. |
Washington State University • Pullman, WA
Studying Communications (completion in 1982)
• 7/18/2011
"Loved my days at WSU! I would recommend it to everyone, but being in the wheat fields of Pullman it is not for everyone."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I definitely would. The combination of the two programs I studied is an excellent plan for a designer because it covers a broader base of knowledge than just Fine Art training. I would also recommend more business classes as many designers end up self-employed and freelancing as entrepreneurs. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Department of Communications: 10; Department of Fine Arts: 7 |
| Program Quality | 10 | I majored in Communications and minored in the Fine Arts. The two have worked great in my career in the media. WSU is well known for their excellent school of Communications, but not as much for their Fine Arts program. |
| Instruction | 10 | My instructors were always top-notch. Flo Feasley, who taught the principles of Advertising and Design, was especially memorable. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It wasn't difficult for me because it was an area in which I excel: communications. I loved my classes in Advertising, Marketing and Design. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a mix. Communications was more text oriented while the Fine Arts was, of course, more hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Most classes were offered with enough flexibility time-wise to satisfy the needs of one's particular schedule. Unsure about weekend, evening and summer offerings, but I believe they all exist. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All resources were always plentiful and available. I never had any problems finding help or communicating with the staff/professors. You could always find what you needed at WSU with a little resourcefulness. |
| Social Life | 10 | WSU was a very social school. I was a leader in high school, but somewhat quiet (shy). I took a Public Speaking course at WSU (by choice for self growth) and learned how to be a much more effective communicator while there. I experienced many social events which helped with this growth at that age. I learned how to no longer be shy in social situations in college. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I have not used their job placement or career services assistance but connected to Washington State University via LinkedIn. Opportunities arise through networking with alumni. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Washington State University has a unique campus where people feel like family. This feeling of camaraderie exists many years after graduation and is often life long. |
Art Institute Of Seattle • Seattle, WA
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2009)
• 9/9/2011
"As previously stated, for the amount of money I paid for the supposed "incomparable" education, it was a huge let-down. Had the entire school's staff been more engaged and caring, there may have been a big difference. I really wanted to come away from the school with abilities to teach my mother, and instead I still gain my knowledge from her."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I think that there are many schools around the nation that have a stronger, more focused education in Graphic Design. I would not recommend a chain school to anyone. I would recommend the University of Washington's art programs. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I am honestly not entirely sure about this one. However, I can tell you that when I was attending the Art Institute the hiring rate of newly graduated students was around 70%. This leads me to believe that the school's reputation does not sit higher than average. |
| Program Quality | 3 | The school did not present a knowledge base equivalent to that of its tuition rates or promotions. My mother is a Graphic Designer and I was fortunate enough to learn a great deal from her outside of my schooling, which at this point in life has proven more beneficial to myself and my career. |
| Instruction | 5 | All of my instructors tended to, during class sessions, talk about their lives and experiences rather than teach us what we needed to learn. I can recall one instructor talking about her love life, and another about all of the places that he travelled to. There also weren't very many projects in-class, so there was no one-on-one criticism or advise... we worked on our projects at home. |
| How Difficult | 1 | The courses were not challenging and the instructors were not engaged. I graduated the program with a 3.86 and at no point did I ever feel truly challenged. I desired a strong, tough educational process and it was ultimately lackadaisical and boring. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Given the nature of Graphic Design, most of what we did was hands-on. We were required to make physical storyboards, faux department store campaign designs and posters, plus a few other things, and this involved a huge amount of computer work (InDesign and Photoshop). Our books were there to serve as references and back-up. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Our classes took place in 4-hour blocks of time, once every week for 11 weeks. There was a lot of flexibility here, because this allowed us to only have 1 class a day if we chose. This left time for an evening job, and they offered Saturday classes as another alternative scheduling option. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Most of the material we worked with we purchased ourselves outside of the school. That was due in part to the fact that most of our projects were completed outside of the classroom. There was a student store that sold mainly text books, and a few supplies that were outrageously overpriced - another reason we all bought material elsewhere. |
| Social Life | 7 | Each quarter the school holds a portfolio day for the graphic design, computer animation, and photography students, and a public runway show for the fashion students. There were sports groups, art groups, and gallery viewings that we could take part in. The social aspect was well covered. |
| Placement Services | 6 | My academic advisor worked with me to search out employers looking to hire, and give me leads to follow up on. While the school itself did hardly anything to get me into a job upon graduation, my advisor did all that he could and worked with the other students in my graduating class as well. Unfortunately, I believe only half of my class ended up actually getting hired. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The staff outside of the instructors was very strong as a team and seemed much more willing to help the school's students succeed. My academic advisor kept in touch throughout my entire program and was willing to listen to my complaints about certain departments/instructors. He put into motion a couple of situations that resulted in beneficial changes to some portions of our education. |
Eastern Washington University • Cheney, WA
Studying Masters Of Fine Arts (completion in 2009)
• 9/2/2011
"My school prepared me well for my career. The experience was invaluable."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I had a good experience at my school and was able to attain a terrific graphic design job afterward. I don't know if others would have a similar experience, but I like to think so. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I think the reputation is quite good. I applied based on numerous good recommendations. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I know that I am in my current employment position because of the experience I received at my university. It prepared me for many aspects of my working life. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instructors are well respected professionals in their fields. They prepared their students well for life after graduation. |
| How Difficult | 6 | School work and classes could be completed while working. The program provided plenty of time to study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Classes were split very evenly between hands on learning and book learning. It was a great approach. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes took place a couple times a week during the evenings. They also offered summer options. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The facilities were not spectacular - I did most of my work from home. When I did use them, however, they were adequate. |
| Social Life | 8 | I met a great network of people while attending school. They offered and still offer great advice on the projects I am working on. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not use the school's job placement and career service assistance. Those I know who did have mixed reviews. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have not heard from my school's alumni association. I'm not sure how active they are. |
Central Washington University • Ellensburg, WA
Studying Graphic Design (completion in 2007)
• 10/12/2011
"I was happy with my education and school. But by the time the 4 years were up I was thrilled to be done."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would recommend others go to a school with more design professors, and closer to the city. There wasn't much of an art scene in the school I went to, and not many advisors to help. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I chose the school because it had a great reputation for the design program. Right now, I think it's gone down to average. |
| Program Quality | 1 | |
| Instruction | The program at my school didn't prepare me enough for what to expect in this field. I ended up having to do a lot of workshops, tutorials, and self teaching methods to catch up to the level I needed to be successful. | |
| How Difficult | 5 | I had to do my fair share of late nights cramming for art history tests, and stressing over project critiques but it wasn't overwhelming. I passed my classes and didn't feel like I was trying too hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was some book learning required, especially for the art history classes. But the field of study itself is very hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | The program was quite small, so there weren't many choices for classes. The basic education requirements had more options, but the advanced design classes were only offered once a school year. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | We had a computer lab full of Macs with the latest design software. The photography department had two light rooms and a really nice printer. I felt like I had everything I needed for my class work. |
| Social Life | 8 | I lived in the dorms my freshman and sophomore year, went to football games, and was a member in several clubs. I was very happy with the experience I had. It was a very college-like experience. |
| Placement Services | 1 | When I was a senior I was required to complete an internship to graduate. I received no help in finding one, and it was very difficult but I was able to secure one on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I wouldn't know too much about this. I've gotten a few alumni emails, but haven't ever read them. |
Edmonds Community College • Lynnwood, WA
Studying Visual Communications (completion in 2010)
• 10/29/2011
"I love the school. The degree was excellent, just hard to compete."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you're are extremely talented, I would say go for it. But if you aren't very skilled to begin with, don't try it! |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Ok I guess. I don't recall it being something that stuck out about the school at all. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I loved my school. The curriculum was amazing. |
| Instruction | 10 | Teachers answered all questions. They were very hands on. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Graphic design is not easy. Some programs can be very hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Everything was computer based. We ended up doing a lot of hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | There were very few teachers available. I never had much choice of class dates or times. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are resources for anything. Whatever you need, there's a dept for it. |
| Social Life | 10 | Everyone is diverse and open. I kept many friends! |
| Placement Services | 10 | Job placement was very good. There were many positions available. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Someone is always there for you, 24-7! |
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