Canadian Design Schools
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- aurastate
Since there are a lot of Toronto folk here I thought I'd give it a wack.
Who has gone to school at OCAD or Sheridan? If so what was the experience like? Worth it? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
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And a semi-related question:
Best cell phone provider in Toronto?
Answers to either question will be greatly appreciated :)
- Visia0
well, I never went to design school. But I believe that George Brown and OCAD are the typical good choices.
As for cellphone companies, I'm with Fido on the (now defunct) City plan and it's great I pay 80bucks a month and I get unlimited calling within the GTA and 200 minutes of long distance anywhere in North America.
I think they have a similar plan now that has a finite number of minutes but is still ample.
- VectorMasked0
Yeah I agree with Visia.
One of my fav instructors I had in school here in Vancouver, went to George Brown and also spent a little time in OCAD and he says they are both really good places. He's been telling me for a long time that If I continue my studies I do it In Emily Carr (van) or OCAD.
I also have heard many positive comments from people about OCAD.As to the best cell phone providers, it depends on what you need and the inutes you want. I think Fido has cheaper plans (at least they have the cheapest minutes on pre-paid cards)
I am currently with Bell and am very unsatisfied. I was thinking in swithing to Fido.
Most friends are with Fido and no one complaints about them.
For what I have heard you should stay away from rogers.
- aurastate0
thanks keep em' coming
- NegativeSpace0
Hmm I have heard George Brown is restructuring their program, when I applied I wasn't so impressed with what they had to offer.
Two main choices I'd say would be York/Sheridan or OCAD.
I am currently in the York Sheridan program, and I don't know... it has its weak points and it has its good aspects. The facilities are pretty good, open 24 hour access to 4 computer labs, scanners, cameras, areas to photograph your work, letterpress etc and there are some pretty good profs. One namely that i had this year was a guy named David Cabianca, probably one of the best profs I have had thus far, on the other hand you get some rally lame professors who's feedback is really deceiving and very poor. There is not much of a community at the school I found. Alot of stuff is pretty self directed, if you are the type that needs someone to wlak you through every step of the way, it may not be right for you. One plus is having access to facilities on both Sheridan and York campus, the teaching styles at both campuses are different so you can change it up a bit or find out which ones help you more.
OCAD, I can't tell you as much about but I think its pretty similar. One downside to OCAD is that once in design after your foundation year everything you do is within the design faculty from what i know, York will give you some more fine art electives outside of design if that interests you.
Overall don't let my negativity discourage you, ideally i would rather learn things on my own, I find many of the projects could be so much better. You can setup a tour at either school, and talk to as many students as you can to get a feel for what will cater to your needs better.
Also if you are really insterested be sure to check out the grad shows from the diff schools around April>
I know the York/Sheridan Grad show has a website up and it will be at the Steamwhistle brewery again, http://www.theconscious.ca/
Hope this helps, feel free to email if you have questions.
As for cell phone provider, I use Bell Mobility, it does the job but nothing to write home about. I get great reception tho.
- mr_snuggles0
If you go to OCAD you might be lucky enough to hang out with Xrtions.
i went to GBC, it was ok, OCAD is ok too, I think the York program is probably one of the better ones. The students we saw coming out of York were always much better with type than from the other schools. Ultimately it's my opinion that it almost doesn't really matter though, school is just a building with some desks and computers, success all depends on what you put into your projects to get the most out of it.
- NegativeSpace0
Yeah that is very true, it is what you make of it. My problem I have found, and I am only in second year so that could be a factor, but very rarely has a project come along where we get alot of freedom. Not to say i don't like working with restrictions, but sometimes I think there could be better ways to learn the same things while allowing the students to shape the projects in their own way a little more. IE: typographic excecise/composition to express song lyrics. Rather than allow us to choose a song or something we want to work with we have to pick from 3 or 4, that sort of thing seems to be a part of all the projects, so many details like that and you would be suprised at how similar everyons work ends up looking. On the other hand there are some good projects where you can take it in your own direction and if you ask me those are the ones to spend your time on and set yourself apart with.
- NegativeSpace0
I also keep hearing about my program since there is alot of focus on type the York Students are very strong with type, and sure some of them are but the majority of typography I see day to day while at school isn't anything too special, everytime I am at OCAD their display cases or type shows always ave some quality work.
- mr_snuggles0
I completely understand Negative, I think I just made a decision to do what I wanted, my marks were never great since I often ignored the guidelines, I even had to repeat a year, but then in my last year I ended up winning the award for "Outstanding Creativity" and you know, i never even graduated! Go figure...
- clifton0
i went to george brown, it is a great design school, and i went to humber for 3d animation and i gotta say humber is really good for 3d aswell...both are very good.
what i liked about it was that the instructors were really talented and knowledgable with years of experience in the industry.
- 3rr0r-4040
Being in the same program as NegativeSpace, I agree on a lot of things he said. I think York/Sheridan is probably the best program in Ontario, if not in Canada. I find that a lot of the projects are VERY restricted but then for each course, they throw in a very open kinda project where you can approach the problem anyway you see fit. Ratio to Open to Restrictive projects is very much leaning towards restrictive but Me and NegativeSpace both are still in our 2nd year. A lot of 3rd and 4th yrs tell me that they have pretty open projects that they can mold around any way u want.
One of my friend goes to OCAD for 3D design, and HATES their administration there. She likes her program tho and is getting comfortable in it day by day. But because OCAD is a much smaller school than York, it has a very shitty administration and to get things "fixed" (like changing a course, etc.) takes a long time. I am quite impressed by their faculty and sat in one of the 3D lectures for Structure and Forces and the guy just blew me away.
If you hav some $$$, maybe you should look into some other countries, somewhere exotic in europe. I sometimes wish went to a school in Europe or US as Canadian schools havnt impressed me that much. Maybe for my masters I will.
Do check out the York/Sheridan grad show btw, hopefully they will have good work there.
Oh and btw... if you're into York/Sheridan... its PRETTY hard to get a good weekday sleep during the 4 years... so good luck :)
- ross0
I went to George Brown too.
I took away a good amout because i put a good amount in.
it doesnt make a difference where you go. Some teachers will inspire you to listen, other will inspire you to not listen. Some are qualified and awesome, some dont know what kerning is.
gbc was a great experience for me, but not because of the classes or teachers (save gilles) but because what i put into learing and embracing Design.
- ross0
oh, and michelle, what a dreamy female....
- exador10
wow..i had NO idea that i was amongst so many other GBC'rs here..
me too :)
i was there 91-94, and had a blast..great experience, learned a lot.
Dale (although boring as white toast) taught me a lot about type, and basic design...
Lots of encouragement from Roger Hathaway..excellent chap, to bad he's heading (or already gone) back to england..
Jennifer Stellings was a wicked horrible bitch, but man, i learned a lot in that class...namely, be on fucking time...nothing but fond memories from GBC...like others have said..it's what you put into the course that dictates what you'll get out of it...i got a helluva lot out of it...
on the other hand, if it's mainstream ad agencies you want to get into after grad, as say...and jr. art-director or something, OCAD is the way to go..learned that the hardway...
i totally wanted to go the ad agency route when i graduated, and only found out then that the 'old boy network' is WAY strong with OCAD...a lot of the creative directors won't even look at you if you didnt' go there..
then again, that was in94..not sure what it's like now..
:)
ex
- Xrtions0
"my marks were never great since I often ignored the guidelines, I even had to repeat a year."
mr_snugglesthat is my educational experience to a Tee so far hehe :)
- mr_snuggles0
"It's the only way to fly"
- clifton0
you gotta be lucky to get a good instructor...i think thats important someone as your growing up that might have some cool words to say....if you know an instructor by the name of terry posthumus or jim kinney they are the two people that i still remember from design school that were real...and not some dude that grabs tuts from the net...and trys to pass that off as teaching and i hear that itheres some of that going on at some of these beloved schools weve mentioned