American Design Schools Are a Mess, and Produce Weak Graduates
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- Maaku0
I remember going to this interview that I will never forget.
This is how it went:- Interviewer: "So where did you go to school?"
- Me: "Parsons the New school for Design"
- Interviewer: "Oh, I heard your program was crap."
- Me: *Fart noise*....(awkward silence)
- MSTRPLN0
You end up getting people like this, which in turn devalue the profession of design for the rest of us:
"I will Photoshop anything you'd like for $35.00
-Logos
-Photo Manipulation
-Photo touch-ups
-Posters for your band/gig
-And basically anything else you can think ofI studied image manipulation and composition for two years in college, and have been working as a video editor/graphic artist full time for the past 6 months.
Q: "But 35 dollars is really cheap, how do you expect to make any money?"
A: Basically, anybody doing what I do is going to ask you for much, much more than that, and I'd rather have your business. I already have a full-time job in the industry, so I'm doing this more for fun than anything.Just send me an email explaining what you want and send me whatever elements you need in the picture and I'll get on it. "
- then i guess part of your education should allow you to explain why charging more is worth it, no?mcmillions
- mcmillions0
i'm sure there are some design programs that more succinctly prepare students for a career, but it seems like a lot of graduates improve most after cutting their teeth on small firms and freelance work—so i still think the best means of experience is on the job.
the fact that i had a multimedia degree didn't help, but i cold called for motion design gigs until i got an internship, and from that, freelance work. i've been doing that for a year now, and i've learned much more on the job than i've ever learned in school (as unfocused as my poorly chosen major was). big ups to randommail btw, who i totally agree with.
there are some godly motherfuckers who nab gigs at the map office or pentagram or buck (those fuckers), but i don't think the majority of design programs are broken—people just improve as designers in different ways imo.