The top performers in any industry were most likely made through a commitment to intensive training. This notion holds particularly true in fashion design and other creative fields.
With over 250 accredited art and design institutions,
choosing the right fashion design or fashion merchandising school can be a bit overwhelming. However, taking the time to match your needs with a complimentary program might just improve your chances of getting in. Here's why.
Knowing What to Look For
The road to the right college always begins and ends with you. What is your ideal college environment? How close to or far from home do you want to be? Which is a bigger draw for you--the academic potential or the social environment? These are questions that need to be answered well before you pack your bags for school.
There are several points to consider when you sift through fashion design and merchandising schools. Perhaps the most important is concerned with the prestige of your dream institution. You might want to go to that glitzy school in New York, Paris, or Milan--and that's ok. But you need to keep in mind that a brand-name school does not guarantee your success.
What Schools are Looking For
Stop fretting over the fact that you don't have straight A's. According to U.S. News & World Reports, colleges are typically more interested in the contributions you can make to their programs rather than accepting the cookie cutter application. Of course, academic performance is important. But so is being well-rounded.
When applying to fashion design school, use your application to paint a complete picture of your talents and abilities. Also, avoid the tendency to eliminate potential schools too early in the application process. They may eventually be your landing point if your first choices don't work out as planned.
Program and Course Requirements
Program specificity typically dictates coursework and requirements. That means the opportunity for you to personalize your studies, better preparing you for career longevity. For example, a fashion design school may offer more generalized classes in the field--textiles, colors, sewing, and fashion history. On the other hand, fashion merchandising schools may be grounded in retail operations--so mathematics and economics may come into play.
Short-Cuts and Time Savers
Some things to do to keep yourself ahead of the curve:
• Save Application Materials. Chances are that your admissions essay can be used at whichever school you apply to. Save this and other app materials, such as transcripts to cut down on the time it takes to apply to each school.
• Get Those RSS Feeds. Some fashion design schools offer RSS feed updates of new services and programs. Subscribe to be kept in the loop automatically.
• Apply Early and Often. Your chances of acceptance increase greatly when you keep your mind, and options, open.
The right fashion design school or
fashion merchandising school is out there. With some research and persistence, you can find it.
