Best Art Schools
Choosing the best art school program for yourself is a very individual choice. As you search for an art school you will find fine art programs offered at traditional colleges as well as Art Institutes, which are more of a vo-tech school that prepares you for a career in art and design with hands-on training. There’s a significant difference in curriculum between traditional fine art schools and the Art Institutes that you should carefully examine as you consider art schools.
As you compare art schools, consider the following: curriculum content, programs offered, visiting artists and their alumni. The caliber of visiting artists will give you an indication of the school’s reputation in the industry. The alumni list is a testament of their product.
In no particular order, here are some of the top art schools in the country:
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- Rhode Island School of Design
- Maryland Institute College of Art
- California College of the Arts
- Cleveland Institute of Art
- Pratt Institute
- The New School (Parsons The New School for Design)
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Kansas City Art Institute
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago
- Art Center College of Design
- Otis College of Art and Design
- University of California Los Angeles
- Temple University (Tyler School of Art)
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Corcoran College of Art and Design
- Yale University
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In deciding what school would make the best fit for your needs, decide what you would like to study, specify the environment, conditions and atmosphere you seek and prioritize your requirements. Give yourself enough time to collect information and brochures from the schools and study them carefully. You will need to be armed with enough information to make informed choices based on your decisions and priorities. Create a list of questions that will help you find out if the institution has what you seek. Visit the college campus and take a campus tour to see firsthand if it’s an environment you can see yourself in for the duration. Prepare to meet portfolio and entrance requirements. Consider the possibilities for artistic and intellectual growth. Last, but not least, once you decide on a short list of schools to apply, understand your commitments and responsibilities if you enroll.
