Advice: Education & Career Goals (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[frieda]

I myself have not transferred to Parsons or FIT, skinnyjenny, but if you feel that trying for either would place you better with a job and/or stand out on your resume, I would say to go for it! You can always apply to transfer and then decide when you get in what the move will be. I think you should give yourself options and not limit yourself to an environment that you know and Chicago.

I am debating transferring schools (not out of state, mind you) myself as a Junior. I will be a sophomore this fall. I'm in a sorority, on the newspaper staff, working at our writing center at my current University but if UNC would look better on my resume, I'll take that risk of going from having everything to nothing! Parsons and FIT are top ranked schools and I don't think it would hurt to apply and do some thinking, deep thinking these next few months!

 

[frieda]

I'm not sure how relevant my question is to this thread, but does anyone have any enlightening words on how to make a transfer application to a school appealing?
Like how to jazz up an essay inquiring why you would want to leave the current school you're at now?
I'm quite certain everyone's reason for desiring to go to a different place is similar in that they're not satisfied where they're currently situated in. But how would you make an essay like that unique without sounding condescending or as though you're whining?
I would really appreciate the help.

The typical approach would probably be the negatives about your current school. "I don't find diversity. I dislike the professors. I hate my classes and the people." I would recommend trying to be positive and put everything in retrospect, letting the admissions officers know just how you will prosper at their university as opposed to your current one or how you will continue your academic success at their school. Talk about your interests and how this school, compared to your current one, will supplement your growth.

Hope this helps some!

 

[FashionMaganista]

I would say transfer! If you feel that you've learned already what you needed to learn and SAIC has taught you what you need then transfer! I think big league schools absolutely adore the idea that you want a BIGGER challenge. and also in the fashion world... a great designer.. needs not just talent but the opportunity to obtain prestigious internships and network with multitudes of important people within the Fashion Community. Parsons.. FIT... CSM all have an amazing alumni/curriculum/ and internship/networking opportunities!

I'm going back for my soph year next month.
I'm thinking of transferring to either Parsons or FIT next year for my junior year. I dont want to transfer and get adjusted to a whole different environment but I feel like i really need to be in NY. Could I get som advice to anything? I've been contemplating the whole year freshmen year and now as my soph year is approaching im still having doubts if i should transfer or not. I was leaning more towards FIT but still not sure..

SAIC is mainly about conceptual. about the starving artist. they dont reall focus on getting you a job out of college,instead its just about growing as an artist throughout the 4 years. I realize that's important too but I dont want to be just stuck with nothing to do with a Fashion Design BFA from SAIC.
I absolutely HATED conceptual art. esp. with fashion. but now i'm getting used to it and learning that i have to really play around with the female form to get an idea. IDK!

anyone transferred to Parsons or FIT and loved it?
I know it depends on the person and what style they love more. but as for me i love the haute couture but also want to learn ready-to-wear but our school only focuses on couture fashion.

help!
thanks

 

[superbeautiful]

Need advice about future fashion career...

I apologize in advance if this topic is in the wrong thread, but I've always found great help from people on this and I hope I can find some more in my current situtation..

My big problem is that I am literally torn between what I want to do. In the beginning, my dream was to study fashion. Whilst in high school I worked very hard, created a portfolio, and got into F.I.T as a fashion design major. A great school for me to be in considering I was very into fashion and very into the technical aspect of actual sewing and designing. I figured that a career in patternmaking was what I was really into and I was never into fashion just for the glamour aspect. I understood that it takes hard work in the industry and was interested in patternmaking or an actual hands on job because I was into it.

This is where things start to turn... Halfway or almost more then halfway through first semester I started having doubts. It wasn't that I lost my passion for fashion, but I wasn't sure if fashion was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I would find myself sitting in the workshop at 2 a.m sewing a sleeve and starting to wonder if this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Did I really want to work hard, long hours with little pay, working in a job in fashion? I loved fashion, but was I that passionate that I was willing to live a life that it entails?

I felt like I was capable of doing so much more. I had always been a good student growing up academically and started to feel like fashion was very limiting. I felt like I had the capability to study hard at a normal college, go to graduate school and have a career where I could be respected and earn a good living in which I could support not just myself but a family. Fashion was great but I felt like I got so caught into it. I felt almost selfish that I was going into a career just for myself and my own interests whereas I could be working a government job or helping developing countries.

So I did what I thought was best and took a semester off, and now for my second semester I am in a college close to home doing an academic major. I figured that after studying here for a little while, I'd be able to compare my time at F.I.T and figure what I liked better. Problem is, I have no idea.

Sometimes I feel like I got scared. That I chickened out working in fashion and went for something safer. I felt so scared of the fact that I would get to my last year at F.I.T and change my mind. And regret everything. Other times I feel like my decision was sensible and forward. That I was smart to choose a career that would encourage intellectual thought and be for my betterment. Other times I'm just downright confused.

My main question is what should I do from here? Who should I talk to? I talked to people at F.I.T and counselors but honestly they weren't much help. No one really told me to stay and no one could answer the questions I had. Was I wrong to leave F.I.T? Should I go back? Should I stay where I am now?

And thanks for reading such a long post. Second semester is almost ending for me and I just want to make the most out of my time rather then just running away from my problems...

 

[gius]

Hello What kind of academic major are you in now? And you wrote it didn't help you at all to compare that with FIT...

I'm sure this is normal, I know a couple people going through the same thing.

To be honest for myself, I don't really think about whether or not I will make money in fashion. It's really just for myself. I love the techniques and the learning and mostly I just want to make clothes for myself. It is important enough to me that I would like to wear interesting clothes or be surrounded by them.

Have you tried working in fashion? At a store? At a studio? You can't say you hate it or will hate it unless you try...
I have only had one job in fashion and it was only a smart part of it, there are so many kinds out there. I would have to try other jobs to really get a taste of if this is what I want to do for a living. There are so many different things to experience. And there are also other ideas I have which have nothing to do with fashion. Only then maybe you can decide

 

[ad 120515]

hi :]

i think it's great that you're putting thought into your future instead of blindly chasing one goal. i'm hoping to pursue fashion design myself soon at FIT.

usually in these situations most people will tell you cliche things like "just look into your heart and you'll find what you really want to do blah blah" but it's unrealistic to expect people with little life experience to make decisions about the rest of their lives at such a young age.

i feel that you're quite concerned with financial security, which can be hard to come by with a career in fashion. what i would do in your situation, to be prudent, is probably to stay in your academic major at college for a few years until you can get some work experience in your major through internships, temping, etc. so you can compare the experiences. i think fashion is a field that you can succeed in even if you have a late start, so you can always return to it after working at a "normal job" for a few years and saving up some money. i had no idea the hours in patternmaking were so bad that they would be comparable to investment banking! another thing to keep in mind is in every career path you have to (cliche alert) pay your dues at the beginning through long hours and grunt work.

personally, i have a bachelors degree already and some work experience, but i really love fashion so i plan to go back to school for a couple of years to see if i can succeed in it. everyone tells me that one has a better chance to be sucessful doing something one really enjoys. with the current economic environment, taking your time to explore your options might be beneficial because when you're ready for a job we should be in a bull market again.

hope this has helped

 

[gius]

where did you read that the hours were long in pattern making?^

that is kind of a big thing for me. the hours. i couldn't stand doing the same thing 5 days a week from morning till evening. so now i'm going to try doing two jobs, each half a week.
in a perfect world i would be living in a home with free rent and food and i could just spend all my time studying sewing and drafting and draping so i am also having to consider how to earn money to stay alive.

 

[ElvisBelle]

I apologize in advance if this topic is in the wrong thread, but I've always found great help from people on this and I hope I can find some more in my current situtation..

My big problem is that I am literally torn between what I want to do. In the beginning, my dream was to study fashion. Whilst in high school I worked very hard, created a portfolio, and got into F.I.T as a fashion design major. A great school for me to be in considering I was very into fashion and very into the technical aspect of actual sewing and designing. I figured that a career in patternmaking was what I was really into and I was never into fashion just for the glamour aspect. I understood that it takes hard work in the industry and was interested in patternmaking or an actual hands on job because I was into it.

This is where things start to turn... Halfway or almost more then halfway through first semester I started having doubts. It wasn't that I lost my passion for fashion, but I wasn't sure if fashion was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I would find myself sitting in the workshop at 2 a.m sewing a sleeve and starting to wonder if this was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Did I really want to work hard, long hours with little pay, working in a job in fashion? I loved fashion, but was I that passionate that I was willing to live a life that it entails?

I felt like I was capable of doing so much more. I had always been a good student growing up academically and started to feel like fashion was very limiting. I felt like I had the capability to study hard at a normal college, go to graduate school and have a career where I could be respected and earn a good living in which I could support not just myself but a family. Fashion was great but I felt like I got so caught into it. I felt almost selfish that I was going into a career just for myself and my own interests whereas I could be working a government job or helping developing countries.

So I did what I thought was best and took a semester off, and now for my second semester I am in a college close to home doing an academic major. I figured that after studying here for a little while, I'd be able to compare my time at F.I.T and figure what I liked better. Problem is, I have no idea.

Sometimes I feel like I got scared. That I chickened out working in fashion and went for something safer. I felt so scared of the fact that I would get to my last year at F.I.T and change my mind. And regret everything. Other times I feel like my decision was sensible and forward. That I was smart to choose a career that would encourage intellectual thought and be for my betterment. Other times I'm just downright confused.

My main question is what should I do from here? Who should I talk to? I talked to people at F.I.T and counselors but honestly they weren't much help. No one really told me to stay and no one could answer the questions I had. Was I wrong to leave F.I.T? Should I go back? Should I stay where I am now?

And thanks for reading such a long post. Second semester is almost ending for me and I just want to make the most out of my time rather then just running away from my problems...

I will try to show you the other side of the coin. I chose the most versatile, practical, money-making major ever (accounting) because I didn't really know what I wanted to do other than be financially secure and pick something difficult/intellectually challenging. I've been successful, I'm on a great path for my field, etc. etc. - respected and earning a good living as you mentioned. Except that I don't really like it.... And now my career goal is to move to the most expensive city in the world and find an entry level job that will be at least a 50% pay cut.

It's completely normal at your age to wonder what is out there for you, and frame things in the context of "could I do this the rest of my life?" No matter what path you choose, the rest of your life will only come at you day by day. In my opinion, if you find something to do that makes you happy, grab on to it. There is no safe path for life. Choosing something that you truly enjoy will make it all the more likely that patternmaking (and whatever unexpected opportunities arise from it) is your safest path.

As for "non-selfish" jobs like government or non-profit- practically speaking, these hold big challenges as well. Non-profit (eg helping dev. countries) will pay next to nothing, and can be very thankless. If you make progress, it is sloooowwww. Government jobs tend to pay ok, but also tend to be mind-numbing from what I've heard, because promotions and responsibilities are based on seniority rather than merit.

I'm not sure if you've already tried internships in fashion or were just a little burned out by the academic schedule- but maybe getting a taste of the actual job you'd be doing would help you figure things out. If you do get an internship, look at the people 5-10 years more senior and see if you like what the future may hold.

Good luck!

 

[superbeautiful]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I especially liked your's ElvisBelle. I feel like a lot of what you said is true. I can't be worried my whole life and money really isn't everything. I know financial security is something I've always worried about but I feel like if I'm happy enough in a career, even if it dosen't make that much money, I'll get by it. Like they say, if there's a will there's a way.

I think I'll think things over carefully this time before making any big steps. I feel like while I was at F.I.T, my decision to come back was a very fast one and I honestly don't think I thought it over too much. I guess I just need to get my priorities in order. Even though my time with a more "academic" semester didn't get me interested in any other fields careerwise, I still liked being educated. I feel like a college education is something so many people take for granted and at times I feel like it's important to have one.

I've been considering some internships to get more an insight on how fashion jobs really are. I've gotten tours of some fashion offices and have had heard designers talk about their work but I don't think there's anything more valuable then actual experience and seeing other's do their work in person.

 

[gius]

If you make a mistake, it should be fine, shouldn't it
You can always go back and continue your studies...

Don't get me wrong, it's good to think about finances
I don't like working long hours to stay alive
Currently I'm just researching this..
If I can't make money doing what I love, there is always another way
Anyway I find sometimes I don't want to 'create' something for selling, I feel too attached to my work at times

 

[lexd]

HELP ME decide all these fashion school dilemmas

the #1 school on my list is instituto marangoni in milan/paris..

problem 1: which campus of marangoni should i go to
problem 2: masters in fashion buying/brandmanagement?
problem 3: is there any good fashion schools in spain?

hihi

i hope you guys can help me :-)

 

[gius]

hello lexd, welcome to tFS

please try not to start a new thread right away
but instead do a search,
since it's possible we will have info for questions you are looking for

here are some threads...
Searching for my perfect fashion career
becoming a buyer
fashion merchandising
fashion marketing
advice about what to do with school
tFS mega schools thread


in the case where you cannot find a thread, then you can start a new one
good luck

 

[BetteT]

Welcome!

I've searched for info about schools and found a few more threads that may be applicable for you:

Paris fashion schools
European Fashion Schools

I do remember someone asking about fashion schools in Spain ... I think it's in the Euro School thread. You may actually search threads for more precise topics, once you get in there ... look for a drop down the upper black navagation bar called "Search this Thread" and use keywords like Marangoni and Spain in the applicable threads and you should get some results.

 

[superbeautiful]

Is a job in fashion really all that bad? I just feel like lately I've just been hearing about how stressful and crazy jobs are in fashion and honestly I think that's what scared me. It wasn't really a loss for passion, or that I hated New York, I just didn't really like the fact of slaving away at a job in fashion because isn't the purpose of having a job that your passionate about supposed to make you happy, not miserable?

 

[lexd]

oh hey..
im sorry.. thanks for the help!

hello lexd, welcome to tFS

please try not to start a new thread right away
but instead do a search,
since it's possible we will have info for questions you are looking for

here are some threads...
Searching for my perfect fashion career
becoming a buyer
fashion merchandising
fashion marketing
advice about what to do with school
tFS mega schools thread


in the case where you cannot find a thread, then you can start a new one
good luck

 

[lexd]

thanks betteT

Welcome!

I've searched for info about schools and found a few more threads that may be applicable for you:

Paris fashion schools
European Fashion Schools

I do remember someone asking about fashion schools in Spain ... I think it's in the Euro School thread. You may actually search threads for more precise topics, once you get in there ... look for a drop down the upper black navagation bar called "Search this Thread" and use keywords like Marangoni and Spain in the applicable threads and you should get some results.

 

[rellz]

Which fashion school should I attend?

Hello everyone,
I just graduated with a BS in Graphic Design, and early in the process I realized I wanted to get into fashion more than graphics. I'm right and boston and I'm thinking of going to NY for 2 years to learn more on fashion.

I do have my own clothing company and working with seamstress' have been quite encouraging.

and recommendations before i do some more research?

 

[BetteT]

Welcome, rellz!!

I merged your new thread in with the ongoing thread about this.

Before you choose a fashion school, you need to know what type of career you want. Some schools are best to become a desgner, others are better for fashion marketing, and then there are careers that don't require specialized school, like fashion styling, and so on. No one school will cover all occupations in the fashion world.


I assume you want to become a desginer ... and run your own line. So, you can Search the Careers forum by the keyword "designer" (thread titles only) and check out threads about that occupation which will probably have suggestions about particular schools. Or if you are interested in other occupations or disciplines that might be involved in running a fashion company, try the keyword career and careers. There is probably good info in these career threads about schooling for each. And some career threads don't say career on them ... but you can also search by keywords like buyer, merchandising, marketing, business, cutter (for pattern cutter), sewing, sourcing, sources, and so on. Make sure that you are seaching in the Careers forum ... all that info is in here.


Also, if any particlar school interests you, you can search by school name or for a bigger overview of shcools in any big fashion city, search by city name. If you use both school and schools as the keywords, you will get world wide results ... lots of threads to check out.

So you know, our search engine can only read words that are 4 or more letters ... so search for "York" for NY because it won't read NY or New. And don't search use "fashion" in your keywords, it is too broad .... you will get thousands of unappropriate threads.

 

[rellz]

Welcome, rellz!!

I merged your new thread in with the ongoing thread about this.

Before you choose a fashion school, you need to know what type of career you want. Some schools are best to become a desgner, others are better for fashion marketing, and then there are careers that don't require specialized school, like fashion styling, and so on. No one school will cover all occupations in the fashion world.


I assume you want to become a desginer ... and run your own line. So, you can Search the Careers forum by the keyword "designer" (thread titles only) and check out threads about that occupation which will probably have suggestions about particular schools. Or if you are interested in other occupations or disciplines that might be involved in running a fashion company, try the keyword career and careers. There is probably good info in these career threads about schooling for each. And some career threads don't say career on them ... but you can also search by keywords like buyer, merchandising, marketing, business, cutter (for pattern cutter), sewing, sourcing, sources, and so on. Make sure that you are seaching in the Careers forum ... all that info is in here.


Also, if any particlar school interests you, you can search by school name or for a bigger overview of shcools in any big fashion city, search by city name. If you use both school and schools as the keywords, you will get world wide results ... lots of threads to check out.

So you know, our search engine can only read words that are 4 or more letters ... so search for "York" for NY because it won't read NY or New. And don't search use "fashion" in your keywords, it is too broad .... you will get thousands of unappropriate threads.

THANKS A MILLION!

 

[gius]

you might even want to try some part-time or night courses here and there in subjects of interest, just to really make sure or to define what it is you want to focus on in fashion

i like this process since you can just focus on one aspect instead of starting a whole program and having to deal with a ton of things all at once