American / United States Fashion Schools

[VivianL]

I just recently got accepted to FIDM in California and now I'm working up my portfolio so I can apply to FIT so I can start fall of 2007.

I'd rather go to FIT NYC so hopefully I get in there!! Thanks for the pointers lcm.

 

[Casius]

Hello all, I just got back from San Fran, CA visiting the Academy and loved it. I'm definitely sold. Loved the facilities, loved the people, had a great time in the city. Any questions, fire away.

I'm looking into going there as well. I have a friend who attends right now and he loves it.

We'll see how my admissions go for FIT and Parsons and then I'll have to make a decision.

 

[ShockTart55]

Oks o I read all 14 pages of this thread and the other fashion school thread and still can't find an answer to my question.

Right now I'm looking to find a good school to study fashion merchandising. Sadly, my state (florida) doesn't really have any schools that offer this as a major except schools like the Art Institutes or the American Intercontinental University. I was thinking they would be okay schools until I read that they're not really good schools b/c they're the kind that advertise on tv and send you things in the mail, and apparently, those are signs of a bad school. SO my question is, are these schools really NOT respected and not worth the money, and if so, what can I major in so that I can still have a shot in the fashion industry.

 

[jeffrey0806]

Oks o I read all 14 pages of this thread and the other fashion school thread and still can't find an answer to my question.

Right now I'm looking to find a good school to study fashion merchandising. Sadly, my state (florida) doesn't really have any schools that offer this as a major except schools like the Art Institutes or the American Intercontinental University. I was thinking they would be okay schools until I read that they're not really good schools b/c they're the kind that advertise on tv and send you things in the mail, and apparently, those are signs of a bad school. SO my question is, are these schools really NOT respected and not worth the money, and if so, what can I major in so that I can still have a shot in the fashion industry.

FSU has a good fashion merchandising program or something similar. I know because back when I was researching schools, it came up.

Yeah avoid schools like American Intercontinental and Art Institutes.

If you're looking to stay in the south, another good school is savannah college of art and design, which is in savannah georgia, but I believe they only offer fashion design, not merchandising.
If you're seriously interested in merchandising, you have to ask yourself what specific area merchandising are you interested in. Is it buying? styling? visuals(clothing store)? Public RElations? There are alternatives to majoring in merchandising, such as Business, because the one thing you need to be a buyer is business skills, some people will even tell you to avoid majoring in fashion merchandising and go for business. if it's visuals then maybe Fine Arts can be an alternative or even interior design.

But overall , alot of the merchandising careers involve more networking than education. Experience is also a key. Because you can graduate with a fashion merchandising degree and suck at it. Yet someone who has interned and worked and has gotten experience is more valuable than education(at some places)

 

[ShockTart55]

Thanks so much. I was actually thinking more along the lines of visual merchandising, b/c I'm not so good with numbers and that would rule out buying. I actually got accepted to FSU, but at the last minute I couldn't go b/c of money problems. So I was thinking of stying close to home (miami).
For visual merchandising, what alternative major do you recommend besides interior design?

 

[jeffrey0806]

in all honesty you don't need to go to school for visual merchandising.

just work in retail, or intern in retail. or try to hit up some visual merchandisers of some stores for an internship or an assistant position, even if it's unpaid.

Because the minute you have some or little experience in visuals, that's all you're going to be hired for, or that's all people will wanna hire you for when you apply to a retail store or what not.

I had interned for a visual merchandiser of a store, or better yet was an assistant, briefly for 3 months. I stopped because I couldn't manage school work load and an internship at the same time, but the minute i was looking for jobs in the summer, a lot of retail stores that i interviewed for only offered me visuals or merchandising position, even though I wanted sales, because of some knowledge or experience i had.

It's very hard to start off in visuals at any retail store and expect to get paid without having experience doing it. Some of the people that had been hired by the same companies i was getting hired(yet i didn't accept the positions) had worked in retail as sales people and may have been exposed to it briefly when the store visual merchandiser might have needed a hand.

A lot of corporate clothing stores, at their headquarters have visual merchandising internships over the summer or throughout the spring season. it's all about looking online, like on hotjobs, or just going to retail stores websites and seeing the corporate employment or hr department.

I know that Urban outfitters inc is always looking.

But if you honestly want an education in something similar than majors to consider i guess would be like set design, theater/stage design, fine art majors(just because they allow you to explore your own individuality and creativity)

 

[sanita13]

how come no one talks about Berkeley college nyc?

 

[eliza s.]

I'm looking into going there as well. I have a friend who attends right now and he loves it.

We'll see how my admissions go for FIT and Parsons and then I'll have to make a decision.

The school was amazing as well as their faculty. I highly recommend it even over FIT and Parsons.

 

[reese06]

Ok, so I can't really sew at all and I'm about to apply to FIT for the fall and I was wondering do you have to have garments that you've sewn or know a lot about construction to get into their fashion design program? I'm really worried about it because I'm already a freshman in college, so I'll be a transfer. Has anyone made it in just based on their sketches.

 

[juliapiquet]

I remember there being a fashion school in LA where Lauren goes to (form laguna beach)... It looks like a good school but unfortunately I do not remember the name. Does anyone recall the name?

 

[honeyspider]

I'm going to visit the Academy December 8th. I live in Ohio so it's going to be one long flight. I'll bring back a full report.

So, how was it?

 

[jeffrey0806]

Ok, so I can't really sew at all and I'm about to apply to FIT for the fall and I was wondering do you have to have garments that you've sewn or know a lot about construction to get into their fashion design program? I'm really worried about it because I'm already a freshman in college, so I'll be a transfer. Has anyone made it in just based on their sketches.

when i had applied to FIT for admissions in the fall of 2005, the home test required you to attatch pictures of garments you've constructed and sewn. I think sewing experience is part of the application process.

 

[Casius]

I remember there being a fashion school in LA where Lauren goes to (form laguna beach)... It looks like a good school but unfortunately I do not remember the name. Does anyone recall the name?

FIDM is the name of the school.

 

[reese06]

when i had applied to FIT for admissions in the fall of 2005, the home test required you to attatch pictures of garments you've constructed and sewn. I think sewing experience is part of the application process.

So I'm guessing my very little sewing experience is a no go. I've only sewn pajama pants...

 

[juliapiquet]

FIDM is the name of the school.

Yes that's it, thanks a lot

 

[Casius]

No problemo.

 

[jiji7]

Parsons' AAS Fashion Marketing program...

I am graduating from college this summer with a B.A. in ART and I am in the process now of applying to Parsons'-AAS Fashion Marketing program.

Does anyone have any inside info or advice on this program.

My goal is to take the "fast track" one year program to get some knowledge on the workings of the fashion industry. Reason being, I am going to law school after for intellectual property and entertainment law with basically my entire focus being on fashion.

I want to represent models, designers, photographers...etc.

I figure that time a Parsons would be the icing on the cake and give me a leg up when trying to bring in clients.

 

[popstar]

Parson's AAS Fashion Studies

I graduated from college 2 years ago with a BA in Comparative Literature, and have worked with designers as a design assistant and concept developer. I've been working with a stylist for 7 months now.

I have done and learned a lot without the college education on the industry but I feel like I need to get more pro and be able to work on my own. So I'm considering to apply Parsons' Fashion studies, fast-track program.

Any info and feedback on the program will be more than appreciated.

I was also wondering if anyone applied for another AAS or Certificate Program and was satisfied with the education?

 

[luna1576]

I'm in the process of finishing my F.I.T application and hometest. I was wondering about what they are looking for? I want to major in fashion design and my first choice college is F.I.T. I know I probably should have finished my hometest by now but I just get overwhelmed looking at it. My skills in drawing are ok and my sewing skills are probably not where they should be but I really want to do this. I was kind of a late bloomer in deciding what I wanted to do. I know it's a lot of competition to get in and I'm not sure if I have the abilities that they are looking for.

 

[vintageamour]

are there any tfs-ers that went or no someone who went to Florida State University for Fashion Merchandising degree.. these are my plans and i would love to hear from someone who's been in the program.

i know its not a "fashion school" persay, but, a fashion program.

[edit: i saw that you're a fellow floridian, schocktart, i've heard pretty good things about the program at fsu. where are you planning on going to school? have you checked out FIU?]

xoxo, lauren