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Share your thoughts on the... 2024 Met Gala
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York
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lemonadensnickrs
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thanks! 
exdesigner
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Hello !
I am an alumni / graduate of F.I.T. and I majored in and graduated with an Associates Degree in Apparel Design. Although it has been MANY years since I graduated, I can tell you a bit about the school and industry. It is very difficult and competitive to be admitted to the school's full time program. It is also expensive. Because of this, I worked part time and obtained my degree in their Continuing Education program. Meaning, I went to FIT at night and worked during the day. I took classes from 6:00pm until 9 or 10:00pm and did my homework and projects in my spare time. I only took 2 to 3 classes a semester and let me tell you it was A HUGE amount of work & those 2 to 3 classes at that time were over $200 each. This was a lot of money for my parents at the time and I was not an only child. FIT is not like a regular college where you can just throw your text books in a backpack and study at a local Barnes & Noble. At the time, my parents bought me a drafting table for Christmas so I was able to do my homework sketches on them. I could not afford a dress-form for my draping homework so I would have to shlep all my stuff to an open classroom to work. I also did not have my own sewing machine so then I would also have to shlep my stuff to a friend's house to borrow her sewing machine or again use FIT's open classroom time to do my homework. These are just a few of the sacrifices you make if you can't afford to buy all the equipment to have in your house. It doesn't sound like a big deal but working part time and going to classes at night and then finding time in what little spare time you have to do your homework with limited facilities IS a big sacrifice and one I was willing to make because I desperately wanted to be a designer. It's hard work, and NOT the glamorous chi-chi life you see in movies or on TV. Starting pay at that time was minimal and you start off being an assistant designer to someone you hope is easy to get along with and not one of those temperamental *artists* and is willing to mentor you without feeling threatened by your skills. One of the professors I had at FIT at the time was giving me advice and she told me that when I graduate, the best thing I could do was to get a job right away to gain experience. I asked her for advice because I was wondering if I should continue my education and get a BFA degree. She told me that whether I had an Associates degree or a BFA degree, I would still earn the same amount of money at my first job. She was right. Perhaps FIT has changed since then but at that time the BFA program offered wasn't much different than the Associates. If you majored in sportwear, you would then try knitwear or menswear. You weren't learning any garment construction tricks or secrets in the BFA program that you didn't already learn in the Associates. But, if you have the money and want to go for it, by all means. I was glad because I was eager to get my feet wet and get some on the job experience right away.
I'm giving this advice and information to anyone that is interested in becoming a designer. If it is what you truly want, do your homework and research it as much as you can because it consumes your whole free time, if you want to succeed. It's not about dressing up and going shopping and having coffee with other designers & looking at pretty clothes. As a novice, I did not travel to France, Italy or Spain to see the seasonal shows. A lot of people think that's what you automatically get to do. It all depends on what firm you work for and what price range and the budget of the company. It's competitive, very hard work, stressful, and you often work with backbiting people. It is also very rewarding to see your finished product hanging in the stores and hearing that it's selling very well.
Again, the program at FIT might have changed since I have been there but this was my experience. I think it's a fantastic school and even though I worked my butt off and lost a lot of sleep, studying at FIT was the best years of my life & if you can believe it, I enjoyed it more than my actual on-the-job experience.
F.I.T. is fantastic !
I am an alumni / graduate of F.I.T. and I majored in and graduated with an Associates Degree in Apparel Design. Although it has been MANY years since I graduated, I can tell you a bit about the school and industry. It is very difficult and competitive to be admitted to the school's full time program. It is also expensive. Because of this, I worked part time and obtained my degree in their Continuing Education program. Meaning, I went to FIT at night and worked during the day. I took classes from 6:00pm until 9 or 10:00pm and did my homework and projects in my spare time. I only took 2 to 3 classes a semester and let me tell you it was A HUGE amount of work & those 2 to 3 classes at that time were over $200 each. This was a lot of money for my parents at the time and I was not an only child. FIT is not like a regular college where you can just throw your text books in a backpack and study at a local Barnes & Noble. At the time, my parents bought me a drafting table for Christmas so I was able to do my homework sketches on them. I could not afford a dress-form for my draping homework so I would have to shlep all my stuff to an open classroom to work. I also did not have my own sewing machine so then I would also have to shlep my stuff to a friend's house to borrow her sewing machine or again use FIT's open classroom time to do my homework. These are just a few of the sacrifices you make if you can't afford to buy all the equipment to have in your house. It doesn't sound like a big deal but working part time and going to classes at night and then finding time in what little spare time you have to do your homework with limited facilities IS a big sacrifice and one I was willing to make because I desperately wanted to be a designer. It's hard work, and NOT the glamorous chi-chi life you see in movies or on TV. Starting pay at that time was minimal and you start off being an assistant designer to someone you hope is easy to get along with and not one of those temperamental *artists* and is willing to mentor you without feeling threatened by your skills. One of the professors I had at FIT at the time was giving me advice and she told me that when I graduate, the best thing I could do was to get a job right away to gain experience. I asked her for advice because I was wondering if I should continue my education and get a BFA degree. She told me that whether I had an Associates degree or a BFA degree, I would still earn the same amount of money at my first job. She was right. Perhaps FIT has changed since then but at that time the BFA program offered wasn't much different than the Associates. If you majored in sportwear, you would then try knitwear or menswear. You weren't learning any garment construction tricks or secrets in the BFA program that you didn't already learn in the Associates. But, if you have the money and want to go for it, by all means. I was glad because I was eager to get my feet wet and get some on the job experience right away.
I'm giving this advice and information to anyone that is interested in becoming a designer. If it is what you truly want, do your homework and research it as much as you can because it consumes your whole free time, if you want to succeed. It's not about dressing up and going shopping and having coffee with other designers & looking at pretty clothes. As a novice, I did not travel to France, Italy or Spain to see the seasonal shows. A lot of people think that's what you automatically get to do. It all depends on what firm you work for and what price range and the budget of the company. It's competitive, very hard work, stressful, and you often work with backbiting people. It is also very rewarding to see your finished product hanging in the stores and hearing that it's selling very well.
Again, the program at FIT might have changed since I have been there but this was my experience. I think it's a fantastic school and even though I worked my butt off and lost a lot of sleep, studying at FIT was the best years of my life & if you can believe it, I enjoyed it more than my actual on-the-job experience.
F.I.T. is fantastic !
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im applying for fall 09, and am sure i want to go into fashion design. one thing i like about this school is that you get right into what you want to do- no foundation year right? but is the program really not good? i went to their summer live program, and it was quite good. i have uvenio- ever heard of him?
birth.of.mode
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i'm applyin for fall 09..for their fine arts or illustration course...
although i wish they had a fashion communication course..coz thats what i really wanna do.. and no school in new york has that course!!
although i wish they had a fashion communication course..coz thats what i really wanna do.. and no school in new york has that course!!
~LovelyDay~
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i'm applying for fashion design for fall 09.
@ablazex i don't think its bad. compare to most fashion school FIT is pretty good. Some people don't like it b/c it focuses too much on the technical aspect of it, rather than creativity, art, etc.
did you take portfolio class lvl 2? in summer live?
@ablazex i don't think its bad. compare to most fashion school FIT is pretty good. Some people don't like it b/c it focuses too much on the technical aspect of it, rather than creativity, art, etc.
did you take portfolio class lvl 2? in summer live?
well the tour was really disappointing. the dorms were AWFUL so i would have to spend more $ on an apartment and the information session wasn't that informative besides helping me make up my mind between FIT and parsons. i also don't like that it is more "technical" than parsons. i'd rather in a more creative environment.
hm does sound a bit disappointing. i was surprised that everyone's favorite fashion designer seemed to be betsey johnson- not that there's anything wrong with that but..
and o god, if the dorms were AWFUL than im going to have a big problem. was it really dirty or what? a food plan is required?- that's ridiculous! parsons is so much more expensive than FIT though, how impressive was the parsons tour? this is offtopic, but the parsons thread is kind of dead so..
and o god, if the dorms were AWFUL than im going to have a big problem. was it really dirty or what? a food plan is required?- that's ridiculous! parsons is so much more expensive than FIT though, how impressive was the parsons tour? this is offtopic, but the parsons thread is kind of dead so..
hahaha nothing wrong with that 
yes the dorms were awful! and tiny and very depressing! the closet space was practically nothing and i couldn't even open the closet because the doors were jammed. the hall ways of the dorm looked dirty and really old. parsons was AMAZING. i know its expensive but i can't see myself being happy at FIT.
yes the dorms were awful! and tiny and very depressing! the closet space was practically nothing and i couldn't even open the closet because the doors were jammed. the hall ways of the dorm looked dirty and really old. parsons was AMAZING. i know its expensive but i can't see myself being happy at FIT.i guess the facilities wouldn't be as good at FIT because it is a public school. ive already started my application to FIT and i got my user id and password the other day. i should get going with my parsons application too- what other school are you applying to? i think im applying to fidm, otis, ccad and maybe risd? id apply to csm too, if i knew i could go there! ahh i have to take the ACTs this saturday too. pooooo
birth.of.mode
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does anybody have any information abt he fine arts programme..the associate degree..is it good? bad? mediocre?
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