Parsons School of Fashion, New York

[Ieva]

Well....there goes my dream of ever attending Parsons....down the drain

 

[mouko]

central st martins is cheaper than parsons.

FIT is basically half of parsons.

these two schools are really good options if you want to save money.

i don't think its worth spending 40K a year to go to parsons, if oyu have to take out loans. nothing guarantees you a good paying job coming out from school. the name might get you through the doors, and landing an interview, but if you suck as a designer, you're not going to get hired(regardless of what school you come from).

Its about the same for international students, and with the exchange rate cost of living there might be an issue.

I was supposed to go to CSM but the application process to study aboard was a pain (mainly family issues). I decided on going to parsons.

I personally think if you are serious about fashion design, you should take out loans and go to Parsons.

Sucking can apply to any school (design or not) The purpose of school is to nurture and develope talent (not create it from scratch in my opinion). Some people just don't have it and that's a fact of life though. I do know that even though Parsons and FIT often have the same exact teachers, they have to teach differently at both schools. As my professors have told me before, they are not allowed to teach certain things at FIT, and often go through peer reviews to make sure everyone is on the same page or they get fired.

I know many former FIT students that have switched to parsons because they were not happy with how it was being run. I have yet to hear of a person switch back to FIT.

It really all comes down to how passionate and serious you are about fashion design because there are a lot of kids, sadly, that I know aren't going to make it. They're in there for the wrong reasons. Not everyone is filthy rich here, I know at least 4 students that are doing all loans AND working just to go to school here (one even lives in Conneticut just to cut down on her living costs)

 

[fezbatik]

Aren't there programs at Parsons which aid students in securing funding? Low interest loans, on-campus jobs (which can sometimes mean a discounted tuition)?

Some of these jobs may not be glamorous - but the more you interact on a daily basis with faculty - the more you are likely to create lasting relationships and networks, pretty well securing you a job (or at least a noteable reference), when you do get out and need to pay off hefty loans.

Getting a degree/diploma isn't good enough anymore - you absolutely have to forge relationships.

 

[seeing_double]

I toured Parsons last weekend and sat through the info-session and all that hoop-lah and found their design and management program to be very impressive. The one thing it seems to have over other schools such as FIT, which I also toured, was that it catered more to each individual student. The program caters to 200 some odd students vs FITs 2000 some. Parsons also appears to have more prestigous interships.

...Anywayz my question to all of you attending, or those who have attended Parsons....do you think its worth it if I am looking into retail buying? I have a GPA of 4.3 am in all honors classes, ect...basicalyy great grades, so I am hoping to get some sort of financial aid. Still...what are your opinions?

 

[happyguy]

^^ so well put.. in the uk we have to pay for higher education but its nothing compared to american fees.its only like £4000 a year. also imo when you have to pay to have your own life saved it seems a bit morally wrong imo. well ok tecnically you dont pay .. but you pay for your insurance so its the same thing really.

you're lucky! i'm an international student in London, the home students pay like...3000 pounds for their annual uni fee. but i pay 9500 pounds.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

There's a problem with accepting students from different education systems on the same basis as one's own. UC accepts plenty of international students who've been well-coached by their posh international schools but are frankly not very bright and don't seem to understand the concept of discourse. It's the same problem with private school students, their grades often far outstrip their intelligence.

$40,000 is frankly obscene. Nowhere with a serious commitment to education would charge that price.

 

[happyguy]

milking it for all it's worth?

 

[SiennaInLondon]

ERM... sh*t?! How much for foundation year? Forty grand also? I was planning to apply for foundation at Parsons after I finish my English degree but not if it is that much. I may try to either go foundation at a London school, or bypass foundation and try and get into the Slade's BA course. Btw I don't want to do fashion -I want to do fine art. Is there anywhere better (and cheaper) in NY or the East Coast where I can do a fine art foundation?

 

[spiralsnowman]

Whoa. 40K is more than I pay now for a year at grad school.

 

[SiennaInLondon]

^Which country?

 

[spiralsnowman]

The U.S. (Los Angeles, to be exact)

 

[dior_me_not]

I really want to go to Parsons after I leave high school but I live in New Zealand. The cost would be over $NZD60,000, without the housing etc... and I also don't think my parents will let me move to New York when I'm so young...

 

[jetsetandtrash]

i would reaally really love to go but, im not made of money., think ill stay in london.

 

[lcm]

^ maybe we can switch...ive always wanted to live in london...atleast give a try hehe

 

[jetsetandtrash]

ahah yes please!

 

[Owen Bruce]

The School of Visual Arts (though no fashion program) is $32,000 + housing + food & living expenses + travel + Manhattan + flights home + supplies for school..

 

[SiennaInLondon]

So nobody knows if the foundation is also $40? Their website doesn't make it clear.

 

[MJCouture]

^tuition should be the same all four years. Foundation year is really just Parson's version of core Freshmen classes. Not a different school or anything. If you major in Foundation your tuition will be the same as other majors.

 

[educo]

I go to Parsons now and I'm not rich. I'm in debt but I don't care. We all are going to be in debt somehow for the rest of our lives if we have credit cards, purchase a home, purchase a car...I rather pay off a debt that was brought on by my education, than a debt that was brought on by out of control shopping or other reasons. Plus, the creditors are willing to work with you so you can make payments you can afford.

 

[DernierCri]

I just had a look at the tuition fees for international students and it's insane. Good thing I'm not doing Fashion Design, otherwise, Parsons would still have to be my top choice.