freakyne55

caressemh, thanks for your input! Yeah, my friend went to NYC and hated it, but she loves LA. Don't worry; I only got my Pratt acceptance letter today, so I'm sure you'll get yours soon!!

& lolita, what are your impressions on both RISD and Parsons? Do you prefer one over the other, & if so, for what reasons? Sorry for all the questions; I just want to make sure I make the right choice! haha


Truthfully, I considered being an English major before, so if I did get into RISD, I would love,love,love being able to take literature courses at Brown! Now I'm even more nervous about not being accepted into RISD as I was Parsons! ><

lolita

Both RISD and Parsons are my top two choices.
When I visited Parsons, my tour guide was a Design and Management student from Greece. She was very very very enthusiastic, funny, informative, and nice. Seriously, the best tour guide ever. Although I love NYC to death, I thought the campus buildings looked very high school-ish since the conditions weren't great at all. I felt claustrophobic in the building because it seemed that all majors are in that one building and I also felt as if I would tip over. Also, the elevator was very slow and filled with students. The cafeteria looked terrible and the bathrooms were dirty. Although I'm Asian, I saw a lot of Korean girls because I heard them speaking Korean :P Unfortunately, I did not visit the dorms. The students all have their own style and are very fashionable, welcome to New York, and I felt right at home. The school is also expanding since they have a new building/floor which looks SUPER cool. Despite my disappointment with the school, I still feel that NYC has a lot of opportunities. I want to major in graphic design and work in the fashion magazine industry such as W, V, or maybe even Dazed and Confused, Another Magazine...etc. My tour guide told me that she wanted to work in W too and that the week before, W came to the Parsons (although I think it was for the fashion department, but still...). Also in NYC, I would be able to apply for many internships in the fashion magazine field which I'm sure would be very to obtain if I didn't go to a school in NYC. So I guess I have to think broader, not just about the school, but also about opportunities that I probably would not get anywhere else.

On the other hand, I fell in love <3 with RISD. It's the college campus I've imagined. A real campus with grass and even a sports team...unlike Parsons. Or maybe I'm from Los Angeles, so RISD felt perfect. While a friend of mine from the East Coast was not impressed by RISD because she was tired of the same building style and found Providence to be too boring. So it's all up to your opinions. RISD is recognized as pretty much the best design school. The graphic design department is superb and I like how I can take other courses during Winter Session. I know the infamous foundation year will be the toughest, but I believe that I will improve because I think everyone needs the basic skills no matter what major you choose in art+design. The classes are in very good condition. The library was amazing. The cafeteria was amazing. The freshmen quad looked amazing. Just amazing. But for me, I just love the whole East Coast experience...something I have never experienced. It takes like 4 hours to get to NYC which is a little disappointing :/

But if I get into RISD, I'm pretty sure I will go there instead of Parsons. I'll just have to find a way to go to NYC and intern only during the summer -though I'd love to intern during the school year.
Very very very confusing. No matter what, I'd have to give up one thing for the other. I'd have to give up the college experience I'd imagined for NYC or NYC for the best college, RISD.
But I still think I'll fight with myself to come up with the final decision. Because seriously, I love both RISD and NYC to death.
I just have to adjust to the temperature. Hehehe. I've never experienced a real winter before.
And for Parsons, I got over half the tuition in financial aid+scholarship :O
My mom is very happy with that.
lol

caressemh

A friend of mine got his today too. Man I don't think they even give enough scholarships to make it affordable to me, but I'm nervous anyway!! lol

kalonity

I identify with so many different things in this thread :P

freakyne55, no problem! I'm just so glad I got a chance to go myself and sort out some things-- I know the whole RISD apparel v. Parsons fashion topic is suuuuuch a confusing one and lots of people have different input.

also a former english-major wannabe, so I'm super glad b/c I've heard you can easily take classes at brown regardless of what they say sometimes. also that english concentration...I'm all about the creative writing.

I got my letter from Pratt today...tempting, they're offering 13k scholarship...but it's still crazy expensive (49k total). and obv I'm not letting go of RISD, who also may I mention mailed all fin aid stuff (including for EA acceptees) today? eeek.

now just waiting on my Parsons decision. I haven't met anyone else from our year applying to the 5-yr BAFA program, so this should be interesting.

freakyne55

Thanks lolita (: I really hope I'll be able to visit both colleges to determine for myself! My sister's lived in LA, SF, and NYC at some point in her life, as well as the suburbs, & she thinks that NYC would suit me best, so now I'm uncertain again. I guess it's just my whole city v. suburbs dilemma again; I'm really just much more for the city scene. All in all, I'm definitely still torn! haha I guess I'll just wait to see if I even get into RISD.

kalonity-- hopefully this doesn't sound as ignorant as I think it does, but what exactly is "k" in currency? I've never heard that before! I actually got quite a substantial scholarship from Pratt too, so now I'm even considering going there (though it's less appealing than RISD/Parsons) :/ Still, it would definitely be a huge weight off my parents' shoulders. Agh, temptations.

Odyism

K= thousand. So 13K is 13,000 dollars

I also got a 10K scholarship from Pratt...but I feel like I wouldn't even go there on a full ride (unless I was rejected everywhere else) :P

Pratt just doesn't appeal to me that much. ^^;

shuya

congrats on all who was accpeted!!!!!!

yep, i agree. temptations. and true it dose cost a lot. i got accpeted into pratt too with 10K each year i attent. it is a huge lot off of parents backs. i was wait-listed by Parsons too. which was my first choice.

It's werid almost that Pratt has a lower accptence rate than Parsons and accpet way less student for fashion and yet....i dont even know now. confusing...

BUT! think about this! you can always transfer into Parsons after your first year. you have to look at some numbers. parson accpeted a large percent of transfer student. here are some numbers from college board.

Total number of transfer students who applied: 1,984
Total number of transfer students who were admitted: 1,242

This is what i'm planning. go to Pratt or Otis and applied again!
excpet i'm confused at which one to go now. any one you can gave me some comments, Pratt or Otis.I have got accepted to both and a huge scholarship
much thanks!

Pratt is a really good school too. so even better chance.

shuya

and i just checked, both Otis and Pratt has additing rate of 42% and Parsons this year 50%. werid....

freakyne55

Thank you, Odyism! I suspected that it might equate to 'thousand', but I thought it better safe than sorry, haha.

Shuya, maybe you should visit Otis (on the off chance that you haven't) and see if you like it. I don't like the campus at all, but perhaps you will. Personally, I would go to Pratt just because NYC is supposedly the "it" place to be when pursuing fashion. I also think it would be a great experience to live in a place other than the West Coast; expand my horizons!

It's definitely difficult to make a decision which could alter the rest of your life. Good luck to everyone

caressemh

Argh I STILL haven't heard from Pratt!!! a;dkfjapoeijf;a

Congratulations to you all though! And Kalonity 13k is their highest scholarship (for non-arch majors) so that's definitely something to be proud of.

kalonity

thanks for letting me know caressemh...I did not know that!

in any case, yeah...schools. I am kind of getting anxious (not because I want to go so much as I just want my letters :P) as almost everyone has gotten their Parsons letters + my friend just got into Lang yesterday. So what's up with the Parsons/Lang program? I think I'll call them tomorrow.

Acceptance rates were really weird/low this year. RISD's was under 30% apparently.

caressemh

Yeah architecture majors can get up to $15,000 (what's so special about them??? :P) and everyone else, up to $13,000. I wished they offered the opportunity for more scholarships too.

Emilio Sanchez

Well, I don't know how long it takes but for instance, I have a friend who applied to Berklee College Of Music in december and he only got his answer about a week ago

shuya

freakyne55

Thanks! well, I'm going to NYC for sure for my future. but, i also want to expeneince the difference between two of the top fashion captiols. i mean, Otis is the best of the west and Parsons, of crouse the best of the East. So, hopefully i will expenice both places. I will transfer after my first year for sure.

ReptarMania

I still haven't heard from RISD or Pratt, but congrats to all who are in.
I hope to hear tomorrow. If not, I may just go insane.