Hey Kate, I am entering my Foundation Year at Parsons this fall and I’m so excited! But I’m nervous that it’s going to be super competitive. Is it?
At Parsons, I feel like there is some competition… but most students tend to be friendly and open. As you go on from Foundation Year and separate into your own majors you kind of become a family within your major (at least that’s the way it is in Communication Design). I know we occasionally make fun of how much the Fashion Design students complain, but hey, they do! My personal outlook is that while we are in school we should share knowledge and try to create lasting bonds and contacts with our classmates. By the end of Junior year, in Communication Design ‘10 we already know each others strengths and certain skills or insights we would like to learn from our peers. I’ve had teachers who have tried to pit us against one another saying “You’ll be fighting kids in this class for THAT job after school—know each others weaknesses!”… while with the state of the economy maybe the graduating seniors may feel like it’s a snake pit, I think its important to feel confident in your own strengths and learn how to work well in a team you trust that can make up for your shortcomings. I think what seperates graphic design from other industries in some ways is, or should be, the community.
Related posts:
3 responses so far ↓
1 tinybeatnik // Jul 12, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I don’t get the impression that there is much real competitiveness at my art school … the class seems pretty supportive of each other and everyone seems to recognise that we all do different things. There’s one or two who are a bit competitive about marks but I don’t think that’s going to count for anything in the real world … who cares what marks Mario Testino got at college, what matters is the work you can produce at the end of it. What I can see people maybe getting a bit competitive about in the future is the networking, interning, assisting, that kind of thing.
Reply
Truth all around. Especially about grades—unless you plan on going to grad school it doesn’t much matter as long as your portfolio can speak volumes about your knowledge/education/skill.
Reply
2 tinybeatnik Name // Jul 12, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Yes that’s true, of course grades will be relevant for anyone who hopes to have an academic career. And yes, it’s the portfolio that counts. It really feels more like competition with your self to be honest.
Reply
Leave a Comment