The Fashion Institute of Technology

Date: May 30 2012
Major: Design Arts - Industrial Design/Graphic Design/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a continuing education/evening student. Having already been through college and earned a BA I've found that FIT is run more like a high school that treats its students like children rather than adults. There are a ton of bureaucratic rules. Although you are paying their salary, Administration is unhelpful and condescending. No one cares if you graduate.

Just the simple task of getting a locker to store my supplies so I won't have to schlep them through the NYC subways is painful. I'm an evening student but because the school doesn't cater to evening students, I had to take time off from work and go there in the daytime, stand on a line for 45 minutes, go down to the bursar, wait on a line for 10 minutes to pay the locker rental fee, then go back upstairs wait on another line for 20 minutes so I can be escorted to the locker. Then the lady explains that only combination locks are allowed because students have a tendency to lose locker keys. I'm 30 years old. If I'm responsible enough to hold on to my house keys, I'm sure I can handle a locker key.

And be warned that FIT will clip your lock and discard your contents if you do not empty it by the end of the semester. They say that they will post the deadline to clear your contents but this is NOT always true.

The professors are a mixed bag. Some are good, some are horrible. As someone else said, industry experience doesn't equate to teaching ability. I've had several fashion design classes where the professor failed to follow the curriculum and did not teach the lessons that were needed to prepare for the final exam. Omitting part of the curriculm has a ripple effect because susbequent classes are based upon what was learned in prior classes.

Towards the end of each semester the students are given forms to evaluate the professors. These are basically a joke. The tenured professors are untouchable. And besides, no one cares what the students have to say anyway.

FIT classes are affordable but you spend a fortune in supplies if you take any fashion design/art class. Will it all pay off in the end? I'm not sure. I have friends who have graduated and are working in the industry but it is a struggle. You have to be dedicated and have a thick skin. Fashion ain't easy. FIT will prepare you for that because the school ain't easy either. There will be many obstacles in your way that will make you question if this is right school and career path.