As an aspiring graphic designer, you’re learning more every day about your career options and available art colleges — There are so many things that you can do in a graphic design career once you’ve completed your art and design industry education.
It might seem like going to graphic design school can take forever, keeping you from the projects and clients of your dreams. Don’t stress over how much time your graphic design education will take, and instead focus on making that time count for all it’s worth. Art and design schools with graphic design programs can make all the difference when it comes to securing the design industry job of a lifetime!
ART COLLEGES OFFER STRUCTURE
The easiest way to describe the top benefit of attending art colleges or graphic design schools is to say that they provide structure. You don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re learning everything you need to know (at least where the basics are concerned) because the school has taken care of that by composing a comprehensive curriculum.
There is no need to struggle with self-regulation and lack of motivation like you would if you were learning graphic design online — If you are attending an art college or graphic design school, you’ll have classes, assignments and projects for each class, and each instructor will let you know when things are due, and what’s expected of you in terms of deliverables. Think of these as projects to prepare you for the time in your career when you’ll be earning a paycheck for your hard work!
ART COLLEGES PROMOTE COMMUNITY
Not only are you surrounded by your peers during your time in class, but as a student of an accredited graphic design school you also have access to a number of industry professionals. Your instructors should have some sort of industry experience, and will likely share that experience with you if you ask. These individuals can be an amazing source of information and inspiration for up and coming graphic designers, and their knowledge of the design industry is definitely something to take advantage of!
Your time at school is also an amazing network-building opportunity. Not only can you develop relationships with your fellow students and the school’s faculty, but you can begin forming the network that will serve you well for the remainder of your career. Simply ask questions, have conversations, and make connections with as many people as you can. You never know when helping someone out or having a quick chat could lead to something great down the road.
ART COLLEGES PROVIDE SUPPORT
When you attend graphic design programs, you have access to resources that can help you secure a job before graduation, or at the very least help you prepare a resume and portfolio that are presentation-ready. Some schools have career assistance staff who work with students to prepare them for the design industry job market after graduation, and other schools will have a class entirely devoted to portfolio building, self-promotion, and other aspects of marketing that will be enormously helpful for graduates searching for work.
Most art colleges and graphic design schools also provide a general atmosphere of support that students can depend on. Through structure and community, each student can feel secure in the quality and consistency of their graphic design education. Even if something changes in their personal lives, students will have their education to provide a sense of stability and something to fall back on.
The myriad benefits of learning graphic design at an art college can’t be confined to a single blog post. We’ll keep on trying, and we hope you’ll be watching!
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE WEB AND GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAMS AT F.I.R.S.T. INSTITUTE
Here at F.I.R.S.T. Institute, we strive every day to be of service to our students and provide them with the very best that we can offer — from a faculty made up of experienced design industry professionals to a broad spectrum of courses and a dedicated Career Development department, we do all we can to ensure that our students receive the best possible educational opportunities. We give students access to everything they need to succeed, both in class and on the job.
If you’d like to know more about our Web Development and Graphic Design programs, please give us a call or send us an email! Our admissions team are standing by to answer any questions you might have.
