After Pratt douched me from letting me into their MA program because I was so much into cars, (ID deparment head and his second man hates transportation design) I am looking into AAU (Can't afford ACCD)
AAU is saying that with my another BA, they have a transporation BA in two years program.
My question is: will automaker studios discriminate me or de-value me because I come from relatively unknown school called AAU and because my degree is two condensed BA? Will automaker studio prefer ACCD or CCS graduates over me?
I think it will depend on your work and class record. Automakers are looking for ideas from talented, original thinking candidates. You could increase your chances and educational opportunity by also going for an internship at a car studio as well, during the summers.
aflo/ thanx for your 5 cent but I feel like your opinion is too optimistic and stereotypical. I would like to hear from any one with real experience in this.
Hmmm...who would a company take more seriously: •Someone who spent 3-4 years at Harvard or Yale, or •Someone who spent 2 years at an OK school somewhere in Nevada?
If they chose the candidate from Harvard or Yale, would you call it "discrimination" or just the safer/better/smarter choice?
And shouldn't Harvard or Yale be more expensive than the less familiar/less respected school in Nevada with less of a track record? And isn't saving money (lessening you loan burden) in this instance sort of "penny wise, pound foolish?"
I hope you can understand the analogy. (I'll be waiting for a 14 year old to proudly flame this by alerting me that AAU is not in Nevada...)
Listen, either way it is extremely difficult to get a good job in automotive design, so why lower your odds from the start by choosing a lesser school?
Originally posted by cyrusyn: aflo/ thanx for your 5 cent but I feel like your opinion is too optimistic and stereotypical. I would like to hear from any one with real experience in this.
Someone with REAL experience??? You mean someone with over forty years in the industry? Someone who has sat on panels interviewing automotive design graduates for hire for your company? For HUNDREDS of candidates? Someone who has reviewed, as the first line of investigation for his studio/company, literally THOUSANDS of resumes and portfolios? Someone who has TAUGHT Trans at AAU? Someone who has served on advisory panels for students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels? Who has managed sponsored programs at a number of major design schools around the country for his company? (at AAU, ACCD, RSID, BYU, etc.) Someone who has managed a design studio for a major auto company? and produced a number of award winning production and advanced designs? Someone who has appeared on numerous expert panels for the IDSA, and for various schools, including AAU, ACCD and even Harvard? Well, that's me. You may not consider my opinion worth listening to but I would recommend you take it seriously.
My previous post covers my experience on the other side of the table from the kid who is looking for a job. I should mention that your question, about coming out of a lesser known design school trying to get job, is something I can address too. I graduated with a BS in Industrial Design from Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago - a school with no Trans program or Trans reputation - so I was exactly where you are asking about. Apparently the auto companies were just looking for good people, regardless of where they were from, because I got offers from GM, Ford and Chrysler - 3 for 3. I took the GM offer.
aflo/ thanks a lot. That was really helpful to know. I tend to take negative opinions more seriously (yours was very positive BTW) because I know how hard it is to get a job with automaker studios. I am sorry if I made you angry but I couldn't stand an answer that sounded too much like a textbook or bible. That was why I told you I wanted "answers from people with real experience."
i can fully understand what you're going through because i went through somewhat a step you're in right now. there are 2 things why "certain" people goes to "certain" schools, one is they got rejected by "certain" schools or second they are not in the position to afford its tuition. when i first applied into trans major, i selected both top and average design schools that offers either ID or Trans design majors. fortunitly i was accepted into both top and average, obviously the top school's tuition are somewhat higher than average design schools, but for an impressive resume compare to a "average design resume" i personaly think its worth paying the extra bucks to attend a top design school. in the end aside from the first impression, your portfolio is the main self-advertisment towards your job application. if you can't afford your tuition right now, dont limit yourself. first look for alternatives such as scholarship, loans, grants and other source. i really think if you're good enough to get into ccs or accd, your percentage of art/design scholarship is really high. best luck to you.
• His history sounds impressive. • I guess his main point is that he believes his opinion in his original post should be taken seriously. However, his original post just says "it depends on your work and class record" and "get an internship." Well, of course your work is a key factor - nothing surprising there! Internships? Of course - the top programs (CCS, ACCD) assist students with placement via long-standing relationships, though there are no guarantees. But what is meant by "class record?" Perhaps a few clueless HR departments will ask for grades/GPA, but I don't know of many trans jobs that "depend" on GPA. Some clarification is needed here. • As for a "lesser known design school," IIT is certainly an odd choice for trans, but is clearly considered a top-tier design school - in fact, the #1 choice for design research and design management. AAU ain't no IIT! • "Just looking for good people," "3 for 3" in job offers. Let's put a little perspective on this and recall that aflo said he has "over 40 years experience" - meaning, he graduated into the job market of about...1962!!! In case you missed it - Nineteen f***in Sixty Two!!!
So, if anyone has a time machine, you can join the humble wunderkind aflo at a "lesser known school," focus on your "class record," and choose your job from among 3 hemorrhage-ing dinosaurs. Those of you without a time machine might want to face up to the proliferation of mediocre and lesser respected trans programs supplying sad 22 year olds into a demand-less job market...then go big (top program) or don't go at all.
