anw8680

Chicago resident working in the arts here - although I did not personally go to SAIC quite a few of my friends and colleagues did for their MA. I'll be candid and say they definitely spoke of issues with the quality of the program itself (although they graduated years ago and I feel that criticism can apply to many programs). However my experience of Chicago's art community is that it's incredibly incestuous, which can be beneficial if you're looking to stay/work in Chicago. Those who go to SAIC seem to be well plugged in to the contemporary community here and thus have an advantage when it comes time to find work. I.e. I know of multiple arts orgs that contact SAIC professors for candidate recommendations when hiring new staff, prior to posting job listings publicly. Additionally we all work quite closely with each other, institutions, foundations, and galleries alike; i.e. I've worked on projects where people from Northwestern, SAIC, and U of Chicago were all collaborating. They're all connected, so while SAIC may not offer a PhD option, you'll likely still have opportunities to connect with potential PhD advisors at other Chicago area schools. Again, this is just based on what I've experienced, so someone else may have a completely different perspective. But if you're interested to stay/work in Chicago, then I personally think SAIC has its benefits.