PRATT INSTITUTE MFA FINE ARTS

[kekbatter]

Take the processing of your application as a note of how the school is. They don't care about you and you will spend your entire education fighting bureaucracy and teachers that just do not care. Also, if you are getting aid or funding, don't count on getting it for at least four weeks after each term starts. The appeal of NYC is not worth the trouble and angst you will endure at Pratt. It will take away your desire to even do anything fun because it consumes you. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have not met or spoken with one person that feels even partially satisfied with the education here. This place is a degree factory robbing you of your money and giving nothing in return. I have actually begun to acquire legal counsel with some others to sue on the basis of educational malpractice.

I get what you are saying, but I think you can at least acknowledge that Pratt's departments vary and thus students experience different levels of what you are complaining about. From what I have been told, Pratt's forte is design and architecture, while its fine arts departments leave more students unsatisfied. Also, the general consensus I am hearing from alums and current students is "Pratt is what you make of it." I'm not arguing that it's the best out there, but administrative red tape and financial aid burdens are not uncommon in any school. It's up to you to decide whether that gets in the way of your education.

Your harsh critique of this school leaves me wondering why you are still attending Pratt and wasting your money on what appears to be a fruitless endeavor. It sounds crazy, but if the negativity is consuming you that much, why not... leave? I've dealt with very similar issues to yours during my college years, so again, I understand your frustration. But at some point you have to analyze what you are doing and make a move forward, somewhere that will release the emotional baggage and allow you to continue exploring what you love to do. If you let your negative experience fully consume you, your horrible attitude will transfer to everything you do after Pratt. And thus, the problem will be you, not your alma mater.

[Babar_Suleman]

^ Agreed. Pratt has a well regarded design program and it's in NYC. There's a lot you could do with just these two assets.

[ReallyTall]

I get what you are saying, but I think you can at least acknowledge that Pratt's departments vary and thus students experience different levels of what you are complaining about. From what I have been told, Pratt's forte is design and architecture, while its fine arts departments leave more students unsatisfied. Also, the general consensus I am hearing from alums and current students is "Pratt is what you make of it." I'm not arguing that it's the best out there, but administrative red tape and financial aid burdens are not uncommon in any school. It's up to you to decide whether that gets in the way of your education.

Your harsh critique of this school leaves me wondering why you are still attending Pratt and wasting your money on what appears to be a fruitless endeavor. It sounds crazy, but if the negativity is consuming you that much, why not... leave? I've dealt with very similar issues to yours during my college years, so again, I understand your frustration. But at some point you have to analyze what you are doing and make a move forward, somewhere that will release the emotional baggage and allow you to continue exploring what you love to do. If you let your negative experience fully consume you, your horrible attitude will transfer to everything you do after Pratt. And thus, the problem will be you, not your alma mater.

^ Agreed. Pratt has a well regarded design program and it's in NYC. There's a lot you could do with just these two assets.

I responded to this in another thread as well. I spoke to a handful of students (only in the Communications Design department, mind you) without teachers around, who glorified the program there. With the application process, there has been ample, timely correspondence. While I can't say I know how things work as a student there, I was more than pleased with how I was treated during the application process.

[dalek]

I get what you are saying, but I think you can at least acknowledge that Pratt's departments vary and thus students experience different levels of what you are complaining about. From what I have been told, Pratt's forte is design and architecture, while its fine arts departments leave more students unsatisfied. Also, the general consensus I am hearing from alums and current students is "Pratt is what you make of it." I'm not arguing that it's the best out there, but administrative red tape and financial aid burdens are not uncommon in any school. It's up to you to decide whether that gets in the way of your education.

Your harsh critique of this school leaves me wondering why you are still attending Pratt and wasting your money on what appears to be a fruitless endeavor. It sounds crazy, but if the negativity is consuming you that much, why not... leave? I've dealt with very similar issues to yours during my college years, so again, I understand your frustration. But at some point you have to analyze what you are doing and make a move forward, somewhere that will release the emotional baggage and allow you to continue exploring what you love to do. If you let your negative experience fully consume you, your horrible attitude will transfer to everything you do after Pratt. And thus, the problem will be you, not your alma mater.

I am actually in the School of Architecture, so if it's the cream of the crop, that's too bad. While I agree that the departments vary and therefore experience varies, I have yet to meet a person in any department/program that has been happy with the quality of education at Pratt. Transferring out of the school is exactly what I am doing next fall. I am simply warning anyone I can so they do not lose $50,000 on what is essentially a year of independent study (or as you note 'what you make it.') The issues are not limited to bureaucracy either, it's first and foremost a quality of education issue, and the lack of availability/engagement from professors outside of two hour classes each week that is driving me to a much better school this coming year. It's a great place to go to school if you want a credential after your name without doing any real work. I simply hate the idea of other people being swindled by the 'education' or 'connections' at Pratt. When I moved to NYC to go to Pratt I was so excited about its great name and expected to be challenged or at least have people support me in challenging myself. Most of the students are incredibly lazy and the 90% of the teachers are just looking to do the minimum required (show up to class).