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6 July 2009

How To Select a Good Graphic Design College

classes, education, graphic design schools

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choiceYou have given a lot of thought to the direction of your college education, and decide that you want to enter the field of graphic design.
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You immediately realize that there are literally hundreds of colleges to choose from, so you know there isn’t a lack of available graphic design schools for your degree.
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This is great news for you. But an important question arises, “How do I know which college is best for me?”
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studentsWhat Are You Interested In?
If you want to use your graphic design talents to become a web designer, you’ll want to locate a college that has a strong computer curriculum, computer labs, and up-to-date computer hardware, and software.
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Or perhaps you are interested in magazine or print design. If this is the case, a college with an emphasis on media and layout is the way to go.
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The idea is to find graphic design colleges that have a strong curriculum in the areas you are interested in or would like to strengthen. No two schools are alike, and the extra time in vetting different colleges will be well worth the effort in locating the best match for you.
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collegecampusVisit the College. Do You Fit In?
A personal visit to the college you are interested in is a good way to see if it is a “good fit.”
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The layout of the campus, the student body, the teachers, administration, and the general feeling of the college may indicate if you and your college are compatible.
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This is where you’ll be spending the next two to four years for your graphics design degree. Take the time out to visit and envision yourself going there. If you can’t, it may not be the right college for you.
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onlinecollegeHow About Online Colleges?
A wealth of information can be gathered by speaking with online college representatives, asking questions, and listening to their advice.
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Apart from the information you receive about the online college and its courses, does the college counselor speak with proper grammar and sentence structure? Does the college counselor appear to be college educated?
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If not, this may be a red flag that the online college is a diploma mill that is more interested in signing up students for profit, rather than providing good education.
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You can also do some research on the Internet to find out which online colleges are most reputable. Look for reviews and comments from students who have attended these online colleges to get firsthand opinions of their experiences.
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interviewDoes The College Have An Available Job Placement Service?
Getting your diploma is one thing; getting a job is quite another. Find out what sort of job placement program the college offers and how successful it is.
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While this service isn’t a requirement, it is an added bonus if the college of your choice helps you in finding leads for employment upon your graduation.
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The Rest Is Up To You
It is said that knowledge is power, and if this is true, you have the power to determine which college is best for you by thoroughly investigating your options. Take your time and choose wisely.
1 July 2009

Is Online Education Right For You?

articles, classes, design fields, education, graphic design schools

gradcapIf you are planning to earn your bachelor’s or master’s degree at one of the many graphic design schools or graphic design colleges available, you are probably considering a traditional higher learning institution such as a college or university. These familiar “brick and mortar” education centers provide the infrastructure and applicable coursework for your degree.

You may have also thought about attending an online college to work towards your degree. Online colleges offer maximum flexibility for individuals who need to juggle busy schedules, or need to take classes when it is most convenient for them.

computergirlWhat Is An Online College?
Consider an online college as a virtual campus. Even though there are no physical walls, the process of education remains basically the same. There are lectures by professors, resource reading materials, tests, labs, and projects for students to complete.

Students are able to attend and participate in classes through the use of a computer, a reliable Internet connection, and an Internet browser that is compatible with the college website.

The graphic design school or graphic design college you choose provides all the details on how to connect to its servers.

Is Online College Right For You?
You can find out whether you are a prime candidate for online education by evaluating yourself under the parameters of the Three Ds:
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Discipline: This is one of the most important qualities for online education. There is ample help from counselors, your Internet student friends, and administration support, but it all boils down to keeping up with your studies, and assignments. If you lack enough self-motivation, you may find yourself at a disadvantage.

Dedication: In the case of dedication, an individual needs to consciously make online education a priority. This is more on the level of an emotional commitment to the task rather than a mental commitment. People who successfully earn their online degrees have done so under varying time frames according to their personal scheduling needs. Online education allows you to finish your degree at your own pace.

Desire: There are various reasons why people want to earn their degrees. Some want to extend their education in order to advance their careers. Some have not been able to finish their degrees due to personal circumstances. Others do it for personal achievement, and satisfaction. But regardless of what reason you have for obtaining your degree, the main element of having a desire to learn is important for keeping up your interest in your  education.

footprintsTaking the First Steps
Graphic design schools and graphic design colleges are more than happy to send you information and materials about curriculum, staff, financial aid, and answer any questions you have about degree programs.

Some online centers of learning offer trial classes, at no charge to you, in order to familiarize yourself with how online education sessions work.

So whether you decide to receive your degree through a brick and mortar college or online graphics design school, you’ll find a wealth of information to get you started.

6 January 2009

Student Film Class in Africa

classes, film & video

Learn film in AfricaLearn the art of wildlife filmmaking in South Africa. This intensive one-month course offers lectures by industry professionals, includes a month at a premier game reserve, and each student produces their own unique five-minute short film.

The course fee for the one month wildlife filmmaking course includes the following:

  • Transport from OR Tambo (Johannesburg International) to Untamed Africa and return.
  • Transport at the concession, Untamed Africa.
  • Accommodation and 3 meals per day.
  • 1 early morning and 2 night game drives per week and then filming game drives every day during the production section of the course.
  • All professional tuition by lecturers at the Wildlife Film Academy who are well known filmmaking experts in their chosen fields.
  • Access to the latest camera equipment for practicals and lectures.
  • Experienced filmmakers on hand to give tuition.
  • Individual Apple editing suites using Final Cut Pro.
  • Course handouts and notes in a file.
  • Access to pc’s for internet, email and research.
  • Access to the Untamed Africa library reading material including journals and magazines.
  • The latest wildlife films to view in the evenings.
  • List of important industry contacts of broadcasters, commissioning editors, wildlife production companies, networks, wildlife film festivals around the world to attend and useful websites to research.
  • Assistance in arranging internships after the course should you request one.
  • DVD and masters of your film to keep with your certificate of completion.
  • Assistance in funding for your future films.
  • Free entry to the Wild Talk Africa film festival and conference, www.wildtalkafrica.com worth R3000 (approximately £250 and $450).

Not included in the course fee are the following:

  • Mini DVD tapes and DVD discs.
  • Any additional lenses you want to use for your film.
  • Flights and travel expenses from your home country or town.
  • Beverages.

Visit the site

to learn more about class schedules, which begin in February (January already is booked).

7 October 2008

Wildlife Film Academy Adventure

classes, deadlines, film & video

22 October 2008to21 November 2008

LionLearn the art of wildlife filmmaking in Cape Town, South Africa. This intensive one-month course offers lectures by industry professionals, includes a spectacular all expenses paid field trip to a premier game reserve, and each student produces their own unique five-minute short film.

Two places are available for the Wildlife Film Academy course which runs from 22 October – 21 November 2008. Get their newsletters for discounts on future classes. Visit the site to learn more.

4 September 2008

InDesign for Designers

classes, deadlines

4 October 2008 10:00 amto5 October 2008 4:00 pm

Indesign ClassAt last, a class created for Mac-based designers ready to make the switch to InDesign. We’ll plunge you into InDesign’s features and capabilities and get you up and running quickly. In this class you’ll learn how to:

  • Create an InDesign document, add bleed lines, and create templates
  • Manipulate type, change fonts, kerning, and leading
  • Use and change Master Pages and automatic page numbering
  • Properly use and apply style sheets - paragraph, character, nested, and object
  • Work with multiple pages and files
  • Preflight, package, and PDF your jobs

The class will be held in Midtown West, NY on Saturday, October 4 & Sunday, October 5, 10 am-4 pm. Visit the site to learn more.

13 July 2008

HOW’s Designing Your Reality Seminar

classes, deadlines, graphic design

24 July 2008

HOW WebinarSo many of us struggle with the demands of our careers, families and personal lives. Putting balance into your life can make all of it work better: It’s a combination of organization, recognition, realization and creation. Learn to recognize your unique priorities and design a path that turns your fantasy to reality.

You can learn to outline your career goals, successfully balance your work and professional life, and develop the strategic-thinking skills you need to get ahead in the design field—all in three one-hour Webinar sessions. Hugely popular HOW Conference speaker Jeni Herberger draws on her 20 years of experience in design to give you expert advice on charting your ideal design career.

The Webinar will take place on 24 July at 4pm ET/1pm PT. Visit the site to learn more and to register.