Ever since I was 7 years old, I have wanted to be a fashion designer, so when I was applying for college, there was no question about where I wanted to go to school: the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. According to "Fashionista," is is ranked number two in the United States for Fashion Design (number one is Parsons, but you know, $50,000 in tuition was not ideal). While both Parsons and FIT offer basically the same things, a fashion education in NYC, number three on the list might surprise you. Kent State University has a shockingly amazing fashion program with state of the art equipment and facilities. Did I mention that it is in the middle of Ohio?
So, now you are wondering, how can I accurately compare the two? Well, grasshopper, I have been a student at both. At FIT I was a presidential scholar, on the deans list and got nearly perfect scores on the term garments that really mattered. At Kent State I am in the Honors college and I recently won the 2016 Fashion Hackathon. Long story short, I did not leave FIT because I could not handle it. Here is my real, objective look at the pros and cons of both schools.
FIT is not college.
Yes, you will get a degree, but the college experience is nonexistent. There is no school spirit, no sports and little-to-no straight boys. I remember homecoming week there, also known as 'Legacy Week;' we had no clue it was homecoming until we got t-shirts halfway through the week.
Kent is a University. There are football games, greek life, campus-wide events and lots of school spirit. At Kent you will have the quintessential 'college experience,' full of USA-themed parties and dorm hall game nights.
My two cents: FIT is one street, 7th and 27th; that is it. The phrase 'The City is Your Campus' is a very accurate one. Well, if you are not a fashion design major, you will barley ever leave 7th. Ever. If any bone in your body says you want a normal college experience, consider the possibility of regretting not having one further down the line. If the thought of school spirit and a few frat parties makes you want to hurl, then FIT might be your fit.
FIT is in Manhattan, while Kent is in Ohio.
New York City is considered a fashion capital, and it is where many design hopefuls see themselves. FIT is in the mid-town, in the heart of the garment district. Opportunities to see fashion from the front lines are all around you.
Kent is in Ohio, with a Studio in NYC. Most of your fashion training will happen in Ohio until you study abroad in NYC, Florence and/or Hong Kong. Being in Ohio makes you long for New York Fashion Week and better fabric swatches for projects.
The Workload.
Remember the part about my great grades and Term Garments at FIT? Yeah, well, they almost killed me. The workload is intense in fashion design, I will not lie. In my opinion, FIT can go a little overboard with the amount of classes you take and the crushing workload. That being said, Kent State's Fashion School is also stressful.
My two cents: if you want to design, your career will take you to NYC regardless. When I left the city, there was no question I would be back. You have your entire life to live and work in Manhattan, so do not put too much emphasis into the location. Put more emphasis into how the vibe of the school fits with you.
As far as your future career goes, the schools will ultimately give you the same skills and opportunities. At FIT, these opportunities will be more accessible location-wise, but Kent fashion students get the same opportunities and interviews. Kent students just have to put more work into relocating if they are moving to Manhattan.
The bottom line is, no matter if you hang your hat at FIT or Kent, in the end, it will all come down to who you are as a person and as a designer.
