Should i go to portfolio school

I know of some creative directors that won't even look at a book unless it's from a specific portfolio school. Then, there are those, like Gary Vaynerchuk, who think that going to school for a creative or entrepreneurial degree is worthless. That you will learn more from doing than you ever could from being in a classroom.

So, when people ask me if portfolio school is worth it, my answer is: if you need it to get better, then it's worth it. Now, full transparency: I didn't go to portfolio school. There are a bunch of portfolio schools out there.

And I'm not going to name a single one. If you want to find one after you read this, Google is your friend. So, I'll just give you my opinion about portfolio schools and what I've heard the spoken and unspoken opinions are of most of the people in the industry , and you do with it what you may.

The only people who care about degrees for creatives are in HR. But, the truth is, they're usually the gatekeepers of applications that make it to the creative director.

So, while a degree doesn't matter to creatives, it could make a difference in getting your portfolio to the creatives. But out of all the things that matter portfolio, connections, degree , the degree is the least important. It's really about the connections the school can give you, not the school itself. If it gets you a job, it's in one of two ways: the school has connections or a creative director favors the school. Some schools are good at staying connected with agencies.

So, when those agencies have internship opportunities or junior positions open, they may reach out for recommendations. Even more rare is if the creative director favors the school. It may be their alma mater and they keep in touch with the talent stream. But you should go if you want to be the best. And I want to be the goddamn best. As data privacy measures continue to put pressure on advertisers to look for alternative ways to target audiences, a DTC brand is experimenting to find what works.

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May 7, by Shareen Pathak. Most Read. Future of Work. Not every Canadian would be willing to relocate out-of-country for school—and Canadian agencies were in need of qualified staff. The country, he decided, needed its own portfolio school. During their second year, they can study, intern and hone their skills in different markets.

Gulati, for example, completed placements at agencies in Germany, San Francisco, Boulder and New York during his program. While these schools are breaking convention, they still retain all the hallmark strengths of a traditional portfolio school: small class sizes; an applied learning environment; instructors who are also working professionals; ample opportunities for networking; and, of course, a focus on building a professional portfolio.

Familiarity with software, such as a working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, is considered a plus, as is an understanding of the industry. The price tag was what initially held Kory Brocious back from applying. But after graduating, he received the polar opposite message from prospective employers.

It was only after enrolling at Creative Circus that he developed an interview-ready portfolio, which included a One Show—winning campaign. Choosing an advertising graduate program or a portfolio school is not easy. Weighing out whether or not you should attend a graduate advertising program vs. Below is an excerpt from our FAQ page :. Here at the Circus we have the same goal for you as you probably have for yourself.