Otis College of Art and Design Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Tracy

Supplies cost a lot of money! Although there is a starter kit that is required for all students for $300, supplies will continue to cost all year. This is true of all art schools, however do not underestimate how much you will need in order to succeed your foundation year here!

silvia

all the different kinds of art majors available

Isaac

Nothing. Your teachers and professors take care of you. There are a lot of people that are undecided on what they want, but because of a large age group, everyone encourages each other

Kaylyn

I imagine others would appreciate a strong heads up about how much work is given at this school. The social aspect of the school is very bleak and the school has not been effective at enhancing it.

John

general knowledge of the computer applications that I'm learning now.

Lizabeth

What Otis lacks is a broader sense of community. Being that it is a small, private school, students rely closely on each other for help and advice. Yet at the same time, students are sorted out freshmen year into sections, and the following years into sections within the major of the student?s choosing. So getting to know one?s class is difficult. Also the number of clubs is extremely limited. And even if one was to join or create one, there is little time to splurge in an extracurricular club if focused on homework.

Emma

I wish I was better with time management before I came to Otis. I am glad I spent some time at a junior college before because it gave me some time to transition and become responsible. My previous classes were a joke compared to the work load at Otis. But I feel I learn more in two weeks of a semester than I did in all of my time at my junior college. But Otis forced me to change my work habits for the better; it just would have been easier to know this before. My first semester was stressful.

Da

Before I came to Otis college, I would wish to know professors teaching methods.

Mindy

Time it would take to complete projects. Money management.

Nicole

What type of housing was redily available around. The most difficult part of going to Otis is that they do not have dorms or on campus housing, so it can be difficult to find appropriately priced housing.

nathalie

I wished I would have known about the lack of diversity.

Charles

I wish I had known what major i was set on before I began attending Otis.

hyun

learning a lot of programs

Dustin

I wish I would've practiced my skills more as an artist. This would include mostly Color Theroy, Life Drawing and Perspective. Though all of this is taught at my freshman year at school, I personally wished I would've had a better idea of these subjects in art. Though the school does an excellent job in teaching the subjects, I personally feel a year is not enough and students should stress themselves to squeeze in practicing these subjects in their tight schedule.

Hyekyung

i wished i can get nice job and be very professional

Zhenhua

i don't think there is anything.

Winter

I wish that I had known how difficult it would be for me to eat, pay bills... Financial Aid has been helpful, but I am still struggling with finances.

Melissa

I was pretty well-prepared to go to this school.

Julia

There's no social life.

Mary

I am completely satisfied with what i was informed about before i came to Otis College. I did underestimate the amount of money i would be spending on supplies a week though.

Sarah

I wish I would have learned more about transfer credits before coming here.

Anita

I wish I had known what work load would be required so that I could better accomodate my living situation.

Javier

Time management is important to maintain a good balance between your work and social life. Take advantage of ALL the in and out of school activities your school offers. Visiting speakers can offer a very good insight into the current working world. Making friend with students and faculty is one of the services you should take advantage of in school.

Samantha

When you apply your porftfolio is more important than test scores/grades/ ect.

Dawn

Nothing that would have changed my mind about going to this school, except maybe that my boyfriend and I were going to break up right before my senior year started. Then I might have applied to other school, but I'm happy I'm here.

Shannon

Workload, Bad cafetieria, Diffcult facilities

Noelle

Before coming to Otis College of Art and Design, I wish I had known how much extra money I was going to need, outside of tuition costs, to pay for supplies. Students must purchase their own art supplies and it is not included in tuition. Art supplies are very expensive, and we constantly need them at my school. The school provides no supplies, the students are on their own to purchase them. My supply list for my sophmore year, fall semester, totalled to $1,300, not inculding books.

Peter

more about the industry, the alumni, work wages, and how applicable the things are in the outside world.

Briana

I wish i had a lot more money. This school requires to buy a massive load of supplies. Sophomore year in fashion , the kit you start out with is $1,024 . I'm in debt and have been taking out loans. : /

Kim

I wish I had known more about location and the extracurricular activites.