Savannah College of Art and Design Reviews

"Unfortunately, the online program is incredibly disappointing. I came into SCAD feeling as though I was entering an IVY of design. Halfway through, I had started to look at other graduate programs that would accept my credits. To begin, the program is self-guided with little-to-no faculty interaction. I've taken a full class, DMGT 732, and the professor said a total of three words to me the entire semester. Those three words were "Group Selection Approved." If you're like me, you're not happy spending thousands of dollars to have a professor grade all your assignments without a single piece of feedback. In DMGT 720, you'll be graded based on feedback you get on previous units. For example, your grade on Unit 05 is based on your improvements on Unit 04, and so on. However, professors again were absent, and we never received feedback so we were unable to follow the material. The professor would email us routinely asking us to do alternate assignments that were not listed on Blackboard. It seemed as though the professor did not approve of the content. I think the biggest factor in my decision to advise against the program is the professionalism of the faculty. Nothing in this program is done on time. The faculty is rude and constantly turning over, all seemingly tenured and comfortable showing up late and getting back to you whenever is easiest for them. Don't get me wrong, I've heard fantastic things about the on ground program at SCAD. The online program to me, shouldn't be accredited. MICA, Full Sail, etc. all seem to have programs that our stronger at this point. I tried to keep this review full of material I can prove. If any of this seems opinionated, please reach out so I can share screenshots.Read Less"

"The Savannah College of Art and Design is a wonderful place to complete one's Master's Degree. The students work incredibly hard, the professors have decades of industry experience, and the facilities are inspiring. There is some flexibility with the course sequencing and electives, so you can specialize in a specific track even within your major if you'd like. Another great thing about the school is that there are constantly events and workshops happening, so you can fill all your time with art if you want to. SCAD also has lots of jobs available for students, and you can even study abroad as a grad student if you want to! They have locations in Atlanta, Savannah, Hong Kong and Lacoste, so there are lots of options for where to study. I expect many people reading this are also looking at schools in LA and New York. The obvious pros of living in those cities are that you get to network with professionals, attend incredible exhibits at world-class museums, start to build a client base, and have generally more access to professionally relevant experiences. However, I have to say I still think SCAD Savannah can be a better choice depending on your personality and circumstances. SCAD does an awesome job of bringing in top art directors and artists to lecture, give workshops and do portfolio reviews throughout the year. We have a surprising number of art museums that bring in artists from around the world, and there are plenty of networking opportunities at career fairs and with visiting lecturers/art directors/etc. Plus, since school is so expensive, it's a major bonus that Savannah has a low cost of living especially compared to New York, San Francisco or LA. The campus is beautiful, it's easy to get around, and we spend so much time working on our projects that there isn't much time to be out and about anyway. Since most freelance work is done over the internet anyway, SCAD illustration students can continue doing freelance work from Savannah while saving some money on rent. SCAD's graduate programs are also extremely diverse; it's usually about one third American students and two thirds international in my classes, so it's great to get lots of different perspectives and aesthetics. In class we are given a really nice balance of direction and freedom. We are assigned somewhat specific projects, but you are encouraged to tailor your work to fit into the needs of your portfolio. This is something we all appreciate a lot. The professors give helpful feedback both in regards to your specific work and the industry in general. Currently (summer 2017) the department is hiring, so there may be a couple new professors by the time you arrive. The online classes are pretty well made, and you'll still learn a lot, but they could use some revisions and I know they are tough for non-native English speakers because they involve a huge amount of reading and writing. Overall I really enjoy SCAD and the Savannah campus. You will be surrounded by extremely talented and hardworking individuals who motivate you to do better. There are plenty of SCAD Facebook groups, so if you have any questions feel free to hop on there and ask!Read Less"

"SCAD is a great school, I think you really get a quality education and resources even though it's so expensive. Like any other school it's not perfect, there is quite a bit of faculty turnover, but they always make sure to hire amazing professionals. Sometimes I wish they would focus less on decorating their halls and more on making things functional. In terms of the administration I haven't had a problem, they are always quick and helpful. The counselors are amazing. The library is awesome. The networking opportunities are available but you really have to work to get them, very few students have the luck of just having things happen to them, you have to work hard and SCAD makes sure to remind you.Read Less"

"Its a great place. You'll love it there"

"The pros and the cons are in the online courses. Because it is online I am able to fit this into my busy schedule and be a part of an excellent school that I would not otherwise be able to be in due to location. The cons would be the fact that online you are not able to associate with other students and have one on one personal communication with your professors."

"The pros of the graduate program are the various choices you can make in the field you will be working on. Also network connection is endless. The cons is that you can not get a MFA for Animation with their elearning program."

"The program is great in terms of curriculum and the opportunities which it affords it's graduates. The major con is that the tuition cannot be covered by the 20,500 per year grad students are allowed in unsubsidized loans."

"faculty support excellent commitment to student success technology is top of the line opportunities to get involved/network cons: expense is biggest problem but financial aid is available"