School of Visual Arts Reviews

"I am a current student of SVA's MFA in Art Practice. To me, the program is a hidden gem. It's a new program, barely seven years old, so it's not quite on the radar in the same way that Yale or Columbia are, but in the first year, I received one on one and group instruction with artists and thinkers that I had been reading about in textbooks and arts journals for years the people I had dreamed of meeting. The visiting artists really are giants in the field, and the permanent faculty is wonderful beyond words, both as teachers and as artists in their own right. The head of the program, David Ross, is exactly the kind of forward-thinker that I want to listen to for hours. He is passionately dedicated to his program, and thinks hard about the way art making is changing in the 21st century. I get the sense that all the wonderful people that drop in and out of the program are pulled into its orbit because of David's personal magnetic pull. I really can't recommend the program enough.Read Less"

"Enrolling into this program may have been one of the best decisions I have ever made. It's a two year program, only accepting 20 students per year. All of the professors are venerated professionals in their field, and many of the most successful illustrators today have come through this program. I have just completed the first year, and my evolution is distinct. I've become more prolific, and my drawing skills have strengthened. I can go on all day about how much I've benefited thus far, but instead I will say that it is highly unlikely that any MFA illustration programs in the US and abroad compares to the profoundly transformative experience that this program offers.Read Less"

"You are very connected to the artworld at SVA, you can take clases with very important curators working in renowned museums around the world. The only con that I perceive is the affordability, it is quite expensive and luckily I was elligable for some scholarships but even because of this I will still have to use student loans."

"PROS: HIGH CALIBER NETWORK, LOTS OF FACULTY SUPPORT, CHALLENGING, LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT CONS: EXPENSIVE PROGRAM IN AN EXPENSIVE CITY"

"Pros are the diversity of students and multiple opinions they bring to classes. In addition the program is good at introducing possible employers and building student networks. Cons are the cost of the program."