Pratt Institute-Main Reviews

"The truth about Pratt’s Interior Architecture Graduate program is that it looks amazing on paper and is great in theory, because you do have access to these world class designers and professors but the curriculum in practice feels like a kind of mental torture with all of the same tools of manipulation used by cults (sleep deprivation, guilt, personal critiques). The workload is on par with what you’d expect studying medicine or law. The faculty clearly feels that the study of interior design is akin to these fields in importance but it is factually not. The most valuable tools I learned were all technical, the Photoshop, Autocad and Revit classes were incredible and I cannot recommend those professors enough, so knowledgeable and appropriate amounts of homework. But studio is a nightmare and it will eat up 93% of your life. Prepare to watch your health decline, your relationship end, your friendships suffer and your parents to tell you you look terrible and they’re worried about you. Expect to have four professors telling you that the ten models you made while not sleeping for 72 hours are not good enough. Expect to have to cut pieces of colored paper into a hundred identical small squares and then glue them perfectly onto a piece of paper for literally no reason (Color & Materials, waste of time classes - they make you take 2 of them!!) The undertone if every critique is, why haven’t you cured cancer yet? If I could go back in time and convince myself not go to Pratt, I would 1000% do it and save myself the 100K tuition and the literal YEARS of therapy bills for what they did to my psyche and my confidence in my natural abilities. They managed to make me hate the only thing I’m qualified to do, while not teaching very much of the practical side like important project management skills. Instead they will force you to make 20 abstract clay sculptures in 48 hrs and then critique you into a panic attack. Go back while you still can. This is not the way. Take heed and go no further. Just take some online classes for the necessary computer programs and trust your aesthetic instincts while you still enjoy them. Thank you very much."

"Some faculties are really professional and teach you real design. However, some professors don't treat each student equally. They rate grades from their personal preferences. Yes, it's you. The department with the first letter P. Some faculties are great."

"The program is quite small I would say. The overall experience was alright. I already have my BS and thought this program would be a good fit for me, since I am changing careers at the moment. I learned a lot of skills. Whether it helped push me to to new fields is up to debate. I would suggest getting a masters after this program."

"It wasn't tailored to my school at all."

"Beautiful campus, interesting programs, very progressive school but at times feels somewhat sheltered."

"Being in a grad program that wasn't supported at the undergraduate level made me very distant from the school-wide administration."

"The M.Sc.Arch program is very diverse and rigorous. The Summer semester is a parametric boot camp. It is less focused on design and more focused on bringing you up to speed on your parametric skills. The Fall semester is the best one at Pratt, because the students from M.Sc.Arch will be teamed with M.Arch students for the design studio. The spring semester is the thesis semester. I would say that the summer studio was the sloppiest of all. The professors weren't very keen on teaching new ideas. The thesis studio was a little unstructured. And I personally felt as if nobody really cared about the M.Sc.Arch students because everyone only really got involved with the M.Arch students."

"Pratt Institute has a brilliant name in the design industry which makes my resume look great. It is located in New York City, a city of opportunities, with a roster of talented and knowledgeable professors. Unfortunately, it doesn't provide many amenities to help its students flourish in and outside of school. At an Administrative level, they are not very organized nor easily accessible to students. At an educational level, projects are challenging but professors are more worried about work produced than the student itself making the environment very stressful. Even though it resides in a multicultural city, school life remains in a bubble which doesn't equip the student for life after school. I have left my suggestions and comments with the required individuals and hope they rectify this for future students."

"I learned so much at college, met so many amazing, thoughtful, diverse people, and learned how to live independently in a new city. However, colleges in the US need to be more affordable."

"The school is very well located. It puts you in the best city in the world for architecture, art, and design, and gives you a network of other graduates and professionals to help you along the way! Cost of living is extremely expensive though. Only drawback."

"Excellent program, very little help to obtain funding for graduate studies."

"I feel as though I'm getting a great education, however the cost of living in New York in addition with cost of tuition and materials is very overwhelming."

"Pratt has a recognized notoriety in art education. Its program not only instills technical expertise but also encourages the development of critical and aesthetic judgment. The only cons that I have is that Pratt's tuition is expensive and living in New York is very expensive too."

"There are a few things you need to know if you are considering Pratt Institute for your Masters of Industrial Design. 1) You will study under wonderfully brilliant professors. Professors like Bruce Hannah not only have developed and designed a long list of important products, but are well connected within the design community. If you are committed to learning and working with these professors, you have great professional opportunities in your future. 2) Pratt Institute is not a technical school. Although, there are opportunities to learn technical skills, the industrial design program focuses on a lot on aesthetics and the design process. If you want to be taught how to make things, I might look to another Masters program. There are production methods and prototyping courses available, but the 3D design course work is the most highly boasted part of Pratt's Industrial Design program. 3)The campus is beautiful and there are an immense amount of resources. There are multiple 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, wood shops, metal shops, ceramics shops, computer labs (with every program imaginable), printing centers, studios, etc. You can use all of these resources for free ( although the materials aren't). This is great for developing your own work while in school ;) 4) This school is very expensive. They don't offer that much financial help."

"The graduate program in City and Regional Planning at Pratt really differentiates itself from the other art and design focuses on campus. With courses taught by faculty who are also working professionals, students are able to join a professional network without needing to take any additional steps while going to school. The program connects students to internships and jobs to ensure that we put our education to use and receive practical experience. Located in Brooklyn, students are able to gain experience in one of the most dynamic and didactic cities in the world. However, the con to having working professionals as your professors is that they will take a while to respond back to you, as teaching, for some of them, might not be their first job and priority. But like many situations in life, persistence and constant communication will solve the issue. Another thing about this program is that many students are passionate, diverse, versatile, innovative, and deeply committed to their communities. You will often see students take their passions and create life in communities."

"Pratt's foundation year is the main reason I wanted to go there. I think the school really delivers when it comes to foundations in art and art history. I also enjoyed the small class sizes once I got further into my major. Some methods (art history department especially) are outdated and you don't get much from that experience. Financial aid information is terrible and administration doesn't seem to do much unless you really push and research on your own. Some teachers are aloof but most are wonderful sources of inspiration and push you to do your best work. The work load is tough and really demands your focus and attention - this is a good thing! The school itself has a ton of resources from wood shops to computer labs, a ceramics studio, printmaking studios, and metal working studios. It's a very LBGTQ friendly school which is great and there's lots of creative clubs and a few activities throughout the year so you can be social. There's a gym and yoga classes you can take as well. I didn't live on campus so I can't speak to that experience but I've visited a couple of dorms and, well, they're dorms. As for my program, it was hard, it was demanding and it was great."

"Pros- great school, great connections. Cons - Heavy workload"

"Wonderful school. Had a great learning environment. Teachers are first rate. On campus housing is pricey and you do not really get a chance to get your own room your first year."

"They are well respected in the field of library science but a bit expensive. They did offer me a scholarship though."

"A lot reading at once in the beginning of the semester but it tapers off and is quite manageable. Lot of friendly people, staff is willing to help you out and there to help you with any resources."