Art and Design University Rankings 2012

If you’re pursing a more specialized education, such as one focusing on art and design, general college rankings may not help you much. Instead, it is important to look for lists that specifically review art schools. There are a number of sources you can use to learn more about schools in this subject area, no matter what type of fine arts program interests you most.

US News Rankings

Every year, US News and World Report releases their list of the best colleges found in the United States. This is one of the most prominent and trusted rankings available. However, many students and their families do not realize that they have lists beyond their general rankings, and these special lists focus on specific types of schools or programs. You should check out the Fine Arts rankings that this publication provides, as it can help you learn more about all of the school available for this type of education. US News ranks schools according to factors like class size, faculty degrees and salaries, acceptance rate, peer review, standardized test scores of students, alumni donation statistics, average spending per student, and more.

PhDs.org Rankings

If you’re already an art school student in an undergraduate degree program, you can use PhDs.org to look at graduate schools in arts and design programs. This tanking system is interesting in that you get to compile a list unique to use based on parameters you determine on their website. You can prioritize schools based on whether factors like faculty awards, job placement after graduation, fellowships available, certain student demographics, acceptance rate, and more are important to you.

DesignIntelligence’s America’s Best Architecture & Design Schools

This list allows you to search for the best schools in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and industrial design. DesignIntelligence’s list isn’t free, but their books review the top schools historically, introduce students to design schools that are typically under the radar, talk about the most influential professors in each field, survey students who are attending these schools, and provide articles to help students interested in these fields get into school and make educational and career path decisions.

As a student interested in the arts, these and other rankings can come in handy to help you learn more about the colleges that have caught your eye. However, keep in mind that the top college on a ranking isn’t necessarily the best school for you. Visit as many campuses as possible to check out their studios, galleries, and more. You can also talk to current students and professors to learn more about programs that interest you. In addition, keep in mind that many liberal arts colleges offer great art programs along with a more rounded education, so you should consider these programs as well as school that focus only on the arts.

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