The publication, Business Insider, put out an online survey asking readers from around the world about their design school experiences. The author received 633 respondents to the survey with the vast majority having taking design classes in college. Two-thirds of the responses were by either art directors or product designers.
Using a series of questions that had multiple choice answers of either somewhat valuable, valuable or extremely valuable, the author released a list of the top 25 design schools based on the results. Rhode Island School of Design received the highest referral rating with 85% of respondents valuing the schools programs.
The small private university was established in 1877, next to the well renowned Brown University, with surplus funds meant for the Centennial Exposition from the previous year. Even after 135 years, the school has never wavered from its intended course, set for them by the Rhode Island General Assembly March 22, 1877.
First. The instruction of artisans in drawing, painting, modeling, and designing, that they may successfully apply the principles of Art to the requirements of trade and manufacture.
Second. The systematic training of students in the practice of Art, in order that they may understand its principles, give instruction to others, or become artists.
Third. The general advancement of public Art Education, by the exhibition of works of Art and of Art school studies, and by lectures on Art.
RISD is consistently a top 5 ranked school for art and design in the United States. The school houses a fine arts museum in Providence, RI, which holds nearly 90,000 pieces of artwork from around the world as well as the oldest independent library dedicated to fine arts.
The school is well known for requiring a drawing referencing a bicycle as part of the application process. A Google image search for “RISD bike” shows some of the fantastic artwork that has come about from just the application process. It also shows a few valiant attempts.
