Columbus College of Art & Design Reviews
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Amanda from West Chester, OH
07/20/2011Reviewer is A current student here.
6 out of 6 people found this review useful. 1 of 15
Categories Comments Great for these types of students This school is great for future fashion, graphic, industrial, and interior designers. As well as fine artist, illustrators, photographers and animators.
Bang for the buck This school's tuition maybe costing you an arm and a leg. But with the education you're receiving, the experience, and the skills you are honing this school is giving you everything and more.
Am enjoying being here I love this school. The students, faculty, and artist are all inspirational and all so very kind. The atmosphere of this school is supportive and they want to make sure you are having the best experience you can at the school.
Am learning a lot I thought learning foundation classes would have been a hassle when I first came to the school. But after now finishing my first year I couldn't have been happier. Most of the basic information (such as color theory or art history) is really important and the teachers at this school make sure you're learning this information in the best way an artist can. That is by creating their lessons to suit the students creative minds.
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Danielle from Columbus, OH
12/24/2011Reviewer is A current student here.
4 out of 4 people found this review useful. 2 of 15
Categories Comments Great for these types of students Columbus College of Art & Design is an ideal school for hard workers, perfectionists, those that are artistically-minded, creative, outside-the-box, and unique individuals. If you're not 100% or above dedicated and serious about working in the visual art world, this school is most definitely not for you.
Tips for prospective students Be ready to enroll yourself into a high-workload school. Although it is an intensive, rigorous school it will reward you with an above-average knowledge and specialization in the art world which is what in turn will get you an education. You have to realize that in the art world no one will care about your GPA like was typical in high school. You have to develop your portfolio and obtain connections in order to get a good job in this field. Being studious isn't enough.
Bang for the buck The school is somewhat expensive compared to regular state schools, however, all art schools are in this same above-average range. And compared to all other art schools in the country Columbus College of Art & Design is the cheapest school that is still accredited and taken seriously with a great reputation.
Am enjoying being here The school is what you make it out to be. Columbus College of Art & Design provides you with plenty of opportunities for extracurricular, clubs, and of course completing your schoolwork. If you sit around and don't move outside of your comfort zone by learning new art techniques by talking to fellow students or professors, you won't have a very good time at this school.
Am learning a lot The professors and being in class will only teach you so much. As is typical in an art major, you need to dedicate a large amount, if not all, of your time to practicing, doing your homework/projects, and researching techniques, methods, and materials. If you simply sit in class and wait for a lightning bolt of inspiration or talent to hit you, you'll never succeed in the visual art field. Especially in art, you need to be proactive about your own education.
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Makaylee from Meadville, PA
06/20/2011Reviewer is Accepted here and planning to attend soon. Reviewer has been to campus.
2 out of 2 people found this review useful. 3 of 15
Categories Comments Great for these types of students Artsy Talkative For the Great Thinkers Expressives Wild and Free Many more!
Tips for prospective students There are many great art schools out there, I believe this is one of them. Check out their site at: www.ccad.edu to learn more. Trust me, I was blown away with what the students can do and how lively the campus is.
Bang for the buck Every penny is worth it.
Will enjoy being here I went to the campus and felt like I belonged there. I can't wait to get started. :D
Will learn a lot I seen what the student can do there and it was all phenomenal!
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Jesus from Columbus, OH
05/21/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful. 4 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety Campus security is excellent. They have patrol officers that watch the campus 24-7. The officers during the night usually patrol outside on bicycles. The officers are really friendly and are always around campus. The school also does a good job messaging students if there is a danger around town (i.e. there was a man a few blocks away from campus that had killed about 5-6 people), they made sure that the students were aware and in safe locations.
Greek Life There is no Greek Life.
Clubs and Activities There are plenty of clubs that are around campus, but the problem that sometimes happens is that they get scheduled around some of the times that other cool things are happening, but some groups are flexible on times they meet.
Great for these types of students Outgoing students are great, but sometimes the students that aren't surprise you the most.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Not really.
Bang for the buck The connections that students make here at school is where our school prides itself. If you do excellent work and have a great work ethic, people will remember you for that. Your classmates will remember the way you work and they may be the same people that help you get jobs in the future.
What to do for fun Walking around the school and viewing the artwork from the year before is always exciting thing to do, because you can see what you have to compete with and it also gives you a chance to see how even some of those art pieces could improve if there is any. There is this hotdog place called dirty frank's: best hotdog place ever! They have great vegetarian options too! Monday nights are their karaoke nights. On the first Saturday of every month, Columbus art galleries in the Short North sector of town have an event called Gallery Hop. This gives students a chance to see artwork outside of the school and also a breath of fresh air outside of campus. It's even better if you have a group with you too!
Food and Dining The cafeteria does a great job when the school hosts family events and has meals, but other than that the cafeteria food does pretty bad. Most things are either salted too much or the food is extremely bland. I'm not vegetarian, but my friends that are were tired of the limited options. Mostly it was soups, but even then their soups were not consistent on good flavor. The working crew are nice though, they tend to have a good time with the students around them.
Dorm Life The Schottenstein (first years) residence rooms are small, but they do provide enough room to place most of your things inside of your rooms. They have no kitchens which is a huge negative, but one has to remember that those dorms are meant for first years, so most people probably don't know how to cook. There are microwaves in the lobbies, but some people still manage to burn things in there too, therefore the fire alarms go off a little too often than they should.
Academic Rigor CCAD is known for having a heavy workload. Be prepared to be blasted with tons of homework from all of your classes. I've heard the foundation courses aren't as heavy, but as you go on through the years, the workload gets more intense. By the end of the first year, people are already dropping out simply by the amount of workload.
Tips for prospective students Students who are going in there with the idea of becoming the best are the students that this school wants. We want students that take advantage of all the opportunities and resources that are available to them. Trust me there are plenty: the library, our mac labs, cintiq labs, visiting artists, student exhibitions, professionally working instructors, just to name a few.
In three sentences CCAD has been wonderful place for growing as an artist. You meet people from all other the country and even different countries. You realize that there are people that are better than you when it comes to art, which is both good and bad.
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Madison from Middletown, OH
01/02/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
1 out of 1 people found this review useful. 5 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety Security is always there for you making sure you are safe, on or nearby campus.
Greek Life None here.
Clubs and Activities There is so much to do! Sketch club, animation, illustration, philosophy, gay/straight alliance, dodge-ball, comic club, yoga, zumba, game club, pretty much anything you can think of. And if it doesn't exist you can go create it.
Great for these types of students The school helps you to get out of your shell and become confident in who you are if you aren't already. Everyone is super nice and welcoming.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus We have an annual drag show, really the whole school is unique so I don't know what to consider as unusual traditions here.
Bang for the buck Good lord is it expensive, but if you can survive the stress, sleep deprivation, and loans then go here. The education is top notch and there are lots of job opportunities awaiting you after graduation.
What to do for fun There are so many school clubs you'll always have something to do. There are also plenty of get-togethers for activities and you can always just chill with friends on the floor lobbies.
Food and Dining It's either hit or miss with the chicken, but the mac n' cheese is divine. They have options for everyone, there's always something you'll enjoy. My only problems with it is that you can't use your swipes for other people and they close relatively early.
Dorm Life For the most part, I've had great roommates and have taken to spending most my time on our floor lobby with all my friends. If you have a problem with one of your mates, then just talk to the staff. They are here for you and will do their best to make sure you have the best dorm experience you can.
Academic Rigor I've only been here a semester, but I've already learned so much! Most of the teachers are amazing, After years of struggling on my own trying to learn perspective, I learned it in a matter of days!
Tips for prospective students Do NOT procrastinate! It is very easy to fall behind, just put in the work and you'll find out just how far you can go and then go farther.
In three sentences Great environment, and everyone is so crazy and wonderful. It's a lot of fun going here, but be prepared to work. This is not a push over school, but the education and job opportunities are totally worth the stress.
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Geoffrey from Dayton, OH
10/25/2010Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.
6 of 15
Categories Comments Will learn a lot It is a very nice and well put school.
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Michael from Columbus, OH
10/06/2011Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has been to campus.
7 of 15
Categories Comments Bang for the buck Well, I'm not sure if this school rates too high on this category. It is pretty pricey and not much scholarship opportunities. . .
Will enjoy being here I love the fact that this school is in the middle of downtown Columbus and I really like that most of their buildings are old buildings that have been repurposed. It gives it a nice flare. On the other hand, it is a small school with not much but arts as oppose to going to a university where you can mingle with other type of students. Still debating on this one. Although, I did enjoy a lot my admissions counselor who talked to me for about an hour and I left there wanting to join the school right away. Pretty amazing convincing lines he had. You can tell they care about you!
Will learn a lot This school is well known for being excellent in animation as Disney recruits most of their college graduates from this school. So that ought to tell you something. I think this is a great school to consider.
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Hollyanne from Apopka, FL
03/10/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
8 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety there is 24/7 security. you can always find friendly security guards riding around on bikes. we are in between two other schools so we tend to get the crossover from their security as well.
Greek Life there are no frat houses here! there was an artist house run by a crazy old man, but i'm not sure if that one is still up and running.
Clubs and Activities this school is really labor intensive and so free time is usually only on the weekends. there are plenty of clubs and activities to do further down town though.
Great for these types of students above all else this school is great for artistic people who want to make more of their artistic abilities. hardworking people are always welcome. fun and expressive people are always the best. if you want to complain, leave that at the door. everyone here has things to complain about.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus there is the quad, where you can sit and tan in the summer or build a snowman in the winter. this is a nice green space in the middle of campus. the litter box is a good place to socialize if you don't mind people smoking.
Bang for the buck this school is worth the money if you want to become a professional artist. they teach you how to work for companies or for yourself. the academic plan is set up very nicely.
What to do for fun there are common rooms and some fun stuff to do on campus, if you get bored of that, there's the metropolitan library a short walk away and an art museum. if those aren't for you, you can take a bus to the short north and look at all the shops, bars, and clubs. ccad is in the city so there's plenty to do.
Food and Dining there is an all you can eat style buffet which is nice, but some of the food isn't all that good. it's an outside company that works for the school, but isn't part of the school.
Dorm Life i lived in shotty the first year and if was a very nice experience. the dorms are great for making friends and learning the responsibilities of living on your own.
Academic Rigor it's a pretty difficult college if you aren't willing to learn or better yourself.if you are open to becoming the best artist you can be, they definitely give you the tools and build you up.
Tips for prospective students work hard and keep working hard. this isn't an easy college. it's really fun if you're artistic and enjoy the process of your major, but if not then you shouldn't be looking at art schools in the first place.
In three sentences a fantastic college with amazing staff, ccad is a great place to let your creative side blossom. the teachers are working professionals and teach with the artist job market in mind. i'm getting ready to enter my third year and i couldn't be happier!
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Amanda from West Chester, OH
05/28/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
9 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety Safest campus around
Greek Life none..............please. Your too busy being an artist!
Clubs and Activities Not into clubs. The campus has alot of activities on campus to keep us busy. Pretty cool things are going on all the time.
Bang for the buck Gallery hopping at North Shore...............the best. $10 and you have a night of fun for cheep.
What to do for fun Oh wow................Gallery Hopping at North Shore. The book store in German village (and a trip to Schmidts). Great restaurants to eat
Food and Dining Food is great for about 3 months. Then it gets old. Same. But lets face it....................sometimes home cooking gets boring to. Until you leave for college and realized how good home cooking can be.
Dorm Life I stayed in the Design apartments my first year. It was awesome and I would highly recommend getting a room there.
Academic Rigor You will work your tail off. You will also have to take all basic classes your first year. If you have an expertise in art, that's great. But get ready to learn more. You may be great at computer art, but you WILL learn how to draw and paint. Count on it!
Tips for prospective students 1) Prepare yourself early for this college. Take classes in painting, drawing and basic color theory. 2) Get a portfolio together early. Have many look it over. Have CCAD look it over early before your put your final portfolio through. It will not only help you get accepted but may also help in the scholarship process. 3) Stay on campus your first year. Also, try to stay on campus as much as you can. You need the time to work and the lab time in the workshops. 4) Go and visit many places and then visit CCAD. You will see the difference in many schools. And then you will know CCAD is the best fit for you. 5) Columbus is AWESOME! What a great town. No, it's not just about OSU BUCKS! It's really an artistic motivated town. Can't wait to live there one day!
In three sentences I have completely enjoyed my first 2 years at CCAD. I have found the professors and staff at CCAD to be caring and strive to help me grow as an artist. Columbus College of Art and Design is the top school in the nation for arts studies...........now I know why.
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Jennifer from Saginaw, MI
07/20/2012Reviewer is A current student here.
10 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety There are security guards around every corner. I always feel very safe. Getting to know the security guards makes you feel even better; they are the nicest and funniest people I have ever met.
Greek Life Non-existent at this school...sorry to burst your bubble.
Clubs and Activities Not much to do besides create art, but when you are paying an arm and a leg for classes, it is well worth it.
Great for these types of students ART FREAKS...enough said.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Dirty Franks, The Columbus Museum of Art, The Quad, Downtown, the OSU campus, etc.
What to do for fun Living in the heart of downtown Columbus should serve as enough fun. Being an art student living in downtown Columbus is even more fun. There are always interesting places to go, sights to see, people to meet, and it is never boring.
Food and Dining Personally, the food makes me sick, but it does not help that I have stomach issues. The food itself is good, but my stomach just cannot handle it. I know many people that have definitely gained the 'freshman fifteen' in the past year, just because the food is so delicious.
Dorm Life The dorms are small, but they serve their purpose. Most of your time is spent in class, or working on homework, so the dorm is literally for sleeping or doing homework. They are designed for artists, and it is really convenient.
Academic Rigor The teachers are very tough, but they do it with great intentions. They are all successful artists and they only wish the best for each student. They will throw on more work than one is capable of completing, but learning how to multitask and prioritize will only benefit you in the long run.
Tips for prospective students Do not go in with any expectations, surprise is the best element. Push yourself into extra curricular activities, but do not get overwhelmed with the work load. This school is tough, but the more you do, the better you will become; someone great once told me If you're bored here, you're boring, and that statement definitely holds true at CCAD.
In three sentences I have learned more in one year here than I had ever imagined learning in my lifetime. This school has pushed me to become the best artist I can be, and to pursue competition with my head held high. I love this school passionately, and I would never change my mind about my decisions.
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Jake
07/28/2012Reviewer is A past student here.
11 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety Security is awesome at this college. They work hard, and even patrol a few miles outside the school.
Greek Life There's a greek restuarant nearby. That's about it.
Great for these types of students Fashion Design, Fine Arts
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus Some of the older facilities, like the AMF building are kind of run down.
What to do for fun Many great things to do in Columbus. Short North and Arena District do not disappoint. Must try Jeni's Ice Cream!
Tips for prospective students Industrial Design is a few years away from getting back on it's feet. New teachers have recently come in. I would explore other options. This is definitely for PRODUCT design only. They do not deal with transportation or architectural design.
In three sentences Facilities are great, many resources for artists. Cafeteria food needs work, but they are trying to fix it. Teachers are lacking outside of Fine Arts and Fashion Design.
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Alison Meander
11/25/2012Reviewer is Researching this school. Reviewer has not been to campus.
12 of 15
Categories Comments Bang for the buck It is very expensive, but it is an excellent program. Also, there are great job opportunities after attending CCAD.
What to do for fun There is the entire city of Columbus.
Food and Dining From my friend's reviews, the food is great.
Dorm Life My friend is currently attending the school and loves the dorms. From the pictures I have seen, these are some of the nicest dorms available on any campus.
Academic Rigor Fantastic job covering the arts, but very little classes available in other areas. However, most art schools have a similar curriculum.
Tips for prospective students Work on your portfolio. Make sure you have at least 3 concentration pieces. Take AP Studio art if it is available at your school to receive more individualized attention.
In three sentences I really enjoyed the presentation given when I visited with a representative from the school. There programs are great and there are many job opportunities after graduating from this program. I recently had a portfolio review and am considering applying.
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Alyssa from Granville, OH
01/14/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
13 of 15
Categories Comments Campus Safety security is great and always willing to lend a helping hand or walk a lady to her car.
Greek Life what greek life?
Clubs and Activities always somthing to join or get involved with.
Great for these types of students people who are passionate of pursuing an artistic life style and who can afford it
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus we have a dodge ball team and we meet every friday... ps, i run the court
Bang for the buck its hard to pass and its hard to pay
What to do for fun anything and everything is around the school its smack dab in the middle of the city
Food and Dining Healthy food and an assortment of it is alway provided, but not to good cafe hours.
Dorm Life ok but price most students live off campus
Academic Rigor very intense
Tips for prospective students Be prepared to be tested to your wits, when it comes to critiques.
In three sentences Its a great school, full of job opportunity for your future. It really helps develop your artistic talent and helps one grow as an artist. Intense academics and harsh tuition but worth it all in the end.
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Anna from Lancaster, OH
06/06/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
14 of 15
Categories Comments What to do for fun Posters around campus advertise events such as movie screenings, concerts, and sketch group outings. Student events are funded by student organizations -- some focusing on our community, such as GSSA and Sanctuary, and some focusing our majors and interests, such as the Animation and Illustration Student Collective.
Tips for prospective students Be prepared to meet artists of various skill levels, higher and lower. It's natural to feel belittled by better artists, but take advantage of this experience positively than letting it drain your confidence.
In three sentences CCAD is not only an art school, but also a creative community. Just as our giant, strikingly bold ART sign stands out against the business buildings in downtown Columbus, we as CCAD students are not ashamed of ourselves as individuals and we take pride in it. As developing artists, communicating with other creative individuals aids us in our passions and prepares us for our future.
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Justin from Columbus, OH
06/06/2013Reviewer is A current student here.
15 of 15
Categories Comments What to do for fun We have visiting artists to tell us about the art industry, field days, art fairs, music fairs and such.
Food and Dining Sushi Day, Steak Day, Wild Game day. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Unlimited desserts
Dorm Life For those who want to live on campus to focus hard on their studies.
Academic Rigor It's possible to have the research of your project and your actual project graded 50/50, so don't skip on the research. show your work.
Tips for prospective students All your work, past and present, is important. it can help you where you need improvement. Don't let and art block get you down. take a moment to regain your composure and think what you want to do next on a project.
In three sentences Columbus College of Art and Design is the perfect place to be for developing skills in art, such as drawing, painting, photography, animation, Fine Art, and more. Ever since I started attending the Saturday school classes in 2002, I've hoped of attending for real as an animation student. Now I am working hard to start a career in animation. Aside from the usual studies we also have computer labs, fun field days, visiting artists, clubs of interests, and much more.
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