Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Milwaukee, WI, USA

Reviews

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

Pia

a current student here
11 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
The best part is you're not getting taught by TA's. You're instructors are all specialists in their subjects, so you know you're getting a great education.
It's also great how much they emphasize liberal studies. I know from previously going to a 4yr public university, that Gen Eds can be a pain, but the ones offered at MIAD are all relevant to you and your studies. They work with Marquette University to make sure you're liberal studies are strong. This also makes a Minor in any subject a lot more accessible.
Am enjoying being here
It's located in the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee. The neighbor hood is VERY cute, and offers a lot to do! Great shopping, dining, and parks!
Bang for the buck
The vicinity is amazing! The amount of studio space given to each student is worth it!
And of course, the high quality of education you're receiving is well worth it!

Over all, if you're looking for an Art school that is well rounded, offers many option within art, and is under $30,000, MIAD is PERFECT!
Tips for prospective students
Check out the place before you make any decisions!!
If you feel the vicinity isn't comfortable for you, or not what you were looking for, then you may want to look into other colleges.
Studio space is a major thing you should be looking for. After all, you're paying money to attend this college for the next 4 or more years. Make sure you want to BE there for those years. If you're not comfortable or satisfied when you're touring the place, you probably won't be later on.
Great for these types of students
If you want to be completely immersed in art, MIAD is a great choice!
If you want a smaller, more personal school, with only 650 students, you'll get a lot of help and support when you need it.
And if you want to live in a more urban area, Milwaukee is great for that too!

Alexa from Milwaukee, WI

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
An amazing school you feel that you belong at. Works insanely hard to set up your future career. Is a great choice if you want to go far in life.
Tips for prospective students
Take a tour and fall in love with this place!
Academic Rigor
You work very hard to compete with the competition but it's worth it.
Dorm Life
The dorms her are actually large apartments where you get your own room, huge kitchen, and living room. FULLY FURNISHED.
Food and Dining
Food is everywhere and the cafeteria is really good and way cheap.
What to do for fun
It's milwaukee people. What is there not to do! bars, cafes, comady lounges, hookah rooms, pizza shuttle..ect

Olivia from Milwaukee, WI

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
My photography has progressed so much since I started at MIAD. When I was still in high school, I never shot digitally and had no idea about all the possibilities with digital photography, not to mention how many more photos you can take without spending a ton of money on rolls of film.
Am enjoying being here
There is a vast variety of people and things to learn at MIAD. Everyone is always throwing around new ideas for projects.
Bang for the buck
It is quite pricey, but you can get one on one with your teachers instead of sitting in a huge lecture hall at public colleges. Also MIAD has quite a great facility so you definitely get your moneys worth.
Tips for prospective students
Work hard otherwise you probably won't make it to graduation.
Great for these types of students
Students who like smaller class sizes and to feel like you are apart of a family.

Rebeckah from Wauwatosa, WI

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
A very focused and disciplined school for it's unruly subject: art. In the first semester you already get an idea of what you will move onto in the following years to come. Your time is not wasted and there is so much to learn at MIAD! There is not a day that goes by that students here are not improving in some way and your self expression is something that is your most important tool.
Tips for prospective students
MIAD is one of the most fun places you can come to with a very relaxed atmosphere when it comes to artistic expression and your individuality, but don't expect it to be easy. MIAD challenges you in a way that is interesting and useful to your work, so what you do is rightfully named. It is work.
Academic Rigor
You are pushed to learn every aspect and do not slack in the area of general educational requirements, though it is done in a way that is relevant to the art world and is something that you look forward to rather than dread.
Dorm Life
Not a personal tenant at the dorms, but it is a large apartment complex. Four people share between two bedrooms and two bathrooms so it isn't so bad. They also have decent kitchen area for food and cooking and each apartment has wi-fi and a large screen TV.
Food and Dining
Food has healthy and non healthy options for everyone and the food is pretty good if you find what you like. They also have a salad bar and alternative meals for resident vegans and vegetarians.
What to do for fun
There is a lot to do around MIAD considering it is located in the Historic Third Ward of Downtown Milwaukee. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and other attractions for students to explore. There is also the student union across the street that serves a cafe style menu, so students can pick up a bit to eat and hang out.
Bang for the buck
The quality of everything here is insane for the price. The faculty here are experienced artists, writers, scientists, and historians that have had a lot of good things to pull from their personal careers outside of MIAD.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The cocoons of the fourth floor are pretty weird, but the campus used to be a factory so the whole layout of the school itself is fairly unusual.
Great for these types of students
There is a great club for anime fans. You get to have weekly meeting, there is a dance for cosplayers, you can go to MSOE and jam some video games, and there are other cosplay events that the club participates in.
Clubs and Activities
THERE ARE TONS. New clubs get started all the time and they have lots of neat dances and local concerts that are posted all round school on a weekly basis.
Greek Life
There is none really...
Campus Safety
Only thing I have qualms with: there is only one or two guards on duty looking in front of a big computer screen. One takes a lot of cigarette breaks.

McKenna

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
The teachers here are fantastic. At MIAD, they want to ready you for your future career in the best way possible, and they start doing that in your freshman year. They used to do it where you wouldn't start learning stuff you needed to for your career until your junior year, but that's changed. The faculty constantly make you better in your understanding of concept, precision, and way of thinking. But in my two years here so far, I've learned more than here I have throughout my high school and middle school career.
Am enjoying being here
It feels like home being here. If you're the kind of kid who is an organized mess, you stick out in an argument because of your view point, and your parents just don't seem to understand what the heck your thinking or doing, then this school is for you because the teachers here treat you as equals and are even crazier than you are (artistically). Mostly everyone is friendly (there are some stuck up people here, but don't let that scare you!), and are pretty easy to get along with, talk to, etc.
Bang for the buck
Even though this is a $32,000 school without room and board, most of MIAD's facilities are top notch. They are well maintained and abundant. MIAD allows you to use it's facilites almost all hours of the day. The computer labs are open until 11, the 3D lab is open until 11, and the scultpure lab is open until 9. The school itself stays open until midnight, and during finals it's open until 2. For the availability and use of all the facilities, if you use your time wisely, and apply yourself, then this school is well worth the money.
Tips for prospective students
Always keep on the ball with scholarships. Don't just rely on your parents to pay off your expenses, get some work ethic and try to either get a job, or go crazy applying for schoalrships. It'll be really helpful. Keep up with your grades because you'll get more grants from the state and government. Be careful of the bad neighborhoods in Milwaukee, but don't be afraid to explore! Go out and do stuff, because there are a lot of opportunities around you, you just need to look!
Great for these types of students
kids who: are artsy, messy but organized, opinionated, like to debate, think outside of the box