I've been getting this question a lot lately from students up at my alma mater. Since there are likely a lot more stressed-out kids out there, I'm gonna spread the message Web-wide.
So you wanna know if you should go to portfolio school. You've just worked your tail off to put your book together, and you're thinking after all these classes and group projects and whatnot, it must be good. You can't see why you'd have to go to another school...can't you just start working already?
Not necessarily. Here it is: there is a distinct possibility you're not ready for an agency yet. It's not because you're not talented or because you didn't work hard enough--it's because portfolio schools exist, and there are a ton of other kids coming out of them with more polished books than yours.
You see, ad school is a whole other animal. Students there aren't balancing portfolio classes with Buddhism 101 and nightly keg parties (although there are some of those). They're working on their books 24/7, and then some. Ad schools throw you into advertising, hardcore. The Brandcenter in particular steeps you in strategy, teamwork, creativity, branding and churning out campaigns like mad. Their expectations are high and competition is higher, putting you and your work on a whole other level. A level that will make you look back at your undergrad book and laugh.
Don't get me wrong. There are some great undergrad programs out there that are competing with the ad schools. There are also students out there who get a job with their undergrad book. Just take my advice and keep your options open. Shop your book around to agencies and see what kind of response it gets. I sacrificed my final spring break to do that, and that's when I was hit with the cold hard truth that I had a lot more work to do to be competitive. And so I went to the VCU Brandcenter, and the whole story has a very happy ending.
Let me know if you find yours, too.
Comments