The Ringling College of Art and Design

If you had a bad time, it's because you didn't apply yourself. There's people leaving reviews here about how the people who go here are weird or something. It's an art school and just as many dress normal and professional. The environment is different though. And sometimes rich people expect the world to bend to them and their daddies money. The people who aren't successful from Ringling are people with an absolute void in the place work ethic should be. Because it's an art school people look down on it and think it's going to be some elective, you get what you put in it's a boot camp if you make it one. If you look at the complaining here most of it is from people having professional staff tell them their work is bad. THATS WHY YOU GO HERE!!!!! If you want to produce crap then polish said crap and waste time and money polishing the crap, at the end of the work week, you still have crap. Coming from mostion design and getting an internship within the first year of going is proof enough for me. Don't let people who got butt hurt over a critique blow you chances at being a good professional artist.

1st Year Male -- Class 1921

Education Quality: A+, Surrounding City: D

Ringling is a great place to go as long as you know what you want to do and you are passionate about it. You have to apply directly to your major and you start taking classes within your major as soon as you start school. Changing majors isn't that big of a deal and you can do it without losing credit until the end of your first year (considering you change majors in the same school. Animation majors can transfer into other media majors like Illustration and Game art without losing credit. Motion design can do the same with Graphic Design etc. But if a Motion design student wants to switch to CA or Ill that is when credits start being an issue).

Ringling works their students very hard. It's not a curriculum you can get through without being dedicated and passionate about the field. A lot of students in CA end up transfering into other majors or just dropping out. As long as you love what you are doing and you are willing to put a lot of time and effort into it, you will do fine at Ringling.

People who come here are all from different art levels and backgrounds. Students and teachers try to be kind no matter what. That being said, critiques can be harsh but the only reason for that is because everyone wants you to get better. Getting an A+ in this school is near impossible and you are told that over and over at the beginning of freshman year.

The school recently got a few new buildings. The new library is large and has many recourses at the student's disposal. There is also a new Soundstage building which will be operational starting this year. The labs have 22" cintiqs that are equipped with Adobe, Maya, 3Dmax, Zbrush and a bunch of other programs. Some Animation labs are PC Labs, not cintiq but you can always find a device to work on.

School food is almost always terrible. Don't eat at Hammond if you can help it (if you are vegetarian/vegan be careful about getting tofu or veggies from the grill section. They are grilled on the same grill as the burgers). Although the food is horrible the staff at Hammond are very nice and will try to help you as best as they can.

At Ringling you learn how to be a professional. You are expected to act a certain way and treat your assignments a certain way. The professors and friendly and want to help, but they also want to prepare you for the industry. Missing deadlines is a big no-no, being late to class will have you marked absent and if you miss 4 classes you fail. Be on top of your work and you will be fine.

Ringling has a great career services department ! They will work with people individually to make sure they know what they want and they are applying for places they will be happy at/ will make a contribution at. You start meeting with them starting freshman year and keep doing so throughout your Ringling career. They will also arrange for many studios, studio reps and artists to visit. During these visits they give presentations, answer questions and after that meet with students individually. You are certain to find internships and jobs as a Ringling student/grad as long as you do the work given to you (and more if you can) Overall Ringling does have it's negative points. It is a very competitive environment and everyone tried to be the best they possibly can. It is a great place to thrive as long as you can keep up with the coursework.

2nd Year Female -- Class 1920

Education Quality: A+, Scholastic Success: F

Ok starting with the academics, Ringling is a great school, but you have to know where you want to go and what your career plan is. You must come in with a declared major because every class you take is catered to this major. I am in the most competitive major in the school (computer animation) which had a 12% acceptance rate for the 2015/2016 year (the acceptance rates vary by major). Expect to work hard. Also, they aren't here to teach you the basics, you must come in to the program with at least a decent understanding of drawing skills, both in traditional and digital art. Some of the teachers are warm and welcoming, some are harsh and will make you cry; you want those harsh teachers cause they force you to work harder and be better. Ringling doesn't mess around, they treat you like a profesional from day one so be prepared to not miss a single class, never be late, never make any excuses, and treat your art as your job.

When it comes to social life, we aren't all just weird hermits. Yes most of us love anime but there are also parties every weekend, games of manhunt and capture the flag each friday, clubs, events, beach trips, and lots of stuff to do. Most of the socializing you will do will be the shenanigans you get up to with your floormates. (the dorms here are fantastic btw). The thing is, with all the work you have to do, YOU WILL be INCREDABLY BUSY. You will make lots of friends, and people at ringling are really supportive and accepting, and you can have fun, but don't let that get in the way of work. But all in all, socializing is not a problem and you won't be missing out on any fun since there's fun to be had all around.

Don't take all the negative comments too seriously. Ringling is really hard and thus it has a steap drop out rate, so a lot of people get super bitter about it and go on rants. Ringling is amazing.

But, just as a warning, Ringling pours most of its time, money, and resources into its most popular and succesful majors, thus computer animation and game art are some of the best programs that you can find in the country, meanwhile majors like fine arts and some of the design majors are left by the wayside, so be careful in choosing your career. (motion design and illustration are also very good here)

1st Year Female -- Class 1920

Scholastic Success: A+, Surrounding City: D+