Drexel University

Date: Feb 13 2011
Major: Unknown (This Major's Salary over time)
Drexel provided a lot of great opportunities for me, looking back on the experience I definitely made the right decision for myself- Philadelphia is a fantastic city, and the program allows for the flexibility for me to tailor my curriculum in such a way that I'd be able to learn what I wanted to (and avoid what I didn't).

In the end, I was able to graduate with 3 co-ops. My experience at Drexel was overall quite positive - I feel that as a designer and an artist, I am leaving with the skills necessary to make me competitive in the job market. Though I am pursuing graduate school to study business and advertising, I have already have several calls from lucrative companies offering full time jobs or staff positions.

SOCIAL LIFE:

In the end, I didn't have a lot in common with many Drexel students. A vast majority of them really like to party, go out on the town on Saturday night, or go to the Hockey or Basketball game. This just really wasn't my cup of tea- sure I drink alcohol, and I like to party. However, the let's-play-beirut-while-jamming-to-journey on repeat from Thursday night to Saturday night got really old, really fast. I ended up finding a good group of friends (albeit from Cambridge), and settling in quickly. So know that you'll be able to find friends easily, but finding good ones may be difficult.

ACADEMICS:

I took a wide array of classes from Modern China to Sociology of Violence to French 3. None of them were particularly challenging- I found all to be engaging and interesting. Professors vary by class, I recommend referencing dureviews.com before any class - that's the best way to avoid potentially hazardous teachers or particularly bad ones.

For Art + Design, the tenured faculty is downright amazing. They'll challenge you in every way, and make sure that you learn a lot. Adjunct professors are a crapshoot - usually they're too busy with their own stuff, or aren't up to snuff technically. If you're a good designer, you'll shine, you're going to have to work on your craft and hone it - if not your work is going to end up just looking sloppy.

CO-OP

Obviously, the best part of the program. Personally, I really liked it because I was able to get what felt like extended summer vacations, with money, and free time! The co-op coordinator for Art+Design isn't the best, feel free to pursue internships and make your own way.

To close: Drexel really prepared me for the real world. Even in the midst of a recession I was able to find co-ops and get job offers. When I applied to grad schools (UC Berkeley, ACAU, Northwestern, University of Texas and VCU Brandcenter) I was able to get into every one - this is because my resume coming out as an undergrad was comparable to someone who'd been doing entry level work for 2 years.

My only word of advice is to make sure you choose the school that feels right for YOU - don't worry about the "brand name" or if all of your friends are going there. I came to Northeastern because I wanted that real-world work experience, and I liked the program flexibility. If you want a smaller college where you'll know everyone, or a sports-oriented school with a strong greek presence - I'd recommend looking elsewhere.