How to Choose a Fashion School

Whether you've always made clothes or your personal style and fashion savvy have won you accolades from friends and admirers, consider an education in fashion to jump-start a career. The right fashion school will develop and focus your skill set and give you a solid foundation for a successful career in the industry.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• College Catalogs
• Fashion Magazines

1. Assess what aspect of fashion you have the most passion for: illustration, design, making clothes, fabric, or the buying and selling of garments.

2. Send away for catalogs or get online to learn more about various schools.

3. Research the curricula of your target fashion schools. If you love to draw and make clothes, look for fashion design and manufacturing courses. If fashion trends or the business side of the industry excite you, look for courses in trend analysis and merchandise marketing.

4. Consult admissions advisors to learn what majors are best suited to your intended path of study.

5. Determine the prerequisites for application to your preferred discipline - fashion design candidates, for example, may be asked to submit a portfolio or design a clothing line for a particular consumer.

6. Spend a day on campus and take time to talk with current students. Ask them about their experiences in selecting a school, and how they decided on the school they chose.

7. Network with alumni - ask how their education benefits them on the job.

Tips & Warnings

• Fashion schools have the inside track into the best jobs in the fashion industry. Alumni often turn to their alma mater first when looking to fill an open position at their companies.