Fashion, much like any other industry, requires extensive training and knowledge from its professionals. If you want a career in the business, you need to know a lot and know how to do a lot. Fortunately, there are schools like
Parsons, The New School of Design in New York City. Many would say that this is the ultimate fashion design school in the country and they're right! Parsons is one of the best training grounds for future designers, as proven by its notable alumni. The likes of Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, and Anna Sui graduated from here.
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History of Parsons
The Parsons School of Design is perhaps the oldest among the
prestigious fashion schools in New York City. Impressionist painter William Merritt Chase established the school in 1896, first named as the “Chase School.” He founded the school as a contrast to Art Students League of New York, an institution that was fully devoted to traditional techniques. Chase School, in contrast, favored a less conventional and more progressive approach to arts education. Among the school's first prominent professors was Frank Alvah Parsons, who then created the first fashion program in 1904. Under his directorship, the school adapted well to the Industrial Revolution, which saw various art disciplines craft their own respective industries.
What Does Parsons Look Like?
Parsons, The New School for Design is currently housed in the University Center on 5th Avenue, one of the more upscale
neighborhoods in New York City. It's a modern, symmetric hub that reflects the contemporary art and futuristic fashion taught inside. With 16 floors in store, Parsons students have more than enough space for their fashion design studies. The building comprises big classrooms, spacious studies, expansive ateliers, and other common areas used for exhibitions, study spaces, and more. It's central location in Manhattan make it accessible via public transport too.
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The Parsons Student Body
Parsons isn't just a prestigious school in New York City, but also one of the biggest
fashion schools in the world in terms of its student body. Though its exact number of students changes per year, the school welcomes approximately 5,000 to 6,000 students per year. Around 80% comprise undergraduate students while 20% comprise postgraduate enrollees. At the same time, Parsons enjoys a diverse student body too. The school accepts around 31% undergraduate and 42% postgraduate international students per year. They come from countries like Brazil, the UK, Canada, China, India, South Korea, Turkey, and more
Parsons' Best Programs and Courses
Naturally, the best courses at Parsons are those that relate to fashion design. Its Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design, for example, provides meticulous classes that teach and train the craft. The school's extensive fashion design education is what led to the reality TV competition series, “Project Runway,” shooting on the campus. At the same time, there's also the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design, a popular course that lets students pursue careers in fashion journalism and similar fields. While the Master of Fine Arts in Textiles stresses the scientific nature of the industry.
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Parsons' Prerequisites
Parsons imposes a fairly meticulous application process. Apart from the usual prerequisites—a high school diploma for an undergraduate program and a Bachelor's Degree in related fields for a postgraduate program—you still have to submit other requirements. These include a filled-up application form, two application essays, a well-curated portfolio, letters of recommendation, and official transcripts from your previous school/s. For international applicants, you also need to submit a valid English language proficiency test results taken within the past two years of your application. Your score has to be at least 92 for TOEFL iBT, 7 for IELTS, or 63 for PTE.
How Much Does It Cost to Study at Parsons?
Unsurprisingly, Parsons, The New School for Design is a fairly expensive school. For all undergraduate programs, for example, your tuition feel will cost around $28,989.00 per semester. But since most courses require 12 to 18 credits and a $2,416.00 per-credit tuition, your costs can still total to about $43,488.00. As for Master's Degree programs, they usually cost around $2,029.00 to $2,511.00 per credit. On top of that, there's also a maintenance cost of around $100.00 too. The total of this differs since postgraduate courses have varying numbers of total credits required.
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Where is Parsons in New York City?
As already mentioned, the University Center is located on Fifth Avenue, best-known for its luxury retail spots. With designer flagship stores and luxury boutiques nearby, Parsons students get to stay on top of what's going in the industry today. Not to mention get inspiration for their designs and/or brands at the same time. Moreover, those who can afford it can
rent the most luxurious New York apartments nearby. Fifth Avenue is also known for its high-class homes, from penthouse-topped skyscrapers to pre-war townhouses. It's one—if not the richest neighborhood in New York City.
Parsons' Famous Graduates
Parsons boasts one of the best alumni lists for any fashion school out there. The likes of Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Isaac Mizrahi, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Narciso Rodriguez, Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung, and Jenna Lyons have all graduated from Parsons. These are some of the biggest and most influential designers who have worked in the American fashion industry over the years. Some, specifically Tom Ford, even reached prominence by helming the biggest fashion houses in Europe too. Such alumni further prove that Parsons is truly one of the finest fashion design schools on the planet.
Source: Parsons The New School of Design Facebook Page
If you want to be a fashion designer, you'd never go wrong with enrolling in Parsons, The New School of Design. The iconic institution is one of the best fashion schools in New York City! Just look at its impressive alumni.
