simone kurtz

To specifically answer your question, Pratt has 5-6 schools: Architecture, Art and Design (which is the largest and is rumored to split eventually), Liberal Arts and Sciences, Information and Library Science, and Continuing Education. Here’s a wiki page on it for a simple breakdown, or you can visit pratt.edu for more information. Also, long story short: if you’re coming to study, you will work very, very hard. A lot of people have misconceptions about art school, but gliding through by doodling all day will be met with disappointment. (I apologize for the snark.)

As I’m sure you already know, Pratt’s earned a prestigious reputation through the years since it’s been a school, and for many good reasons: the faculty and staff are talented, intelligent, and most importantly, experienced and relevant industry professionals—who, thankfully, from my experience, truly care about their students. They’ve got a large portion of alumni who have become reputable in their fields (Paul Rand, Betsey Johnson, Stefan Sagmeister, William Boyner, Ellsworth Kelly; the list could go on!), and it is nestled in the city that never sleeps (woohoo, 4am coffee!), in a rough 5 x 2 block oasis in Brooklyn, just about a 20-minute subway ride from Manhattan. Both boroughs have always been deeply rooted with the art industry/community, and Pratt is no exception, so it is a natural birthing place for creativity and talent. Also, Pratt’s got a lovely, highly-maintained campus—and I believe it’s the only art school in the country who has one.

Unfortunately, Pratt has an enormous vice: their administration. They’re very good at covering it up during open houses and through the media/advertising, but it’s something that has truly affected students and professors alike during their time at the school. The problem mostly comes from the fact that there is very little transparency from the administration, and that can lead to issues like budget cuts, unfair tuition lifts, and, most recently, the cancellation of the Pratt Show (and subsequent birth of the Design Show, which was scheduled to be held in the school gymnasium rather than a space in Manhattan) that led to a school-wide senior protest. Much of the buildings and its facilities are in bad need of repair or replacement, as exemplified in the Pratt Fire in 2013, which caused senior Fine Art students to lose years worth of work needed to apply to grad school. I’ve had friends who suddenly lost scholarships because the admin didn’t submit their papers on time, others who couldn’t attend classes they needed in order to graduate, and, in my case, I nearly didn’t have housing one year (admittedly, that one was partially my fault), had mysterious charges added to my semester bill, and, probably the most amusing: I had class scheduled on the same day as my graduation.

For what it’s worth, I took my lumps and truly valued my time at Pratt. I grew personally, artistically and professionally. From a professional stance, I feel ready to merge into the industry. The community is tight and supportive. I met some of the most amazing people there, many of whom went on to be my mentors or closest friends. It was some of the best years of my life—and I know those who’ll disagree with me, but at the very least, I can reflect on it here in my art blog for all the world to see.

I’m sorry for such a long-winded political answer. If you have any more questions for me or feel like I didn’t quite answer your question, feel free to message me again. Congratulations again, and all the best wishes in making your decision.

Best,Simone