#lesbianqueens

That’s one of the QueerPratt posters! I have a feeling you’d love that club, it’s a lot of fun and we’re about to have Genderf*ck which is a big talent show type event where “cross-dressing is encouraged but not required.”

Needless to say, yes, I love it here. Brooklyn is an incredible place, and being $2.50 away from Manhattan isn’t too bad, either. I’m a photo major which, at Pratt (and a lot of other art schools like it) means I have a lot of autonomy to do what I want with my major and in my classes. It is a LOT of work though— when professors tell you to spend as long on the homework as you spend working in class, they’re not kidding, and most of them can tell if you don’t. But really, if you have the talent to get in and the dedication to devote your formative years at an arts institute like Pratt, you’re selling yourself short if you don’t work as hard as you can.

And it’s fun! For goodness’ sake, my friends at non-arts schools are complaining about the massive amounts of gen-ed homework they have to do, whereas I’m pressured to make prints and draw and paint. It is an incredible booster for your expression, and being around so many other artists does wonders for your own work.

As for getting in, frankly, ANY art school wants you to apply, regardless of how competitive they are. I applied to Pratt, SVA, VCUarts and CCAD (Corcoran), and Pratt offered me the most financial aid and the best public relations. They let me come in for a portfolio review (which was VERY HELPFUL AND I ADVISE HIGHLY ANYWHERE YOU APPLY), which made me realize what I would get out of my education here, and anywhere else I reviewed with.

Pratt isn’t for everyone, though— a lot of people I know are here “because they didn’t get into Parsons/FIT/RISD,” or “because it was cheap,” neither of which are great reasons, especially with the price of art school being what it is. If you know what you want, pursue it, and if it doesn’t happen, look elsewhere. I had my heart set on VCUarts, and when I got rejected I thought it’d be the worst thing in my life to go to Pratt and that I’d die of student loan debt. But now that I’m here, I’m focused on what I want to do, and Pratt knows how to make that happen for me and for you and for anyone who’s willing to put in the work.

My advice for applying: INTERVIEW INTERVIEW INTERVIEW. (Private) art schools are great because they don’t turn a blind eye as far as interviews go like state schools do. Get your recommendations in order. Your SATs and GPA are marginal, I got in early-action and I applied with a 1780 and 2.3 respectively. You really need to make sure your portfolio, your interview (if you have one), and your artist’s statement are as strong as they can be, which are honestly more stressful than prepping for any test.

But yes, long answer long, I do love it here. I made the right decision.

Hope to see you next year! :)