FIT students at an Elle event. Photo: Michael Loccisano for Getty
Programs: Accessories Design, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing, Direct and Interactive Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Fabric Styling, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising Management, Illustration, International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries, Jewelry Design, Menswear, Photography, Production Management: Fashion and Related Industries, Technical Design, Textile Development and Marketing, / Textile/Surface Design
Annual Tuition:
Undergraduate: $6,170 for New York State residents; $17,810 for out of state residents
Graduate: $10,370 for NYC/NY State residents; $20,190 for out of state residents
Misc: Very comprehensive programs, part of the SUNY.
Famous Grads: Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, Reem Acra, Nina Garcia, Francisco Costa, Joe Zee, Brian Atwood, Ralph Rucci, Michelle Smith, Dennis Basso, Norma Kamali, John Bartlett, Stephen Burrows, Daniel Vosovic
What the Students Say:
"Extremely driven, heavy workload and tons of opportunity to network and be hands on. It is my first semester and I've already worked NYFW, found an internship, met with business executives from major labels and had the chance to learn from amazing speakers and industry leaders. The city is your campus as there are a million field trips to amazing brands."
"FIT is amazing. Since it is right smack in the middle of Manhattan, think of it as another part of the fashion industry rather than just school. Professors must have 10+ prior years working in the field that they are teaching about, so each professor really brings their own life experiences to the classroom. You gain so many connections and network every day with people in the industry that their post-graduation job rate is above 80%. Looking forward to my future years left here at FIT (I am a sophomore)."
"I won't ever regret choosing FIT, but of course there are plenty of downsides. The internship program sucks. The people, both faculty and students, can have bad attitudes. Your peers can sometimes be so stupid you wonder how they got accepted in FIT in the first place. The education is great, but throughout the program it can all get repetitive. The connections you build are fantastic however. Student life is fun and tight-knit if you get involved, and the clubs and other facilities such as the Museum at FIT bring in the most amazing speakers from every field in the industry. The time a student spends at FIT is so valuable and so worth it so long as they do everything they can to take advantage of it. I didn't utilize my time here as much as I would've liked to, and it's kind of too late because I'm graduating in May, but even still I know I've learned a lot."
The Bottom Line: In addition to fashion design, FIT offers fashion marketing, business, textiles, visual arts, and countless other fashion-related degrees. The lecture series and FIT museum are exceptional. Valerie Steele, as Chief Curator of the Museum of FIT, gives this school a brainy credibility. This is a great choice for those who are as career driven as they are creatively driven: FIT offers a lot of technical skills, and a lot of different avenues. What's more the placement rate is 89%, which is nothing to be shy about.
More Info: www.fitnyc.edu
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