My daughter is graduating High School here in L.A. this year and
applying to art schools around the country, as she wants to pursue a
career as a fine artist.  She has a good portfolio and has found
several schools she likes: Parsons (NYC), Art Institute of Chicago,
Pratt (Brooklyn) and School of Visual Arts (NYC) - but we can't seem
to find a ranking of fine art schools -- those considered "the best"
by
professionals in art.  I know the Best Business Schools, best for
Science, Film, Drama etc...but can't seem to find an objective ranking
or subjective professional point of view -- and just searching google
for "Best Art Schools" gives me highly suspect results, people trying
to promote their own school, or schools that have paid someone to
promote them.  We want to know what professionals think: gallery
owners, respected artists, collectors... what schools do they admire?
Can you help us find this?

< U.S. News provides rankings of art schools. Detailed information is
given in their publications which can be purchased via their website
(see below).

The top ten best graduate schools in fine art as ranked by U.S. News
in 1997:
1. School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2. Rhode Island School of Design
3. Yale University (CT)
4. Cranbrook Academy of Art (MI)
5. Alfred University (NY)
6. California Institute of the Arts
7. Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
8. Indiana University Bloomington
9. University of Iowa
10 Art Center College of Design (CA)

Others
California College of Arts and Crafts
Parsons School of Design
San Francisco Art Institute
http://www.seaburyhall.org/library/artschools.html

Seven of these schools are reviewed at artschools.com
http://www.artschools.com/articles/admission/best/

Master of Fine Arts
Three schools are ranked number one in the 2004, US News.com survey:
Rhode Island School of Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
Yale University (CT)
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/arts/brief/art_brief.php

The rankings are based on the results of a peer assessment survey.
Respondents were asked to rate the schools on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1
being marginal and 5 outstanding. The three schools above each
received a score of 4.4.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/about/04arts_meth_brief.php

America’s Best Graduate Schools 2004 online edition gives extended
rankings for the best fine art schools. It costs $9.95.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/store/products/prod_bestgradpoe2004.htm

America’s Best Colleges 2004 costs $12.95.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/unranked/art/art_brief.php

The wet canvas forum discusses great art schools. 
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/html_archive/topic/119558-1.html

VCU is ranked 6th.
The sculpture program is ranked first. Graphic design is ranked 4th
and for painting and drawing it is ranked 10th.
http://www.vcu.edu/artweb/giving/alumns/e_league_news/april_03.html>

<Search strategy:>

<"art schools" ranking>
<://www.google.com/search?q=%22art+schools%22+ranking&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1>

<"art schools" ranked>
<://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22art+schools%22+ranked>




<Hope this helps.>

---

Request for Answer Clarification by peh-ga on 19 Oct 2003 21:22 PDT

Belinda--
At first blush I thought you had answered my question, but after going
through all the links (at least those that did not require further
fees) I see that almost 100% of your answers are directed to Graduate
Schools, when I clearly said my daughter was graduating from High
School -- and so she is obviously looking for the best undergraduate
program.  Could you please look at this again: I need a list of what
professional artists believe are the best undergraduate art schools.
thanks

---

Clarification of Answer by belindalevez-ga on 29 Oct 2003 04:10 PST

<The Gourman report provides rankings for undergraduate programs.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0918192129/qid=1067428383/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-5239538-6185507?v=glance&s=books#product-details

Pitt’s undergraduate art program ranks 17. Number one was New York
University. UCLA ranks 16 and University of Indiana ranks 18.
http://www.pitt.edu/utimes/issues/30/012298/08.html


1998 Pitt’s undergraduate art program is ranked 17th in the Gourman
report.
http://66.102.11.104/search?q=cache:harUt0BNcEkJ:pittsburgh.schoolreference.com/~crazypaco/Rankings/Pittrankings.html+%22gourman+report%22+art+rankings&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

The UM’s undergraduate art program is ranked 6th.
http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9293/Feb15_93/7.htm


According to Carmina Cianculli, Assistant Dean for Admissions Tyler
School of Art, the best art schools are:
Tyler School of Art of Temple University 
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 
Maryland Institute, College of Art 
Rhode Island School of Design 
Cooper Union 
http://www.artschools.com/articles/admission/cianciulli/

Further opinions
http://www.artschools.com/articles/admission/lightfoot/
http://www.artschools.com/articles/admission/thompson/
http://www.artschools.com/articles/admission/willman/>

<Hope this helps.>

thanks very much!