Picking a school that's right for you doesn't always happen the first time around. Choosing the university that you will be attending could be a very stressful time. It requires a lot of thought and a good, long look into your possible future.
Fortunately, when I was in the process of choosing, there was hardly a competition. Although I liked the other schools I was accepted to, I knew that The New School was where I needed to be. Below are five of the reasons why I picked The New School.
- Home to the creatives. The New School is more than just the artists and designers at Parsons, but it is the dancers, the musicians, the writers, and the actors, too. It was essential to me that I was around not just painters and drawers, but those who had other creative skills to offer. I believe that all of our art can have a connection and we can grow and learn from each other, no matter what kind of creative you are.
- The location. The New School is scattered throughout a beautiful section of Manhattan. You are a short walk from Washington Square Park or from the Whitney Museum of American Art. If you would prefer to go to a little farther, a subway ride can take you to the Metropolitan Museum of Art or your favorite restaurant.
- Opportunity. Since the first informational session I went to before I applied to the school, I was always highly impressed with the opportunities the students had. Aside from living in New York City, where people from all over come to live out their dreams, The New School provides amazing opportunities like internships at highly respected companies that could turn into a job and networking opportunities that immediately begin when you first walk in.
- Change. The New School is constantly evolving and improving (hence its name, The New School). Since 1919 the school has "a proud legacy as a place where old problems meet new solutions" and where the leaders from all over the world come to promote change (newschool.edu). The way of thinking and belief system they uphold is unlike traditional universities. Their mission and vision is academic freedom, tolerance, and experimentation. The school has created a space where its students are unafraid to challenge accepted ideas through these three practices. The school's ideas and approach to education breaks tradition and aims to create the best learning environment for their students.
- The legacy of The New School. In the past almost 100 years, great names have learned from the New School, including, but not limited to, Franklin Delano Roosevelt III, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bradley Cooper, Marc Jacobs, and Donna Karan. Designers, artists, politicians, social activists, writers, and actors are among a few of the occupations of The New School's alumni.
