One of the most over-rated fashion design school is FIDM which offers so-called scholarships amounting to some $36,000 in student debt. It takes the position that it offers a “prestigious” degree which will open the doors to success in the fashion and marketing fields. Unfortunately, this “prestigious” degree does not waive various job interview requirements which entail evaluation of one’s portfolio, grade point average and passage of a written or oral examination. So, in the long term, you might have saved the $36,000 student debt to FIDM and instead, used it as a downpayment on a condo or house.

A better alternative is to sign up for the Design/Fashion course at Los Angeles Trade Tech which offers exactly the same instruction for a total course fee of around $970! And Trade Tech is a state-certified fully accredited trade college with all the bells and whistles associated with a Class A education.

Good luck!

I am not attending FIDM, but I have definitely considered it. You should fill out the form on the website to get more info. You’re not obligated to anything, but they send you a free book and it’s really interesting to look at. You’ll learn a lot about the housing and they even send crime rate comparisons between campuses, believe it or not. I’ll try to answer some things that I know, but aren’t answered by their free book. 2. AAS degrees are usually two years, then you can opt to get a bachelors which also takes two years. At some schools it is a total of three years. 3. Fashion club info is on the website, there’s a little description of it. Or maybe I read it in the book. 4. I have seen no info on sports, so I would guess that they don’t have any. Other LA schools provide free access to gyms, though. FIDM might be the same. 5. Orange County is a long commute to make every day. 6.Their admissions process has been unique for me, and they require a lot of projects and letters of recommendations to get in. Start cultivating relationships that will benefit you once that time comes!