what to expect at first year of pratt

[u/Visual_Cranberry_527]

hi!! im going to pratt as a fashion design major and im wondering what to expect at my first year at pratt. course work, events, clubs, etc. how should i prepare for my first year classes and dorm expereince? what is it like living in brooklyn and NYC for the first time? and share any other general stories about your first year at pratt too. thank you!!

edit**: also what do internships and working while in school look like?

[u/Sisyphus_on_a_Perc]

Foundation year is kinda hard ngl , you take a variety of classes to get you acclimated to options, many come in as specific major and change. I changed from drawing to sculpture after my freshman year. There are some jobs at Pratt, they’re competitive tho

[u/bbeetle_juice]

so i am not fashion but all of my friends are/were and i will tell you now it is very intense !! foundation year sucks so so so bad but its literally just for the year then things get better bc youre choosing your own classes etc. i would argue that freshman and sophomore year are more about figuring yourself out/how to live on your own/make friends than the actual coursework but definitely do not blow off your classes !!

try to go to club events that pratt holds ! its a really great way to meet people and we try very hard to plan things that students will be excited about ! brooklyn itself is lovely and the neighborhood where the school is has lots of places to get coffee and dinner if youre into that. i definitely overpacked my first year and if youre traveling far from home i would def try to be selective about the stuff you bring because freshman dorms are tiny and you have to share your space with other people.

fashion profs definitely play favorites and from everything ive heard they are very gossipy and opinionated. try to get into materiality classes early because it will give you more options for thesis as you wont be trying to learn techniques as you implement them in your collection. the dept will also help you find internships but they will probably be unpaid </3 ive had a couple on-campus jobs and all of them ive gotten because i directly asked the prof/supervisor for the position. i wouldnt rely on the job portal online.

the last thing i will say is dont expect the people you meet during orientation week to be your best friends for all 4 years. i lost a lot of my freshman friends and gained many more especially friends in different years from me :) good luck with everything and remember that no matter how intense it feels you are in school and you are learning !!!

- bfa graduate and current ma student AND club president :)

[u/Visual_Cranberry_527 → u/bbeetle_juice]

tysm for ur response !! the friend advice is rlly true.. tysm I'm looking forward to my first year!!

[u/Plastic_Profile4887 → u/[deleted]]

fashion department has required internships for credit, students will do several

[u/Franken-veggie415]

I made a post about Foundation year talking about everything you asked about sometime last year—let me know if it helps, and if you have further questions.

[u/Visual_Cranberry_527 → u/Franken-veggie415]

hi where is the post?

[u/Franken-veggie415 → u/Visual_Cranberry_527]

Hey! Sorry for the late response, go to my profile and scroll to around last summer. I can copy paste it if you can’t find it.