AboutPeter Gabany Expertise Strategic planning:
Objective based advertising, Ad creative, Writing, Photography - buying and making, Illustration - buying, Print, Outdoor, Event, Media, Media Planning, Broadcast, How to select an agency, What the client must provide, Pitching a client / being pitched
Experience Over 25 years in the business - 22 years operating an agency. Creative direction and agency management.
Question Hello Mr. Gabany
I have a few questions regarding advertising schools and a career in advertising.
I'm currently enrolled in a private art school majoring in advertising. The school that i go to is accredited, but due to long distance i have thought about transferring to a non credited school. How important is to have an accredited degree and what exactly are the advantages, if any. I heard that the only thing that really matters in the advertising world and getting a job is having a good portfolio, and that a degree is not even required as long as you have the skills and work to show your skills (portfolio). Is this true?
I would like to keep my options open and have the option to become a teacher, would i need to have an accredited degree? Would you say it would be a better choice to graduate from an accredited university or a university that has a good reputation and good portfolio preparation program, but not accredited?
Thank you
Answer I have no idea where you are writing from so difficult to recommend a school of any caliber.
In short: you have your entire life to work and while in the extremely RARE cases you can actually get a job in advertising staying in school and earning a degree or two will allow you to better reach your other goals - keeping your options open.
School for the most part is an academic understanding of what is in the real world. It is a great grounding and while there is little replacement for street smarts it only takes 3 or 4 years to learn in school - it takes a lifetime of highs and lows to get the street smarts required in this business.
So the long and short - stay in school as you can afford to - stretch it if you can. As it may be true that you can get hired off the street - it is far more acceptable to be hired for what you know AND know how to apply it.
Let me know where you are and I can make some recommendations. Rhodes Island School, Texas A&M and Northwestern are great starts but only the tip of opportunities in US - we haven't even mentioned Canada and Europe.
