STUDENT WORK CAN'T LOOK LIKE SCHOOL WORK.
Chicago Portfolio School is a one-year portfolio school program for people who want to find jobs as copywriters, art directors or designers at advertising agencies and graphic design firms. Perhaps you already know all about the portfolio stuff —skip down a paragraph if you do.
Samples of advertising and design are the only way agencies judge job seekers. (OK, we exaggerated; it only counts for 99% of the decision.) Our school helps people get a job by helping them put together professional-quality samples. In that way, it's something of an apprenticeship—learning by doing. With assignments every day that are critiqued by industry professionals, we give students two of the things they need most: structure and standards.
WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?
At Chicago Portfolio School, students start making ads Week One. Advertising and design are trades, and the only way to really learn is by doing. Our instructors are all working professionals who use real-world industry standards to judge student work.
Students attend class five days a week for four quarters. Students can join the program at the beginning of any quarter and finish one year after starting. The program emphasizes concept through print advertising and design classes. Other classes include graphic design, typography, account planning, writing, layout, working with a partner, nontraditional media, plus specialized instruction in copywriting and art direction. We provide students with instruction on all Adobe design software, including PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver and Flash.
Finally, all students take a class in stand-up comedy, with a final exam that's a five-minute stand-up performance at a local club. The course offers students a chance to improve their comedy, writing and presentation skills. (Because you can't b.s. for five minutes—and you can't b.s. your book.)
The Chicago Portfolio School is the only one-year full-time program in the U.S. (but we do accept international students.) Call or email the director, Jeffrey Epstein, at 312-321-9250 or jeff@chicagoportfolio.com.
CONTACT US:
Chicago Portfolio School
25 W. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60610
312-321-9250
www.chicagoportfolio.com
info@chicagoportfolio.com
How long does it take to put together a book? It takes thousands of ideas. It takes hundreds of ads. It takes 15 to 20 samples. At the Chicago Portfolio School, it takes a year.
A year of great assignments. A year with the latest software. A year of showing work to award-winning instructors. A year is not a whole lot of time so we'll have to work fast. And work smart.
But a year is all you need. (Which is good because a year is all you get.)
PROGRAMS
Copywriting, Art Direction, Design.
