Hear straight from our graduates.
Shillington helped me refine my style by helping me understand the difference between okay design and amazing design.
Designer, AKQA
Anika George
Why did you decide to study graphic design?
The best thing about Shillington is the fact that it promises a marketable portfolio at the end of the course, and it delivers on that promise as long as you’re willing to put in the work. Courses I’d taken elsewhere did provide a great design education, but getting that portfolio is crucial to the job search post-graduation. If you’re serious about changing careers but feeling stuck in your current one, Shillington is an amazing resource for helping you making that sometimes-difficult transition.
Did you have any previous design experience? How did the course build your skill set?
I’d taken a few design courses in college, and there was also my previous self-taught experience. Shillington helped me refine my style by helping me understand the difference between okay design and amazing design. It also taught me a process for creative thinking—there is a method to the madness, and that is really helpful when you’re in a time crunch at a real-world job. I also came into the course seeing grids as superfluous, but left wondering what I ever did without them. That was a pretty big deal.
You studied part-time. How did you find juggling full-time work and evening classes?
To be perfectly honest, I found it fairly difficult! Time management is so crucial to getting the most out of the course. Finding that seven hours outside of class to catch up on coursework was pretty challenging sometimes when all I wanted to do was sleep.
What’s your #1 tip for a new Shillington student?
Do your homework! Our instructors would always suggest doing eight hours minimum of work outside of the classroom, and although it seems like a lot, the time spent upfront on assignments is absolutely worth it when you’re racing to the finish line right before graduation. And listen to your instructors —everyone truly wants your work to reach its maximum potential so the advice you get is invaluable.
Visit Anika’s website and read her full interview (with sister Amanda!) on the blog.
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Shillington helped me refine my style by helping me understand the difference between okay design and amazing design.
Designer, AKQA
Anika George
Why did you decide to study graphic design?
The best thing about Shillington is the fact that it promises a marketable portfolio at the end of the course, and it delivers on that promise as long as you’re willing to put in the work. Courses I’d taken elsewhere did provide a great design education, but getting that portfolio is crucial to the job search post-graduation. If you’re serious about changing careers but feeling stuck in your current one, Shillington is an amazing resource for helping you making that sometimes-difficult transition.
Did you have any previous design experience? How did the course build your skill set?
I’d taken a few design courses in college, and there was also my previous self-taught experience. Shillington helped me refine my style by helping me understand the difference between okay design and amazing design. It also taught me a process for creative thinking—there is a method to the madness, and that is really helpful when you’re in a time crunch at a real-world job. I also came into the course seeing grids as superfluous, but left wondering what I ever did without them. That was a pretty big deal.
You studied part-time. How did you find juggling full-time work and evening classes?
To be perfectly honest, I found it fairly difficult! Time management is so crucial to getting the most out of the course. Finding that seven hours outside of class to catch up on coursework was pretty challenging sometimes when all I wanted to do was sleep.
What’s your #1 tip for a new Shillington student?
Do your homework! Our instructors would always suggest doing eight hours minimum of work outside of the classroom, and although it seems like a lot, the time spent upfront on assignments is absolutely worth it when you’re racing to the finish line right before graduation. And listen to your instructors —everyone truly wants your work to reach its maximum potential so the advice you get is invaluable.
Visit Anika’s website and read her full interview (with sister Amanda!) on the blog.
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