Is necessary to take college classes to become a Graphic Designer?

Hi Gabriela!

This is a great question, and a common one. College is not necessary to start a graphic design career, however I would not recommend this route!

You may be surprised to learn that the most important thing you will get out of a design education is not the basic principles of design, but a portfolio. Your portfolio is your key to an awesome job! There is a direct correlation between the quality of your portfolio and the quality of the job you'll get.

I've definitely seen the careers that come from both decisions about your education and this is what the pattern looks like:

I went to school in an extremely rigorous 5-year program with no summer breaks. My first job out of college is in the Art Department at Airbnb! I'm so excited to be here and I love my job.

A friend of mine did a less rigorous 3-year program where he still got a high-quality education but spent a little less time on his portfolio. Directly out of college, he got a good job at a design agency called Office.

Another friend of mine did a super quick 1-year program where she basically just learned the essentials of graphic design and did not spend time building a portfolio. She does not have a job!

I hope this helps to give you an idea of the importance of education in design. Design experience is not something you can cram into a bootcamp! You'll continue to grow and learn and become a more talented designer until the day your retire! Good luck!

Hello, Gabriela. Technically, the college coursework isn’t required, but highly recommended. Although you may be able to find clients willing to hire you based solely on your portfolio, there is much more to being a successful designer than your raw talent and technical skills. I entered creative services through a related field (marketing promotion), so my degree was not specifically in design. I elected to take a few classes to facilitate my transition, some purely technical from a local training center and some from a respected art college. The tips and tricks on utilizing the top design software was helpful, but not nearly as useful as the art school development in the strategy behind the design and the connection to real-world use. When I owned my own design firm, it was my coursework from college that laid the foundation for how to run the business; as a freelancer, you spend a large portion of your time on the sales and administrative side of your work, not just the design. Later, when I went to work for someone else, I was considered for the position(s) only because I had the educational credentials to make the first cuts in the review process. The college degree is a minimum for many employers, regardless of the degree. College can also open the door to great internship opportunities and help you start building your network.