How to Find the Best Interior Designer School

Once you have decided to enroll in an interior designer school near Daly City CA, it's time to begin the process of picking a school. Even if you have always had a talent for designing commercial or residential interiors, it's important that you get the right training to put your talents to work. And since a number of states do require that interior designers become licensed, based upon your state of residence you may need training to pass a licensing examination also. So it's very important that you do the proper research in order to assess and compare each college that you are considering prior to making your final decision. But where do you start? A number of potential students will kick off their research by searching for interior design schools near their residence and then comparing tuition expenses. While location and cost are important factors when making a determination, they are by no means the sole ones. Qualifiers such as reputation and accreditation should be taken into consideration as well. We will cover those issues and other important questions that you must ask the interior design schools you are interested in later in this article. But first, let's cover a little bit more about what interior design is and what degree and class choices are available.

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Interior Design and Interior Decoration

Some people mistake interior decoration for interior design. The main difference between them is the amount of training required. Any person can work as an interior decorator if they possess a general knowledge of or a skill for decorating interior spaces. On the other hand, doing business as an interior designer requires formal training and in numerous states one must have an accredited Bachelor's or Associate Degree and be licensed. Interior designers are educated to make living or work areas functional as well as attractive. On many occasions they may team up with architects and building engineers. There are two broad areas that an interior designer in Daly City CA may specialize in:

• Residential Design. Interior Designers often work on existing homes as well as new construction. They can design basically any room of the home, including bedrooms, closets and basements. Or they can specialize in designing one particular room, such as kitchens or bathrooms.
• Commercial Designing. When working on public or commercial spaces, designers frequently focus primarily on either functionality or aesthetic appeal but pay attention to both. For instance, business reception areas and meeting rooms are areas where aesthetics may be stressed over function. Designs for hospitals and banks may focus more on functionality over looks as the main consideration.

There are many areas of commercial and residential interior design that a designer must learn, such as color schemes, lighting, acoustics and furniture. They must be able to read blue prints and use graphic design in order to produce their visions. From selecting carpeting and wall paper to incorporating Feng shui concepts, Daly City California interior designers utilize a wide variety of skills that contribute to their final creations.
 

Interior Designer Degree Options

There are 4 degree options offered in interior design to receive the training required to launch your new profession in Daly City CA. Your selection will undoubtedly be influenced by your career goals in addition to the time and money that you have to devote to your education. But regardless of which degree program you opt to enroll in, make certain to choose one that is accredited. Accreditation is needed in order to qualify for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination mandated in a number of states. More will be discussed on additional accreditation benefits later. Below are short descriptions of the interior design degrees that are available.

• Associate Degree. Associate degrees in interior design provide the minimum level of training needed to enter the field. They take approximately 2 years to finish and programs are offered at a number of California trade schools and junior colleges. Graduates can typically qualify for entry level employment as design assistants.
• Bachelor's Degree. Bachelor's degrees are four year programs that deliver more extensive training than the Associate Degree. They deal with the creative and technical facets of the trade required to become a designer. They are the lowest degree needed by a college graduate in order to obtain an entry level job as an interior designer.
• Master's Degree. These two year programs provide advanced design training after acquiring the Bachelor's Degree. Master's Degrees offer alternatives in specialty majors for such things as business offices or residential bathrooms. A number of students enroll to enhance their skills to be more competitive in their careers.
• Doctorate Degree. Doctoral programs are primarily for those professionals who want to teach interior design at a university or college level. The degree programs vary in length but are normally completed in 3 to 5 years.

To work professionally and adopt the title of "Interior Designer", a number of states mandate that graduates of accredited degree programs become licensed. In some instances, two or more years of professional experience may be required before a candidate can take the licensing examination.

Interior Designer Online Colleges

For students who wish to attend classes in the comfort of their Daly City CA homes, there are online accredited interior design programs. Attending classes online can be an excellent alternative for those students that are working or have busy schedules that make going to classes on campus problematic. Classes can instead be attended on a laptop or a personal computer when convenient for the student. For many students online schools may be the only option if no interior design programs are within driving distance. And as an additional benefit, the tuition may be cheaper than for more conventional options. Added costs for such things as study materials or commuting may be minimized or eliminated as well. Just make certain that the school you choose is accredited by a highly regarded accrediting agency, such as the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (more on accreditation later). Online programs may also acquire accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on online or distance learning. If you have the discipline to earn your degree without the confines of a physical classroom environment, then an online interior design program may be the right alternative for you.

Topics to Ask Interior Design Schools

Once you have chosen the interior designer degree that you wish to earn, you can begin the task of assessing your college options. Location will be an important factor, especially if the school needs to be within commuting distance from your Daly City CA residence. Of course if you are interested in attending an online school, or are able to move to attend classes, then location may not be a qualification. The cost of tuition will narrow down your choices as well. But selecting the least expensive college or the one that is closest to your residence are not the best ways to make your selection. There are other issues that you need to look at as well, such as the accreditation and reputation of the program. Below are a list of concerns that you may want to ask the programs you are looking at to get those answers as well as others in order to help you examine and ultimately pick the ideal degree program.

Is the Interior Design School Accredited? It's necessary to verify that the interior designer school and program that you choose has been accredited by either a national or regional agency. One of the most highly regarded in the industry is the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Schools obtaining accreditation from the NASAD have undergone an extensive evaluation of their teachers and programs. Just make sure that both the degree program and the college have been accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Not only will it help confirm that the reputation of the college and the quality of the training are exceptional, it may also help when applying for financial aid or a student loan. Often they are not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, a number of Daly City California employers will only employ graduates of accredited colleges for entry level jobs.

Does the College Prep you for Licensing? As we previously mentioned, a number of States do require that interior designers get licensed. This would necessitate a passing score on the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam as well as a degree from an accredited college. And in several of those States requiring licensing, 2 or more years of work experience may be required also. Therefore in addition to providing an excellent education, the Daly City CA school you enroll in should also furnish the suitable training to pass the NCIDQ exam and fulfill the minimum licensing requirements for California or the State where you will be working.

What is the School's Job Placement Rate? After you have graduated and received your interior designer certification, you will probably need some help in finding your first position. Ask the schools that you are considering if they have a job placement program. If yes, ask what their job placement rates are. A high rate is an excellent indication that the school and its programs are highly esteemed within the interior design trade and its students are sought after. It could also indicate that the college has a substantial network of Daly City CA business relationships where they can place students to secure internships or employment after they graduate.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Get in touch with the financial aid departments for the Daly City CA schools you are evaluating and ask what type of assistance they offer. A number of interior designer schools offer financial aid to their incoming students. Certain colleges offer partial scholarships while others provide help in securing federal student loans or grants. It must be stressed again that enrolling in an accredited college is imperative for qualification in most cases. Sometimes a program that has a higher tuition may actually be less expensive than its counterparts because they provide more generous financial aid.

How Big are the Classes? Small classes are more personal and conducive to personalized instruction. If classes are large, you probably will receive little individual attention from the teachers. Find out from the Daly City CA colleges you are looking at what their typical student to teacher ratios are. If convenient from your Daly City home, go to the campus and sit in on a couple of classes. Take the opportunity to talk with a few students and ask what their experiences have been. Ask the instructors what their teaching philosophies are and what their credentials are in interior design.

Are Classes Offered that Accommodate your Schedule? Finally, verify that the interior designer college you enroll in offers classes the fit your busy schedule. This is especially significant if you will continue working while going to college. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Daly City CA, verify that those classes are offered. If working full-time means you can only attend part-time, confirm that is an alternative as well. Finally, find out what the procedure is for making up classes missed because of work, family or illness.

Choose the Right Interior Design Program near Daly City California

Selecting the right interior designer program is a critical initial step toward starting your career in this creative and gratifying occupation. Locating a school where you will obtain your training and develop your talents in a particular area of study is a challenging task regardless of what field you have decided on. As with any endeavor to acquire an advanced education, there are a number of points to consider before choosing a school, program, or course. At a minimum, verify that the design college and program are both accredited and highly regarded in the field. But it is still important that you complete your due diligence analysis. By doing so and following the rest of the recommendations provided in this article, you will be able to properly review and compare interior design schools so that you can make the ideal final selection. And with superior training and your desire to succeed, you can reach your goal of becoming an interior designer in Daly City California.