Pacific Northwest College of Art
School info
2.5
Overall Quality
Reputation
2.4
Food
2.5
Clubs
2.3
Facilities
2.7
Internet
2.5
Location
3
Opportunities
2.3
Safety
2.9
Social
2.3
Happiness
2.5
Basic Information
Location
- Portland, OR
Institution Overview
- Public/Private: Private art school
- Established: 1909
- Founder: Pacific Northwest College of Art was founded in 1909 as part of the Portland Art Museum, with Anna Belle Crocker as the head of the school. **Anna Belle Crocker**
Academic information
Degree Courses
- Pacific Northwest College of Art offers 10 undergraduate and 6 graduate degree programs
Key Area
- Art and Technology
- Community Engagement
- Craft and Material Studies
- Critical Studies
- Interactive Media
Student and Staff Numbers
- Students: 647 (2024)
- Undergraduates: 522 (2024)
- Postgraduates: 125 (2024)
- Academic Staff: 121 (2024)
Notable Alumni
- Lucinda Parker
- Jane Schiffhauer
- Jean Pierre Veillet
- Manuel Izquierdo
- Arvie Smith
10 FAQs about this University from
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Students talk about this school
Good reviews
Overall 4.5
I more than enjoyed my time at pnca and am now working out of paris, france. Which would not of been possible without my time at pnca. Great choice if you have a good work ethic.
Overall 4.1
this school is on the rise, i believe! students are amazing and insightful, ive found incredible opportunities among them and the faculty, there have been big changes towards opening doors for everyone. im really amazed and i have high hopes that this school will continue to be a wonderful part of my life.
Overall 4.1
None.
Overall 4
Be sure to find a faculty member whose art you sincerely respect, whose presence you value, and whose former professional experiences excite you. Nurture (sustain and build) your relationship with this prof, so that they can advocate for you by senior year. Some students I've met here are total sweethearts; some faculty are semi-famous and legit!
Bad reviews
Overall 1.1
Please avoid PNCA. Success in the Art & Design world is hard enough; don't undercut your opportunities by attending a weak school, with weak staff (the staff has no real-world experience) and take your money elsewhere - New York, SFO, abroad... this is a money hole for you.
Overall 1.1
None.
Overall 1.1
with its bloated administration, pnca is living beyond its means. resources are not put where they should be, supporting its profile rather than programs that benefit students. the administration is out of touch with students.
Overall 1.1
Not student centered. The liberal arts curriculum is horendous, and should not be a proper academic program. Morale among faculty is very low. Faculty and staff are being laid off to support the unsustainable top-down administration. 40 percent of students leave after their first year.
Overall 1.2
Just don't bother.
Overall 1.2
The school has gotten itself into a financial pickle. The administration has lots of ambition, but not the means to do them. Totally unrealistic. And the net result will be an undercutting of the resources to students. The school can't afford proper facilities, materuials, or teachers, and the situation is just getting worse. Totally doomed.
Overall 1.3
This school an unprofessional, overpriced disappointment. Administratively run by real estate tycoons, Facilities include unheated empty officebldgs w/exposed wiring & rat droppings, commons areas that are drab & poorly lit, insufficient restrooms, faculty are vocally miserable and international exchange is not encouraged, just advertised.
Overall 1.3
Be very careful in your decision to attend pnca. The school is masterful at promoting itself, but the reality is much much weaker than the PR. Students are not getting a quality education or training, faculty are dismayed at the way they are treated, and the school has no national reputation. It's fine for a regional art school, but not if you're
Overall 1.3
Don't bother with pnca.
Overall 1.5
My experience at PNCA was terrible. I was unhappy for the majority of the time I was there. PNCA was located in a terrible neighborhood (I got constantly harassed by homeless men), and other students were stuck up and not supportive in any way. I could write pages on this awful experience but unfortunately there is a 350 character limit.