You’re creative. You have a good eye for color. You can flat sketch like it’s nobody’s business, and even more amazing, you can actually sew! With all these skills tucked under your belt, do you really need to consider going to schools for fashion?

 

The answer is yes. Here are 5 good reasons studying in fashion schools is one of the best things that could ever happen to an aspiring designer like you.

 

1. You will learn. Sure, your instincts on what looks good and what doesn’t are spot on. However, instinct alone won’t sell clothes. You need to hone your techniques and perfect your craft. What better way to do that than through hands-on training?

 

2. You will be prepared. What you believe about the fashion industry and what it really is are two different things. Competition is fierce, and everything moves at lightning pace. Schools for fashion not only teach students the skills they need to compete, they show students what to expect — and how to expect it — from an industry that prides itself on being unpredictable.

 

3. You will find inspiration. If there’s something design institutes doesn’t have a shortage of, it’s talent. When you study in one, you will be given plenty of room to experiment, feed off the creative energy of others, and find plenty of inspirations to come up with better, edgier designs.

 

4. You can make useful contacts. Any old hand will tell you talent can only take you so far. Often, it’s not what you know that can make you — it’s who you know. Where better to cultivate a social network than in a fashion institute?

 

5. You will get a job.

A fashion degree gives you an edge over other applicants. At the very least, it shows prospective employers you are not just creative, you work hard and focus on your goals. Moreover, many institutes have placement programs for its graduates, so you can use your school’s social network to land a job.

 

Training, preparation, inspiration, a highly targeted social network, and job potential — the right schools for fashion can give you these and more. At the end of the day, aren’t all those worth leaving your comfort zone for?