I recently took part in a Q&A for designers lead by a local college that asked the question "what advice would you offer design's rising up and comers?". Here were a couple of the highlights:

1. BA Degree at an accredited college such as at The Art Institute is a good route as students that graduate from here are usually a bit more seasoned to hit the ground running armed with their newly acquired credentials. Being creative is priority #1, but equally as important is understanding the business side of it. Life in the real world isn't art classes; it's filled with clients, deadlines, pressure and managing expectations, and colleges like AI help teach this. An analogy that I always find myself using is just because you're a good chef, doesn't mean you know how to run a successful restaurant. Trust me, this is so true. (I know a couple of chefs)

2. 4 years is typical for a full time student, but these days experience goes a long way and a student would easily be able to find part-time/full time work while working on their degree. If affording school and/or working is difficult, seek #4 for below.

3. A creative person needs to be in a position to be creative. If not, life can seem unfulfilled and dull. I would absolutely encourage someone looking to be a designer to explore it. There are so many aspects of design these days that can lead down a satisfying path other than sitting at a desk cranking out logos and print design such as web design, interface design (UI/UX), email marketing, social media marketing, video, or animation. On top of that, there are so many roles from creative to management to sales. There's plenty of room to find your place in life and build a career. If you like animals, the zoo needs marketing too. If you like stuffy corporate business, well... I hear they like marketing too. You get the picture.

4. The most important advice I can offer would be to start working as soon as possible. Side projects, freelance, or even better - internships - are ideal. Getting exposure to real life clients and projects is essential to growing as designers need to understand that their designs are usually meant to help build and sell brands. It's not just about making pretty graphics. Plus with experience you are more likely to get work right out of the gate whether going freelance or getting picked up by an agency. Businesses and agencies like to know that you have experience and it will help them become more comfortable in selecting you as their designer.

A little background on me, for the last 17+ years I have been the founder, and creative/technical director for Visual Identity Group, a full service digital agency. Our client list ranges from SMBs to large clients such as Universal Electronics, US Foods, and Toyota to name a few.