The Creative Circus Review

99 percent job placement pretty much says it all. Be ready to stay focused, train hard and learn from the best!

I transferred to The Circus from Portfolio Center and it was the best decision I've ever made. I graduated with a book that I am so proud of, life long friends and a job at one of my favorite agencies. If you want to be a creative in advertising, this is where you get your start. Worth every penny!

My journey to Circus was an odd one. I was preparing to go to law school in my senior year of college and had a major change of heart. I decided I couldn't live with myself if I didn't give advertising (which I've always been passionate about) a shot. I initially planned on enrolling in a university grad program until I met a stranger on a train in Europe who happened to be a big time ad producer. She recommended Circus and I never looked back.

As a copywriter (now working in the industry) the best way to describe what Circus teaches is that they help you work your own creative machine. They certainly won't do the work for you, but they teach you how to find your voice/style/taste and how to find it every week. Being at an agency now feels eerily similar to school in terms of workload, assignments and the culture in general.

All in all, it was the best decision I ever made. The name of the school was a little hard to swallow, but trust me its reputation precedes it.

One last note. Be prepared to work like a dog for two years. It made my college experience look like a cake walk. And for that, I am forever grateful.

One of the best things the Circus does for students is dispel the notion that creativity is magic. That is, I think, the essence of professionalism in any creative field: the ability to call up on demand, with regularity the headspace required to make an authentic something out of a legitimate nothing. The Circus won t *teach* you that, per se, because development of this type is personal for everybody. But the people there are extremely passionate about what they do, and will guide you deftly (and often hilariously) along the way. Work your face off and trust the process, and you will, without question, undergo a not-insignifcant personal evolution. What else

1) You ll meet some of the coolest, most intimidatingly talented people in Earthworld.
2) Oh, and it is a lot of work. Just know dat.

Two of the best years of my life were spent at the Creative Circus, and the years since haven't been too bad, either.

What the Circus is NOT:



What the Circus IS:
an Art Trade school: if you want to learn how to make a living making things you're proud of, then the Circus *is* for you. The Circus occupies the unique space at the intersection of art and commerce, which for many expresses itself as advertising, but a handful of Circus grads end up working in other industries, as well. The Circus teaches you how to tap into whatever unique perspective you have on people and the world, and then how to apply that unique perspective to industry. The training is practical enough that its students are ready to work day one after graduating (and in many cases hundreds of days before graduating), but abstract enough that it will carry through years of cultural and economic shifts.

The Circus set me up for life. If you're thinking about going here, stop thinking, and just do it.

Best portfolio school by far.

Don't let the name deceive you; no terrifying clowns will eat you here. :]

But you will get a killer book.

BOOM.

I enrolled after a few years in the real world, hating every job I had. I came in with no experience and they taught me how to think creatively as well as teaching me all the tools I needed to become an art director. Three years out, I couldn't be happier with my career. It was the best decision I ever made.

I'll keep this short because you're probably glancing at a million reviews, trying to make the best decision for your next big step in life.

First of all, I'm employed. I got offered a full-time job before I even finished my last quarter at the Circus. So unlike many undergraduate, fancy-pants schools where your investment gets you a shiny diploma and the ability to never run out of theoretical things to talk about, the Circus sets you up for that proud, defining moment where you can check "independent" on your W2 forms.

So okay, now you have a job, but what about friends? Let me just say, there's no better ice breaker than 2 years of collaboration, caffeine-induced ingenuity, and the every so often meltdowns. What I'm saying is, the people you meet here will become your own bubble of "inside jokes." You'll find yourself talking about concepts, ideas, art direction, copy, design, googly boogly, and realize that there's really nobody else that truly understands what you're saying besides your Circus crew especially, if you're talking about googly boogly.

The only drawback to the school is having to explain to your friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, family, dogs, and cats that you go to a place called The Creative Circus. Want my advice? I'd always ask if they've seen Mad Men and then say, "it's just like that, minus all the sexism." If they haven't seen the show, you're screwed.

Anyway, of course anything that starts out with the intention of being "short," inevitably becomes long-winded. What can I say, I'm a copywriter.

I owe my career, many of my best friends, and meeting my wife to the Creative Circus. The school transformed my life and the same teachers who inspired and motivated me are still there. It's an incredible institution and I highly recommend it.

I emailed Dan Balser (advertising department head) before deciding on The Circus and asked him what exactly I would learn there. He basically said I would learn what I needed to learn. While a bit vague, he couldn't have been more right. I learned so much - and so fast. I met incredible people and pushed myself harder than I ever thought possible. If you want to learn how to be an effective creative, the Circus is the place to start. And if you stick it out, you'll learn a lot about yourself too. Just be prepared to explain to everyone that you're not an acrobat.

There's one Circus for a reason. Nowhere else will you find the hunger, drive and passion it takes to be in advertising so alive. Collaborative as it is competitive, the Circus is a family-one that will only continue to grow once you enter the industry. If you want to go far, go to the Circus.