My rating is for the quality of EDUCATION offered at OCAD. The average rating discussed overall for this school is highly elevated by what seems to be a fascination for its ARCHITECTURE, which should not even be a consideration. The original OCA had a well deserved reputation as a art school before 1970, when students actually gained valuable skills and professors believed they should pay attention to their students and offer real training. Sadly at that time, the traditional concept was abandoned in favour of embracing a "free school" format. Teachers, except for a very few, just stopped teaching and became "advisors." If students asked for more, they were told they wanted to be spoon-fed. But this is NOT a graduate school - the students coming into first year do need instruction. There is a serious disconnect that ultimately short-changes the young people who enrol, believing the somehow sustained reputation that the school boasts but does not support. read more

I have no idea about the quality of the education provided within the walls of this art institution. However, if Will Alsop's brilliant design for this gravity-defying skybound rectangle on pencils inspires its students as much as it moves folks like me who pass by, then OCAD is probably turning out geniuses. With Frank Gehry's fantastic new design for the Art Gallery of Ontario just steps away, these blocks are the epicenter of great architecture in Toronto. read more

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Our first design and build class after Covid was great. Great in spite of the fact the that lead woodworking shop studio tech, a former student has no formal training or certification as a woodworker. The student tech was seriously lacking in knowledge of hand or power tools, furniture design and did not know to set up machines properly. The student monitor was flamboyantly incompetent and hurt herself 2 times requiring medical help each time. Once on the router table where she had no training, no tech support and I believe the student monitor was alone in the shop. The second time she stabbed herself unintentionally requiring more stitches. In spite of all the wood studio's technicians lack of true woodworking experience the class designed and built unique and conceptually inspired furniture as per our class syllabus. To keep the students safe and on track their professor showed up a day early and left a day late. They held the final critique in a photo studio and the Industrial Design (ID) director attended and was pleased with what he saw. Since they photographed everything their professor gave the ID director all the pics with the intent he would OK and help and with an effort to submit a presentation the international publication Dezeen (an online architecture, interiors and design magazine based in London, Eng.) who often shows student work. The OCADU ID director did nothing to support the furniture design professor or the students. Since then the design departments of both U of Toronto and Metropolitan U. have exhibited student work internationally on the Dezeen's international platform. Also the student technician and the student monitor while being paid to be there are often working on their own projects that were primarily personal. Often they do not look up from their personal work and the polite Asian foreign students will not interrupt. Hence not getting the help they were hoping for as weak as it may be. Since all of the latter woodshop people were trained by the untrained there assistance cannot be trusted. Both the the student tech and the student monitors store personal work and possessions all over the shop. Side jobs, large and small work from up to 6 semesters ago that constantly needs to moved out of the way of exits, machines and workbench space. They will harassing anyone that touches their extracurricular work as they lord over and disrespect all in the shop via selfishly utilizing valuable space. Close the woods shops until OCADU hires actual woodworkers with 5 plus years of experience with "new and old world skills", (not cabinetmakers) who are red seal certified. Figure out PM2.5 and PM10 are. The time our prof gave to the students to be sure they were safe and succeeded put him at a minimum wage level. read more

I wanted to rate it zero stars. I deeply regret attending OCAD University. That degree has never been of any use. It was a lot of work for nothing. Save your time and money, don't go to OCAD. read more

There are reasons to go here. You'd have thought Scott Pilgrim would have wandered around once or twice. The building is a unique design, and there is always art on the Second Floor, and right off the elevator on the sixth floor. It's a good free place to wander around at any time of the day, or night. And then there's the yellow staircase. This should be a notorious Toronto location. If one were to say "The Yellow Staircase" everyone should know what people are talking about. It's at its best when the graffiti is up. This is an art school, after all, and they normally know what they're doing. But it's painted over now and then. Mind you this just clears the canvas for another batch of constantly changing insights. My real question: How many people have used that yellow backdrop to take naked pictures? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? I can not count myself amongst them - but still, I wonder. It is an art school, after all. read more

Now I am not an overly critical person, save for the gross generalizations I might make about contemporary art, artsy types, or just plain types in general. Okay I am critical. But I will allow for some room in the narrow space I give to the arts scene when it comes to some of the tremendous architecture in this city. Tremendous might not be the perfect word to describe the OCAD building (located in downtown Toronto), it would be more apt for me to call it insane. Even the wacky fine arts students, peddling around on unicycles with purple hair, balloon skirts and polka dot sneakers cannot top their schoolhouse which looks like a giant, windowed shoebox sitting atop four long - and I mean REALLY long - coloured pencils. Even if you do not own a flat, black, leather portfolio case, even if you prefer PC to Mac, even if Barney Rubble is a name far less foreign to you than Matthew Barney, OCAD is a quick sight, well worth checking out. read more

OCAD UNIVERSITY - From Website - Art Schools Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

OCAD is concerning to me. They are currently running a huge deficit, have not investing in their facilities in years, have laughably small workspaces for their students, and their administration (which sit in a different building far from campus) are incredibly unhelpful. They've increased student attendance for the money, but don't have the resources to support them. I was recently told by a staff member that they are increasing the fail rate because there are too many students. Most professors are great, however the school itself is crumbling. If you are considering attending PLEASE do your due diligence: take a tour of the campus, talk to current students, or simply read the graffiti on the walls (it's everywhere): current students are unhappy and this institution is failing. read more

That main building was quite a sight to see and they allowed us to go up to the top and peer out the windows. On the top level, there are a few showcases with art and designs that I thought were very nice but, I'm no artist. I can only appreciate things as I see them. The students seem very artsy fartsy and they had good things to show in the hallways. The world needs art. It makes our living space so much more liveable. Art and design is even in the very can of cola that I'm drinking right now. read more

"Everyone is so helpful, respectful and willing to share and help. A great community of artists and designers in making! and a very interesting building to house an art/design institute!" I used to walk by OCAD when working fulltime in the IT field close to this location. I was scared to walk by during my lunch breaks seeing hip students with tatoos and body piercings! sometimes being engaged in loud discussions with each other! Then I started parttime myself and got to know other students not what I stereotyped originally!) Everyone is so helpful, respectful and willing to share and help. A great community of artists and designers in making! It is a great school to learn how to recognize, nuture and let out your creativity making unique art. The online learning tools are actually free for students so they can access and learn almost any application (i.e. illustrator, photoshop, 3D designs, CAD, Photography, Video, Visio, Java, C++ and lots more ...) through free online subscription for OCAD students (Lynda.com)! The school helps one to navigate through self discovery and strengthens the technical abilities when you pursue them, but they don't force feed you knowledge or techniques! You have to want it and then sky is the limit. There are many studio and lecture courses in many art/design discipline but you need to be engaging to learn. Overall my own experience at OCAD was/is a great learning opportunity and a self discovery of my creativity and how to apply it in an economic market. read more

My experience with OCAD U as a student has overall not been positive. Still, keep in mind I don't know if this applies to all majors. The school provides little to no help in getting jobs after graduation. Good: Location, food court nearby has variety despite the size, free admission to AGO. Mostly quality MACs in the labs, but finding a spot can be hard during certain times of the day. The people are usually polite and nice. Relatively inexpensive (though with the new uni branding who knows how long that'll last). The building looks pretty at night. Bad: Lack of space. Most importantly in my experience Education is not too practical, at least in my major. There were a few good profs that really care and teaches straightforward skills, but for the most part the courses are full of theoretical and conceptual BS. Majority of profs are snooty and really biased and only like what they like. They won't train you, but merely give you the assignment, say a few things and hand it back. They might be interesting people to occasionally converse with, but they fail to deliver as mentors (with a few exceptions). I hear there isn't a strong sense of community. Also lacks the post-secondary campus experience. Overall: If you want to be experimental, your not dead set on what you want, but know you like art and looking to try new things OCAD would be a good school. I heard for illustration, if you want to be an editorial and maybe storybook illustrator it might be a good choice. Others in my program and even those outside admit If you want to perfect hardcore fundamental skills especially drawing, and also software, this school doesn't provide the means to do so, you're on your own. Especially those who are looking to break into animation, film, game, entertainment. Comics are hit and miss. If you want a foot in industries that require a STRONG foundation in drawing, painting and digital software, this is likely not the school for you. I had to learn mostly those skills that on my own and from friends who are in a different art school. I dropped out of OCAD recently and transferring to a school/program that better suits me, I wished I had done it earlier. It's just a place to go and get a degree. One of my breaking points for me was, when I learned more from online tutorials than I did at OCAD, also my sheridan friends being mostly happy with their programs, and I never felt that way about ocad. I knew what career I wanted to do, what skills I needed, and OCAD was not giving me that. I'm not saying it is 100% awful, but it certainly didn't fit me. I'm glad I took the advice: you must be a self-learner to succeed in art and not depend on school. That is true, however if your paying thousands of $ and 4 years of your life, your school should do a generous bit of the teaching, otherwise why not just be self taught? (now if you wanna be a teacher...). Throughout the entire years I was doing projects/practise outside class, getting an internship and generating interest, so please don't jump to the conclusion that I'm a lazy student just because I gave this school a bad review (thought I guess its hard to be fully engaged if you don't enjoy it). I'm just a student that figured what I want and that ocad wasn't the best match. If you feel ANY school is sucking the joy you once had of making art instead of making it stronger, take that into consideration. Sorry for the long post (and if there are typos), but I hope this helps. read more

By far the best idea school on the planet...period. You may not learn the best technical skills, (i.e. computer etc.) but you will learn to think outside of the box, create and develop unique concepts...something that is desperately lacking and in increasing demand no matter what industry you go in to. read more

Very cozy! Just by being inside the building i already felt inspired~ idk what to say besides that

I don't go to OCAD so I can't comment on the actual education. I'm going to copy everyone else and just talk about this campus/building, because it's quite the sight. From the outside it looks like a horribly-coloured kaleidoscopic eyesore. Black and white top, perched precariously on multicoloured...I don't know, but they definitely look inadequate for the weight they are holding. Either way it's a cool place to infiltrate, while dressed as hipsters. Make sure you have bags under your eyes, a spiral bound notebook, and some stubble (if you are a guy). My friend and I successfully infiltrated this building to discover the following awesome features: 1) outside the building are bike racks. Souped up fixies galore. I spent a full ten minutes drooling. 2) The doors leading in are tinted orange. You pass through an orange tinted room before really entering the building. The effect is psychedelic, even without drugs. 3) Taking the elevator up to the top floor (because it wouldn't take us anywhere else...weird...), you will arrive in the black and white box thing. Wandering around, we found lots of cool art and designs on the wall. We found classrooms with ergonomically designed chairs. We found hip modern furniture. We found window enclaves painted neon colours. I wish we had found a bouncy castle. 4) The study halls have extension cords hanging from the ceiling in self-retracting coils. Need to plug in your laptop? Just reach up, pull, and plug. Awesome! 5) We found a course evaluation form. It was designed and laid out impeccably. I'd actually read my syllabuses if they were so clean and efficient. Looking out the window, you'll notice how high up you are, and how not visibly supported you are. Either cool, or terribly frightening. Or both. Behind OCAD there is a park and a shallow fountain-pool thing that is fun to wade through. I bet that's where all the ocad students get their raves on. read more

How can one NOT love a building that resembles a checkered rectangular prism held up by a fistful of multicoloured pencils? Brilliant. It's one of my favorite structures in North America. read more

this has to be one of my favourite places in Toronto. The way that this building is designed from top to bottom is magnificent first of all can I say it's so easy to find because it stands out from every other building a second the inside once you step in it's like boom! Wow! You just want to explore the whole place at once but there's so much to see that you have to snap back into reality. I love how art students can have their art displayed for people too see how hard they've worked also the 'yellow staircase' is so cool to walk through you never know what your going to find around the corner! I suggest going here read more