By Tuyen Lam
One of the most common questions I get in my inbox is:
"Should I go to design school or can I just teach myself graphic design to save time and money?"
"Should I go to design school or can I just teach myself graphic design to save time and money?"
Here’s the honest answer:
No school, university, or educational system can give you a complete and perfect design education.
Even graduates from prestigious institutions can struggle to find their footing in the industry if they lack passion or genuine connection to the work.
No school, university, or educational system can give you a complete and perfect design education.
Even graduates from prestigious institutions can struggle to find their footing in the industry if they lack passion or genuine connection to the work.
🎓 The Case for Formal Education
That said, choosing formal education isn’t a waste—it gives you structure, guidance, and a solid foundation.
Even if some course materials feel outdated (which is often true), schools can:
- Provide a clear learning path
- Help you develop creative discipline
- Connect you with mentors and peers
- Expose you to critiques and teamwork early on
Think of design school as the starting point, not the destination. It prepares you for the self-learning journey that will come next.
đź“š The Reality of Being Self-Taught
On the flip side, self-teaching is totally possible—but it’s like walking through a dark forest without a flashlight. There’s no clear map, no checkpoints, and it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed.
Without guidance, you may:
- Spend too much time on the wrong things
- Miss essential fundamentals
- Struggle with building a creative support system
But if you’re disciplined, curious, and willing to seek out knowledge from many sources—books, tutorials, real-world projects—you can grow just as strong as any classroom-trained designer.
đź’ˇ The Balanced Truth
Formal education can give you a helpful background, but it’s not everything. In the creative industry, you must also learn from:
- Books and design blogs
- Workshops and seminars
- Friends, peers, and collaborators
- Every job and freelance gig you take on
Self-learning is not optional in this field—it’s a lifelong habit.
If you’re serious about design, you’ll keep learning every day, even long after graduation. Because in creativity, there’s always something new to explore.
If you’re serious about design, you’ll keep learning every day, even long after graduation. Because in creativity, there’s always something new to explore.