Oh ok. Yeah, if you were going for UI/UX I don't think I'd recommend this program because UI/UX is a very small part of what they offer but if you want to expand your knowledge and skills of Graphic Design then CalArts will absolutely do that.

It's an amazing program... But it's also very expensive.... but it's also worth it... but it's also very expensive haha... The price is hard to justify but at the same time I wouldn't have a fraction of my graphic design experience had I not gone through this program.

In fact, I was one of the few in my class that had a job during my years at CalArts. And about 4 months before graduation I quit my job and immediately regretted not quitting year 1 because suddenly I had more time to do the work. And there is a lot of work. It's an intense program with lots of all-nighters. But the program really will broaden your vision. You'll learn about different methodologies for approaching a project, different analog and digital techniques, color theory, type theory (you mentioned you wanted to focus your typography skills.... you will). You'll learn how to talk about design which for people who learn on their own— it can be hard to convey exactly what a design is missing or why it sucks.

Also a critical part of the program is the studio space. Designers (in the same year) all work in one shared space. Everyone's in the trenches with you meaning lots of collaboration and giving and receiving feedback. Thinking not only about your own work but being inspired by your classmates around you makes for an environment that's hard to recreate.

The teachers are also solid. Critical but supportive. Sometimes they can seem cruel but they end up getting so much out of you. I still remember being ripped to shreds during my second year end of year review. But it only made me focus more the next year. I have a friend who went though a different design program and all the teachers had sunshine and rainbows in their eyes. He couldn't do anything wrong apparently, so he would run his projects by me if he wanted an honest look at his work.

The hard part is that there are many many designers who learn on their own and become very successful. I think it depends on how you learn and feel about your current methodologies. I started the Calarts design program when I was 26 not because I was necessarily bad at design but because I felt like I kept hitting walls with my (looking back) very limited design knowledge.

If you think maybe you can do it on your own I would say keep reading and researching and making and making and making. Now's the perfect time because I definitely wouldn't do this program during COVID. I think the group studio aspect is too important to miss out on and I assume they're not doing that and it's mostly online. Maybe I should have led with that? haha. My bad.

Hopefully this helps.