I don't know what you should do, potential students of RISD. You're in world where private college is really, really expensive. When I attended RISD 20-some-odd years ago it was expensive then too. It took a good 15 years to pay that loan off and that was relatively cheap. If you're looking at $100k in students loans AND you have a degree in Fine Arts, you better start busting your butt in that field because that loan will be sticking with you for many years to come. (hint: my loan wasn't even close to that)
RISD is marketed very well. You need to understand this. To get you to buy into the "prestige" they market themselves as the "best of the best" and "a diverse inclusive community of ideas and people". Great, no one cares in the real world. RISD makes the Kool-Aid and really wants you to drink it. Just be aware of this.
RISD could be condensed into one year IMHO. If students only signed up for the Sophomore year I think they would get the gist of it. "Sophomore Studio" is basically you thinking and thinking about one thing and exhausting all avenues of it and designing around it. And then knowing when to or having to just stop. That's it. If you just do that with your design, you're good. All you need to know from RISD is right there in that one year/course.
If I were to do it all over again, I'd just go to a trade school or look at other design school options if I was really convinced I'd stay in the design industry. At this point, RISD is just an odd footnote in my past. One I feel I shot myself in the foot with. The loans and random fees racked up at RISD were pretty crippling for many years. I want you to be successful, money-making, contributing members of society. And by going to RISD, you're just contributing to RISD. Oh and every year after you graduate, RISD will send you an envelope asking for more money. This is laughable to me since their endowment is something like $340 million.
It has it's finer points, sure. Like the museum, the furniture department (IIRC) and maybe ID but even those could be found elsewhere and it won't cripple you financially for a long time.