Degree in the Fine Arts
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Anonymous
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I haven't seen this discussed on this board at all, so hoping for some opinions. DD and I have come to the conclusion that she will not be attending a liberal arts school and instead is going to apply to Art School (SCAD, Parsons, Pratt, FIT, RID, etc). She is still exploring possible careers. Although she enjoys drawing and is pretty good at it, she is not an "Artist". She also does not paint, sculpt or do anything along those lines. Her passion is fashion. I'm going to have her explore the graphic design career field (just to give her another option) along with other parts of the fashion world (other than actually designing clothing).
Does anyone have any insight on what we should be focused on right now? She most likely will NOT apply to any schools that just has a Fashion degree program (like Marymount) or any school like that (she does not want to take Math, History, Philosophy, etc etc. basically all the Gen Ed requirements). TIA!! |
Anonymous
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My DD applied to Parsons specifically for fashion, but that is the only art school she applied to. She still has not heard from them since they lost her transcript and a few other things. We have since found out from the school counselor that they are notoriously disorganized…unfortunately, it gives a bit of an idea of what attending school there would be like...We looked at RISD and it's incredible and I have several family members who attended, but she was so on the fence about art school that she did not complete an application. She has now decided to attend a liberal arts school she was accepted to because she came to the conclusion that she wanted a more typical college experience than an art school would provide. She has a few friends who are going to art school, though, and she is keeping it in her thoughts for graduate school. The liberal arts schools she applied to were ones that had design/art programs She will be studying some sort of design - just hasn't determined the exact focus. Some of the things that we discovered during the process:
-You don't say how old your DD is, but she should consider doing a summer program at an art school, whether in DC or somewhere else. Corcoran School has a summer program, but so do all of the other schools. She will get a feel for what will be expected of her and whether she really wants that environment. -Visit the schools she is interested in attending. Also, speak to kids who attend to get a good feel for the program. -She should know that art schools are very competitive in nature and she will need to have a thick skin…my concern for my DD was that she would not be as confident in dealing with this until she has matured a bit more, hence graduate programs. However, that is a personal "thing" - some kids are perfectly capable of handling the continuous critiques and working with them. You will know your child better. -Does she take a higher level art class in school now (i.e. IB Art, AP Art or something close to it)? If she doesn't now she should definitely plan to add that to her schedule. Most good art teachers will know the process of applying to art schools and may have contacts at the schools. -There is a Portfolio Day at the Corcoran School where art programs visit - end of November/December (confirm dates, though). Art schools and liberal arts schools that have art programs come and have a table. The kids bring their portfolios to show and get feedback. It is also a place to make contacts with schools she may be truly interested in attending. It is very crowded and it pays to get there early since there is a line out the door to get in! There are also long lines at each school…it's a long day... -The process to apply to art school is very long and labor intensive. She will need to have a portfolio of at least 15 items (some schools may require more, some less). My DD worked all fall of her senior year to complete her portfolio. In fact, her art teacher held special Saturday classes at her school for the kids who were applying to art schools to complete their portfolios. Your DD should speak with her art teacher about this possibility. She will need to photograph each item in her portfolio and download them to the application - it's a specific slideshow program each school will have on its website. In addition, each school will have its own "challenge" - a specific idea that they will want a few pieces. This year for Parsons my DD had to use an everyday item and transform and interpret it into something different. Also, she will need to write several essays. For the Parsons application my DD had to write 7 essays…some were short paragraphs describing her pieces and others were longer essays. It she is applying to several schools that will be a lot or writing. She may or may not be able to use some of the essays for each school application - it will depend. -One thing she will want to consider is expanding into other mediums other than drawing. The feedback she may get from the art schools is that they will want to see a bit more than one medium. However, that is something she should talk with her art teacher about - maybe her drawings will be good enough. However, she should know that she will be expected to use other mediums once she is at art school. That's all I think of now, but if I think of anything else I will let you know. Applying to art schools is not for the faint of heart and, frankly, neither is attending art school…if your daughter is not truly an "artist" at heart then she may be better off considering another option for school. It can be a lot to deal with and taking history may not seem so bad after all…I know someone who was in the fashion industry for many years who attended a liberal arts school, but ended up working with many people from art schools. This person indicated to me that she actually had an advantage in her job because she was able to write well after the years at a liberal arts school. It was something that tended to hold back some of the others she worked with who did not have that training…of course, that is totally anecdotal and her personal opinion, but it is something to think about in terms of long term career options. Good luck with the process! Again, if I think of anything else I will let you know. Hopefully, others whose kids have applied and/or attended art schools will reply also. |
Anonymous
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I know a friend's DD who is studying Fashion Design and Merchandising at WVU. She should look into programs similar to that.
I graduated from Virginia Tech with a friend who did Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management with some kind of concentration in fashion or something and is now working successfully as a high-end jewelry designer. |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thanks for those that responded. Awesome information! I actually requested info from WVU. Nice program. DD is now starting to make a file of the colleges. If anyone else has any info, please share. I'm a bit surprised the Fine Arts are not discussed on this forum. |
Anonymous
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http://www.annexmagazine.com/top-20-fashion-schools/ List of top ranked fashion schools from Fashionista that I've seen floating around. DD is interested in fashion/textile design. Some traditional 4 year schools that we're looking at are Kent State, U of Cincinnati, Drexel, and Oregon State. I like that Kent State has a number of internship and study abroad opportunities, as well as a 5th year MBA option. |
Anonymous
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Does she know how to froth milk properly?
This will be an important skill for her after she graduates. |
Anonymous
If you have nothing constructive to add to this discussion then please stay away from this thread. OP is trying to help and support her DD to continue her education in a way that works for her and some of us are trying to offer her advice. Did you read my long post about what it takes to get into a design school? It's a hell of a process that is more than the simple common app which is, frankly, not that hard - my DD did both and the design school application was much harder and more involved. OP - good luck with your search. As I said, design school is not for the faint of heart and shouldn't be taken lightly. It is not the easy way out - even if some clueless people try to lead you to believe. There are quite a few more traditional schools which have good design programs. Some may have portfolio requirements. Make sure to look at all of the information on the design school application requirements even at the more traditional schools. |
Anonymous
This reflects the proletarian mindset of one who would have told a young Bill Gates "what! leave Harvard to start a *soft ware* company???" Follow your passion and you will find happiness - even if you end up frothing a cup of milk or two along the way. |
Anonymous
This is the mantra of countless young Americans overloaded with debt and unable to find employment that can provide for a home and a family. The American higher education system has another word for them... SUCKERS. |
Anonymous
I'm guessing you lack the creativity it takes to understand and appreciate a degree in the arts. Suggesting that it is only graduates with a degree in the fine arts who are having a difficult time finding jobs neglects the fact that there are thousands of college graduates who majored in business, accounting, political science and countless other majors who are having difficulty finding jobs. Also, from a statistical standpoint alone I bet more of the debt problems are happening with kids who majored in an area that you would have defined as acceptable (i.e. business) - simply from the fact that there are more people majoring in those fields. Not as many people have the creativity and/or drive to major in the fine arts (or they have parents who don't understand it…) Also, you do realize that a degree in fine arts can be more than simply a major in painting, right…? Maybe a little education about the subject and possibilities would serve you well. |
Anonymous
| I would make sure that the school actively works with students on internship placement. So helpful in terms of landing a first professional job in the fashion industry. |
Anonymous
| I have a friend that teaches in the Fashion Department at SCAD and a number of her students have done very, very well. I went to a highly regarded art school myself - though not for Fashion, and it was a great experience. I agree with PP who says a degree in fine arts does not necessarily equal painting or sculpture. My college friends and fellow are school graduates are now teachers, museum educators, fashion designers, graphic designers, photographers, animators, curators and art buyers. |
Anonymous
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A colleague's daughter attends MICA. It is close by and has a good reputation according to him.
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Anonymous
| Remember there are other design school...architecture, landscape architecture. |
Anonymous
| OP I have an MFA Degree. It has been great for me. VCU is the top state school in Va. Maryland Institute College of Art is in MD and is private. As you will find out, all private art schools are expensive. That said, the fashion world is HUGE, with many billions of dollars spent so there is a place for everyone. The chance of being the next Ralph Lauren are low, but the chances of having a career are good. Watch a couple of episodes of project Runway. My DH always asks me: are they really that tough? answer, yes. Fine art is a hard field. It is NOT the place to go for an easy ride. But if you love to work hard, it is a very rewarding field. |