2023 uni applications for those pursuing art and creative routes

[Duchessofmuchness]

The other thread discussing Uni applications for RG and academic routes isn't so relevant for DS. He's considering Art Foundation year or direct entry to uni for fashion design.

Anyone care to join a thread on similar creative paths. (Not just fashion!)

He's looking at art foundation at Kingston, Central St Martin's, UCA,

For Fashion BA looking at Central St Martins, London College of Fashion, Manchester Met, Nottingham Trent, Liverpool John Moores, Leeds Beckett.

Most seem to accept without art foundation but he would need one to Central St Martin's so if he wants to try for that will need foundation.

Lots of open days coming up and hopefully school will give him some more advice next week. No start on his PS yet!!

Like Saffy and Eddy ...

@TizerorFizz wow fees have sure gone up! Recollect it was about $10k/year back then and there were student guaranteed loans, which is why I find the fees here very reasonable (though we also had far more contact hours - I was there all day every day).
Mind you, living in New York City IS on par with London rent wise. I had a part time job during term time, full time in the summer.

We live in London now but my daughter would love Falmouth - she does acknowledge that her career will most likely be London based. We live in Wimbledon though so hardly a concrete jungle (I'd like to live more central but can't afford to). But I'm city for sure, she's country (as is her older brother).

@mondaytosunday @TizerorFizz I help students at my school with any applications to US universities. It's frustrating that many of them get places but no scholarships, which makes it impossible. Sometimes they get sporting scholarships (which isn't really anything I know about).

My greatest success in this area was somehow coaxing a brilliant but chaotic jazz musician (!!) to get their paperwork in on time and landing a free ride to a top US music school. I won't say what I now think about jazz musicians and their approach to deadlines...! 🎼

@mondaytosunday
To be fair, it wasn’t just fees, which are very high, but living expenses too and DD needed flights for 4 years. The uncertainty about working in the USA was also an issue. Fees and accommodation was over $60,000 p/a 10 years ago. So food and flights on top and everything else was just too much, sadly.

@PhotoDad
Yes. It’s very difficult. DD got a small scholarship award but it wasn’t much of a dent. Uk students at undergrad don’t qualify for loans or awards. Obviously DH/me are not usa Forces veterans or anything else where help might have been forthcoming. I attended a Fulbright Commission talk on studying in the USA, and for standard undergrad it’s very difficult and depressing. You don’t get residency reductions or any help unless you get in needs blind and that’s difficult!

@TizerorFizz I spend hours and hours in meetings with students applying to the US, and their parents. I explain the system, and their chances, right at the start, and then I do all the school paperwork on their behalf. Scholarships are few and far between. But if they want to try, who am I to stop them?

I have a friend in the US whose (bright, clever, talented) DS is going into a tech-in-the-performing-arts courses at a very prestigious place for that. The fees are eye-watering, and they're not eligible for financial aid. Which puts the problems of our DC going into the arts in the UK in perspective a bit!

@TizerorFizz Sorry, I also meant to express sympathy for how awful it is to be the recipient of the "place but not scholarship" deal. My communication skills are mildly impaired as I'm currently cooking the Sunday roast and that requires Much Wine.

There is always the option for a year abroad though and many art colleges have links with unis/art schools in the US.

my eldest is currently doing sports science at California State Uni this year and gets a Turing scholarship, flights all paid for after the first £300 and also covered visa costs and costs for extra vaccinations needed. The student loan covers fees and living expenses - I send her a few hundred a month to top up and she has a content creation job with her U.K. uni creating content for their YouTube and social media feeds. This covers her for exploring the US on top of living expenses.

@PerkyBlinder That is fantastic! Well done to your DD. I completely agree that Year Abroad schemes are excellent and a great alternative to applying full-time to somewhere in the US.

Wow Perky that sounds like an amazing experience for your daughter. I didn’t know that years abroad in USA were a “thing”. I remember the Erasmus scheme but didn’t know about this. Do all unis do it?

@PerkyBlinder
Ar LCF they could do a semester abroad (Jan to March) or work experience but no links with any university as far as we could tell and limited work too. So DD sorted herself out. Most on the course struggled.,

@MaffsMover
To answer you: some do and some don’t. Sports science is not Arts or Fashion. I know students who have been to USA, Australia and Canada for Engineering, Sports and History but not a year abroad on an arts course. You really would struggle to find this I think. DD1 for MFL could have gone to Reunion Island!

Kingston do a year or part year abroad. They have links with US including Pratt Institute.

Many do now and have been specifically looking for the opportunity for my youngest too. Man Met has links with unis in the states and other unis all over the world and say if you meet the entry requirements you can apply to any which offer your course.

falmouth has some amazing links: Falmouth international partners

For my eldest only one student could be placed at each uni and there were lots who wanted to go so it’s important to be getting good results in all their modules. They had to choose their preferred 5 or so destinations and then her U.K. uni placed the students and then they had to apply to the uni abroad - then when accepted have to sort out visas, student finance, insurance, accommodation, classes and finally flights! It’s a lot for them to organise and at times lots of deadlines are at the same time including degree course work but it was definitely worth the extra work for her and she’s having an amazing time.

Have seen lots of possibilities - a few U.K. unis are linked with Lasalle Singapore university of the arts who look to offer some really interesting courses across the arts. I think every course we’ve been to open days for say they offer years abroad for arts students too. U.K. has some of the best art colleges in the world and would imagine courses abroad would be keen to link up with U.K. unis for exchange programs.

@PerkyBlinder That's really interesting. DD is thinking of maybe taking her placement year abroad as she has conversational German, which is a different thing, and might be difficult. We'll see.

In other news, after a month on the course, the First Year Illustrators at ARU get permission to start doodling on the walls of their studio (which are whitewashed each summer). Two of DD's contributions.

Those a fabulous- what a wonderful idea!

Lasall uni does look good doesn’t it! Thanks for this.

Did your DD enjoy her time at LCF TizerofFizz? Although by the time DD gets to uni it will be in its new home in Stratford so maybe difficult to compare to someone studying across all it’s different campuses. I’m not sure how wise it is to come from London and go to a London uni anyway but it’ll be DD choice.

I live a bit of wall drawing, how freeing.

A friend (a textile artist) just recommended the University of Dundee. In looking through their website it has the most comprehensive portfolio information I have found, with examples of successful portfolios for product design and animation courses. But it also has valuable and straightforward info about creating any portfolio - how to present it, even how to compress files if too large. Worth a look whether or not your child is interested in applying there.

..

About resizing/compressing image files: my top tip is that you don't need to faff around with Photoshop (which hurts my brain) if you have a Windows PC. Just open the file in Microsoft Paint (yes, really) and then near the top left there's a "resize" option, and then you can "save as" in almost any format. It's incredibly simple and effective!

DD has had more new techniques thrown at her in the first month of her course than in two years of A level. She loves the structured teaching of a design subject compared to Fine Art (I know that's not a universal opinion!) and they spend over half of their time drawing from observation, including a weekly morning in the Life Studio. Here's some classwork which is totally unlike her "personal" style. Really learning to work to a brief.

As good as your daughter's work is, what really is lovely is how happy she is to share her adventures with you. One always hears how kids don't call home unless they need an injection of cash! Just shows how much she wants to include you in her journey.

Thanks, @mondaytosunday, we realise that we're pretty lucky that DD stays in touch. One or two messages a day, a phone call every couple of weeks, which we think is an appropriate level. I must admit that if/when my DS (in Year 11) goes into engineering (his current plan) I won't be quite so thrilled if he sends me pictures of equations and formulae. There's something special about sharing creative art and I hope that all of the posters here are as proud of their DCs' creativity as we are of ours.

Half term here from today and hoping going to get chance to speak properly to DS about his plans.

Parents evening this week was a wake up call for him that he needs to "step on the accelerator " as his textile teacher said. Both his textiles and art teacher said he delivers beautiful work but unfortunately he doesn't put nearly enough in his sketchbook or explain his process. It's a combination of probably not doing quite enough work (ADHD distractions combined with teenage sleep!) and 3 subjects with massive coursework requirements. They were a combination of very direct and also encouraging and lit a fire under him! He has until end of Jan to get his sketchbooks up to speed. He never has been good about "playing the game". DD did well as she always printed out the mark scheme and knew exactly what was needed to get marks. He isn't organised enough to do that and also hates being told what to do! DS always resisted showing his workings ... and that's what the sketchbook is about.

I don't have the creative gene but I'm really good at "process" so hoping he will let me help him get organised. I flicked through his sketchbook (without him knowing) and I can see what they mean. It's more a presentation of finished pieces that thoughts and ideas.

There is no doubting his talent but he does lack maturity.