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!!

She's applied to AUB, Birmingham City University, Coventry and Manchester Metropolitan. All for fashion courses. She really, really wants Manchester Met and has the grades so I really hope they like her portfolio. But the others would be fine too.

Fingers crossed you hear back soon then. Portfolio prep continuing today

Good luck to your kids!
Crunch end for foundation applications here. Seems my daughter and her art teacher are taking the 'drawing using different media' to the limit. Does paper mache count??
She is thinking of using a watercolour, which was going to be one of her 'final' pieces, as a drawing now as it's a still life.
Having the application deadline simultaneously with Art essay and also History coursework first draft is proving a tricky juggle. She pulled an all nighter to get a painting done only to find out in the morning she used a different coloured white paper to the other half (complex in the round painting over three A1 sheets). Argh! I can only watch and keep the snacks coming...

How is everyone doing? I'm vicariously interested in everyone's portfolio prep... are they all now submitted?

DD is thoroughly enjoying life. Today, the Illustration group looked at Political Cartoons, and were each given a newspaper article to illustrate... you can probably guess the theme of hers!

Lovely job @PhotoDad
UCAS gone in today.
Ds spent Sunday photographing every foundation piece and videoing his sketch books.
They have all now been cataloged and so now we wait for any requests. Fingers crossed.

@Duchessofmuchness do you think it would be worth having a list of universities our DC have applied to like last year's Yr 13s Covid 2020 Results?www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/4607786-thread-36-covid-cohort-from-gcse-2020-the-final-countdown-to-results-day-for-some?page=2

One request for a portfolio, they've been creating this to submit via on a PowerPoint. One offer, which I think is the same thing just worded differently, as they would need to pass their a levels and the portfolio review.
Surprised at how talented they/ their peers are - like what can be created now is so very different to my a level art back in the day.

@Soma
Good idea - but couldn't see list in your link to see how was done last year. Can you link to the post?

Have been reading the thread and good to hear all the decisions and progress. I've been on sidelines in last few weeks

DS been working hard but unfortunately has been completely overwhelmed by the amount of work. In addition to the A art and textile sketchbook deadlines and final pieces, he also had the external exam for his business Btec last week. It's been too much for him and he hasn't done anything on his portfolio for art foundation. He finds some parts of the process really hard - Sheung his process just doesn't come naturally to him. He feels like his ideas "just come to him" and he executes them to a fabulous standard but of course that's not what he needs for his sketchbooks. And not what's needed for portfolios either. He's got available support from his art department at college but doesn't even know how to use it.

As a result Kingston definitely off his list this year in spite of him loving it. Maybe next year for the BA. He never warmed to CSM so I don't think he will apply there. Again maybe for BA. Bournemouth still possible, as is DMU and our local FE college. Manchester Met a possible but they have project to do and I don't think he will have time to do that. Again maybe for BA next year.

In terms of his maturity and readiness I'm actually wondering if the FE college might work well for him. It's a 3 day a week programme leading to level 4 UAL qualification. He would live at home and would probably have time to get job to earn some money on side.

I'm trying to remind myself their are many routes to success and happiness. It's been a bit hard to watch him being overwhelmed but I think he's making the right call to scale back in the applications.

Anyone got other ideas on foundations please let me know - or success stories from FE colleges!

So much of this resonates. No advice but I hear uou.

@Soma what is the list? I don't think those people have posted here but you've tagged them? Sorry for being a bit thick!

@OneFrenchEgg oops, my bad! I've reported my post. I was using this as an example and didn't realised I'd tagged everyone.

Ohhh! Thanks I've been catching up a bit and thought I'd understood then got confused that maybe I'd missed a chunk in the middle
Really trying to get my head round the portfolio requirement and format so I can help dc

DD has an offer of a place. As she has A level results already it's a definite offer of a place. She's been asked to submit a portfolio to her top two choices so currently completing that with the support of her uni foundation tutors. Good luck to all DC.

History first draft in so now it is ALL portfolio for foundation applications. Kingston number one and first deadline of Feb 1. She is stretching their requirements as I've mentioned and I keep telling her it will take a couple days to format it. Then UAL will get pretty much the same but through their pebblepad (?) thingy. Our backup, which I think has rolling admissions so she won't apply unless rejected by first two (though must check) is Morley college (Chelsea). That's an FE @Duchessofmuchness and as it's an art school (the Chelsea branch) I think should be pretty good (as opposed to a FE college where art is just one of many different courses). I think Maggie Hambling is a tutor there? Or was. Anyway it's a UAL level 4 accredited course.
And just to remind me that I have another child, my son skidded on his motorbike on dry ice and broke a couple bones last week. He lives a ways away but luckily a dear friend was proxy mum and got him to A&E. I'm with him now but back up to London tomorrow to offer reassurance and support - I'm a widow and it can be tricky juggling the needs of both! Can't wait for these applications to be done and dusted. I know Kingston says they don't start looking at applications until after the deadline but when do they make offers? Any idea (portfolio is submitted with application)?

@Duchessofmuchness FE college to do an HNC is the route we encouraged DS to take, he really was not ready to do an application that properly showed his potential. It was the only option up here in Scotland as Foundation years aren't really a thing. Here's had to live in though as textiles not offered at our local college so am extra year of accomodation for us to pay for.
However it's been really good, he's come on both in skills and confidence and has time for socialising and a job on top of college which has really helped him catch up maturity wise after the COVID years. I feel he would have found art school overwhelming and also felt he had to make sure a fashion course was what he really wanted as it's direct entry in Scotland.
He's putting the finishing touches to his folio right now but if he doesn't get in (6,% acceptance rate for the place he really wants!) He has the option to stay at college for another year and get an HND then try for second year entry.

@Duchessofmuchness your post could have been my DS last year!
He struggled to balance art a level, 2 sciences, portfolio work and all his extra curricular activities and it was too much for double entry to foundation and ucas.
In the end he only managed two foundation apps, one being Manchester Met with the pesky app project (why oh why? have these kids not got enough on?)
Our back stop was the local FE college which always has places right up to Sept but has a good reputation.
He wanted to live away- when we look back mainly because that's what every one was doing.
He went to DMU and while the course is good he has struggled with isolation and loneliness and adjusting to the less nurturing side of art feedback which often makes him feel like an imposter (despite the fact he had an excellent pass assessment tin his first module).
Looking back he should have stayed at home. He wasn't ready and now we run the risk of him not wanting to do a degree.
Foundation is very very full on..getting to grips with that and trying to live alone and then apply to ucas without us is hard. It's different to degre because usually the first year of a degree is not thay vital so you can go out every night and join clubs without risking much whereas foundations is 9 months of important work that counts with a ucas app thrown in part way too.
I suppose what I am saying is if you and he are unsure about living away maybe being home and doing an FE course is better. If their portfolio is good from it it doesn't seem to matter where you do a foundation as all apps based on PS and portfolio anyway.
We wish he had stayed at home (and btw there is nothing wrong with DMU it just hasn't worked out for my DS)

And I'd say 80% of the people on the course live at home.. so it's a wierd dynamic socially..

Just to confirm @Lottsbiffandsmudge - a couple friends' daughters did foundations at CSM and another at City and Guilds. Point is they both were from IOW so no choice but to live away and both said they were one of the few from England that did so (half their class were international but they didn't mix that much) making the dynamic tricky as generally sharing with upperclassmen and all their cohort going home every day. So for foundation it's the norm to live at home.
One reason my daughter wants to do a foundation locally is so she can live at home - she wants to do her degree further afield but is not ready yet.

@mondaytosunday @Lottsbiffandsmudge @Wbeezer

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It's really making me think the local FE option is best.

Been in touch with his art teacher who also agrees might be best and has said they would also help him with UCAS next year if he ended up taking a gap year and not foundation.

Will speak to DS when he's in the mood (probably not until the weekend).

DD has an offer for Interior Design at Napier University. Only sent her portfolio to them on Friday!!!

@TJworried - that's exciting and a real boost!

Congratulations on offers!! Also on securing the course-switch for @Localher0 DD. Good luck to everyone. (DD's backup plan was the local FE college and stay at home, if direct-entry didn't work out.)

Oh that's good news @TJworried and @Localher0! What do you mean that a third of the foundation year will be lost? Do you mean they dropped out of the course or asked to leave or what? Deadline Tuesday but aim to get application and portfolio in Sunday. Even though they told everyone to use stuff they did on their Foundation prep course my daughter says it's not good so wont include it but is worried this will count against her. A level Art coursework also due and she's thinking she might have to miss school Monday to get it done as History also has an essay due Tuesday! They do like to pile it on! Off to art shop to get paint and charcoal...