Art and Design at university; for past, present, and future students and parents

[PhotoDad]

I've been on a wonderful thread about applications for art/design applications for the coming academic year, and I thought it might be useful to have a more general place for people at different stages of the process to share advice and hints. The normal MN advice about universities is often not applicable to these subjects!

I'll keep this short because I personally don't like huge posts that appear at the top of each page, but I'll add some starting thoughts below. I know that there's a huge range of experience here and a lot of support, so please do ask questions, or share triumphs and disasters.

The original thread is here:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4626697-2023-uni-applications-for-those-pursuing-art-and-creative-routes

Well yes a foundation would be preferable and would open so much out for her. I think illustration would be the way to go.

I’ve just asked my dd who’s currently at GSA about studio opening times. This was her reply:
‘It’s closed on a sunday and open till 5 on sat’

Good to have that clarification @Boldbutbereft All the others we saw had more access over the weekend. It's just a bit odd as it's where all their work stations are.

Nice to find this chat, my daughter wants to do art foundation next year and ultimately go into fashion design, where I am worried about the employability prospects. So lovely to here about people getting jobs and finding careers.

I'm just bumping this thread in the hope that they're are other parents with children going the application process at the moment. DD sent off her UCAS form last week and is now busy - putting together portfolios - her first deadline is this Friday.

How exciting for your DD! What is she applying for and where? I remember the pain of the many and various portfolio requirements and different upload sites well!

She's applying for costume design and making to Wimbledon, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Nottingham Trent and Salford.

Good luck to her. DS coming to the end of his 4 years in Fine Art (1 year FAD at Leicestet DMU and 3 year BA at UWE in Bristol). It has been a ride and he has loved most of it. He is already dreading the day he no longer has access to workshops and studio space.

Dd is applying for fine art but only half heartedly. She has two applications into Edinburgh and Dundee. We are in Scotland. She’s also managed to get the portfolios in. I’m not convinced she will take up an offer if she gets one, so it might not be the right time for her. She will be doing art though even if it’s not at uni.

DD2 has her interview tomorrow for an art foundation year. It's at our local university and DD1 did the very same course a few years ago and enjoyed it. She's predicted an A in art so I am hopeful they'll take her. She already has a place at an FE college for the foundation year but would prefer the university as it's closer to home, she could actually walk there if needed which is very handy 😁

All best wishes to your daughter @Philandbill I hope she enjoys the interview.

Good luck for tomorrow for your DD @Philandbill. I hope it all goes well.

Thank you @UnimaginableWindBird and @ArtGarfield She was offered a place and is very pleased 😀

@Philandbill Wonderful news; well done to her!

Yay! Well done her indeed.

Congratulations!

DD has submitted her first portfolio for UAL, and is editing the ones for Edinburgh and Nottingham, but is also pretty busy working on her current project - the sewing machine has been getting a lot of use over the weekend.

DD has had offers in from AUB and Salford. AUB has a great reputation for costume, so she's got at least one top choice, although she'd rather go somewhere a bit easier to travel to, so UAL is still her first choice if she can get in.

@BreezySwanno idea where you are but when my DD was doing the rounds (not for fashion) we were blown away by the fashion on display at Ravensbourne in East London. I didn’t even know they did fashion but it was far more impressive than what we saw at UAL or elsewhere. It may not have the reputation of CSM but was fabulous (and it’s your portfolio that counts in the end)!
@UnimaginableWindBirda friend of my DD (they met at Art Foundation at Morley in London) is at Wimbledon and really likes it.
Speaking of Morley, I really rate it for FAD. Only about 40 students a year. My DD even spent a month in Lisbon for work experience through the Turing scheme while there (not guaranteed as space limited, but no other FAD had the opportunity). She had offers from UAL (very very late) but felt the 350 Co hort and the fact the talk at the open day was given by a non art teacher was telling, plus half the students are international. Plus UAL had that ‘I’m the weirdest person in the room’ vibe, whereas the people at Morley were… normal. Also Morley’s millinery course is fantastic if into that!

I went to the Wimbledon open day thinking I would hate it because of the UAL reputation, but it seemed to have a very different vibe to some of the other colleges - it felt like like a place for people who who were diligent and practical and a bit geeky.

@mondaytosunday thank you she has signed up for an art foundation next year which she can do from home which fortunately will save a lot of money. She is still really keen on London so we'll look at that one too, however she has agreed to go to the Manchester met open day in June which hopefully will save us a lot of money if she can study outside of London. I've heard it's really good too.

She seems to think it doesn't matter what she gets in her A levels as the art foundation will top up the UCAS points, do you know if that's true? She is working really hard at textiles but has definitely fallen out of love with photography

@BreezySwan my DC had offers from two Ds to three Bs, even with an excellent portfolio. My advice is work as hard at getting good grades, as it keeps options open, especially if she changes direction.

@mondaytosunday
i hope you don’t mind me asking but I found this thread which is proving to be very useful as my dd looking to do a foundation art course. She has had to drop one A level due to mental health problems so as now doing only 2 will need to gain points in whatever course she does when finishes A levels to apply to uni if wants in future. I see your dd went to Morley - did she do a level 2 or 3 course? I’m not sure what the difference is in outcome but I guess makes a difference in points for an A level equivalent? This is all very new to me!

My DD is looking at Art Foundations too. We are in London, so we are only looking at those where she can live at home. Thus seems to leave:

1. UAL Pre-degree school at Lime Grove level 3; far, far too many students for the space. The art foundation is itself huge then there are other courses at the campus which are mostly for overseas students. She wants to make art and make friends and she’s worried about both. Very unimpressed by the tour we had. She doesn’t want to do a degree and certainly not in London, so the lure of getting into a UAL course isn’t a pull. The students are in most days but for bits of time, this wouldn’t suit her paid work. Doesn’t seem enough space for everyone-one computer room with about 25 computers in when there are almost 900 in art foundation alone. A common room that would struggle to fit 50

2.working Men’s College Camden level 3; it’s taught Monday to Wednesday but I don’t think they can use the studios outside this times. It’s local which is a huge bonus if she’s going to need to transport work. And she can organise the rest of her live around those days. She’s going to see it in March.

3.Morley level 4 at Hortensia Road - I did a few courses here when it was Kensington and Chelsea and was very impressed. Other than that all I know about it is from @mondaytosunday but that sounds very good! A bit of a mission to get to. This is the only level 4 course, so like the first year of a degree. From what I understand the only difference between the courses ( they’re all UAL ) is one module and Assesment by an external person v internal-but I may have that wrong.

4.city and Islington college- she disliked all the campuses when we looked around for A level so won’t even think about it.

I think she’s hoping for Working Men’s College but it will depend on the vibes when we visit.

@ArtGarfield is Kingston too far for your daughter to travel to?