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

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow Pretty sure Nottingham Trent require a portfolio. DD had to do one for when she applied for textiles and another when she transferred over to furniture & product design.
The FMP is taking shape. There have been many tears - seems that DDs group didn't get the memo about the essay and bibliography. Who knows?? All digital work has to be in by 10pm so that'll be that. Then we have to transport the upholstered frame back - have had all sorts of problems with tools and materials this weekend so I've been putting the miles in while DD works at home. She's coaching a sport this morning which is probably a good thing as she'll be outside all morning with her mind off it.
Back to portfolios- DD also applied to Farnham and they offered a place then requested the portfolio. I know someone on the course who has not been happy with it. All the Unis DD applied to (NTU, Edinburgh, AUB, Southampton & Loughborough) wanted a portfolio.

I’m not sure what you’re trying to say?

Several courses didn’t want to see portfolios and they weren’t ‘crap’ universities.

I taught a very high achieving course and students got straight into first year degrees without the need for a foundation. Even the really stuck up courses who ‘never take people without a foundation’ took my students straight from A level.

Its kind of insulting that you think they applied for ‘crap’ universities. The majority went to the best ones in the U.K. And several didn’t need to show a portfolio. It wasn’t the majority, but it was a couple every year.

15 years teaching. This was for design courses not art courses

With all due respect I don't think anyone has said any unis are 'crap'. Its just most people's experience on here is that portfolios have been required across a range of degrees and foundations.
My DS has amazing A level results in hand but still had to do portfolios for all but one degree course.
Tbh we almost discounted that degree as it seems so wierd to offer places without seeing any work.
But my DS is art based not design and maybe it's different but a number on here are also design based. So 🤷‍♀️

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow I'm not saying that at all. I'm not making a judgment on different courses. I was just giving our experience and some anecdotal evidence about a course. I certainly wasn't implying anyone was applying to a 'crap' university- I'd never make that judgement about someone. I'm sorry that's how you read my post.

@Localher0 can you say more about the Farnham course? Why isn't the student happy there?
I agree with you - for a creative course to take someone without a portfolio seems very odd - like an academic course saying they don't need to know A level results - and consequently I would question the standard of candidates. Design may be different (what kind of design do you mean @ArseInTheCoOpWindow?) but when I did graphic/communication design everywhere wanted a portfolio, and I believe the three architect candidates I know were all required to submit portfolios a couple years ago (straight from A level/IB).

May I ask if anyone has, or knows someone who has, been accepted or declined from a UAL course? If you can tell me the college and course that would be a bonus.

We live in London and DD will need to decide if she wants to do a foundation while staying at home, do a degree while staying at home, take a degree elsewhere or try for something else entirely.

I am completely panicked at the idea that she may have her choices confused, not by what is best for her, but by the timings of decline/acceptance from ual. And to be fair what is best may be financial, she may need to stay at home-some of the student rents discussed are more than my household rent!

Are other universities accepting students and providing firm accommodation for them while UAL…does what…sleeps, thinks they’re worth waiting for? It hardly seems a way to encourage disadvantaged students?

The news that UAL will be moving its foundation courses to West London confuses the issue for her slightly. It looks less like a good solution for her and will probably push her straight to a degree but again, something to think about and no firm decisions yet.

UAL pre degree courses move to Lime Grove

I wish there was an edit button. I meant to put the link to where I saw the news about the move for foundation courses.

This is a great thread. DD is only 14 but art seems to be the direction we are going in. She’s autistic and only does a reduced timetable at school. She spends a huge amount of time painting and drawing. Luckily the art department at school are amazing and encourage her and give her one to one time.

Im one of those people who wishes they had gone to art school, it wasn’t really sold as an option as I was pushed towards academics. But I did work in a related field and worked with lots of artists, I have a good friend who went to Falmouth in the 90s and loved it.

Luckily we have an art college close where I hope she can do a foundation course, and keep her home for a while longer. Our local uni does a Fine Art summer school which she can do at 16 which I think would be great for her.

I actually looked at going to the art college myself, but DD doesn’t go to school enough to allow it just now. One day.

@HatchetJob that's fantastic that the school and art department are so supportive and you make a good point about the foundation local to you. Foundation year has been absolutely brilliant for my DD who also has ASD & ADD - it's been a year of huge growth and challenge but she also gets to come home every night. I think she's ready for Uni now but for those kids who just aren't ready or sure of what they want to do then the opportunity to do a foundation is very helpful. It also takes a lot of pressure off for A levels and that definitely helped my DD as she had a lot of exam anxiety.
And yes - don't give up on your dream - it may seem a ways away but the next 4/5 years will fly by. (I'd love to do more photography so you've got me thinking!)

Er what?!? Maybe my daughter has had word of this (she has not had an offer but several 'while you are waiting here's more info about us' emails. But she hasn't mentioned that they are moving! I mean she is basing her decisions on the tour we had of Camberwell building and its (for her field, lack of) facilities. If that was to all change that may affect her decision (though upping their numbers to an additional 3000 students??? Maybe not all FAD?
There was NO mention of this move at the open day we went to earlier this year!
And yes due to the deadline imposed by Morley she accepted their offer, though I guess she could always change her mind. But UAL being soooo slow has really added extra stress at the worst possible time.
I understand some CSM Foundation candidates have heard, but one of my DD's classmates was still waiting as of Friday.

@Localher0 they do a specific course for adults wanting to get back into education, it’s like a part time foundation. It’s such a great idea.

Knowing the college there is so helpful, there’s no way she is going away at 18, it’s too much of a jump for her. I remember not coping that well myself at that age.

After reading this thread I’ve told her we are going to their degree shows. We’re having a summer of visiting galleries as well. Obviously I’m more excited than her 😂

@HatchetJob Sounds like you're doing all the right things! Good luck to your DD. Mine had some similar issues to yours in sixth form and the school couldn't have been more supportive, which makes all the difference in the world.

@ArtGarfield That's really big news. The link says that it won't "directly impact current students" so probably it's some way off, but...

Don't know what on earth UAL is playing at with such late offers.

One more thing that I've picked up on another thread; it seems that more of the university-based FAD courses are going to start charging tuition, which might affect some planning. Always best to check.

I just adked her @ArtGarfield - none of the emails she has received mention the move. Snd I just checked the website - it still says Camberwell FAD is in the Wilson Rd building! I'm going to call them tomorrow!

@PhotoDad it says from September 2023 - it is very confusing.

Oh I see - are you saying by 'pre-degree' it doesn't mean FAD? I thought most of UAL's pre degree courses were for international students (£££). That may explain things, though a bit of a kick to be investing in that instead of the tired existing buildings.

It's confusing. I've dug around and found that the London College of Fashion is moving out of Lime Grove this summer. (So maybe the site can be redeveloped for 2024 entry?)

https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/london-college-of-fashion/about-lcf/lcfs-move/frequently-asked-questions

@HatchetJob my DS has just finished a FAD and there were quite a number of part time mature students who took 2 years to do the FAD. DS has really enjoyed their input and different perspective and he has been quite helpful to them at times too (esp with the tech and also encouraging some of them to try stuff and fail!). They have at times also acted as a surrogate me when he has been stressing or working too hard! The oldest is 78. Never give up on that dream!

@PhotoDad - the info is still confusing. They list FAD under their pre-degree courses banner, but I see no mention specifically of FAD courses moving, and your link links to the pre degree fashion courses at Lime Grove. I'm not sure if I was at LCF at Lime Grove now that I'd want to move to Queens Park!
I think a quick phone call to Camberwell tomorrow will answer the question and I suspect the answer is that the pre degree courses moving do not include FAD. Crikey @ArtGarfield you added some excitement to the morning!

Hi @mondaytosunday reading with interest, would like to know if this is happening so do keep us posted! Not that we think there's much hope of ever hearing back from Camberwell....

@ArtGarfield - DD has an offer from UAL for a degree in Commercial Photography at LCC - she’s straight from a level and the offer came at the beginning of May.

I’m really sorry, what’s FAD? Is it the foundation course? Or the LCF BA Fashion Design course?

We live near the UAL Archway campus so someone’s mum knows someone’s aunties, goldfishes uncle who is an associate lecturer. The word got to us via semaphore so I checked it out and found that page I shared. So sorry to freak people out!

Thanks @PerkyBlinder , congratulations. Has she other offers prior to the UAL one?

Yes she’s been really fortunate and has five offers as follows:

UAL (LCC) - Commercial Photography BA
MMU (SODA) - Photography BA
Falmouth - Press & Editorial Photography BA
NTU - Photography BA (Unconditional offer)
Leeds - Photography BA

Her predicted grades are A star (Photography A level, B English A level and Distinction Star Media Production BTEC

Her portfolio is a mixture of developmental work, finished pieces, personal projects, ideas for extension projects and investigative work, plus a page of some commercial work she did on work experience and a page of some of her award winning and shortlisted work (she’s had 8 pieces of work either get placed or shortlisted across 6 national competitions). She also annotated all the work.

I’ve attached some screen grabs of a few pages in case it’s helpful for other people for reference although I’ve not seen any other portfolios so no idea if this is the kind of thing others do and have scribbled out her name… they won’t load in order but her portfolio was laid out chronologically so it told the story of her progression from the start of A level when she first picked up a camera through to where she was at around Christmas time.

Those sound like fantastic offers Perky. Has waiting for the LCC course been detrimental to her securing accommodation elsewhere? Does she have a favourite of all those?

wonderful portfolio, thanks so much for sharing. It’s so different from portfolios I’ve seen from hundreds of years ago when I was at school. It looks like a magazine in itself.

@ArtGarfield shes taking a gap year thankfully or the accommodation situation would definitely be quite stressful as her preferred accommodation would all be gone now.

She’s been really torn on choosing as she loved the staff and course at Falmouth but loves taking photographs in big city environments (a lot of her portfolio is shot in London) and it’s an hour drive to just get out of Cornwall.

The course at LCC looks insanely good from a ‘getting a job’ perspective with lots of live briefs going on during the course. Their students recently did a social media promo campaign for Adobe’s Capture software. But she’d have to work so much during the course to afford being in London that she’d miss out on the benefit of having time to work on personal work and development.

MMU I think is going to be her first choice as it’s a really inspiring city with a great ‘vibe’ as she puts it. SODA is really future focussed and the students are producing great work especially the co-labs they’ve been doing. She’d be sharing studio space with the other arts students with really inspiring work all round including old book presses etc (she loves books and making them). The facilities and buildings are amazing too with great light. The students seem friendly and a real mix of nerdy through normal to quirky to super cool.

NTU I think are building a new building in a similar vein to the new SODA building at Manchester which is due to open next year but it just didn’t have the same buzz and energy that the others had although she never visited Leeds. Leeds was discounted as it didn’t look as good a course as the others.