While this website is mostly dedicated to Photoshop and Photography tutorials, many of the readers of this site are faced with the possibility of going to art school. There are a number of jobs that are available to graduates with a Bachelors in Fine Arts, from design-based jobs to freelance Fine Arts work. If you are trying to pursue either a career in design or in Fine Arts, a four-year program could be right for you.
1) The Portfolio
The portfolio you submit is an incredibly important element of applying to an art school. When you are trying to assemble a portfolio, try to include a selection of your best work in the recent years. Keep in mind that schools are not only looking for your technical ability, but your concept behind each photograph. The conceptual element of your photography is somewhat more important for a fine arts based program than a commercial or design based degree.
In order to submit a portfolio, schools will either ask for a collection of slides shot on film and mounted, then mailed in to the Admissions Department, or they will ask for a digital image collection, either uploaded online or mailed on a CD. The quality of the digital images doesn’t have to be paramount - the application is not just for photographers; many sculptors, painters, drawers and various 2D and 3D artists will submit their images the same way. The images usually only have to be a 72 dpi JPEG image with a maximum height / width of 800 pixels. You don’t need a professional camera to take the application photos, just make sure that they are well exposed and sharp.
ePortfolio is the most popular online portfolio service used by colleges
2) Financial Aid
Colleges are getting more and more expensive, with some colleges costing more than $35,000 USD a year, not including text books or dorm rooms. The cost of living and the cost of text books drives the cost of college up to more than $45,000 USD in many years. If you can not afford these rising prices or don’t want to take out a student loan, you have two options. You can either find a cheaper school - many local schools have excellent programs - or you can apply for Financial Aid. There are some government-run programs like FAFSA which grant federal aid based on level of need. There are also school-based grants and scholarships, which are based on level of artistic ability.
The top tier (and most expensive) art schools have a lot of scholarships to give out to potential students: part of the expensive cost of college goes into a general fund to redistribute the money to the students who cannot pay on their own. A school’s individual scholarships span from paying for a percentage of your costs to a full 4-year college experience.
© flickr user Financial Aid Podcast
3) The Interview
Try and schedule an interview at the college(s) you are looking at. While the interview is not explicitly part of the application process, many colleges can actually approve the portfolio in advance of application. If your portfolio is not up to the standards that the college has, they will tell you how to improve it for admissions. The sit-down interview or “Portfolio Review” can be great to put your mind at easy about the quality of your work, or it can be the wake-up call for you to work on some more powerful pieces.
4) The Recommendation Letter
The recommendation letter is a letter from an art teacher that lets the college know that you are ready for a college-level art class. If you are no longer in High School, or you have graduated from High School, you need to get a letter from an employer, another college teacher or professor that you have. The college looks at the Recommendation letter to verify that you can reproduce the quality of work in your portfolio.
5) SATs, TOEFL, ACTs, AP / IB, Transcripts
While most art schools generally have lower requirements for academic ability, and are more focused on artistic ability, your grades in school - especially in art classes - still matter. Check with the college you’re planning on applying to if they have mail-in or online applications. The minimum SAT scores are usually based on the Critical Reading section; with most schools needing at least a 500. If you have an excellent portfolio and you got the required minimum on the SATs, and the school doesn’t have a minimum GPA, then you can safely assume that these scores will not significantly hinder your chance for admission - although many schools have partnerships with other schools that have significantly higher academic requirements - the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has no minimum scores, but they have an optional five-year degree with Tufts University, and the median GPA is a 4.0. If you want to go to the SMFA, the GPA is not a significant part of the application process - although it is with Tufts University.
© flickr user zachblume
Art school is an excellent choice for people who are looking to take their photography/2D/3D/film/sound work further. Art schools will not only surround you with excellent facilities and like-minded students; but it will expose you to teachers who have been in various fields throughout their life. Even if you feel your technical skills are excellent, the conceptual development and networking you develop in art school will give you a step up towards a career in the arts. While a strong portfolio means a lot; many clients - especially the big jobs for large corporations - require a Bachelors in Fine Arts [BFA] degree to even be considered for the job. Median incomes are always higher in the art industry for those who have been through an art college; so what have you got to lose? Even if you’re not set on going to college this coming fall, why not apply now to save the headache later?
This post is tagged art school, college, financial aid, portfolio, scholarship
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