It’s the season of college applications and many students are starting to make major decisions on where they’ll spend the next 4 years of their life. Of course, various students are utilizing the Common App and are writing essays, getting recommendations, and compiling their test scores and GPAs to send off to these accredited schools. But what are art students doing?
Art school, as stated in the name, is a type of college/university that has a sole focus on the arts. These departments can range from fashion design, film/video, animation, dance, and illustration. While general education is still stressed on, their main purpose is relied on the arts.
Art school is different in the fact that majority of these schools don’t require two or three essays but instead ask for portfolios that consist of around 15-20 drawings. These portfolio requirements can range from sending an entire sketchbook to simply fulfilling certain requirements, such as a self-portrait.
Another interesting fact that many art schools have is their lack of requirement for test scores. Art schools want to focus on your ability to do what you will do most–draw–and showcase that belief in their applications. They additionally require an artist statement, which can range from 500 to 1,000 words, instead of a normal college essay. These statements generally ask questions such as “who inspires you?” and “why art school?”
These portfolios can be a gruelling process, as students are rushing to put together their best work before the fated deadline. Sarah Thomas, a current senior and AP art student at Pleasant Valley High School, stated, “the hardest part is the portfolio because even though there’s a lot of overlap for what schools want, there are also a lot of differences and some schools want really specific stuff. It’s hard to juggle art and schoolwork.”
Thomas additionally commented, “I want to go to art school because you learn much more about art and have a lot of guidance and set goals. You’re taught by people who know what they’re doing. It’s a lot of money but I like the structure of art school and the process of learning under people with expertise.”
Trinity Malmen, another senior at Pleasant Valley High School, is currently applying to about three universities, “The hardest part is definitely the essay. It hard to be able to tell what they exactly want since many universities leave it slightly open-ended.”
Overall, college can be a tough process no matter where you’re applying. Good luck to all the seniors at Pleasant Valley High School, and remember that college doesn’t define you–you define your own path.
