"This is for artiests who want to apply for college."
- How To Choose Your College
- A Basic Guide on How To Apply
- Some Tips on Essays
- Scholarships
What is the right college for you?
Research, research, reasearch!
It's not only about using google to search about all the colleges in mind, instead, it should be get yourself, and what colleges suit you.
Question yourself:
1. What are your top 3 interests that you'd like to pursue as a career?
2. Where do you want to live for at least 4 years on this planet in the entire world (I knew I wanted to go to big cities, so I crossed off any colleges in rural areas or college towns. This can really narrow down the numbers)?
3.What kind of college life are you looking for (a strong studying environment/party schools/...) ?
4.What programs does the school have that you are really excited to join?
5.Can your GPA/SAT/ACT/Resume get you into those colleges?
6.Tuition: Find out the range that you/your family can afford (If affordable, then it's the best not to consider student loans...).
It's not only about using google to search about all the colleges in mind, instead, it should be get yourself, and what colleges suit you.
Question yourself:
1. What are your top 3 interests that you'd like to pursue as a career?
2. Where do you want to live for at least 4 years on this planet in the entire world (I knew I wanted to go to big cities, so I crossed off any colleges in rural areas or college towns. This can really narrow down the numbers)?
3.What kind of college life are you looking for (a strong studying environment/party schools/...) ?
4.What programs does the school have that you are really excited to join?
5.Can your GPA/SAT/ACT/Resume get you into those colleges?
6.Tuition: Find out the range that you/your family can afford (If affordable, then it's the best not to consider student loans...).
*ABOUT SO-CALLED SAFE SCHOOLS: I didn't even think about them as I was preparing to apply to college because the desire to go to my dream school was so intense that I wouldn't think of other possibilities. My suggestion is to ALWAYS REACH FOR WHAT YOU TRULY WANT, AND GIVE IT A NICE SHOT. However, if having no backup plan makes you uncomfortable, do apply for those during the regular decision (perhaps concentrate on applying for dream schools during the EA/ED).
How To Apply
No matter whether you want to apply to an art college or universities like UCLA or IVY LEE colleges, some of the basic steps are the same.
1. College Board (basic information, essay, and other questions for particular colleges).
2. Naviance ( request transcripts and ask for recommendation letters; it will also give you a nice overall information on colleges you want to go).
3. Website to submit portfolio (normally, if your school uses a particular site to submit portfolios or more information, there would be a link on college board. HOWEVER, when I applied to Parsons, there was no link or anything about another portal. I had to call the admission office several times to find out they they had just changed the website which would be updated on their offical website HOW TO APPLY page. So, if there's any situation like that, make sure you contact the school directly).
4. Recommendation letter
-ask the teachers not only through Naviance, but personally as well. Recommendation letters are very important, so make sure you make your choice wisely.
-a recommentdation letter from the professor in the college would be great (another benefit of summer program)
5.Don't wait till the last months to start the process.
-start early (the summer before senior year would be good )
*but if you are preparing for art colleges, start even earlier*
-the whole process is quite long and tiring, give yourself enough time!
2. Naviance ( request transcripts and ask for recommendation letters; it will also give you a nice overall information on colleges you want to go).
3. Website to submit portfolio (normally, if your school uses a particular site to submit portfolios or more information, there would be a link on college board. HOWEVER, when I applied to Parsons, there was no link or anything about another portal. I had to call the admission office several times to find out they they had just changed the website which would be updated on their offical website HOW TO APPLY page. So, if there's any situation like that, make sure you contact the school directly).
4. Recommendation letter
-ask the teachers not only through Naviance, but personally as well. Recommendation letters are very important, so make sure you make your choice wisely.
-a recommentdation letter from the professor in the college would be great (another benefit of summer program)
5.Don't wait till the last months to start the process.
-start early (the summer before senior year would be good )
*but if you are preparing for art colleges, start even earlier*
-the whole process is quite long and tiring, give yourself enough time!
Tips On Essays
Personal Essays:
Basically all good colleges and some art schools require this type of essay. It is a chance to visualize a person from 2d papers/computer. Be real, be different.
- They want to hear stories.
- The word count is limited, so try to focus on the part that you want them to know.
- Show your growth can make a good essay (ex. a story/experience at the begining, difficult task comes, how you concur the problems in the middle, point out how you evolve at the end with another story/experience)
- There are a lot of good essays out there, you can search to read several before getting into it.
Basically all good colleges and some art schools require this type of essay. It is a chance to visualize a person from 2d papers/computer. Be real, be different.
- They want to hear stories.
- The word count is limited, so try to focus on the part that you want them to know.
- Show your growth can make a good essay (ex. a story/experience at the begining, difficult task comes, how you concur the problems in the middle, point out how you evolve at the end with another story/experience)
- There are a lot of good essays out there, you can search to read several before getting into it.
"Why XXX" type of essays (ex.Why Parsons):
A lot of schools require an essay like that, and it's getting more and more important. While students want to make sure they are choosing the right college, the colleges want to make sure you are the right fit. This question sounds very simple to ask, but quite difficult to give a brilliant answer.
1. Express the desire to be a part of this community (don't be shy to show your enthusiasm! WHY DO YOU LOVE THIS COLLEGE?).
*if you want to tell the story of how it became your dream school, try to avoid some outdated and overused phrases like "Ever since I was little"*
2. Show them how much you learn about this college (a particular program, major, campus...).
3. Experience in summer program, or a project done with one of the professors teaching at the school (if any).
4. Make the logic clear, the admission people don't have 1 minute to read all the twists and turns;
5. Let them feel your passion is the key ( nothing is more conviencing than genuineness).
A lot of schools require an essay like that, and it's getting more and more important. While students want to make sure they are choosing the right college, the colleges want to make sure you are the right fit. This question sounds very simple to ask, but quite difficult to give a brilliant answer.
1. Express the desire to be a part of this community (don't be shy to show your enthusiasm! WHY DO YOU LOVE THIS COLLEGE?).
*if you want to tell the story of how it became your dream school, try to avoid some outdated and overused phrases like "Ever since I was little"*
2. Show them how much you learn about this college (a particular program, major, campus...).
3. Experience in summer program, or a project done with one of the professors teaching at the school (if any).
4. Make the logic clear, the admission people don't have 1 minute to read all the twists and turns;
5. Let them feel your passion is the key ( nothing is more conviencing than genuineness).
Scholarships
Art school:
-Merit Based ( how impressive is your portfolio).
-FAFSA (Federal fund, applied through FAFSA website starting every October. The deadline for each college is different.).
-Awards (ex. doodles for google, Scholastics...).
-In state programs such as Hope Scholarship.
-There will be more scholarship opportunities as you studying in the school.
-Merit Based ( how impressive is your portfolio).
-FAFSA (Federal fund, applied through FAFSA website starting every October. The deadline for each college is different.).
-Awards (ex. doodles for google, Scholastics...).
-In state programs such as Hope Scholarship.
-There will be more scholarship opportunities as you studying in the school.