Arts Schools Admissions Requirements

Arts Schools Admissions Requirements

Article by The Sider Group

When it comes to choosing an art school there isn’t really a right or wrong answer, it is more of a personal preference that anything. Each college will have its own selection procedure that will determine who is offered a place and who isn’t, therefore it is important to check out the admission requirements of your chosen school to make sure that you are suitable.There are plenty of really good art schools in America, so how do you choose which ones you want to apply to? Firstly keep your research organized by writing down any information you find about the different art schools and try and come up with a ‘top 5’ that you want to apply to. Bear in mind that you may not necessarily get into the top art schools so it is best to have a number of other choices as back up just in case. Now that you have an idea of which art schools you want to apply to, you need to look into the application process and find out the admissions requirements for each school. All arts schools will have admission prerequisites for all students looking to study at the establishment. The requirements are likely to differ depending on the student’s academic status, for example if they are an undergraduate or a graduate. Undergraduate students, those that are coming directly from high school (or GED programs) are freshmen at the undergraduate level and most have no college credits. If you are an undergraduate student applying for art school then most colleges will first ask for a completed admissions application, this will also include the application fee. You will also need to provide evidence of your high school diploma and transcript, GED scores or Home School Program certificate. Not all art school require you to have taken an SAT test but if your chosen school does you will have to provide evidence of your score. If you are applying to study at an art school in the US and you are a non-US applicant then you will need to meet standard English Language Proficiency requirements. This is to ensure that you will be able to effectively study the course material provided. Most art schools will require you to submit an essay or statement of intent which is generally a 250-800 word essay in which you state your educational and career goals and why you want to go to this particular school. You will need a letter of recommendation from either teachers or other professionals who can vouch for your academic achievements and on your personality as a student. The most important part of any art student’s college application is the portfolio. This body of work will consist of between 10 and 20 pieces of work that reflect your background as an artist and really show cases what you can do. Not all art schools will require you to have previous experience but they do require you to be able to show your creative skills to get an idea of ability. The next part of the admission process is the admissions interview. This is usually done in person but in some cases may be conducted over the phone. This meeting will be used to discuss the student’s background and interests in relation to the degree course they are applying for. This is to see if the candidate is suitable for the course and supply information on the curriculum of the course. If you are a graduate level student seeking further education then you will need the same admission requirements as a first-time student but with some extras. You will have achieved additional credits or completed a degree program so will need to show evidence of these qualifications. The other additional requirement is a resume as it is likely that you will have gained some sort of professional experience or been employed during your college degree. Not all art schools will require this however. These are the most common admission requirements you will be met with when applying for a degree at an art school. That being said, colleges will differ and it is important to carefully research the prerequisites before applying to save disappointment.

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