<p>I'm a senior in high school looking to study art in college, specifically industrial design or sculpture. I've taken a ton of art classes, did a pre-college program at a top art school, and interned at one of the smithsonians museums this summer to make an online art exhibit. I'm a pretty good writer, so I think my essays are fine. But I have a 3.2 gpa, and got a 2130 on the sat. </p>
<p>Assuming I have a really good art portfolio, is it worth applying to an ivy with a great art program like UPenn?
Thanks in advance for feedback:)</p>
<p>If you’re looking to use art to get into a school, you will probably be disappointed. With the exception of USC’s Roski art deparment, UCLA Art, and Yale’s Master degree program, most academic schools have pretty terrible art programs. Although you may think that you will transfer out of the art program once you’ve been accepted, usually, schools have the art students remain in the department for a year before you can leave (this is true at NYU and UCLA). Which essentially means you’ve waisted a years worth of education and money. Now if this is not your case and you just want to do art and go to an ivy (or something comparable), I guess you have to consider what kind of program you’re looking for. The more “fine arts” programs would be UPenn with PaFa or USC. Everything else is EXTREMELY conceptual. </p>
<p>Even with your SAT score and a great portfolio, your GPA would make it difficult to get in. Have you heard of PaFa (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art)? It’s the art university about 10 minutes from UPenn and offered what is essentially a duel-degree program with UPenn. If this is what you were talking about with UPenn, it the one thing I would suggest. However, from what I know, you don’t apply to UPenn directly. You first apply to PaFa (which is a very strong and traditional fine art program) and then if you get in, after either the first year or after completing 30 credits, you can apply to UPenn (most students get in as long as you maintain good grades at PaFa, no SAT required). You will graduate with a BFA in Liberal Arts from UPenn and a Certificate in fine art from PaFa. It is a lot of work. You have to attend both schools. Plus it’s double the tuition, but that is what I would suggest. UPenn might have their own independent art program, but I don’t know about it and you could have a stronger art foundation from PaFa, which has an EXCELLENT sculpture program.</p>