<p>I'm a senior Graphic Design major trying to figure out whether or not I want to apply to a grad program. I have teachers who are saying, 'people rarely get into grad school out of undergrad'. I have peers who tell me, 'you seem like you're not focused enough & grad schools are looking for maturity'. I just feel so overwhelmed. Applications are due on the 15th & 21st of January, and 1st of February. I am considering RISD, Virginia Commonwealth University, MICA, or SVA..SCAD is kinda on my list as well. I currently have a 3.7 GPA and will more than likely graduate with a 3.8. </p>
<p>I've been considering, biting the bullet and just spending the rest of winter break putting my portfolio together and applying...however, I have no idea what to do. I don't know what pieces to put into my portfolio. The majority of the work i do in my spare time is illustration, however, I don't think I am an illustrator. </p>
<p>Sometimes I feel as though my problem is feeling like, 'if i don't apply this year..I probably won't want to go back later' and that I might end up in a totally different field doing whatever it takes to make ends meet. At the same time, i fear not necessarily rejection, but of not presenting the best work I can. </p>
<p>I'm not exactly sure what any of you can offer me in response, but possibly someone has been through something similar..or something</p>
<p>I am not in the art field so I can’t comment on what are the consequences of the grad school question–not applying, applying without being ready/sure etc. but I assume that in three years my S may well be in the same situation. I suppose, I will still be ignorant about the art world and art education so I could only encourage him to do the following: Imagine that you receive a letter of acceptance to the grad program at your first choice program…do you feel relief? anxiety? happiness? fear? If you have some positive feelings, well perhaps you should spend a few days working on your portfolio (never wasted energy or time)…as you do the work, keep going through other scenarios and imagine your feelings (getting a really good job at a graphics design company? taking off and working at anything for a year and traveling? completely changing fields and going back to school to study psychology? getting a job at a bank?) It is a bit of a game, but it can be very reassuring to know that you really don’t want to work at a bank, the idea of working at a design company is attractive, etc. The problem with being in your fourth year of school and applying to grad school (in any field) is that you are tired, you are, frankly, tired of your major and your work so the idea of extending this for another two years (or four years) is not necessarily inspiring right when you have to do the application and portfolio. Also, there are so many options–work, change fields, study something else, travel, join the circus–and all seem so much easier than applying to grad school. This is why many people take off a year or two. However, if when you imagine that if you could just magically get into VCU without the work/stress of application you would be excited, energized at the prospect of an MFA then you probably need to muscle through the application. The investment in preparing the application and the portfolio will be a good exercise even if you end up not applying. Try to think of it as a trial run so as not to get too anxious about it…after you have put everything together you may have a much clearer idea about what you want to do. Good luck and don’t get down…you and a million other seniors in many fields are going through the same crisis this break.</p>
<p>^second joining circus.
have you seen PBS “circus” show?
if you can live like that, you are in.</p>
<p>Thank you Fineartsmajormom, your words have helped me.</p>
<p>I hope you will be applying to various grad programs. Don’t overthink the portfolio-- just choose (sometimes at an intuitive level rather than with a “thinking level”). I can tell you that I regret not applying to grad school earlier. I graduated and then got married, had babies and finally, when I was 31 yrs. old, I went to grad school and earned my MS. Everything turned out ok, but it was HARD to take those 2.5 years while also working, and also raising two children. I was often up until 3:00 a.m. and felt very stressed out at times. I remember saying to myself that I WISH I had just gone straight to grad school before having to be out in the working world, but particularly before I had a family. </p>
<p>Hope you are hard at work on getting those applications done this weekend! Just do it!</p>