<p>Hi guys! I want some quick clarification. It seems to me that the Cooper Union Faculty Referred Early Decision just means that they(a faculty member, the reviewer) want you to apply for the option- but that ultimately it is your test that holds (the primary) weight. Am I correct in this assumption? I received this form(the Faculty Referred Early Decision application) yesterday at National Portfolio day much to my surprise (Cooper has been my dream for a while, but I was not expecting the review to go as positively as it did). Do they give these out often?</p>
<p>that is better than nothing.
I think you have more chance to get in even thought I did heard someone got the form but didn’t get in.
I know a story that two guys from another art school want to transfer to Cooper and they went to a cooper faculty for help. The teacher loved one and helped him a lot and leave another one as no hope one. In the end only the no hope one got in. It is really strange.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback loveblue! Cooper is very unpredictable. I’m definitely not letting it build an ego or even really increase my hopes too much (the only thing it’s really changed for me is making me feel like I’m not totally wrong in thinking to apply/feeling like I would benefit from their education) but I still have a lot of things I want to fix or change about my art and plenty of insecurities and moments of self-deprecation. Perhaps a constant bit of self-criticism is a good thing to have.</p>
<p>I was in the same boat as you, I even made a similar post about it. Last year I received a Faculty referral early decision card during national portfolio day. The guy that reviewed me really seemed interested in my work and said I had a very good shot of getting in. I did. </p>
<p>If someone says you have a shot, take them up on it. </p>
<p>It also depends on the application pool. There are several levels of elimination. The people who get eliminated first (according to a professor I spoke to the other day) are the ones who obviosly are only applying because of the scholarship or because they’re parents are making them. Then your hometest is reviewed, if its good your not eliminated. Afterwards, your portfolio is reviewed, if its good your in the final pile, if not your in limbo. Then your application and essays are read and the faculty finally pick the students they want to admit and rate them from 1 to 9 (1 being the lowest). Afterwards they look at each other’s picks and debate/argue about who each other picked. The people with the highest rating out the picks from all professors are admitted.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Thank you SO much Timkerdes! The rep told me I was “cooper material” so that was encouraging. I am curious about something though- do they give these out very often? Or is it a rare opportunity? Also, the faculty member told me I should include explanations of my work (since I won’t be physically present to explain and she wants to make sure it is “read”)- do you know if this is frowned upon? I asked if that was alright for the hometest and she said yes but I just want to double check.</p>
<p>The early decision cards are given more often by some professors than others. Some professors just wont give them out while other professors will give out some a bit more fairly. In general, there are more cards given out than spots but they are not given out like candy. However, the overall mood this year is that, since tuition might be charged to the graduating class of 2018, they have become even more selective. To quote my printmaking professor: “If I give this to you, you better be damn good.” Regardless, the home test is whats most important. If your hometest is as strong as the best pieces in your portfolio and you got an ED card you have a solid chance.</p>
<p>About explanations, you can do it. I did it for mine (lol and they were long). However, from whats been told to me, some professors just wont even bother reading them after a while because of all the applications they have to review. A lot of people write explainations, so dont worry about ****ing the professors off.</p>
<p>Also, take the writing part seriously. What I and a few people have in common who got in is that we wrote at least 15 pages for the entire essay responses.</p>
<p>Finally, if you dont get in - and you want to go to cooper that badly - apply again. Seriously. I know at least 5 people in art who applied to cooper at least 3 times then after the third time got in.</p>
<p>They give the ed cards to more people than there are spots, however they dont give them out like candy. Within the last year they have begun to become more selective so take that as a good sign that you got one. Also, you can write explainations. I did for mine, I know people who did and didnt.</p>
<p>It doesnt hurt your chances unless your just writing b.s.</p>
<p>Also, if you can help it, try not to emulate other people’s stuff by looking online for accepted hometests to find a “cooper” style. What got you the ed card is your own style.</p>
<p>Woops- I just now saw that you wrote another reply which had actually answered every question I had. Thank you very much though, I appreciate it. Hope you are enjoying Cooper! I definitely had no strategy for approaching them other than making work that felt right and just explaining myself. I definitely plan on trying multiple times, though.</p>
<p>Can you share your Cooper experience, Timkerdes?</p>
<p>My experience so far:</p>
<p>registering for classes is super old fashioned. You cant do it online but you fill out these pink slips.</p>
<p>Cooper doesnt believe in mass communication. Often you’ll find out about important events by seeing a shoddy DIY flyer taped inside an elevator.</p>
<p>Some classes are incredibly relaxed in pace, where you only occasionally have to show work and mostly talk about art. Others are super technical.</p>
<p>Humanities classes are universally despised by all three schools. However, most interactions with people from other schools happens in those classes or in the elevator. </p>
<p>Critiques are very thorough here and classes are small in general. The average is 9 to 5 students. You might find your work being critiqued for 40 minutes in a smaller class.</p>
<p>Everyone gets a studio after foundation year.</p>
<p>Also grading is a bit severe here. Even for humanities. So far I’ve gotten either A’s or B+'s but I’ve seen really smart people with pretty decent papers get 50’s.</p>
<p>Because the school is small, you can actually wait until the last minute to get beauracratic stuff done. There’s never really a place where you have to wait in long lines to do something.</p>
<p>There are also a surprising amount of technical classes here. If you want to learn Fresco painting, for example , you can.</p>
<p>Finally, you always see someone doing something really interesting. People in different schools dont really know what each other is doing or even the point but we all think the stuff is pretty cool.</p>
<p>Are you a freshman at the school? How is the foundation program so far (if you are a freshman/have experienced it, not a transfer)? That sounds like such a stimulating and wonderful, albeit challenging(in a good way) environment to be in.</p>
<p>Thanks Timkerdes for sharing!</p>
<p>wow this is a great thread! timkerdes, thanks so much for sharing you have been the most helpful person i’ve gotton cooper information from.</p>
<p>Well all, I was accepted and will be attending this fall! Thanks for the tips!</p>
<p>Congratulations werwandert!!!</p>
<p>Wonderful news! Congratulations!</p>
<p>Hello! i will be applying early decision this year and im working on my portfolio… i was wondering, if its not too much trouble to ask, if you can show me your art work? i really need to know where i am at level wise and i have no artists around me i can go to for help. I would really greatly appreciate it</p>