<p>I attend a community college. My current gpa is 3.5 -though if all goes well I can raise it to 3.8 by September (I'm taking summer classes). As far as drawing is concerned I'm confident that I'm very proficient in this department. I don't have any problems drawing from observation in the most unusual perspectives and I am patient enough to get the most minute of details. As far as flaws in this department, my drawing proffessor commented that I tend to include too much detail in my drawings (think gothic cathedral in terms of level of detail). I have slightly less confidence in my ability to design but I'm still confident that I'm strong in this area as well. academically I've gotten an A in all of my lecture classes as well. I also have a strength in formulating concepts for projects that I value even more highly than my drawing ability and I have a strong work ethic plus I'm very involved in class discussion/critiques as well and I participate actively in my schools art club. Finally, all of my proffessors have said that I am very good at writing ( sorry if you can't tell as I'm drafting this on a phone) and I'm confident that I can put together a very strong essay.</p>
<p>Those are my strengths. Now I have one significant weakness. I did poorly in my 3d design 1 class mostly throughout and I got a C. However, I'm taking 3d II in the fall and I'm extremely determined to get an A in that class. My thinking is that it would be perhaps more beneficial to say that I did poorly in the previous class yet excellently in the latter (essentially playing up improvement) than to take 3d 1 over in the summer for a higher grade. Is this idea sound? </p>
<p>Also, I'm a bit worried that risd will look at my attending a community institution as me avoiding their foundation year and also as me taking advantage of a perceptibly much less rigourous program to boost my gpa (in reality my art proffessors stated on the first day that they would hold us to the same standards of MIT ). Really, the reason I'm at a community college is because of the costs (art school is quite expensive). This brings me to my next and final question. How do you think I - if you were to believe all I've said and I am successful at what I set out to do - would fare in terms of financial aid/scholarships? Financially my family is at the lowest of the low and I am a minority (african american).</p>
<p>Thanks for reading. Sorry if I sounded kind of arrogant or pompous at the beginning. I was trying to be as honest and as direct as possible). Again thanks for all responses, this means very much nice to me (I've been typing this thing for two hours lol).</p>
<p>No it doesn’t have to be risd. However, I want to be a graphic designer and risd has a prestigious program in design. There’s advantages to having that school on a resume plus I imagine that there are lots of connections I could establish there that would be critical to getting an internship and ultimately a job. I live in philadelphia and I was considering Tyler but it didn’t seem like quite a fit for me. I was also considering SAIC. from what ive researched its a very conceptual school and with conceptual/analytical thinking being my chief strength, It seems like a no brained but I’m worried that the school may be too conceptual and a program that’s more grounded than conceptual would leave me more balanced which I think is more beneficial in the long run. Plus my design proffessor came from ccp and went to risd so I’m a bit biased towards that school, not to mention risd is very strong in liberal arts (which I value in an art program) </p>
<p>Basically risd is my ideal school and just as there’s no reason I absolutely must go there, theres no reason why I shouldn’t at the least pursue my ideals.</p>
<p>Oh, I asked my proffessor (the one that came from cc and went to risd) if he had to do foundation year over and he said he didn’t (probably because he had a 4.0 and because he had a terrific portfolio). He also got a full scholarship so I’m very much certain he was the rare exception and not the rule. However, to me that serves as evidence that at the very least the school does not matter so much as the portfolio when transferring there.</p>
<p>Thanks. Lol I was a little worried that that might have sounded kind of cliche. When it comes down to it I have some pretty cheesy beliefs for my age lol.</p>
<p>You may not have to do a whole foundation year but I think there might be some kind of summer catch up program. I can’t seem to find it on their site but if you go to Lucy’s RISD Admissions on Facebook you could ask her.</p>
<p>There are other schools to consider. It is good to cast your net wide so that you have multiple financial aid offers to consider. I would add MICA, VCU, Carnegie Mellon and SVA to your list</p>
<p>You might want to get in touch with RISD and see what kind of financial aid you might expect if admitted. Aid for transfers is typically not as good as that for incoming freshman and even for two years you are looking at over $100K. Also, RISD asks for very specific drawing samples (and writing samples) in addition to a portfolio. Your prof who is a RISD grad should be able to write a nice rec for you. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses. Realistically, I probably would have to take the summer catch up classes were I to go there. Also, I’m certainly prepared for the possibility that I wont get into risd or that it would be a financial mistep to go there and incur a massive debt.
However, I’m a bit uncertain what an unreasonable debt would be. Can you tell what should be a deal breaker?</p>
<p>Oh and i do have a good idea of what additional work samples are required to get into risd. (except for the make the drawing appear on both sides of the page one.) Ive worked pretty hard in the three classes ive had with him and were on great terms so I dont think getting a rec from him would be a problem. the only thing is deciding the balance of work to include in my portfolio. I’m thinking that (in a portfolio of 12 pieces) half of the work should be observational drawings and the other half should be design/conceptual work from my design classes.</p>
<p>In my opinion no young person should take on more debt than the ceiling for federal student loans (I think it’s around 27,000 at this point). That ends up being like carrying car payment (an expensive car) after graduation. A burden, but worth more than a car in the long run.</p>
<p>27,000? You know, incidentally I saw a news report saying that students have an all time high (on average) of college debt (22,000).</p>
<p>Oh and I wanted to ask. How much emphasis do schools (not just risd) put on non literal/abstract design work in comparison to technical drawings ?</p>
<p>It sounds like it would serve you well to attend a National Portfolio Day review and get feedback from different schools. They all have their individual tendencies and it is best to ask in person and get direct response to the work itself. [National</a> Portfolio Day - Home](<a href=“http://www.portfolioday.net/]National”>http://www.portfolioday.net/)</p>
<p>I am also transferring from a community college and got accepted into the graphic design program RISD (I’m choosing to go to another institution closer to my home though for financial reasons)</p>
<p>I think you might only have to do a summer of foundations. My portfolio did not include any drawings of any sort; it was all graphic design related pieces and they told me I had to do a summer foundations program. I think this might be a requirement for all transfer students. Then again you could try and see if you can waiver out of core classes with your portfolio. That’s something that you’ll have to ask RISD admissions. But I’m pretty sure that for all transfer students who don’t have that strong of a portfolio have to do the summer program.</p>
<p>There won’t be any prejudice against you for attending a community college. I think RISD understands that everyone’s situation is different and does not necessarily assume that it’s because you’re not ambitious nor able to handle a rigorous program.</p>