Help finding college with strong Art dept./Art school that will support daughter w/Chonic illnesss

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
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am looking for some help so that I can support my daughter’s desire to attend a college that has a strong art department. She was identified in Middle school as a student to be tracked by the Art department for her talent in drawing and she was excited to take advantage of all that our very strong art department at the High School had to offer. Unfortunately she got sick one month after she began High School and never fully recovered. She has been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and has fallen quite behind, only able to handle a modified schedule. Despite many absences, she has been extremely determined and dedicated and has maintained honor roll. However, she has fallen very behind with Art and has no portfolio material at the moment. She is hoping she can focus on that this year, and would like to find a college that will be supportive of her and the challenges she faces. She is also interested in the culinary arts as well as psychology. She has recently discussed the desire to become an art teacher. While her grades are great, she has not taken any AP courses yet and I would like her to continue focusing on her health rather than pushing herself too hard. With that in mind, does anyone have any ideas what kind of school will accept a less rigorous academic schedule due to her issues?

Its a lot to consider. I would just love any idea about where to start. My son just started his first year of college as a music major and had a rigorous course load, many clubs etc. My daughter can attend school and comes home to do homework and rest; no longer has the activities she once did to put on an application. In reality, she works just as hard if not harder than others to be successful with all of the challenges, but will certainly not be reflected in her application. This is all new territory.
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I work in an art department in a small liberal arts college in upstate NY. We are by design a small school and have had students with IEPs, health issues, modified schedules etc. We offer a track to enter the art dept at our college without a portfolio - the student takes the foundation year and then applies to their department before sophomore year and are admitted based on their performance in their foundation classes. If not admitted into the BFA majors per se, the student can still continue taking art classes as a general studies major so no one is actually booted out of pursuing art, they’d just get a BS instead. While we don’t have a culinary arts department we do offer psychology.

Feel free to DM me if you’d like more info. I try to be “neutral” on here and not ‘sell’ where I teach, but we might be a good fit for your student. I’m also familiar with another art department at a neighboring college that also might offer some options for your family and would be happy to describe both.

I think in general you might find an art department in a smaller college and/or small art college a bit more accommodating to more flexible schedules and/or non-traditional students.

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Ok Artangst, this is dumb, I know, but how do you DM on CC?

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Click on that person’s name the click Message.

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Thank you!