<p>@Balthezar. A generalization about BFA’s vs. BA’s and BS’s is that BFA’s at stand-alone art schools almost always imply that 60-75% of the courses will be in art and design studio courses. And BFA’s at “general” colleges and universities will typically have about 50% of credits in studio courses. A BA “art major” at a general college will usually have about 30-40% in studio courses – while general college and university curricular requirements, including general education, will take up the rest of the credits.</p>
<p>For this reason – the depth of studio coursework – a BFA is a “preprofessional” degree while a BA in art is not (or not necessarily). (I’m not speaking specifically about UC but about art and design programs generally. Also of note, a full-fledged architecture degree is a different matter in that it’s typically a 5 year program, not 4.)</p>
<p>My daughter earned a BFA in industrial design (ID) at RISD. It was the second most intensive major there – after architecture. </p>
<p>My general thought is that you have yourself an artistically talented daughter, but that it’s too early to focus on a particular college major. She has 3 years before she even would enter college. All art programs have an intensive foundation year which provides an opportunity for the students not only to develop their skills (perhaps with foundational studios in 2D, 3D, figure drawing, and color) but also to discover what they’re really interested in majoring in. A good target for your daughter would be to look for one of the intensive summer precollege programs (of which there are several very fine ones), where she will have a chance to further develop her skills and also, in a sense, test her interests in different disciplines and be able to convince herself of her talent in comparison with other students. </p>
<p>Also, it’s always good when applying to art schools or programs to have some drawings “from life,” including human figure drawing, in one’s portfolio.</p>
<p>When my daughter entered RISD she was initially thinking of majoring in illustration – or at least an applied design field, as opposed to fine arts. She was on verge of making that decision when an advisor – who was actually a specialist in illustration – commented that she “really gets what this discipline is about” and she “can always do illustration,” but she should try something that draws on more of her skills, though still on the commercial or design side of things. And so she tried ID, and it stuck! This allowed her to do some things that drew on her special talent for seeing and working in 3D.</p>
<p>She also developed a strong interest in sustainable design while at RISD. And while at the time the program didn’t give much emphasis to this dimension (things have improved a lot over the last 10 years), this is an interest that she took out of college. And when she began working freelance in ID (and also on some illustration and related activities), she also discovered that she enjoyed and was very good at organizing larger projects and initiatives. This led her to (surprise to us) . . . a desire to earn an MBA so that she could affect the green design strategies of large-scale consumer goods companies. So, BFA to MBA, a highly unusual track but very logical to her, and now she’s working in the design division of a very large international company, in which her combination of skills and interests is very rare, but she has managed to put them together.</p>
<p>This is all a long way to say that IMO the most important thing you know about your daughter is that she has talent (and that she’s interested in developing it). And it’s really great that you’re willing to promote her interests and explore the best options for her. A lot of parents have no clue what to do when they discover that they’ve got an artist on their hands. Next, IMO, is allowing her to develop a range of skills and try out various media and disciplines before settling on her major. A good way to start that may be in a pre-college summer program after her sophomore year (she can do it after junior year as well). My daughter did hers for two summers at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but there are several good programs including RISD, MICA, CMU, Pratt, and others.</p>
<p>What you’re saying about your daughter’s non-art coursework is really really important. Not only math and science, but also social studies. In my daughter’s case when she began to prep for the GMAT (required admissions exam for MBA programs) she had not taken any math courses since high school, i.e., almost 8 years earlier. But at least she had a foundation including algebra and calculus and an ability to work at a high level on both sides of her brain, and she took a couple of math classes to prep herself for the GMAT. Had she not taken advanced math in high school she probably wouldn’t have been able to make the career transition that she’s made. (A lot of students who decide they want to attend art school prematurely abandon their study of science and math in high school.)</p>
<p>I’m sorry for being so long-winded but I don’t post here much any more and I was struck by your opening post. Also, I don’t mean to imply that my daughter’s career path is a model that a lot of others should follow. But I hope by describing it you will see how a young person’s interests may evolve, and that if your daughter works hard and is flexible and stays in discovery mode, then one way or the other she will find a way to use her talent.</p>