I am a complete newbie when it comes to art school and could really use your help. My stepdaughter is a HS sophomore and we are just starting to talk with her about what kind of college she would like to attend and what she would like to study. She is most passionate about art (drawing/painting) and would prefer a BFA program to a BA program. This is because she has a lot of learning disabilities-- dyslexia, ADHD, and others-- that make school work difficult for her. She would much rather take art classes than fulfill gen eds. Also, she just loves art-- when she gets involved in an art project she forgets to eat, sleep, etc. We had only planned on looking at colleges that had comprehensive programs for students with learning disabilities, like the U of Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and the U of Denver. I don’t know how she would do in stand-alone art school, but it seems worth considering. I have no idea where to start looking for art schools that might be a good fit for her.
I am wondering if there is a range of competitiveness for BFA programs, and if my daughter could realistically be admitted to some. She is taking art every year in school, but her school art program isn’t great. Her art skills are okay, but certainly not near the level of admission to top art schools. Her high school in rural TX has never had anyone apply to art school (most students there do not go on to college at all), and I can’t imagine her portfolio will be super competitive. Are there BFA programs for students like her who are not going to be at the top but still want to pursue art? I think she could really blossom as an artist in the right environment.
Also, can anyone comment on how competitive the BFA programs are at the schools with the good LD support that we like: U Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and U Denver?
She has a 3.6 UW GPA and no test scores yet. Right now she is thinking of perhaps becoming an art teacher or working in a museum when she graduates.
I’m not familiar with these 3 schools, but I think a BFA program at a state university with LD support would be an excellent choice. Without specific knowledge of these programs, I would lean toward U Arizona or U Denver, since they are NASAD accredited.
I respect the choice to pursue a BFA, but recommend not going into debt for one. Therefore, you might first consider the programs at your in-state public universities. Farther afield, Ball State University in Indiana is a good program in a less competitive university.
Please note that there may be some gen ed requirements even for a BFA, and will surely be additional requirements for teacher licensure.
Most BFA art schools accept students based on portfolio.
A student does not have the be museum-ready for acceptance. For the most part, they really just need to demonstrate potential and the desire to learn. That said, BFA schools have tiers, just like academic schools.
The most important thing that you’ll want to look for as you do your search, is who are the teachers and what are the students learning?
Is it a school that values innovation? Practicality? Both?
Are the professors working artists in their own right, or just teaching?
What does the student work look like? You can often find the gallery work of current students
on a schools’ web site. What are the general education requirements?
Does your step daughter considering work as a graphic (commercial) artist, or a fine artist? Some
schools cater more to one, but not the other.
If she’s thinking at all about teaching, I would not recommend a BFA program.
A major in art at a non-conservatory school that has the option of a teaching certification is a plus.
SOU and U Denver, both considerably smaller than U Arizona, fit the bill.
I second the suggestion of looking at the art departments of your state universities or art departments within colleges that have good support services & aren’t as intense & competitive as some full art schools can be.
I work in an art department of a small college in NY that offers BFAs. We only recently added a portfolio requirement (before it was optional), however students can still be accepted into the program without a portfolio and then go through a process where they submit one at the end of their freshman college year. More info here: https://art.sage.edu/our-department/admission/
I’ve had several students with the equivalent of an IEP and have made grading and testing accommodations as needed but I’m not terribly familiar with the support services offered to students. We also tend to have small class sizes that means students’ needs don’t get lost in the shuffle of things. There are probably many similar type art departments (smaller, less competitive) closer to you that are worth investigating that would be a good fit for your stepdaughter.