Overview of University of Cincinnati: College of DAAP Part I

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Cincinnati
21

<p>Sanketh, UC does NOT require a portfolio for graphic design. They are very academic oriented for admission. They have found that the kids with stronger academic records and stronger SATs tend to be more creative and tend to learn the concepts better. Whether you agree with this or not that is their philosophy. Considering their high rankings and success of their students, they may not be wrong either. However, DEFINITELY send in the portfolio. If it is very strong, they have been known to cut down on the academic requirements slightly.. My daughter had a 3.45 unweighted GPA and got in to Digital Design.</p>

<p>Generally, AP courses are accepted for credit by Cincinnati.You need to go on their web site to find out what scores are needed for credit. However, I have found them to be pretty good about it. Make sure that you pass at least two history courses as to place out of one full year of history. If you can, take AP math and history and/or social science such as psychology since these are required general education requirements.</p>

<p>As for your current GPA it would be a bit of a reach for you. If you go on their web site, you will see that they want an unweighted 3.5 for graphic design and digital design. Architecture and Interior Design is even tougher.</p>

<p>They will take less than a 3.5 IF you either you are in the top 20% of your class or achieve a combined score on SAT 0f 1320 (for math and verbal only). At least, this is what their web site notes. As I noted above, you might get in with slightly lessor GPA if your portfolio was superlative. They may not require a portfolio,but they do look at it according to one professor at UC.QAs I noted, my daughter got in with an unweighted GPA at the time of 3.45, although she did subsequently achieve a 4.0 in her senior year.</p>

<p>For the admission information posted on the UC web site, go to:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.daap.uc.edu/admissions/Admissions_SOD.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.daap.uc.edu/admissions/Admissions_SOD.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>If you can get into Cincinnati, it is a fabulous school for the money. If you don't get in, they have a pre-DAAP program where you might be accepted If you do well enough in their pre-DAAP program. They also accept transfers,but you would need at least a 3.5 in college.</p>

<p>Be prepared to work inordinately hard if you get accepted to DAAP. It is a very tough school, and one of the top ranked in the US for its programs.</p>

<p>One final thing, apply EARLY. You should have your SAT scores and transcripts and applications sent to them by October 1 if possible. Always double check to see if the school got everything. It never hurts to be extra careful.</p>

<p>Hope this all helped. Good luck.</p>

22

<p>Sanketh, here is the url for Cincinnati's AP policy, which shows what scores are needed for creded, and how many credits you will get:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.admissions.uc.edu/ap_key.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.admissions.uc.edu/ap_key.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

23

<p>I am a College Rep from the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Anyone who has visited this forum in the recent past may have noticed a post by someone with a username "seanphafer" and claiming to be one of our faculty members. I want to clarify that this was NOT one of our faculty (the REAL Prof. Hafer brought this to my attention) and since I have contacted the administrator's of this site they have taken these comments off. I wish to thank them for removing these, as they were entirely untrue. </p>

<p>Please know that the Digital Design program, to which this imposter referred, is an extremely innovative and high quality program with very dedicated, talented faculty. Students accepted into this program must meet the same admission criteria as students in any of our other Design programs, and student work has garnered numerous international awards. </p>

<p>It is very distressing to see someone abuse a forum like this to make untrue negative statements about a program.</p>

24

<p>My son just received a very nice, complete package of materials after signing up on their web site for information. I wonder if an engineering student would have good music options there or are they very geared towards the music school? Sometimes these strong music programs do not accomodate an engineering student's schedule very well...</p>

<p>Maybe we'll try to visit when we drop son #1 at Denison. I hate scheduling these college visits!</p>

25

<p>My D is in her 5th and final year of the Fashion Design program at UC. DAAP has an excellent and well-deserved reputation in my opinion. The design work is extremely demanding and there is plenty of work. I'm told the peer critiques are regular occurrences but can be emotionally difficult for some. The end of quarter student fashion shows are worth attending because the work of the students is of a very high caliber. The judges and faculty are professional, supportive and postiive at these events. After 5 co-op experiences in various cities, my D. has a dynamite resume. Co-op requires a lot of flexibility and planning but most people I've talked to think it's well worth it. </p>

<p>MY one caution about the co-op program in the fashion/product development track is that the school either approves or isn't aware that some of the students take unpaid co-ops. I think this sets a bad precedent. The companies can get away with it because they know the kids will work for free in order to get the name recognition on their resumes. Some of these companies are in NYC where the cost of living is quite high. I think the school needs to address this issue of unpaid co-ops. It strikes me as exploitative of its students.</p>

<p>A couple words of caution about UC in general. The school, like many schools in urban settings, could be safer. The campus has practically been rebuilt since D started there with more on-campus housing options--a plus for those who want to live in them. Living off-campus is generally cheaper but be careful when choosing an apartment and an area. My impression is that the U of C is trying very hard to improve the academic quality of their student body and to clean up the perimeter of their campus as well. Students need to take normal safety precautions with a little extra vigilance thrown in.</p>

26

<p>If you are interested in design or architecture, I would definitely recommend checking out the college of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning at the University of Cincinnati. I am a graphic design graduate and think that the graphic design program is excellent. The courses are highly regarded, well taught and rigorous. I am always impressed at the quality of the student work that is displayed each June. </p>

<p>The co-op jobs are rewarding and give you the chance to travel with positions available inside and outside of the U.S. The co-op system which starts in the second year of the 5-year program is also a nice break from the academic schedule and potentially will lead into a full time job. </p>

<p>Despite the large size of the university, the DAAP majors have small classes and create their own community. I was in a class of approximately 100 students that divided into two groups of 50 when co-oping began. The lack of an admission portfolio is interesting but it works out. </p>

<p>The campus has changed dramatically over the last few years with many new buildings. UC is improving the area near campus that has been in decline. Now as alumni, I enjoy the men's & women's basketball games and football games as well as events at the college conservatory of music-things that I did not have time for as an undergrad.</p>

<p>FYI: last year the architecture program was almost full in August of the student's senior h.s. year.</p>

27

<p>I've been rereading Taxguy's 2005 posts regarding DAAP in general, and the Honors program in particular. Is there any additional current information to help clarify the current admission opportunity for Honors? My son, who was just accepted to DAAP, has a 3.6 GPA at a very competitive high school, where he took all honors and AP classes for 4 years, with solid test scores....and a fair amount of community service as well. Will this 'cut the mustard' for acceptance into Honors? (obviously, his GPA doesn't meet the 3.8 UW GPA target).</p>

<p>Lastly, I have to take a moment to thank Taxguy (a BIG thank you) for the immense amount of USEFUL information you regularly post about UC and other topics. Sometimes my kids find it amusing that I quote 'Taxguy' on the many topics that are of interest as we try to maneuver our way through the college admission process for the first time.</p>

28

<p>Scrabbler42, here is what UC notes about admission to the honors program as a freshmen:</p>

<p>Students invited to participate in University Honors typically have:</p>

<p>an ACT score of 32 or higher
an SAT score of 1400 or higher (critical reading and math combined)
a class rank in the top 10%
an unweighted high school GPA of 3.8
Admission to the University Honors Program is based on more than test scores and high school GPA, however</p>

<p>With all that said, you can probably get into the honors program with a bit less than what is noted here by petition ( another word for a letter to the honors program coordinator). I will admit that these requirements are a bit higher than when my daughter was admitted to UC three years ago;however, admission requirements have gotten tougher over the years there.</p>

<p>If I were you, and if I had a kid interested in the honors program, I would call the honors department and simply ask them about the exact requirements. Contact Jessica King at: </p>

<p>Questions about admission to University Honors? Contact Jessica King at <a href="mailto:jessica.king@uc.edu">jessica.king@uc.edu</a> or 513-556-6274.</p>

<p>I should also note that my post number 21 was written in 2006. UC expanded the time frame for admission until November 15. Be advised of this change. Also, requirements for entry to their more well known programs generally require over a 3.5 unweighted GPA. How much over will depend on test scores. An ACT of 32+ might allow for a 3.6 admission while an ACT of 29 might need a 3.75+. Again, asking admission would be preferable then asking someone on these forums,who really has no idea about current requirements.</p>

<p>I should note that many DAAP kids don't go into the honors program or drop out of it. This is mainly because they get to take what they need for their programs without need for priority registration. In addition, the honors program becomes a pain in that you have to take several unrelated courses that many kids don't really want.</p>

<p>let me also note that starting around 2012, UC and most other Ohio State Schools will be switching to semesters. This probably won't affect your kids ,but you should be aware of this change.</p>

<p>In addition, UC is a fabulous place! The education that my daughter is getting at DAAP can't be beat. She turned down such notable schools as CMU, RIT and Syracuse and NEVER regretted her decision.</p>

<p>Also, thanks for your kind words about my postings. I really do try to give the best information possible. As my daughter would tell you," I am very trying."</p>

29

<p>Taxguy or others:</p>

<p>I am new to this forum. My D is a top-achieving HS junior with -</p>

<p>UNWEIGHTED GPA - 4.1
Course load - Taken 6 AP classes so far (all with A) with score 5 in AP exams, wil do 2 more AP and 2 math classes in Univ of Michigan in her HS senior year
PSAT - 227
SAT - 2350
SAT II - 800 (chem), 770 (govt)</p>

<p>She is very interested in Architecture, and due to the ranking UCin is one of the schools she is considering (along with Michigan, CMU, ND, UIUC, Cornell, RPI, WU at St.Louis).</p>

<p>For her profile, is UCin worth the consideration?</p>

<p>She has very decent EC's (no sports though) - Model UN, Quiz Bowl, NHS and the like.</p>

<p>Thanks for any advice.</p>

30

<p>I want to take a second and thank ikcin4 for their comments. I fully agree with everything stated.</p>

<p>I also attend UC and want to thank ikcin4 for their comments. Well said. I believe that at this time, the crime in Clifton is starting to become more apparent than it has in the past. The area is really not as safe as it could be and I don't recommend it to anybody who is clueless on dealing with the inner city. I don't mean to discourage anybody, but one always needs to be on guard on this campus, at times morose than at other schools. I want to correct the large amount of parking statements. Parking is extremely difficult to find at UC. With the growing number of students it is only getting worse. the $200 dollars a quarter at UC is correct, and is quite the chunk more when compared to schools such as OSU that only charge around $80. Their administration organization is an absolute wreck. UC has a habit of providing information for you, but only if you know what you're looking for and when you need to look for it. They are difficult to deal with when it comes to some of their office staff in various places and it is not uncommon to find incredibly rude student workers. </p>

<p>These are just a few of my thoughts and things I have noticed. Don't take my bad experiences into consideration without your own experiences to back it up. While I've had several issues with the school, I feel they are overall fantastic. For the most part, I've loved my professors and the classes I've taken. Despite the downs, it really is a good school.</p>

31

<p>karari, yes, I would have your dauugher seriously consider UC for architecture maybe even more than the schools that you posted.</p>

<p>Why? First, UC has an amazing program for design and architecture. She willl get a first rate education in that area.</p>

<p>Secondly, in today's economy, kids need an "in" in order to get a good job. UC is the only school that you noted that will provide a full 6 quarters of experience as part of their coop. This is extraordinarily useful.She will get experience that rarely will be provided other students from other schools. She will make possible job contacts too because many interns get hired. I can't emphasize that she consider UC enough.</p>

<p>Third, UC has an amazing reputation for design and architecture. Don't let the general reputation for the school fool you,which is considered tier three by US News. For Architecture and Design, it is considered akin to an ivy by those"in the know."</p>

<p>Yes, there are drawbacks too. She will have to be careful walking off campus. This is an inner city school with a campus. Thus, paying attention and being careful is important. However, my daughter has been there for several years and hasn't had one bad incident nor does she know anyone who has had any trouble. Thus, with care, you daughter shouldn't have any issues especially on campus which seems very safe.</p>

<p>Although I have not had any trouble with the administration that Fading noted, I can see where they can be a pain. Lets face it, these state workers aren't the best paid. However, I have had three kids in college and the same can be said for other schools.</p>

<p>Cincinnati, being a state school, is also usually a lot less expensive than any of the other schools that you noted above net of scholarships.</p>

<p>Finally, with proper planning, you can even get in state tuition for your daughter in future years, which can make Cincinnati a real steal. Yes, you read that correctly, You REALLY need to read over theiir web site about switching to resident status. It takes a lot of planning for future years but is doable. I don't want to get into detail about this since we just accomplished this. Once my daughter finishes Cincinnati, I may publish a post about how to do it.</p>

32

<p>Taxguy,
You mentioned in this thread that it is possible submit a portfolio to DAAP. Do you have to pre-arrange this since they are not requesting it with the application? At what point in the process did your daughter send hers in?</p>

33

<p>She sent it in with her application. Please note, a porfolio isnā€™t required unless she is applying for fine art. They will probably look at it,but it isnā€™t gong to be a major part in the decision.It might, however, push them over the edge if she is close.</p>

34

<p>Okay. I am a current senior and Iā€™m really looking to get into UC. Iā€™m very interested in graphic design/art and i just want to know that with a 23 ACT and 3.0 gpa, is it even POSSIBLE for me to get into their DAAP? i want an honest answer haha. iā€™ve gotten aā€™s and bā€™s my past two years, one or two cā€™s the year previous to that, and i just sucked MISERABLY my freshman year, so i have definitely been improving. I also think Iā€™d have a pretty impressive portfolio but are you sure theyā€™d look at it? If you take the time to write me back, thank you soooooooooooooo much!!! (:</p>

<p>oh and one other thing, if DAAP doesnā€™t work out, am i eligible for other programs/schools with my current gpa/score? thank you!!</p>

35

<p>Collegebound- its definitely more than possible for you to get into DAAP- apply to the digital design program. They have a much higher acceptance rate, and in a year, GD and DD will be combined. They will not look at your portfolio (I have heard of a few exceptions to the ruleā€¦ but I have no idea how students were able to show their book off and have it affect an admissions decision. And I promise you, after foundations you will look back on your work right now and be like ā€œI thought this was good?!ā€).</p>

<p>You will get into UC (except for CCM which has an audition) for almost any degree you could want with your gpa/act. There are a few select majors (namely in engineering) that are a bit more selective than anything else, but you will 99% chance get into UC.</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

36

<p>Iā€™m currently a high school junior, very interested in UCā€™s architecture program in their DAAP college. I havenā€™t applied yet, of course, since Iā€™m only halfway through the school year. But based on my stats thus far, could someone please tell me what they think about my chances for admission? Thanks! My stats are:</p>

<ul>
<li>Unweighted GPA: 4.0 (with lots of honors, and as many APā€™s as my school offers, however, by judging from this forum, it doesnā€™t seem like the school would care about that much)</li>
<li>Extracurriculars: marching band for 2 years, symphonic band for 2 years, tennis team, NHS, a member of a somewhat selective local youth philanthropy group. I have 2 leadership positions: secretary of Interact Club and founder/president of a new club at my high school.</li>
<li>ACT: Have not received my scores yet. I took it early in December, so that I can still give myself several more opportunities to take it if need be, and will have another, mandatory taking of it at my high school during spring. With the 2 aforementioned stats of mine, what ACT score should I hope/aim for?</li>
</ul>

<p>Thank you lots, again! UCā€™s architecture program sounds awesome, from what Iā€™ve read!</p>

37

<p>btpayne- You should get in with a gpa like that, i canā€™t imagine you not getting in if your act is 29 or higher. You are right that the shcool doesnā€™t care about weighted gpa with honors and AP, but if you have passed a few AP tests, UC will give you a LOT of credits- they are very generous with how much you can get per class. I took 6 APā€™s and got almost 100 credits (making me a ā€œsophomoreā€ officially), which was pretty cool.</p>

<p>Anyways good luck!</p>

38

<p>Thanks for your info, ineo42! I just got my ACT score from the December 12 test date, and I got a composite score of 27. I havenā€™t sent the score to any colleges yet, and I will take the test at least once more at the mandatory testing date at my high school, but how are my chances of getting into DAAP with that score? I was pretty glad to see that I got that score, because I didnā€™t feel like I had done well on some parts, particularly the reading.</p>

39

<p>btpayne - see UCā€™s website for more info on admissions to their architecture program, as well as a profile of the current freshman class:</p>

<p>[Bachelor</a> of Science in Architecture: Admission Information](<a href=ā€œhttp://www.daap.uc.edu/said/bsarch/admissions]Bachelorā€>http://www.daap.uc.edu/said/bsarch/admissions)</p>

40

<p>Hi everyone:D I am an international student and I recently got an offer from UC for their DAAP INTERIOR DESIGNā€¦They also offer me the UC Global Scholarshipā€¦I am looking for your advice here:D Should I take this offer since I am also waiting for the result from another university. I will enroll in Fall 2011. But I have some queries and I hope any of you can help me out with this:D
Hmmā€¦</p>

<p>Firstly, I found this review while researching about UC:
ā€œUniversity of Cincinnati DAAP
As much opportunity as this school has brought me, I hate every second I have to spend inside it.
Not to mention some of the design professors donā€™t even know how to use computersā€¦ā€</p>

<p>and it was posted on 3/27/2011, so itā€™s quite recentā€¦is this true? is there any current UC Interior Design student who would like to share their experience?</p>

<p>Secondly, howā€™s the living condition in UC? is it better to live on or off campus? which one is cheaper and safer?</p>

<p>Thirdly, Iā€™ve heard and read a lot of good comments about UC DAAP co-op programme but will the school help us to find the company for us to work? </p>

<p>Wellā€¦basically those are my questions:D I am terribly sorry that I am asking so many questionsā€¦but because this will be my first time staying so far away from my family soā€¦of course, safety and quality of the school are very important to me and my parents. I hope any of you would share your experience and advice on this. Any reply is greatly appreciated:D:D Thanks a lot:D:D</p>