<p>This is my first CC post. I am a California community college student with a 3.9 GPA, significant intern experience, and a strong art portfolio (drawing and painting). I have done a summer program at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Although MICA has an outstanding painting program, I would prefer to study art in the context of a LAC. I plan to apply for admission as a third year transfer to (some of) the following colleges. I will be majoring in studio art (painting), but also have an interest in psychology and sociology and their integration with art. I would appreciate any insight you can share with me concerning my college selections. Are any of these schools particularly outstanding in studio art? Are there any that I should eliminate from my list for any reason including lack of a quality studio art program? Is transfer admission into any of these schools virtually impossible? I’d like to get my list of 10 schools down to about 6 or 7. Thanks for your help.<br>
Amherst
Bates
Boston College
Bowdoin
Colgate
Middlebury
Mount Holyoke<br>
Smith
Swarthmore
Tufts</p>
<p>Tufts offers a joint program with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston however you must be accepted to both schools. Bates has a good studio program. Another liberal arts college with outstanding art is Skidmore. Brandeis has a strong studio art program in painting,drawing as well as sculpture primarily. Their post-bac program to prepare portfolio for MFA is well known and well regarded.</p>
<p>bow, it’s quite difficult to transfer into an LAC as a junior so you may not be able to be too picky. The Northeast LACs that I’d put on the best-of list for studio art are: Williams, Wesleyan, Conn College, Hamilton, Skidmore, Smith. Since you appear to be academically qualified I would also include Brown and Yale.</p>
<p>I second bookmama22’s recommendation about Brandeis and Skidmore as two schools you may want to add to the list. Another program I think is worth looking into is Hampshire College. Also, as momrath says, transferring in as a junior to any of these schools is no easy feat, and if accepted at any (especially any within the five college consortium where you can take advantage of the other departments) you are likely to have a good experience. Look on each school’s website, look at their faculty and the work done by the faculty. Who would you most like to study with? Also, keep in mind the location of each school. For instance, some are near enough to cities where one can slip away to some fantastic museums, some aren’t. Part of one’s education is making art, another part is exposing oneself to art. Vassar is close to NYC, also has a nice art department and great little museum on it’s campus. . . .okay, i’m getting carried away. Basically, in the northeast, there are many great possibilities once you get there. It’s now up to you, and don’t be disappointed if some doors close because there are many more, that may surprise you, which open up as you go through this process. Good luck.</p>
<p>Momrath, I did think of Brown, but here’s the thing. They accept portfolios from first year applicants, but not from transfer applicants. Weird huh!? I would think they would want to see some samples of art work from any student applying to their art program. While I think I have a strong academic application, I am sure all other trans apps do as well. I believe it is my portfolio that would separate my app from that of others, but their website says they won’t accept it. Any ideas about this. I would love to attend Brown!</p>
<p>bow, that’s very usual about Brown. You would think it would be the reverse. Our experience with Brown was that it wasn’t so easy to get to a human being in admissions, but nevertheless you should try to contact someone in the studio art department and ask them how they feel about transfers.</p>
<p>Among the small LACs I’d focus on Smith – because they are unorthodox in admissions and often give older women a chance – and Williams, Wesleyan and Skidmore – because they have substantial art/art history programs.</p>
<p>Otherwise I think a medium sized private like Brandeis sounds good. Have you looked at CMU or WUSTL?</p>
<p>Momrath, I have looked at Wustl and like it. I have a brother who goes there. But the thing is Wustl offers a BFA through their college of Art rather than a BA through the college of A&S. I am pretty sure I want a BA (and the broader education is represents) than a more specialized BFA.</p>