<p>Hey, I'm a senior in high school right now.
I'm mainly applying to art & design specialty schools. (CalArts, FIDM, Parsons, Art Center, etc.)
But I want to transfer out after the first year or term to a university that offers design programs. (UCLA? USC? Yale? Cooper Union? Are there any others?)
The reason why I'm not applying directly to those schools are because my GPA BLOWS. It's horrible.
And the reason why I prefer universities over the specialty schools are because I still want to have that campus experience and meet diverse people who are going to major in different things. And there's always that back-up plan if you want to major in something else or double major.
So my question is, how hard is it to transfer out of an art school into a university that offers the art program? What are the requirements/required courses?
Please help!</p>
<p>I think you have to ask the specific university you would transfer to. My personal experience was that NONE of my two years of art school transferred to the university, because the art school had a different accrediting body. Had I taken those same courses at a community college, I could have transferred to the university as a junior.</p>
<p>Art schools also have gpa requirements. Have you considered a community college? You could get your GPA up, all courses would transfer and they’re cheaper!</p>
<p>Why not go to a university that will accept a lower GPA along with a strong portfolio? We are in virginia so Virginia Commonwealth is the obvious choice. I think there are quite a few options in states such as NY and CA. </p>
<p>VCUis still a good deal for out of state students. Entrance into the college of art is quite competitive but a strong portfolio may overcome a GPA that is below 3.0. You must have a 2.0 to get into the university no matter what the major. You can get the “college” experience along with a strong degree in art or double major without much difficulty at many state universities. It would be helpful to know what your GPA is, what type of curriculum you have followed in HS, and what your interests are outside of art. If the GPA is terrible, the community college approach may be your best shot. If a student really turns around in CC, they can be considered for transfers to many great schools. Contact your local Cc to see if they have any special programs with LACs and Universities in your state.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice.
But I don’t think community or state college are for me.
Is there a way to transfer from let’s say CalArts to UCLA DMA?
Is that possible?</p>
<p>You assume that you’ll achieve a high enough gpa or have a killer portfolio after attending a year of art school to then have the possibility of transferring over. You’re a bit misguided. Art school grading is somewhat subjective, in addition to that if you technically have the skills to somehow achieve a 3.6+ gpa at an art school during your “foundation” year, then you probably could get in at schools like ucla or usc or what have you based on talent/portfolio alone straight out of high school. Some of these schools make exceptions in regards to SATs and GPAs as they understand the art student doesn’t tend to always pay as much attention to their academics as much as they do their art/design.
First and foremost, you need to learn and educate yourself in the requirements of transfer admissions, specifically in the design/art departments at schools like UCLA USC Carnegie Mellon, Cooper Union, etc. For example, after doing research, you’ll discover that admissions for transfers requires you to have taken a very specific curriculum at your previous school to then just transition as a junior or sophomore.
Different schools offer different types of programs. UCLA doesn’t offer a BFA program, it offers a BA program. USC offers a BFA and a BA. For UCLA you can only transfer at the junior level which means that in addition to your art school classes you would have needed to take a liberal arts curriculum that satisfies the school’s GE requirements(in addition to the art school departments). You would also have to submit portfolios for both, and not only will your gpa matter(your gpa in college, but your portfolio will to). After doing research, you will also find that the admissions rates of universities/colleges that you listed or offer what you’re looking for will generally have really really low admissions rates for transfers, and even much low admissions rates for the major/department you plan on majoring in…so low that it will be even more competitive than freshman admissions.
Just look at UCLA’s transfer admissions stats. The major art, and design/media arts have an acceptance rate of less than 10 percent. That’s even less than applying to the best art schools in the country for freshman admissions. <a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof10_mjr.htm#AA[/url]”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/Tr_Prof10_mjr.htm#AA</a></p>
<p>Also, you may not be aware of this, but at an art/design major(at reputable colleges) you won’t have time for a social life. You will be living and breathing what you do 24/7 until winter or summer breaks. So assuming you transfer, being able to interact and actually make friends(not acquaintances) with non art/design department majors will be relatively difficult.</p>
<p>Given all this, either one of two, you stick it out at art school, or you lower your standards for a university. There are decent universities with great departments that don’t require you to have high stats just to get in. University of Cincinnati is one. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo(has high stats but may be possible) and CSU Long Beach are others.</p>
<p>Thanks! That was very insightful.
Can I ask you what’s the difference between BA and BFA?</p>
<p>BFA you end up focusing on your major more by taking more art/design classes as the department will require you to take more art/design classes than say liberal arts. Hypothetically speaking, if you need 120 units to graduate, 30 units of the 120 units would be in liberal arts(general ed-classes like english, art history, maybe math/science classes)</p>
<p>BA you end up taking more liberal art classes(the general ed classes above)than a BFA program, anywhere from 45-60 units of the 120 units needed to graduate. Basically you get a more well rounded education, but you end up taking less classes in your major(which could mean you miss out on learning some technical design skills that others in BFA programs might learn). </p>
<p>I forgot to mention, that transferring is kind of tricky, because assuming you do end up transferring, a lot of the classes that would have transferred over will be general ed and basic foundation(art/design classes). Generally speaking that is the time in which you’ll meet most of the non art/design majors in your university classes. Once you become a junior or senior, so much of your class schedule will revolve around your major/department.</p>
<p>If you really don’t want to spend 4 years at an art school, then either lower your standards for a university(but still apply to the one’s you think you can’t get into-you never know what might happen)or attend a community college(much more easier to transfer in as some schools like UCLA and USC have agreements with community colleges that tells you what classes match up to equivalents at their school-once you transfer in).</p>
<p>Lastly, USC is the only school I can think of that you could transfer in as a sophomore and your high school record won’t be taken into admissions. I think USC only requires like 2 or 3 general ed classes as a bare minimum to be considered as a transfer, and assuming the other classes you take at a community college or wherever is a typical foundation curriculum(2d design/3d design/model drawing/life drawing) you should be able to transfer in as a sophomore(assuming your portfolio is killer and your college gpa is good).</p>
<p>Also there are some schools like RISD(with Brown), and I think Parsons(with Eugene Lang) that offer programs like a joint BA/BFA which basically allows you to take more general ed/liberal art classes through partner schools. With RISD its Brown University, and with Parsons its Eugene Lang College. You may end up having to spend 5 years in college to do this but can be what you’re looking for.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!!</p>
<p>I’d point out, though, that neither RISD nor Brown are particularly easy to get into – and bad stats in high school is going to lower your chances even further. Cooper Union as well is a school that takes the creme de le creme of high achieving art students.</p>
<p>Seriously, if you’re after a real education in art and design, and are focused on your future, then apply to an art/design school. You have to have your priorities straight. If you are focused on the ‘college experience’ and not on what happens after college, then the college experience can be much more cheaply and easily had at a state college. Going to community college and transferring will give you two years of valuable college social experience. </p>
<p>While I’m all for having dreams and shooting for them, at some point you have to be practical and realistic about what it is you want from the next four years – and from your life (at least your game plan for starting out).</p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>"There are decent universities with great departments that don’t require you to have high stats just to get in. University of Cincinnati is one. "</p>
<p>^This is not true. It is highly competitive to get into UCincinnati’s design programs, and I doubt that if your “gpa blows” that you’d get in. For instance, for Graphic Design at UCinci:
Admission Criteria
Highly competitive
Percentage of applicants offered admission: 33.3%</p>
<p>Freshman Class Profile for this Major
Based on the middle 50% of the 09-10 entering freshman class:
GPA: 3.690 - 4.000
ACT: 27.0 - 30.0
SAT: 1190 - 1310
Average Class Rank: Top 11.5%</p>
<p>Figure out some schools you would LIKE to end up at. Talk to their admissions people and ask advice–they will know what they look for in a transfer student. See how many transfers they typically accept.</p>
<p>Good luck, you have a great attitude and if you work hard, you can make success happen.</p>
<p>Thanks Glutenmom and IUmom7!
I really appreciate the feedback from everyone. </p>
<p>Hmm.
I guess I’ll say some facts about me, since I didn’t really give a good description about myself.
I go to a well-known specialized public high school. (Known for math and science.)
The art dept. is not good. And didn’t have time in my schedule to fit in any except for one in freshman year.
I pretty much have a 2.5 GPA right now. But it was because I was stupid. And of course, I can’t put that or any excuse for my dumb decisions to not study in my app.
But I know for sure I have the capability to get a much better grade.
It’s probably too late though. But that is why I want to do good this year, so if I transfer they can see how much I improved in my last year?
My SAT score was a 1300 (Reading and math only right?) But I am taking them one more time. I didn’t study a lot for them that time. Hopefully, I will get a better score.
Honestly, I never dreamt of going into art and design until junior year.
So I took a fashion design course in the spring (on Saturdays) at Parsons, a drawing course in the summer at UCLA (for 2 weeks), and am going to sign up for the graphic design course at Cooper for Oct-April (on Saturdays.)
I have a decent amount of extra curriculars besides those.</p>
<p>I always wanted to become a designer. (Not sure about what kind.)
But recently, I found myself really interested in becoming a creative director.
(I know you need a lot of experience beforehand.)</p>
<p>So, any new advice? And any info on creative directors?
Thanks!</p>
<p>BU, UMich, CMU?
How hard is it to get in to these visual art programs? (not by transfer)</p>