As you may (or may not be) aware, foundation courses for Art and Design don't use the standardised system for university application that is UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Services), but in order to apply for these courses, there are a series of hurdles one has to jump over.
Step 1: Establish the course exists.
I decided that I was going to apply for Art and Design on the day that people were filling in standard UCAS applications. This posed a problem for me as it was already October, I thought I would have to apply for degree couses, and I had no portfolio, no experience, and no clue in general.
After several hours on the Internet I found out about UAL, UCA, Kingston, and other places that were reputable for their Art and Design courses.
I then discovered this so called "foundation".
Step 2: Realise that the course is free.
I was practically cheering! The foundation course is considered further education rather than higher education, which means there is of course no fee (as long as you're under 19) (and this excludes material costs, which comes in at around £250 for the year, depending on where you go. -Plus personal supplies of course, which you can budget-manage as you please). But, with no fee comes **NO STUDENT LOAN**. This means that while there is no tuition cost, there is also no money to put you up in digs...
...unless you've robbed a bank in your not-so-distant-past.
Step 3: Choose where to apply.
Now, I know this one sounds simple. However there are loads of places to choose from- all depending on where you live in the UK (or abroad for that matter).
Personally,I think being so close to Heathrow makes me super lucky.
I'm within an hour and a half of UAL's CSM, two hours of Camberwell, an hour's drive from UCA's Farnham, and around half of that from Kingston's Campus.
All in all, I have the best facilities for these courses on my doorstep, so can live at home while I work my butt off next year.
Step 4: Open Days, Portfolio and Applications.
Now, I've put these three all under the same heading because I'm not entirely sure which one came first.
It all kind of happened at once.
As the applications for these courses are usually due in towards the end of January, I recall the open days happening in October/November time... but can't remember too well. The trick is to check the university/college websites from August through 'till application deadline day so that you're as informed as you can possibly be. Things change all the time.
For me, the Christmas Holidays were a lifesaver- they allowed me to finish putting my portfolio together and work on my applications. The most frustrating part of the process was having to input my details, plus 10+ GCSEs and 3 A-Levels into every application portal.
I figured applying to 5 or 6 courses in total stood me in good stead for some interviews and offers, and I ended up applying to:
1. Uxbridge College
2. East Berkshire College, Windsor
3. Fareham College, (In the Portsmouth direction)
4. University for the Creative Arts, Farnham Campus
5.Kingston University, Knights Park Campus
5. University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins
And I ended up carrying my A1, white sheet, intensely worked portfolio to each of these for an interview.
*cheers*
Top Tip:
Buy one that:
- Doesn't need plastic wallets and holds your work nicely under a strap or something.
- Has a nifty handle half way down so you can hold it under your arm
- Is economically good value- in the middle of your price range, and will last for as many years of Art and Design education that you plan on engaging in until you have a paying job that buys you a new one.
I paid £35 for a Portfolio and £40 for 15 plastic wallets, but this is not something I I will be doing again. The Portfolio itself is ok looking, but the binders open with any significant weight placed on them. But the wallets weigh so much with work in that it's impossible to compromise with this, and my work fell out about four times before I just gave up putting it back over the binders.
Or you could simply do what one of the girls at an interview I was at did, and put your work in a cardboard tie-up folio, no plastic required, and sew yourself an amazing folio-holding-bag-situation that's ten times better than anything on the market and looks amazing. (Her one was green with white stripes and black handles and made me totally jealous).
Step 5: Interviews
Arguably, this was the most interesting and fun part of the process. I got interviewed by Farnham and Kingston in a group situation, and had to drop my portfolio off at CSM.
However, my first interview was at Uxbridge, and was incredibly entertaining.
I got there, was called into a room, then another room, then down a corridor into a third room for the "level 3 diploma interview" I was expecting, to be told that the course I had applied for and my letter stated I had been invited to an interview for didn't exist and wouldn't be running in September.
Gee, thanks everyone.
Next up was Farnham, a beautiful town and campus- and based on location would totally be the place of my choice to go to. It was a group interview with 6-8 of us sat around a table chatting about art work. We selected our favourite piece, and had to talk the group through it bearing in mind intentions, technique, use of media, overall image/viewer impact and so on. This was a good experience, as we got to look at each other's work, and I gained an insight to the "competition" with regards to a place. I believe there are 300 places on their course, but from my understanding Farnham will "make room" for anyone that applies there- as I was told on an open day.
Interview #3 was at Fareham, lovely, polite, 1:1 interview where I was assured I would be in good hands in the new facilities (that were still under construction).
With a small course of 30 this place would be a nice, stress-free working environment.
Interview #4 was at East Berkshire, Windsor. But by this point, I'd rescheduled the interview three times because they kept giving me too little notice- It was always a Wednesday, 3.45pm. The letter would always arrive the Friday before. As I work on a Wednesday night at a place with few staff I couldn't get the time off, as I couldn't anticipate what week the letter would come. Long story short I eventually told them I couldn't make it to their interview(s), and gave up trying to apply there.
Interview #5 was a portfolio drop at CSM, so not strictly an "interview". I didn't feel this experience was highly personal, and was all in all quite intimidating. The Granary Building is HUGE, and super plush with security that doesn't let my mother in when I'm inside... waving at the security man... with my visitor badge... telling him she's my mother...
*sigh*
Anyhow, in the room with the (60?) other candidates for the Diagnostic option, where we all fought to place our heavy portfolios on tables my name was called and I had to collect a piece of paper with my name, details, and "marksheet" on it.
It seemed that I was to be marked out of 10 against a number of criteria, and my offer would depend on whether or not the person reviewing my work checked the box marked "Offer: Yes" as opposed to "Offer: No" right at the bottom.
eek.
I spent 10am-4:30pm wandering the likes of the Lazarides Gallery and the Shops on Oxford Street to distract myself from the harsh criticisms I felt my work would be receiving.
Interview #6 was the last, and most enjoyable interview I had. It was at Kingston, and was again a group interview. It was 10am-11:30am, 12 people in a room, portfolios open, and a 5 minute interrogation into each candidate's motives, work and personal life- and ultimately "Why Kingston?".
We were told they had 1500+ applications, 400 people in for interviews, and were going to select <200 of them for a place.
Uh Oh.
Step 6: Offers- and what I'm currently struggling with, accepting them.
Honestly, at the open day stage, I never thought I would have my portfolio ready, let alone get interviews anywhere, or in fact OFFERS.
But oh my, this is both the best and the worst situation I can be in...
I've received offers from Farnham, Kingston and CSM- all against what I thought would happen. I honestly thought I would struggle to get anywhere.
I've got until the 31st of March to decide where to go/which offers to accept/decline.
I've got mixed thoughts about all of the places:
Farnham has the best facilities/little town/location for access for me personally.
Kingston has an amazing reputation and course leader (she's the only leader I actually met), I know I'll be pushed and challenged with the intensive course structure they have.
CSM... well it's UAL, said to be the best location for Art and Design in the UK. I would meet great people and have a great start... but I don't know how well I'll cope if everything is as impersonal as the portfolio drop.
So please, if you have any questions or advice on what I've written, or anything above has helped you out let me know.
I'm happy to hear your comments.
-All for you.
