University of Cincinnati is Ranked One of the Top Fashion Programs in the World

         University of Cincinnati is Ranked One of the Top Fashion Programs in the 

World!

Number 21 to be exact!  Who knew?  Not me anyway.  Maybe a fashion design student isn't ready for the big apple and the big boys at FIT and this might be a more comfortable place to start.  Maybe a fashion student isn't looking for the "House of Mimi" - hmm, not quite the same as House of Channel!   I am sure there are plenty of students who are interested in fashion but with out all the drama that comes with Pratt and Parsons.  For example -No Portfolio Required!  The school does want students who love the challenge of working in a fast paced, trend driven market place that has been formed through creativity.

University of Cincinnati says fashion design students need to communicate their 3-D ideas through their knowledge of color, fabric and silhouetteand to understand the quality garment paying attention to movement, function, wear, and draping.

The school for designers believes in a integrated curriculum rather than a collection of courses and to have students concentrating on design rather than the product.

 

To earn a degree from UC you're required to participate for 1 1/2 years in a "CO-OP".  This means for that time period starting in the spring of your sophomore year you would work with someone in the industry.  I couldn't find any name dropping about this, but none the less, it's GREAT thing to graduate with infield work experience! 

The bad news is - it's a 5 year program, the good news is that you don't have to pay tuition during that time and you get paid for your work!US News and World Report ranks the school at 129 - and don't forget it's 21 with Fashionista! (that's above Pratt!)

ADMISSIONS

No portfolio required!  You do need a grade point average of 3.398 - 3.875 and an SAT score of 1080-1200.  On line application, transcripts, one letter of recommendation.

Rolling admissions until March 1 

BUT the school highly recommends for students applying to certain areas of study - like fashion design - to apply by the early action non binding date of December 1 to be considered.  

 I hear you! 

 

I got to thinking - has the university any famous fashion designer alumni?
 Just one!  Stan Herman. 

He is the creator of the "Fashion Uniform"!Fed Ex, McDonald's, Amtrack, Avis, TWA uniforms to name a few of his clientsMr. Herman went on to become the President of the Council of Fashion Designers of AmericaSo that's the schools biggest claim to fame, but since it's getting more recognition for it's fashion design program, who knows what's next!

Pam

National Portfolio Day is Here

NATIONAL PORTFOLIO DAY WITH MIMI!

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We've been looking forward to this for a long time!  National Portfolio Day is held all across the county from California to Maine and all in between.  Please see post from September 12, 2014 for more details.  

For us, it's held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art sponsored by the Corcoran School of Art.  The following day (today, actually) it will be held and sponsored by   Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore Maryland - a fabulous art school, but no fashion programs.  

The line started before the doors opened at 10:00 am and it was cold but otherwise a beautiful day.

Being in downtown Washington DC on a quiet Saturday is always a treat.  Politics, an abondance of lawyers and White House crashers aside, we are lucky to live here.

Portfolios carried were large and small - one student even brought a sculpture he made!  The whole atmosphere was wonderful!

Everyone has the same purpose, fears and pride.  It was the biggest room of like minded people I have ever seen!  Each student has something to prove and is getting a chance to do so.  The place was warm and inviting but electrifying!  

It turns out the museum is undergoing some renovations so there wasn't any exhibits to juggle with the schools set ups - there were even three schools utilizing the gift shop!  We walked around to get a feel of the place and to figure out where we needed to visit, not MICA for example.

Our first stop was to talk to Peggy representing the Paris College of Art.  She and Mimi have formed a very nice relationship and she remembers Mimi from when the school visited her high school, nice!  Her reviews on Mimi's work were helpful.  Too bad she's not on the admissions team!  Mimi will still need to have an interview via "Skype".  Peggy did confirm housing in the city with me - options from high end real estate to cheaper options 45 mins travel away from the school.  Please visit my post on PCA June 10 2014.

Mimi had alerted both Fashion Institute of Design from Los Angeles, CA and School of the Art Institute of Chicago she would be here today - these portfolio reviews count toward an interview - with the option for a "Skype" interview later. See posts from June 21, 2014 and June 27, 2014 for more information on those schools

You artists amaze me!

To carry your hard work, your heart and soul on a page or canvas and to open it up for someone to judge and critique is truly special.

 Mimi got to spend a good amount of time with each of the schools she needed to visit.  I stayed back, this is her time.  No exhibits to busy myself but the students art work I peeked at was brilliant!

The Corcoran has some art left up - and I liked these lamps!

So happy to get this milestone done!

We left the Corcoran and went to lunch so we could relax, refuel and she could fill me in on how the critique's went.

I am happy to report - she is happy!  She has one fashion line based on a piece of classic literature and one school recommended she put text in her sketches.  I said "like a statement piece!"  Ha Ha!

Many years ago, she made doll clothes out of newspapers while watching "Project Runway" - too bad she didn't  keep those!

My posts are going to be sparse again for a while.  Mimi is busy with her applications and entry's - I can't post that!

 plus I am really not a helicopter parent.

and taking a picture of me writing checks to the transcript office at her school is a bit boring!

So we leave the Corcoran

having conquered National Portfolio Day with her head held high and a long road of work ahead of her!

I salute artists everywhere!  So brave and so much talent!

Pam

Fashion College Due Date Chart

Fashion College Due Date Chart

Every fashion school Mimi is applying to has different due dates and procedures!!

The reason for this blog is because applying to a fashion school is so different than a USA state university - all on the common app and most not needing a portfolio.

 Having said that, all the art and fashion schools in London use a British common app - UCAS.  The schools Mimi is interested there all have the same application due date of January 15th but Kingston University has urged students to start ASAP as it fills up quickly.  The essay, letters of recommendation requirements, and portfolio's are different from each other.  But each school will have a admission's counselor assigned to Mimi - that's good.

a snapshot from her trip over this summer - see older posts for more information on the schools we visited

My last shot at trying to be helpful - senior year is busy, she's got a job after school, and directing a school play!  I wasn't a propeller mom for my other children - but this fashion school programs are in need of organizing!  I made Mimi a chart.

It's taped on her closet door - which is coated in chalk board paint in case you were wondering about the black with white scribbles behind the chart!  

I made columns for the application deadlines, non binding early decision, rolling admissions, who wants an interview at National Portfolio Day (School of Art Institute Chicago does) and do they want the SAT scores - FIT does not! Yet, their portfolio requirements are the most vigorous.

  I printed out the portfolio requirements when they were detailed oriented and Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising provided a male and female croquis 

for her to use.

I separated the London and Paris schools from the stateside ones - they wouldn't fit all on one sheet of  paper and I wanted the Kingston ASAP to stand out!!

Well, that's all I can do but be supportive.  On the Europe one I wrote "Je Peux" which translates to "I Can!"  I think I'll go back and write that in English on the American chart!

Pam

Look What Drexel Univeristy is Offering

Drexel University, Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Look what we got in the mail yesterday - a postcard from Drexel advertising their workshops for high school juniors and seniors!
 *for more information on Drexel's Fashion Program and admissions - please visit this blog's postings dated September 1, 2014 and June 25, 2014

Offered in the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design are FREE one day workshops in the majors of Dance, Graphic Design, Design and Merchandising, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Interior Design.

 These work shops are for perspective students who want to a degree in the arts but are unsure of exactly what they would like to study.
Drexel!  This is brilliant! As a mother of four children, I can tell you that many kids start school "knowing" what they want to study, only to find out that it isn't a good fit.  Drexel's program of workshops let a student try on a major before even enrolling.

  How smart is that?!

The Dance and Graphic Design workshop is October 17th


The Design & Merchandising, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design workshops are  November 14th.  Both dates are Fridays - but that's good too, interested students could get a feel of the campus in full swing.
 I have known perspective students get a "yes or no" feeling when seeing the campus in person.  I wonder how many university's do this?  It's good for the students and their families get a feeling for the school before enrolling


and it's also good for the school - I am sure they want students in the right place to begin with.
 I'd like to look into it!  Mimi knows what she wants to do I like the idea of having a college day experience for her.  And it's free!  Nice Drexel!




Pam