Beth Said:

What should I include in my art portfolio for graduate school?

We Answered:

Ugh, I'm dealing with the same issue right now. I did my undergrad work in illustration but painting is my true calling, and now I'm trying to figure out whether to use work that shows off my classical rendering skills or to just take the risk and send them 20 conceptual abstract works that may or may not impress. That's the thing--everybody loves an academic drawing that is technically solid, but if your work is edgy, controversial or very stylized, then not everyone is going to see its worth. Would Mondrian have gotten into grad school today with the kind of work he was making, or would faculty think he was a total hack? And I'm sure that schools discriminate based on how trendy or cutting-edge they think your work is, whether they'll admit to it or not.

Anyway, one thing I can tell you is that they'll want to see stylistic consistency in your portfolio. Your body of work needs to look like it was all created by the same artist, and I bet it would help all twenty pieces had some kind of common theme or similar subject matter. I'm sure portfolio committees would be confused if you handed in, say, ten political works and ten cutesy landscapes. *sigh* I guess you just have to pour your soul into your work and hope that someone out there thinks it's meaningful.

Just remember that grad programs are highly competitive and that you'll want to apply to probably half a dozen schools or more. SAIC is what, the second or third highest-ranking grad painting program in the nation? (I'm applying there too, lol!)

Anyway, didn't mean to ramble. Hopefully someone else can be a bit more helpful.

Gwendolyn Said:

Advise with regards to graduate programs in teaching.?

We Answered:

Don't take your Praxis exam now... Take your GREs, the Praxis can be taken your 2nd year of grad school, right before Student Teaching. You need a M.Ed program that has a student teaching option... those are designed for the non-BSEd grad.

Richard Said:

What should I include in my art portfolio for graduate programs?

We Answered:

I would suggest a wide range of art. Do you paint, sculpt, sketch or what? Show that you are diverse. Do you cover a wide range of subjects or just stick to still lifes and that sort of thing? Show the grad school professors that you are willing to take risks or that you are a traditionalist, whatever your style. I think the most important aspect is to show who you are in your art. Give them examples that speak to you as the artist. Maybe you can include a brief explanation about what inspired each piece or what was going on in your life at the time, something that makes your portfolio personal and lets it speak for you. Good luck!

Rose Said:

Art Studio majors, i need help?!?!?

We Answered:

That can be a tough one to answer. Traditionally, a BA or BFA in studio art gives lets you explore a range of art forms, while at the same time letting you concentrate on a single study. Depending on whether RISD allowed an emphasis on apparel design or illustration for that program, that would determine if you can get into the program. I would think illustration might fall into the art studio major, but you'll have to contact them to find out for sure. Good luck.

Wendy Said:

Are there any graduate level programs available by pen-and-paper correspondence?

We Answered:

Yes. The University of London, which is made up of a lot of really well reputed schools, offers several master's degrees, and they're done almost entirely via correspondence, not online. I do believe there is some online component, but it's not the brunt of the work, I think it's just being able to ask the professors questions, and to pass in assignments, and I'd bet that he'd be able to make other arrangements for that. Check the website for the University of London External Programme for what, specifically, they offer re: master's degrees. They have a lot. Then email them re: the format, and what he can do to get around any online component to his course, if there is an online component. I really think he might be able to do something with them. After all, they have students all over the globe, many in places where internet access is quite rare, so it's worth the inquiry.

I also think the Open University, in the UK, offers many degrees that are done via correspondence, rather than online. They are reputable, although not as prestigious as U of London.

I don't know of any reputable US schools that offer distance learning degrees that aren't heavily online. Doesn't mean there aren't any, but none that I'm familiar with.