Design Universities : Your portfolio and grades may be impressive enough for admission into top design universities in the world, but chances are it’s unlikely enough for entry. Competition for places at these top institutions remains fiercer than ever.
Even if you know exactly where you want to study further and develop your design skills, sometimes needing insider tips is helpful when applying to top design universities. Read on for our expert guidance on how to nail your admissions interview, what needs to be shown in your portfolio, and impressing them with an application essay. Remember that top design universities are highly selective so it is crucial that you approach this application process confidently.
1) Research The Schools You’re Interested In
Top design universities worldwide enjoy stellar reputations for good reason. These universities understand their students’ needs and have facilities, tutors and equipment available to support their success. When applying to design universities it is important to select one which fulfills all your criteria: academically, geographically or financially.
Researchers should take the time to investigate the application process and choose an appropriate program, for instance a Bachelors of Art in Design program versus one where research, business and entrepreneurship play more of a part. Knowing why and what you are applying for will keep your focused throughout this process.
2) Show Off Your Skills
Since design is a creative process, you should demonstrate it by showing off your process through sketches, work in progress, mood boards and finished designs. For programs focused on design-related fields such as architecture or graphic design, an admissions panel may ask to review your portfolio in order to assess your design thinking as well as learn more about your personality and discover more about yourself.
Select pieces that showcase your best work and demonstrate your talents as a designer. If applying to programs offering entrepreneurial, branding, marketing or events courses, be sure to showcase your creative problem-solving abilities by way of ideation exercises, presentations or mock-ups of solutions or brandings.
3) Write A Compelling Application Essay
As the application essay allows you to demonstrate to admissions panel why you’re applying to this university and program, why you hope to achieve and what are your short and long-term goals.
Why did you decide to study design? How will this degree help you reach your goals? You should tailor this essay specifically for each university where you apply and show off your personality and skills. One effective strategy would be writing about an experience which has helped form you as a designer – maybe an event or activity from childhood has contributed towards shaping who you are as a designer today.
4) Confirm Your English Proficiency
If you are applying from a country other than English as your native tongue, proof of your English proficiency may be required as part of your application. Some universities require TOEFL/IELTS tests while others may accept high school language grades or letters from teachers as proof.
Students from France should submit their Baccalaureat score as evidence of English proficiency, whereas if you studied in another language than English it might be worth taking an English proficiency test to assess grammar, spelling and sentence structure and demonstrate your language ability.
Also refer : The 10 Best Universities in the US
5) Prepare For Your Interview
Many top design universities around the world require in-person interviews as part of their application process. This gives you an excellent opportunity to present yourself and showcase your personality and abilities directly in front of an interviewer. Make sure that you do your research both on the university as well as who will be interviewing you before attending this interview session.
Interviews provide you with an opportunity to leave an impressionful first impression with someone in person and show why you are the ideal candidate for the program of your choice. Make sure you arrive fully prepared, knowing exactly what will be covered during an interview such as which university’s program, city of study and even personal design interests could come into play during your conversation with interviewers.
Conclusion
Design can be one of the most rewarding and ever-evolving careers you’ll ever take on, yet achieving admission into one of the premier design universities requires hard work, preparation, and diligence in research and preparation. To succeed in getting into one, a lot of effort needs to be put into preparation, research, application submissions, interviews and so forth.
Make sure that you are targeting the appropriate programs and universities and that your application materials reflect your skills, creativity, and personality. With proper preparation and application strategies in place, getting into one of these top design universities is within your grasp.