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Comments 23

gillo May 17 2013, 15:59:43 UTC
My daughter is in her final term at Rose Bruford College. They offer a very highly-regarded degree course in Costume. They also have a range of programmes which intersect with places abroad, including American Theatre Arts. They are used to non-traditional qualifications (that is, not just 18-year-olds with three A Levels.) It's a small college on the south-eastern edge of London, in a small town called Sidcup. R has been extremely happy there. Their Costume course is highly-regarded in the UK.

The University of the Arts is in Central London and is probably the single most highly-regarded place for such a thing in the UK. It's tough getting in there - you normally have to have done an Art Foundation Course first.

I spent a lot of time advising pupils about their higher ed choices in the last few years of my teaching career. I'd be happy to help in any way I can if she feels the UK is a serious option. PM me if you like.

As for the films, I have seen none of them as yet, except for BtVS, which latter tends to make me yearn for ( ... )

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rebcake May 17 2013, 16:39:11 UTC
Oh lovely! I was thinking you'd be a good source. I had heard of The University of the Arts program, but the Rose Bruford College is new to me. I'll definitely check it out.

Over here, the usual college admission things are: grade point average, SAT test scores, essay, and a portfolio (for art programs). Sometimes you also need recommendations - though that seems increasingly rare - or an interview with their admissions people or an alumna. It's definitely not as clear-cut as I get the impression it is on your side of the pond.

Where we live, the info-gathering about school choices begins with pre-school, when the children are 3-4 years old. I've done this for pre-school, kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade, as well as for 2 stepkids who came to stay for their final year in high school. It only follows that I'd still be doing it for college. Right?

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empresspatti May 17 2013, 16:09:16 UTC
http://www.payscale.com/

Payscale was the most important research tool I used for my kids. I'm a great believer in the practical - what's it going to cost - you and me AND what can I expect my post college life to be?

I know that everyone likes to view the campus and find the 'fit.' This hits me as utter wank. I think it's an investment and should be treated as such.

Overall two part question is: what can I expect to earn when I graduate and do I have to go into debt to graduate?

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rebcake May 17 2013, 16:52:21 UTC
I definitely agree, and thanks for the link!

Our situation is such that it would be cheaper (free) for McDiva to go to Harvard or Stanford than the local public university. Not that she has any interest in going to either of them, alas. We're pretty determined that she won't be going anywhere that involves amassing debt, though.

This "fit" thing is a bit weird. I'm of the opinion that most people can "fit" just about anywhere. McDiva's particular interest narrows the choices, but nothing is popping out as a "perfect fit", whatever the heck that means. To me it means cheap, offers her desired degree, within a days drive, and doesn't have a huge athletic or frat culture. Is that so much to ask?

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abelina May 17 2013, 16:47:35 UTC
I saw Gatsby in 3D and wish I hadn't. I felt nauseous for HOURS after with all that colour and energy jumping out of the screen at me.

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rebcake May 17 2013, 16:55:23 UTC
I can imagine! There are some films that I can only really handle on a TV screen because there's just so much overwhelming stuff in them.

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ceciliaj May 17 2013, 17:41:41 UTC
I'm excited for McDiva! If I can throw in my two cents as someone who has essentially been in college for the past 12 years (haha grad school), the truth is that the specific degree program she does matters less than the overall quality of the school. I say this because she will take so many classes that have nothing to do with her major. Basically, I agree with you and your friend who believes that a "real college background" is a good thing to have. Obviously, it should be a place where she is sure that she can participate in theater costuming and stuff, ideally beginning in her first year, but as long as there's some skills-based coursework, she should be able to immerse herself in making stuff. And if she doesn't like your spreadsheets, I will. I kind of love thinking about educational opportunities.

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rebcake May 17 2013, 19:56:01 UTC
While I agree with this, obviously, there is also the part where McDiva, like pretty much everybody on her father's side, does not suffer fools gladly. If she doesn't see the point of doing academic work, it will be torture for her. Science and math: torture. Except for geometry, which she sees the point of, due to pattern-making. While my side of the family goes the college route, with mother, father, stepmother, and sister all holding Masters degrees (stepmother had three), his side does not. They are pretty much brilliant, have achieved lots in their creative fields, and lecture at colleges all the time, but only one lone older sister has gone to college, although she also went on to get a Masters. I think she going to follow in that sister's footsteps, but that sister also wasn't an artist like the rest of them.

IDK, I think some people take more naturally to academics at that level, and while she's got the intellect, I don't know if she'll have the patience.

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eilowyn May 17 2013, 20:08:28 UTC
I don't know much about costuming programs, but I can tell you that not all fashion students will be superficial fashionistas - one of my really good friends got her AA at a community college, then went on to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in San Francisco. I briefly wanted to be a costumer at one point in my academic career (which can be completely blamed on Baz Luhrmann movies), and I think the FIDM in Los Angeles has a costuming department.

I agree with ceciliaj, though. As talented as McDiva is (and I've seen some of her work!), I would still recommend some sort of liberal arts background.

And don't worry. I'm a researcher too. A spreadsheet with all my possible grad schools was the first thing I transferred to my new computer, and I won't be applying until fall of 2014!

Tell McDiva good luck for me!

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ceciliaj May 17 2013, 21:22:46 UTC
I was gonna say that about fashion people too -- some awesome, brilliant people working in that field.

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rebcake May 17 2013, 22:36:42 UTC
Oh, absolutely! And it's not like there aren't any shallow people in Theatre, either. I'm leaning toward Theatre because there are way more programs in your standard issue colleges and universities, while fashion programs are mostly in art or specialty schools. A notable exception is Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, which I recently discovered is a 4-year SUNY school with liberal arts requirements and academic honors programs. Who knew? She could get a costuming BFA at Rutgers, Tulane, Carnegie Mellon, DePaul, Boston University, or SUNY Purchase. But she could also switch to History or Media Studies or something.

MFAs in her field are widely available in California, so I'm mystified why BFAs are not on the table.

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rebcake May 17 2013, 22:24:17 UTC
Hee! That sounded mean, didn't it? I really think that fashion is capital "A" Art. I know there are a lot of interesting, serious people working in the field, as well as some mean, judgmental people. I just wonder if McDiva realizes that it means going to girls school in a de facto kind of way. It might be fine with her, although she says she's not interested in women's colleges, like I was at her age.

Thanks for the good wishes! I'm glad I'm not alone in my spreadsheet love!

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