Cap College says they receive about 120 portfolio submissions to their Illustration / Design: Elements & Applications (IDEA) Program every year. They then narrow this batch down to, I believe, 50 or so, and invite them in for interviews and testing. I made it to this second round last week, with the intention of being one of the final 30 selected for enrolment in September 2005.
For this second round they split us up into eight “teams” or groups of applicants. I was on team Yellow. We rotated around a number of classrooms and adjudicators at the college. Of the five or so applicants I talked to, all were just out of high school (one girl was still finishing Grade 12); everyone else wandering the halls also looked to be in their late teens. All I knew going in was that there would be an interview, an English exercise and a “visual and creative thinking assignment.”
Writing Test
Actually more of an English proficiency exam. Dictionaries and thesauruses were provided. We had 50 minutes to correct 10 sentences for grammar and spelling and write a 500-word essay discussing an image (a collage of famous art works) left on every desk. I wrote about post-modern reference and the significance in discussing contemporary definitions of art. Thank you Art History degree.
However, if you formed basic sentences you would have passed. We were told beforehand the writing test had no influence on our application: to fail just meant attending some ESL classes before starting the program.
Interview
For my interview I sat opposite a small table and two male instructors from the program. They informed me they would query me from a pre-selected list of nine questions. After some friendly chitchat they flipped through what was likely my profile in front of them. They confirmed my Art History degree (coincidently both had attended UVic). I’m still unsure whether the two had also seen my portfolio for it was never brought into question.
Overall the interview went very well (I think). One of them was also an interactive (i.e. web) instructor, so I got to name drop a few design bloggers and briefly swap some lingo.
Question topics included:
- Are you sure you can afford the program?
- Attendance and puncuality: can you make it to every class?
- Discuss someone who has had a creative influence on you.
- What sort of relevant experience or activities have you had?
- Do you have the dedication to stick it out for three years?
- Have you applied anywhere else?
There seemed to be as much emphasis on determining my future commitment level as on my qualifications (which, I suppose, are related). I make a point of giving direct and honest answers, but for some questions is anyone going to answer “Hmmm, I tend to sleep through morning lessons” or “I’ll need you to lower the tuition a bit for me”? (It must be a serious topic: the only handout I was given was a breakdown of the program’s expenses).
They were positive about my past education and maturity level. When it came to the last two questions I was clear and honest on both counts: As it stands right now I can’t make it any further as a freelancer–I’m pretty sure I want to be an educated designer–and yes, I’ve applied to Emily Carr.
On that last note they agreed it was smart not putting all my application eggs in only their basket. Another fellow Team Yellow student, who was applying to EC as well, agreed that it showed we were serious and confident about our work and we’re not applying to IDEA on a whim or as a last resort.
Drawing Test
Each applicant was given an easel, black and white charcoal, some paper and another 50 minutes to draw a still life of some fruit and bottles. I was most worried about this portion of the exam as life-drawing is one of my weaker points. As the adjudicator wandered the room (and took our names and a Polaroid picture of each of us “for their records”) I managed to compose a half-way decent interpretation.
Decent for me, anyways. In fact, under that pressure I at first had trouble deciding what approach to take, but as the minutes accumulated I began to feel looser with my interpretations. I don’t know the first thing about charcoal drawing but I got in there with all 10 fingers and smeared and rubbed and scratched around. With 20 minutes to go I heeded the only advice the adjudicator had given: if you think any more work will just screw your drawing up, feel free to finish it up early. So I did. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to take my drawing home with me, but instead just signed my name, washed my hands and left.
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