Brown/RISD- RISD questions

decemberist29 · 11-07-2009, 02:05 PM

Hi! So I am a junior in high school and have started thinking about the Brown/RISD program. I want to do theater at Brown and fashion design at RISD.
For Brown, I am well aware that it is a reach for me, but do-able if I do ED.
But I am more concerned about RISD. I am an OK artist, and with some help I am pretty good. But I can make really nice clothing, how would I present this in my portfolio?
For the art work, I will probably take a class or work with a person to get a portfolio together. Also if I include like my clothing/designs, artwork and some photography, does RISD like the variety or want people to be focused in one area?
Also does anyone do the Brown/RISD program for these majors or know someone who does? If not, what majors do the people who get in usually pursue?
Lastly, how is the RISD summer program for fashion? Will the foundation classes help me enough to do good drawings for my application?

Also- does anyone have an ideas for good backups? Any college in the northeast that has a good theater program that has costume classes. I've been thinking about Wesleyan. Any comments on Wesleyan costumes?

I know I have a lot of questions; if someone could answer a few that would be awesome!

bears and dogs · 11-08-2009, 06:42 AM

It’s the BIKE.
If they stick with the bike assignment still after this recent effort of trying to be “cool school”, I’d like to make perfect soft sculpture of bike out of fabric with telling details that it’s made out of fabric- stray thread? Frayed edge? Polka dots? and draw it immaculately. That would make you stand out a bit.
Make your self-portrait “really” attractive and state that is indeed yourself.
Get SAT 2000 plus, GPA 3.7 plus, bet that’s cleared if you are Brown-ing.
Most importantly, make sure your folks are loaded, and then in my humble opinion you are shoo in.

Pre College is good if you are that kind of kid. A classmate of my child was not "the" kind regardless of full scholarship he received. There were immature HS dorm party every night and could not work after hours. Travel and shipping were costly. Instruction (drawing) were spotty and lax, mom says should have gone to local studio done more work with less money spent.

bears and dogs · 11-08-2009, 06:48 AM

I missed the last bit.
Wes > (Brown+RISD) x 1000
but it's just me. Ask it in Wes forum. People say Vassar is good, Skidmore is OK one step down, if you dress badly and smoke, Bard is the place. If your folks are really really loaded, NYU.

decemberist29 · 11-08-2009, 04:04 PM

Thanks for the reply!
I have not seen brown yet, but I saw Wesleyan at the end of classes and it is so nice! I really loved the campus. I think I used the wrong word, because it isnt really a back-up, more of an alternative.

drae27 · 11-08-2009, 07:26 PM

You may think it's a step down form Brown/Risd but SUNY Purchase has a very strong theatre program with costume courses in the curriculum. They also have a very strong school of visual arts.

bears and dogs · 11-09-2009, 06:33 AM

but you can't do both. You are accepeted into your major. you could, in club or something but it seems theater kids don't want to do much with art kids as I sat and ate their awful meals while spying on them.

drae27 · 11-09-2009, 03:09 PM

bearsanddogs,

You are a riot...I'd love to go spying, I mean visit colleges with you.

bears and dogs · 11-09-2009, 10:06 PM

it's a deal if you buy me $8-10 sometimes 12,14 bucks yet no second helping and still awful meals.

Austinhills · 11-09-2009, 11:17 PM

My D really got a lot out of the RISD pre-college experience after her junior year. It made her decide she really wanted to major in art and design, for one thing, which was huge. She also gained confidence that she could "keep up" with other art kids (she was worried about this, because frankly, I don't think our high school art program was all that great - at least for the non-star-students - and she had taken art classes for only 2 years in h.s.). Third, she came home with many pieces, several of which she ultimately used in her portfolio submissions for the various colleges she applied to. And fourth, she did ask one of her instructors for a rec letter to RISD, Wash U and Carnegie Mellon and he obliged (and sent her a copy). It was a nice letter and the part that stood out was something to the effect of "she'll be able to handle the tough workload at RISD".

But yeah, pre-college was pretty expensive. For her/us, it was worth it.

Just an aside, she said that the fashion design kids in pre-college seemed to have the hardest workload.

NapoleonInRags · 11-10-2009, 07:01 PM

Wes > (Brown+RISD) x 1000
awfully bold statement, bears and dogs. and no one is a shoe in at RISD

"I am well aware that it is a reach for me, but do-able if I do ED."
Sorry kiddo but no. ED gives an edge but not a reach made do-able edge, at all.

"For the art work, I will probably take a class or work with a person to get a portfolio together. Also if I include like my clothing/designs, artwork and some photography, does RISD like the variety or want people to be focused in one area?"
Call a RISD admissions officer and ask what they are looking for and what they recommend

"Also does anyone do the Brown/RISD program for these majors or know someone who does? If not, what majors do the people who get in usually pursue?"
They don't make admissions decisions at Brown based on major. Keep in mind this is probably the most selective program in the country.

Weslyan is also a very good school and from what I've heard a lot like Brown.

bears and dogs · 11-10-2009, 07:41 PM

Hi dictator in rags
That's why I said "in my humble opinion" and " it is just me"
Besides, it's quite a feat to fill my entire humble requirements.
Like, do you have 200-250K to throw away? As good looking and skinny as avarage RISD kids?
Can do original yet immaculate drawing while busy getting 2000 and 3.7 plus?
In other hand, have you ever seen their infamous first year bike drawings show? You'd scratch your head how some (many) of them gotten in.

Sorry, can't help if someone loves certain school beyond any reasons, it just happens and can't change. At least I can spell it right but Wes is more fitting, rhymes with yes.

We don't yet know how capable this OP is/will be, let her/him be.

bears and dogs · 11-10-2009, 07:47 PM

shoot, it's 5years for dual. 300K !!!!

ktwofish · Yesterday, 06:53 AM

If you get into Brown, you can just take courses at RISD.

Maggled · Yesterday, 09:43 PM

"If you get into Brown, you can just take courses at RISD. "

But it's very hard to do. Brown and RISD are on two different scheduling systems (i.e., quarter, semester, trimester, but I can't remember which is which) which makes working around them hard. Also, RISD classes are often full, and from everything I've heard, it's hard to get into them if you're not a RISD student. They get priority. Brown students are also limited to 4 (I think) classes at RISD over the course of their schooling.
While it's a bit more lenient if you're starting on the RISD side, it's still hard because of work load.

ktwofish · Today, 06:10 AM

Yes, it is hard to do...but not impossible. In the fall Brown classes start a week before RISD...more or less, and RISD will accomodate students with housing. Spring is a different situation because RISD has a wintersession (mini-semester), and Brown does not. Still it is "do-able." Brown has the same policy for registering--Brown students get priority. Many students take classes at both institutions. Where there's a will, there's a way :-)