Grad School Info Roundup!

[labricoleuse]

We've already begun fielding phone calls and emails from prospective applicants to our graduate program for Fall 2012, and it reminds me that it's time for a roundup of informational posts on the matter!

If you are considering graduate school in your future, now is a good time to begin contacting the program directors at the various schools to which you might be considering applying. Get on the radar early, find out what you need to know while there's plenty of time to prepare--you'll have a much better shot at getting in than as a last-minute under-the-wire applicant, believe me!

I have, over the past five-plus years i've been writing this blog, made a number of posts on topics related specifically to the pursuit of graduate study in professional costume careers. Look over this link list and see whether any of them address questions you might have. And, if you have questions not addressed by any of the prior posts, please ask in the comments! I'll do my best to answer whatever you want to know!

• Preparing to Apply to an MFA Program
  
• MFA Programs: Design vs. Production
  
• List of Schools Offering a Costume Production MFA
  
• Assembling a Portfolio
  
• Graduate Statements of Purpose
  
• Advice on Letters of Recommendation
  
• Costume Design Portfolio Resources
  
• Getting into the MFA Program You Want
  
• What Our Interview Schedule is Like
  
• Application Timeline and Assistantship Information
  
• Should I Go to U/RTA?

Comments

[txreisende.livejournal.com]

Is a BA or BFA an absolute requirement for all MFA programs? Will a suitably impressive portfolio suffice in lieu of a bachelor's degree under any circumtances?

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

I don't know of any that will accept candidates without a bachelor's degree (we don't), but it doesn't mean there aren't some, like maybe the more nontraditional arts/crafts schools that and folk schools perhaps?

[txreisende.livejournal.com]

Sadly, those wouldn't suit my needs. I don't have the funds or time for finishing my bachelor's degree *and* graduate school.... What I need at this stage of my career are 1. specialized courses teaching the finer points of dyeing, surface design, and specialty crafting and 2. the networking and relationships that come with an accredited, established program. It's a nasty little catch-22, and makes me want to go back in time and beat my dumb 20-something self for not finishing my BS when it was realistically feasible.

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

Is it feasible to finish the bachelors at somewhere that would provide you with that? I'm thinking about schools that have a great reputation in the field that also have undergraduate programs with crossover options for the undergrads to take classes with the grad students (so you could shoot for doing all the construction coursework with the grads), like NC School of the Arts and Boston University?

Even at our school, where there is not a specific concentration for undergrads in costume production, those with the gumption and dedication to seek it out can get some great experience and coursework by working in our shop and taking some of the grad classes for UG credit. I always have at least one undergrad or continuing ed student in my crafts classes, and the graduate intro to draping and beginning pattern drafting courses often have as many undergrads as grads in them.

[shavercucu.livejournal.com]

Very happy I found your site. Will note it and return for more info.

[andrea berting (from livejournal.com)]

I have my BFA in Theatre Education, and have been teaching at the high school level for the past few years. I took several costume production courses in college, and find myself regretting now that I didn't change my major and career path.

What would you suggest for someone looking to change their path into costume production? I have a particularly strong interest in costume crafts, but I'm not sure how to move forward. I don't have much to put into a portfolio, and my current job doesn't offer me the time to find additional work at a local theater.

So, how do I make that transition? Is it worth building things on my own time and making a portfolio out of that, even if it wasn't for an actual production? I'm not sure how to move forward into an MFA program.

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

This is a very good question.

I think that personal projects are not out of place in a portfolio--i'm thinking of an applicant we had with a lovely array of knitwear designs she had created--but it would be a bit odd for there to be no practical examples of work for stage.

My first thought is, do you teach at a high school that gives you summers off, or is it a year-round school?

If you do have summers off, you could get a good chunk of stuff for a portfolio out of doing a summer gig somewhere like Utah Shakespeare Festival, Santa Fe Opera, American Players Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Glimmerglass Opera, any of the big ones with crafts teams and enough draping teams to need several stitchers and interns. These kinds of summer theatres are great for those of us in academic "day jobs," since the seasons are compressed into usually about 2 months of the summer, and result in large scale work with tons of cool clothes. For example, in one summer at Utah, you could get up to six shows worth of portfolio projects depending on what area of the craft department you worked in.

Or, if you don't have summers off, do you have sections of time off (3 weeks between trimesters for example) in which you might volunteer your time at a local theatre? You might not have the time to seek secondary employment, but i don't know any costume shop at ANY level from community theatre up to Broadway who would turn away volunteers in times of heavy production. If you live near some regional theatres, look at when you have some downtime and call up their costume shops, see if they can use some extra hands in those windows.

Heck, if a volunteer shows up on my door this afternoon and said "I can help you three hours a day from now until January 8th," I'd have enough jobs for them that by the 8th, they could put some hats and boots and armor in a portfolio. Granted, that's because we're doing two Shakespeares in repertory right now, and that's not always the case for sure, but if you get to know your local theatre folks and inform them of your interest, you can soon enough be on the "call list" when these kinds of slams happen.

If you are pretty sure that you want to focus in crafts, you could look into doing some production work in related commercial fields--picking up some piecework from a local milliner or leatherworker or jewelry artist. Those things make great inclusions in a portfolio. We had an applicant once who had worked in a shop making high-end jewelry for a summer, with some beautiful images of that.

And, if you are researching programs and putting together a list of MFA programs you'd potentially be interested in, it couldn't hurt to contact the heads of those programs and explain your situation, and ask their advice on what sorts of things they would like to see in a portfolio.

Good luck with your goal! I am glad to answer any questions of this sort, which my responses have spawned, so please feel free to keep asking if need be.

[andrea berting (from livejournal.com)]

Thank you SO much. This is amazing.

I do have summers off - your suggestions for that are excellent. I've spent the last two summers performing in local productions, but realized recently that, while I still enjoy performing, I seriously can't see myself ever trying to pursue it professionally. The costuming side of things is something I can visualize myself pursuing as a career. I just had this realization a month or two ago.

As far as personal projects in portfolios, would including something like a period dress be appropriate, even if it wasn't for a stage production? I'm in the process of making a cocktail dress for a friend from an early 50's pattern. I figure something like that would be more appropriate to include alongside stage pieces.

Thanks again for your help. Your blog has been a huge inspiration to me as I've considered and mulled over this career switch!

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

Yes, i think it's fine to include that. We often get portfolios with images of things like dresses made from vintage patterns, or things like wedding/prom dresses which demonstrate experience with fabrics like satin or velvet or whatever. The portfolio doesn't have to be ALL stage work, since other skills are relevant.

And, the stage work isn't always "I made this whole dress." Folks also do things like include before-and-after fabric swatches they dyed, or paperwork they generated for show tracking as a wardrobe head, etc.

Glad to know that the blog is a good resource and again, best of luck!