Creating a Portfolio for the Arts

We had a small group session, during lunch, yesterday so our Grade 11 students could begin thinking about their portfolios for Art courses. We want students to realise that putting a portfolio together is not a last minute task. Students must develop their portfolios as they develop their techniques.  Here are some of the things we touched on:

General Advice:

Students should

... realise that the portfolio speaks for them. They will not be around to explain their ideas or their styles; the portfolio visually represents the student.

...have at least 15 pieces in their art portfolio. These should show a variety of techniques and development of skills.

... have a range of media and to show a range of skills and understanding of various media: Digital work, photography, drawings, paintings, and films to name a few.

... consider presentation and organisation of the art work: label work correctly, mount it if required, take high photographs for slide purposes.

...always be aware of the various requirements for the different courses they are applying to. They should read the advice on offer on the university websites.

...be cognizant of the deadline for submission of applications and portfolios.

...look for courses through UCAS, for the UK, and then follow the links to the university websites.

...look browse Family Connection and Big Future to find courses in the US and then proceed to university websites.

...read this article on Tips.

...come see their university advisor for more information.

Good luck! 

Campus Visits

We wrote previously that Grade 11 students should attend university presentations. In addition to that,  we would like to recommend that students in Grades 9, 10, and 11, (if they are able), should take campus tours.

Visiting a campus, stepping on the lawns, seeing a stream of students walk to and from classes, really goes a long way in finding a "right fit" university.  Each campus has a different vibe to it and by visiting a campus students will gain a better understanding of it and assess if that school is a good match.

When going on campus tours be sure to include various types of schools: big, small, urban, rural, and suburban to name a few categories.

Be prepared for the campus visit. Here is a checklist of things for you to do. Remember to ask the right questions. Here are some suggestions for questions to ask and what not to ask!

Students in Grades 9, 10 and 11 should make the most of their summer holidays. They could attend summer programs, get some work experience, and visit various campuses.

We hope that early planning and campus visits will help students learn more about themselves and in turn, help them make informed decisions.

Great Information, Advice, and Tools at the Careers Fair

We have our first Guest Blogger! 

One of our Grade 11 students, Istvan Cselotei, reflects on the Careers Fair (held on March 2, 2013; organised by our Parents Association). Istvan writes about the information he gathered, the advice he gained, and the tools he now has to help him on his journey. Read on to hear from him:


I arrived at the Careers Fair without much knowledge of what to expect. I was not the only one to do so. We (the High School Community of UWCSEA) all came, in order to find out new information about possible careers. I, for one, have no idea what I want to pursue as a job, though I do have some areas of interest. During the fair I was able to find out more aspects of these, and many other occupations in a friendly ambience fostered by the neighboring barbecue to support our school's Global Concerns.

I found the Fair extremely useful, because it granted me the opportunity to test my communication skills, and to practice 'selling myself'. Through this process, I was lucky enough to encounter two highly memorable people. One of them serves as a 747 pilot at Cathay Pacific, while the other (an economist by qualification) is currently on the board of our school. With both of them I was able to converse about not only their occupations (which they elected following their passion - a decision which they have never regretted), but also their opinions on many issues regarding our global and local community. I enjoyed being able to receive knowledge that interested me; as I was able to discuss personal matters with them, and I had the freedom to ask questions.  

 

Others had a similar view on the event. Those I consulted during the writing of this post shared the unanimous view that the event was beneficial for both those who had a particular career in mind, and for those who have yet to decide. In order to provide a greater understanding of the Fair I would like to share a few of the reflections:

Saksham emphasized how he was exposed to previously unknown occupations, such as human resources - a field he is now considering to engage in.  Sophie also gained ideas for her future, when consulting with a gene-specialist, who explained how information from research could be converted into helping others.

One of the great features of the day was that numerous experts attended, hence it was impossible to not find someone of your field of interest, for instance Jennifer was extremely happy that she could seek advice from individuals who conduct a life based on service. Sanjana stressed her appreciation of the helpful personalities of the participants, a fact that helped her learn about everyday facts regarding the professions, such as how it enriches day-to-day life.

All in all the Careers Fair was a resounding success and helped us think more about our decision-making process. We’d like to thank the Parents Association for organizing the event and also all the volunteers for spending their Saturday afternoon speaking with several students and answering questions with a smile. Thank you!

Istvan Cselotei
Grade 11