패서디나 아트센터 입학 사정관 인터뷰

Interview of Assistant Director of Admissions in “Art Center College of Design”

Mr. DAVID SALOW

미 서부 지역 최고의 미술 명문대학 중의 하나인 Art Center College of Design은 미술산업분야의 전문가를 배출해내는 대학교로 유명하다. 이 학교는 1930년에 설립되어 현재 패서디나 시에 위치하고 있으며, 1986년에는 스위스에 분교가 설치되어 세계적으로 성장해 가고 있다.

본지는 현재 어드미션 부서의 부 디렉터 (Assistant Director of Admissions)로 일하고 있는 David Salow 씨와의 인터뷰를 통해 학교 입학사정에 관한 궁금증을 풀어 보았다.

학교와 전공에 관해

▲가주교육신문 독자들을 위해서 아트 센터에 대해 간단한 소개를 부탁 드립니다.

Art Center College of Design is one of the top art design schools in the world. It is a studio based school and has been around for 80 years.

Most of the art schools normally take a wide range of students. Then the students take introductory classes known as foundation classes, get acquainted with things, select their majors at some point during their freshman or sophomore year, and begin their specializations.

However, Art Center doesn't offer foundation classes. At Art Center, instead of spending their freshman year taking foundation classes, students start specializing from the moment they step their foot on campus. This is a fundamental difference between Art Center and other schools.

For this reason, all applicants must decide their majors by the time they submit applications and portfolios. They take specialized classes as soon as they get accepted to Art Center. Most Art Center students already know what careers they will pursue and who they will be when they leave the school.

Another thing that is unique about Art Center is the faculty. A majority of faculty teach part time at school, and they work full time in their industries. Students literally learn from people who are transportation designers, videogame designers, professional photographers, etc.

We have a relatively small class size, approximately 9 students per class. The classroom experience is one where there is a lot of emphasis placed on working directly with  a professional in that industry.

▲전공이 매우 세분화되어 있습니다.학부과정 주 Interactional Design과 Transportation Design이 있는데,좀 생소합니다.어떤 전공입니까?

Interaction Design is the newest major in our school. In California, there are two schools which offer degrees in Interaction Design. Art Center is one of them. Interaction Design focuses specifically on human's interaction with technology and interface with it. Think about how frequently people today stare their I-phones, view screens to handle their chores, or drive their cars. This kind of interface between technology and a user is what Inter action design focuses on. This major is a mixture of technology, graphic design, product design, operating systems and hardware implements like Google Glass or GPS. It is a really entrepreneur major to work for Tech Company as a designer.

There are always growing fields out there. A lot of times younger students are not fully aware of the existence of a number of jobs in the creative fields. Please step back and look around you. There are book covers, desks, lights, etc… Everything is design. Design is common today. A big part of what we do in the admissions office is at least to make students aware of facts on these careers that exist. Those careers do not just exist, but are well-paying career paths. Design is a very crucial element of a product. People line up for 6 days to get an i-phone because of the design. It is very important today.

Transportation Design is the most prestigious design in the world. BMW has Art Center graduates who have run the design division for 3 decades. All domestic companies! It is about cars, trains, airplanes, yachts, ships, individual mobility devices, and transportation systems. The challenge of Transportation Design is the student's portfolio. It means to include at least 3 transportation related projects. Car design is a big part of Transportation Design. But, the major is not just about car design, but any form of mobility design.

▲순수미술(Fine Arts)의 종류에 대해서 말씀해 주십시오.또 순수 미술을 전공하게 되면,순수 미술이 포함하는 든 것을 공부하는지 아니면 하나를 선택해서 중점적으로 공부하는지요

I came from a Fine Art background The fine art major encompasses all forms of expression: drawing, painting, sculpture, mass media, video fine arts, installation fine arts, etc. There are so many different means of expression to Fine Arts. If you study Fine Arts, the big part of what you are studying is to develop a unique body of the work. Fine Art major is a mixture of studio practices of learning a particular learning set. The faculty that teaches at Fine Arts is successful artists who live in LA or from other places and who have gallery careers. These are the people who critique your work and constantly ask about your work. Art history goes on to Fine Arts. You can't just repeat the same things that happened in the past.

There are fine art photographers or fine art filmmakers. If you are interested in fine art photography, you will be looking at fine art major. The difference is that you don't work in business. If you want to work at industry or if you want to be a car photographer or a food photographer, you need to major specifically in Photograph, not Fine Arts. If you want to work at film industry, TV commercials, or music videos, you will be looking at the film major. Even though some fine artists use film, the film major gears toward the film industry.

The other thing about Fine Arts is that there are careers that you teach in community college, high school, etc as well as careers that you work in studios. Teaching fine arts, I believe, is the most rewarding career. Fine artists who I know still enjoy working with students and having dialogues with them. You can also work in gallery, museum, and the auction world. It is a great major.

▲아트센터가 요구하는 대로 1학년부터 전공수업을 중점적으로 하게 되면, 1~2년 후에 복수전공이나 부전공 또는 전과가 가능한지요?

None of them is possible. You can't choose a minor. It is very hard to transfer to a different major. Choosing double majors is not a possibility because the work load for one major is already too much. But yo ucan take classes outside of your major. There are studio electives. If you are in Entertainment Design but interested in designing a vehicle, you can take classes in Transportation Design.

When you are truly undecided, Art Center is not going to be a school for you. You have to pick out a major before you even come to this campus. In very limited cases, students switch their major. It usually involves a big process.

▲아트센터는 기업체들과의 네트워크 형성은 잘 되어 있습니까?

If you visit Art Center, you will see advertisements that certain companies are recruiting this week. Industries like to have graduates from Art Center because they don't need to train our graduates. Our graduates how up with the skills they can flourish in their careers. We have Graduation Night, which is known as Industry Night, where companies come to campus to recruit. Basically students set up the seniors' projects that night.

I have talked to so many graduates from Art Center who are now car designers at Honda and BMW. They said they didn't need to be trained because they'd already worked with these professionals int heir school. The students who have gone through Art Center are the hardest working students. They get so much in such a short period of time.

▲아트센터도 일반 대학교처럼 학생들이 학부 과정이 끝난 후 바로 직업 전선으로 뛰어들지 않고 대학원으로 진학하는 경우가 많이 있나요?

The degrees that are offered at Art Center have students work upon graduation. The graduate school doesn't always come into play. In order to become a designer in industry, your four years of the major program is enough. Still, there are graduate programs at Art Center in Industrial Design, Film, Fine Arts, Environmental Design, and Transportation Design. The graduate school typically focuses on a higher level of design. If you would like to work as beyond a designer, the graduate program will make you work on strategies or systems. For example, if you look at a graduate program of Transportation Designer, you are basically looking at a career path that you work on managing or setting whole systems; such as the whole ecosystem or the whole transportation system of a city. That's the reason to go to graduate school.

▲학생들은 종종 순수미술과 디자인계통 사이에서 갈등합니다.디자인계열이 아무래도 취업에 유리하고 수입이 안정적이기 때문인 것 같습니다.고민하는 학생들에게 어떤 말씀을 해주시고 싶으신지요?

Occasionally, I get a question like"Should I choose this majorbecause I can get paid more moneyin that?" But I think the choice ofyour major should not be about howmuch you think you will make inyour particular career path. Itshould be about what you arepassionate about. Even if you are ina career path that has a reputationabout making money, you won't dowell without a passion. It is importantto choose your career that youcan do the rest of your life. It isimportant to choose something thatcan sustain you and you really wantto do. If you are in something youlove, you will end up having betterresults. You will be successful inthat area. Whenever I meet withstudents, I always try to find whatthey are passionate about, ratherthan what other people told them'you should do this or that.'

입학 사정에 관해서..

▲입학사정에 대해서 말씀해 주세요. 그리고 2015년도 가을 학기의 원서 마감은 언제인가요?

The admissions process is rolling admission. We look at applications year round. Submit a portfolio when it's ready. Don't wait until a particular date. There's no deadline for fall. Only Entertain Design has deadlines. In general, we accept students three times a year: mainly fall, spring, and summer. For example, if you apply for fall and the major is filled up, we will consider you for January if you qualify. We have students who start in January, May, and September. Meeting with an admissions counselor in the admissions office and having him or her provide an advice and feedback are recommended when you decided to apply for Art Center.

▲입학 조건은 어떻게 되나요? 학교 웹사이트에는 지원서,고등학교 성적, SAT나 ACT점수,포트폴리오가 필요하다고 되어 있는데,그 외 더 필요한 것이 있습니까?혹은 음악 계열의 오디션처럼 아트센터에도 별도의 실기시험 같은 것이 있는지요?

SAT, high school transcript, application essay… Those things complete the picture in what the student is all about. But the portfolio is the most important part of the process.

There is no performance test except a new major, Character Animation which is offered through the entertainment design program. It is the major we just started this fall. It has the performance component to it. They ask students to submit a one-minute video which they act out the scene. Character animators not only design characters, but actually use gestures and facial expressions to animate the characters. Applicants create their own story, and videotape themselves with different gestures and facial expressions like the characters of their story.

▲포트폴리오는 무엇을 중점적으로 보나요?

Each one of the 11 programs has a different set of portfolio specifications that they look for. As long as you are working in that area, you will satisfy the major part of the requirements. Then they will look at things like creativity. But if you are super creative, the portfolio you submit would not matter. You will get into the program.

All of the majors are competitive. They are all competitive to get into, but the thing to remember isthat if you do the work that they look for in your portfolio, you will be considered for admission. It may take time to get into the major.

Many students try multiple times to get into. But it is not a waste. If a student doesn't have a sketching skill, the school doesn't let the before you get into the school. Each major has different specifications and preference in the number of artworks in a portfolio. The number of artworks which should be in a portfolio is up to the department. If you go to the school's website, each major has about 2 paragraphs that give the broadest background of student in. There are students who have prepared to come to our school from their early age. You don't want to be in Art Center unless you have your skill set to be competitive here. The most important thing is to make an attempt to do a specialized portfolio.

Some schools focus on the potential side rather than other things because they look at general portfolios. But Art Center asks for specialized portfolios. We expect students to have skills already. The students should demonstrate that they are proficient in their intended major.

▲순수미술학과는 다양한 형태를 다룬다고 하셨습니다.순수미술학과에 지원하는 학생들은 포트폴리오에 어떤 작품을 포함해야 할까요?

In the Fine Art portfolios, every form of expression is equally valid and equally possible. What students have to show in their portfolio is not a list of things that need to be included, but more their ability to speak with a unique voice. If they love doing sculpture, mass media ,or paint, their portfolios should include it. Any kind of form can be in the portfolio. You can always photograph things.

▲포트폴리오 준비는 언제부터 시작하면 좋을까요?또 얼마나 많은 작품을 제출해야 하는지요?

As soon as possible! You don't want to wait until the last minute. It will be very hard to prepare your portfolio during the last few months of high school. Start early as a freshman or sophomore year. The earlier you begin to prepare; the better results you will get.

Even if you have a late start, you shouldn’t be discouraged. You can start our school at age 19. But it is okay to start at age 20, 21, or 22.

We have students in their 20s, 30s and sometimes even 40s. What matters is not when to start. Keep it in mind that you have to learn skills before you get into the school.

Each major has different specifications and preference in the number of artworks in a portfolio. The number of artworks which should be in a portfolio is up to the department.

If you go to the school's website, each major has about 2 paragraphs that give the broadest background of what the minimum things you need in your portfolio. There is a lot more information too about small little things about a portfolio.

▲SAT나 ACT, 에세이 또는 미술대회 수상 등 활동 경력의 중요성에 대해서 말씀해 주세요.

SAT or ACT score is to fill in the information about the student. But the score is not the primary mean of evaluation, but the portfolio is. We want to see the merit in the portfolio. But we do look at SAT or ACT score, high school grades and an essay. These are the elements of who the applicant is. We only ask for SAT score to current high school students. Once they left high school, we don't look at SAT score. We still look at high school grades, though. Grades are always considered. The information about extracurricular activities gives a little more information about the applicant. Still, a portfolio is the major thing for admissions consideration.

▲아트센터에 지원하고 싶어도 높은 학비 때문에 망설이는 학생들이 많이 있습니다. 재정보조금이나 장학금 등의 지원은 잘 되는지요?

Over half of incoming students have scholarships through Art Center. Art Center scholarships are a combination of merits and needs. To be considered for a scholarship, the portfolio has to be superb and really creative. The superb portfolio shows your interest in the major you are applying for. Each department selects students who will get scholarships.

▲입학사정부서의 Assistant Director로서, 입학 사정부에서는 어떤 일을 하나요?

Our primary function is to assist help students to get into the school. We do not pick students. If someone who wants to go to Art Center, the best advice I can tell them is "Meet with me or any admissions staff member''. Show me your work at an early stage, not like when it is completed. Give me an early look at your portfolio. I know exactly what each department wants to see in a portfolio. The more you use admissions staff for help, the more chances you can happen to get in to the school.

We process the applications and work with the students. The department only gets involved with the complete application requirements. We schedule an appointment with each department and sit with them and give them information about students. Ultimately each department picks out the students they want.

▲아트센터의 입학사정부서에서 근무하신지는 얼마나 되셨나요?

I have been working as an admissions staff member for about two and half years at this school. I didn't graduate from this school. I graduated from a liberal art school. I used to be a representative artist of Fine Arts and have taught here at this school. That's how I had a connection with this school and began to work at the admissions office.

▲불합격 학생들이 전화나 방문을 통해 떨어진 이유를 묻거나 항의를 하는 경우는 없는지요?그럴 땐 어떻게 설명을 해 주시나요?

I get calls from students who get rejected. It is common. I encourage students to contact with me. I tell them the area that they need to improve and explain to them what they need to do. If someone really wants to come to Art Center, we try really hard to help them. If they don't get in the first time, I am happy to meet with them and give them feedback on their plan and how they can improve their portfolio.

▲불합격된 학생들의 포트폴리오는 다시 돌려주나요?

There are two types of portfolios submissions. You can submit traditionally a paper-based portfolio. You can also submit it online. There's a website, www.slideroom.com, which most Art Center students use. Neither format is better than the other. But it is easier for us to handle online submissions.

But we do accept both. After finding out you didn't get accepted, if you want to get a physical portfolio back, you have to arrange for it to be picked up. You can pick it up or have somebody pick it up for you. We don't mail portfolios. We hold onto them for a limited amount of time.

▲아트센터에 지원하고자 하는 학생들에게 해주고 싶은 말씀은?

It is strongly encouraged that anyone who applies to our school should use admission staff. Schedule an appointment, phone appointment, in person appointment, and either one is perfectly fine. The crucial thing is to have somebody look at your work and give you feedback before you actually apply.

Especially this time of year, students so often show me their completed portfolio. Then there's not a lot I can say because it is already done. I much prefer to see students early on as they are freshmen or sophomores in high school. For those freshmen and sophomores, there' s a class I can recommend for them.

Meet with me. For the majority of my day, I spent reviewing portfolios. Even if you think that you don't have work to show me, I can still meet with you, discuss different majors, and give you an advice on what's possible and what careers are out there. Then I can discuss how you can begin your portfolios .Don't wait to meet with me until everything is completely done.

It is not easy that high school students produce specialized portfolios. Art Center has year round programs specifically for both high school and even grade school students, called Saturday High at Art Center for Kids. Students learn exactly what they need in their portfolios. Over the summer time, they can come straight to classes from 9:30am to4:30 pm just in that field. The summer program of Art Center is basically specialization, which means they spend the entire time doing just one specialized field which is tailored to their major.

There is always an opportunity for young students to walk around and just see models of cars, models of products, furniture design, etc. Art Center is open to the public. Join the school tour which IS offered every day at 2:00pm.

I understand you feel the pressure to figure out exactly what you are going to do for the rest of your life when you are 18. Don't be afraid to take the time and select something that's meaningful to you. It is not really a race to get somewhere at a quick point of time. Just make sure you pursue a career you will truly enjoy. You can determine that while you are in high school. The more you can expose yourself to these things while you are in high school, the easier you make that determination early in your life. But you shouldn't be pressured that you need to be some whereby a specific date. Being in the right environment is more important than just racing to get somewhere for the sake of being somewhere.

제니 정 기자

Vol.12-20150227