Amon, Liya, Lorenzo: Parsons V.S.UAL

Every year, we get to witness the joy countless students experience when they receive offers from top art schools, and this year is no exception! In this offer story, we interviewed Amon H and Liya W, who are soon heading to Parsons, as well as Lorenzo S, who has chosen UAL. Let's explore the similarities and differences in their journeys of growth as they choose between top art institutions in the US and UK.

Amon H (Y13)

Fashion Design

The New School-Parsons, 

Scholarship:$12,000/year

California College of the Arts, 

Scholarship:$13,000/year

Savannah College of Art and Design, 

Scholarship:$13,000/year

School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 

Scholarship:$12,000/year

Massachusetts College of Art and Design,

University of California—Merced,

University of California—Santa Cruz

Liya W (Y13)

Fashion Design

Savannah College of Art and Design,

The New School—Parsons,

California College of the Arts

Lorenzo S (Y13)

Graphic Design

UAL,

Goldsmiths, University of London, 

Kingston University, 

University of Brighton

Embarking on an Artistic Journey 

Lorenzo has been interested in drawing since childhood and even attended sketching and coloring courses during primary school. Upon arriving at DHSZ, he noticed the availability of art courses and decided to delve into this field with the intention of revisiting his childhood passion. "The first two years of the Dulwich art courses are diverse," he explains. "For example, one class may focus on watercolors or sketching, while the next may cover topics like poster or album cover design. By Year 12, the courses are further refined based on student preferences, focusing more on fine art and graphic design, allowing us to delve deeper into our chosen areas of study." It was during his in-depth study of graphic design in Year 12 that Lorenzo gradually discovered his passion and talent for it, leading him to change his initial idea of applying to a traditional university.

Liya recalled that her first encounter with fashion design was through playing with a painting book where she could dress the doll models with stickers. Subsequently, she engaged in courses such as sketching, watercolors, and quick sketches, gradually cultivating her interest and understanding of art. Upon enrolling at DHSZ, she immediately chose art. While thinking about her future, she realised the promising and creative nature of the fashion design field, sparking her strong interest in the industry. As she gradually immersed herself in fashion shows, her understanding of the fashion world deepened, and she developed a profound respect for the designers within it. Considering her love for craftsmanship and the beautiful mission of fashion design, Liya decided to venture into the field of fashion design. "I feel like I don't have the same aspirations or achievements in other areas as I do in fashion design," she shares, "so it became the field I was determined to pursue, and I set Parsons as my goal early on."

When Amon arrived at DHSZ, he was faced with the dilemma of choosing between art, biology, and economics. Despite his sister ‘warning’ him that studying art would be a challenging choice, in Year 11, Amon still opted for the field he was most interested in, particularly recognising the vast potential in fashion design. Amon soon realized his sister was right in Year 12. At that time, he not only had to prepare his portfolio and study for the TOEFL exams, but also balance AS exams, along with numerous art assignments from school. The pressure and workload left him feeling overwhelmed and even pushed him to the brink of "collapse." However, because he had chosen this path, he knew he had to adjust his mindset and persevere. Reflecting on this experience now, despite the hardships he endured, these challenges honed his determination and resilience, becoming invaluable assets on his journey of growth.

Although the experiences and challenges of these three students differ, we can see that the choices they made during their growth process intertwined, demonstrating a shared love and steadfast pursuit of art, illuminating their artistic paths with similar beliefs and values.

The Stories Behind the Portfolios

Looking back at her portfolio, Liya told us that one of its highlights was the abstract nature of each theme. During a biology experiment, she studied the effects of alcohol on heartbeats, inadvertently causing the death of some small organisms due to her slow response This experience deeply saddened her and inspired her to contemplate the meaning of life and responsibility. Consequently, she transformed this story into art, attempting to convey her thoughts and concerns about life. Additionally, due to her interest in beautiful things such as skeletons, flowers, and butterflies, Liya incorporated these elements into her art projects, linking them to her experience of learning ballet. “When I was young, my ballet teacher described me as a fluttering butterfly, which left a deep impression on me.” She also captured the emotional aspect of everyday life experiences through art, such as breaking a vase and injuring herself during a school open day event, turning this experience into an installation art piece.

Overall, Liya believes that her portfolio highlights the expression of personal experiences and emotions, as well as the profound exploration of life, growth, and self-awareness. She believes that the university admissions officers will be able to perceive the authenticity and individuality within it. For her, studying art is not just about learning art itself; it also involves integrating personal uniqueness, which she believes will make her creations more appealing.

During the process of preparing their portfolios, Liya and Amon became each other’s “comrades-in-arms.” They deeply understood the importance of the portfolio’s layout—finishing the artwork is just the beginning. The layout is yet another task that is surprisingly time-consuming. Recalling that time, a busy day always started with a pack of sunflower seeds: "We started at 8 in the morning, finished a pack of sunflower seeds, and then immediately immersed ourselves in formatting and laying out our portfolio." Amon explained that because the university they were applying to required all works to be laid out on 12 pages, they had to ensure that each step was clearly visible without being too crowded and aesthetically pleasing, with an attention to color, size, and font. It was the encouragement and support from each other that helped them get through this mentally taxing time together.

Grow in Dulwich

Lorenzo's experience at DHSZ gave him a whole new understanding of art. Because of the freedom to choose courses, he could explore the fields that interested him, which further stimulated his initiative and drive to learn. "In our art classes, our teachers introduced us to many different artists and helped us continually discover and develop our own style." Lorenzo said that the teacher who taught him the longest, Mr Mark Ford, had “energy, ideas, and creativity [that] made me more interested in the field of fashion design, and we always had endless discussions about fashion.” As the A Level courses became more specialised, the guidance from teachers became even more crucial. "Mr Ford would have one-on-one detailed guidance sessions with a student every day, offering his ideas and suggestions for revisions, and discussing the challenges in our projects together. Also, since we started using professional software programs from Year 12, there were many unfamiliar operations, and Mr Ford often taught us how to achieve the desired effects with simple steps."

Liya also marveled at the encouragement and freedom in her artistic journey at DHSZ. In Year 11, her art teacher Ms Shannon Adriaan, who gave her great trust and assigned her many challenging tasks, whether it was sketching or completing abstract projects. “She always managed to see the brightest parts of my work, which allowed my understanding to shine in the art, giving me more confidence.” By Year 12, Ms Lemon Zhai also gave her more creative freedom. "She respects students' wishes very much and patiently listens to our project plans and future directions. At the same time, she understands my personal style very well, so she pays special attention to preserving my individual characteristics when guiding me. When choosing topics, she encourages me not to consider the preferences of examiners but to follow my own heart."

Ms Zhai was also Amon's art teacher. "She often told me that art is about expressing one's ideas, and during every parent-teacher conference, she would say many encouraging words to me." With this encouragement, Amon's art grades improved every year from Year 10 to 12, reaching an A. After receiving the offer from Parsons, he immediately told Ms Zhai, "Although she had just given birth to a child at that time, she still responded positively to me and shared this joy with me!"

Counsellors' Support

Amon told us that because his university application planning started relatively early, the most frequent phrase his counsellor, Ms Ren Li, said to him was, "Amon, you're really far ahead!" Throughout the entire application process, Ms Ren provided him with tremendous patience. "Sometimes I would send her the common applications for three schools at once or four to five personal statements, and she would always respond promptly." When Amon began making the initial list of university in Year 12, he spent a long time discussing it with Ms Ren. Then, during Year 13, he would seek out his teacher during study periods whenever he had time to refine his applications.

Ms Ren is also Lorenzo's counsellor. When Lorenzo started applying to universities, he consulted his sister, who was pursuing a master's degree at the time. "She advised me to consider future employment prospects, either by applying to a decent comprehensive university or aiming for a top-notch art school. So I set my sights on UAL." He then began asking Ms Ren about the school's learning atmosphere, and she provided him with many professional suggestions. He also extensively researched the school's official website and social media platforms. Additionally, he participated in the UAL portfolio pre-screening, where the judges praised his work. After considering all factors, he felt that the school aligned perfectly with his expectations for university.

Liya's counsellor, Ms Sophia Chen, always offered her the greatest encouragement during her most anxious and disheartened moments. Even when Liya decided to apply to only four schools, Chen respected her decision and provided unwavering support during scholarship applications, for visa recommendation letters, and other processes. Furthermore, Mr Steve Hodgkin, who taught Liberal Arts in Year 11, left a deep impression on Liya. "Mr Hodgkin was very knowledgeable and interesting. When I was torn between studying psychology or fashion design, I even jokingly asked Mr Hodgkin if I could do eight years of undergrad." When faced with the essay prompt, "What do you consider a fair society?" in her personal statement, Liya also consulted Mr Hodgkin. "His profound insights greatly benefited me; he truly lived up to his Cambridge background!" Liya believes that there are always some teachers who make you willing to discuss learning difficulties with them, talk about college issues, and decide on future directions.

Advice for Lower School Students

Amon - When choosing a major, be cautious, but if you feel talented and confident, you should immerse yourself early. I once attended an online summer school with classes scheduled from 11 PM to 5 AM, with the difficult task of completing a full portfolio within a month. Despite the immense challenge, the sense of achievement upon completion made me realize I should specialize in fashion design. Try various activities related to your field, prepare in advance once you’re certain, and persevere.

Liya - At DHSZ, I explored various subjects. Through firsthand experience, I realised that interest, talent, and genuine enjoyment of your classes are intuitively important. When choosing the major, you should experience "university life" firsthand. For example, the process of creating a portfolio with Amon was like experiencing the life of an art school student. For instance, if you want to study biology, participate in a competition; if you want to study psychology, participate in a competition, read a book, or write a paper. By continuously trying and considering it as part of your future life, you will know whether you truly like it, are good at it, and are willing to strive for it, and then make the appropriate adjustments.

Lorenzo - If you are an art student, several pieces of advice are crucial. First, take the school's courses seriously and be passionate about what you learn. If you choose art without passion, it may be difficult to persist during university. Secondly, observing and understanding art history is essential. Appreciate works of different artists and styles, visit exhibitions or art galleries, and even museums. In-depth study of art movements is also crucial, as it allows you to understand the artistic styles of different periods. I believe that fields like fashion design, architecture design, and graphic design are interconnected, and studying one field will also involve knowledge of other fields.