Getting into Emily Carr University

Interestingly, this blog has attracted some students looking for info on getting into Emily Carr University!
A reader (high school student) recently contacted me about how to prepare for the portfolio,
so I thought I would share that info here as well.
Keep in mind though, I am only a student here.
So take these with a grain of salt.


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To be honest, I am not sure exactly how I was chosen either.
I never discussed this with any teachers at school, however from my 5 years at school, I may have a good guess.

So, take what you can and keep in mind that it may not be 100% accurate.

[Uniqueness]
out of the thousands of students that apply not just in Canada, but world wide, how do you differentiate yourself from others?
What are you good at?
I see 2 ways in doing this.

one is: to show that you are an all around artist. Include all kinds of work. Sculpture, painting, sketches etc.

two: be specific. if you are really good at design, then include mostly design related projects.
(this one then is more detailed, which I can explain another time if you are going into design)


[process]
in the case of design, process is key.
In that it shows how you got from point A to B.
If you look at many student's portfolio online, generally they include a lot of process.
(model making, sketches, initial ideas)

In design process is important, however in art, it is not as essential.
Although I would still suggest to include some process shots.
For example, if you are doing a painting, take a few pictures of the progress from start to finish.
These process are always interesting to look at. And the reason for including process is so that the people looking at it can get a sense of how you work and think.

[experiments]
have you tried something that is new? For example, using a different material to do sculpture that isn't normally used?


[professionalism]
this is like applying for a job.
Everything needs to be crisp and clean.
Clearly labeled, no spelling mistakes.
Keep in mind that the teachers are looking at thousands of portfolios.