CCA Undergraduate Zine: Learn about art and design school

Californi a egelloC htfo e Arts

This is a practical guide to picking an art school without totally freaking yourself out.

California College of the Arts is the action-oriented art and design school in San Francisco. Through a blend of theory and practice, we inspire our students to make work that matters, shaping the progress of their individual lives, ideas, and communities.

THEORY

Flower Head

+4 collaboration

*Navigate ambiguity

PRACTICE

Endless-Charge Camera

+5 documentation

*Tech smarts

Beanie Boi

+3 aesthetics

*Master composition

Bottomless Toolbox

+4 interdisciplinarity

*Extra materials

IMPACT

Social Justice

+2 inclusivity

*Creative synergy

Individuality

+2 authenticity

*Constant evolution

Spiky Space Star

+5 perspective

*Explore new forms

Giant Magic Pencil

+6 speculative design

*Exquisite corpse

Sustainability

+2 resourcefulness

*Renewable energy

LVL.7

Imagine your futuristic self here: Name: Superpower:

BUILD YOUR CHARACTER

What’s important to you? Who do you want to be? What dreams do you have for the world? As you consider which art and design school would be best for you, the answers to these questions can help guide your decision-making — whether you’re still in high school, attending another college, or simply traveling the galaxy.

WHAT DOES YOUR DREAM SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY LOOK AND FEEL LIKE?

Students at CCA are from all over the world, with a range of backgrounds and experiences. First-year students. Transfer students. International students. You name it, we’re here. And we come together in weirdly awesome — and awesomely surprising — ways. People who choose CCA want to be part of a community that helps them grow as a human and an artist.

CCA cultivates ideas, industry, and impact in the progressive San Francisco Bay Area, educating our students as global changemakers through purposeful practice and critical discourse.

What’s campus like?

Sprawling, with every discipline represented. From accounting to zoology.

What do your students want to do after college?

Anything and everything!

What are your classes like?

What’s something your surrounding community says when asked about your students?

What’s your alumni network like?

A blend of lecture hall-style courses, smaller classes, and in-studio courses. General education requirements ... “De-fense! De-fense!”

Why should I choose you?

Broad-reaching. Lots of options.

Prefer to transfer to art school? CCA accepts 75% of transfer applicants! Half of our transfer students come from community colleges. Our 2+2 agreements are a great option, or you can transfer to CCA at any time — there’s no minimum credit requirement.

Real collegiate vibes. Greenery. Kinda like the Hollywood version of college.

Pursue a variety of career paths.

Creative practice is everywhere you turn. Maker facilities, workshops, student studios, expert critiques, exhibitions, cool tools, film screenings — and the list goes on.

The one thing they’ve always dreamed of.

... like math and English are usually your focus the first two years.

“I see them in the library and cafe a lot.”

Smaller classes. Probably no lectures. In-studio courses with hands-on work is the priority straight through.

Tight-knit.

Great connections.

“They’re so creative. And you can count on them to be allies in activism.”

Tight-knit, global, and specific to art, design, architecture, or writing. (For example, 72% of CCA alumni are working in their field of study.)

Art is life.

WHERE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND, RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR.

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

1. California College of the Arts

2. CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts

CREATIVE INSPIRATION

3. San Francisco Center for the Book

4. City Lights Booksellers and Publishers

5. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

6. de Young Museum

7. Museum of Craft and Design

8. Palace of Fine Arts

9. Headlands Center for the Arts

10. San Francisco Design Center

11. Minnesota Street Project

INSTAGRAM HUMBLE-BRAGS

12. Golden Gate Park

13. Golden Gate Bridge

14. Ferry Building

15. The Presidio

16. The Castro

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Name__ Kate Shennyl Valmores __

Major

Illustration

Minor__Visual Development__ Handle @milkvkid

“Hiya! I’m Kate Shennyl Valmores, an Illustration/Visual Development student from Arizona! I capture my painterlylike style through narrative storytelling by emphasizing immersive moments– through personal to experimental investigations in my work. :-)”

T C*Concentrations within our Interdisciplinary BFA program, where you can chart your own creative practice.

SEE THE FUTURE

Interdisciplinary BFA student

BFA Interaction Design student

Almost-archeologist

BFA Illustration student

BArch Architecture student

CCA Technology Services work-study student Design fellow

Butcher shop apprentice

Resident advisor (RA) Muralist

Real CCA student pathways to the real world

City council candidate

Design associate

Book illustrator with independent publisher

Product designer at Instagram

Interdisciplinary BFA transfer student

Junior architect

All-gender jewelry designer

Designer at Gensler

Art gallery preparator

Illustrations by Ingrid Yang (BFA Graphic Design)

UI/UX designer at an art and design college

“ BE READY TO HAVE WAY MORE FUN THAN YOU MIGHT HAVE ORIGINALLY PLANNED. NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE RESEARCH, NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PAPERS. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN EXPLORE HERE AT CCA, AND I THINK THAT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGES. ”

— Renata Blanco (BA History of Art & Visual Culture)

— Lily Chinn (BFA Industrial Design)

MEANWHILE,

MEANWHILE,

OUR HERO JOURNEYS TO THE LAND OF FINANCIAL AID…

OUR HERO JOURNEYS TO THE LAND OF FINANCIAL AID…

MEANWHILE, OUR HERO JOURNEYS TO THE LAND OF FINANCIAL AID…

What about tuition? Fees? SUPPLIES?!

What about tuition? Fees? SUPPLIES?!

What about tuition? Fees? SUPPLIES?!

Don‛t spiral! You have options.

Don‛t spiral! You have options.

Don‛t spiral! You have options.

LOANS WORKSTUDY GRANTS SCHOLAR -SHIPS

SCHOLAR -SHIPS

WORKSTUDY GRANTS

WORKSTUDY GRANTS SCHOLAR -SHIPS

LOANS

LOANS

Colleges like CCA believe in the power of art and design education. They want you to learn and then beam that power into your future communities.

Colleges like CCA believe in the power of art and design education. They want you to learn and then beam that power into your future communities.

Colleges like CCA believe in the power of art and design education. They want you to learn and then beam that power into your future communities.

financial undergraduates (89%) receive some form of financial aid and scholarships.

To make it possible, they offer a lot of financial aid opportunities… and lead you to additional resources if you need it.

To make it possible, they offer a lot of financial aid opportunities… and lead you to additional resources if you need it.

I‛m also going to apply for scholarships.

I‛m also going to apply for scholarships.

I‛m also going to apply for scholarships.

CCA

To make it possible, they offer a lot of financial aid opportunities… and lead you to additional resources if you need it.

Great idea! Did you know when you apply to CCA by the priority deadline you‛re automatically considered for merit-based scholarships?

And the FAFSA and California Dream Act make it easy to apply for federal and state aid.

And the FAFSA and California Dream Act make it easy to apply for federal and state aid.

And the FAFSA and California Dream Act make it easy to apply for federal and state aid.

Well, my math-y pals built a calculator that shows how much aid you might receive…

Well, my math-y pals built a calculator that shows how much aid you might receive…

Well, my math-y pals built a calculator that shows how much aid you might receive…

Q: Why do art and design colleges require a portfolio?

A:They want to get to know you! Beyond the application. What do you value? How do you think? Why do you enjoy the making process? Plus, many scholarships, like CCA’s merit scholarships, are partly awarded based on an applicant’s portfolio.

ATIP: The best portfolios express who the applicant is as a person, not just their skill level.

Image Preview

Notification

A good portfolio can get you in. A great portfolio can get you scholarships.

Good to know!

@Dogpatch has entered the chat

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CaliDreamin23 Is my portfolio any good?

FreddyFromAdmissions has entered the chat FreddyFromAdmissions My #1 tip is to include pieces you’re most excited about. That energy comes through in the work. We want to see your POV on the world.

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CCA_Admissions Attend National Portfolio Day! At NPD, reps from AICAD* schools give feedback on your portfolio (which you can use to apply anywhere btw).

CCAfan2022

CaliDreami... Sk8boarder

FreddyFrom... @Dogpatch

Simpson1111

Babyspice666

ArtWeirdo06

Wattis415 186Hooper... DeHaro

Barclay_41

Diper911

Hubbell

For more tips, how-tos, and NPD info, visit cca.edu/portfolio.

CCA_Admis... TheoryPrac.. Mackey15

*What‛s AICAD? It stands for Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design and is comprised of schools accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design. CCA is the only one in Northern California.

*What‛s AICAD? It stands for Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design and comprises 36 accredited schools. CCA is the only one in Northern California.

PRECOLLEGE

High school summer but make it college

A state-of-the-art

As the leading art college in Northern California, CCA has a strong vision for the future of art and design education.

TWO RESIDENCE HALLS

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

GREENSPACES

MAKERSPACES & FACILITIES

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE

ART AND DESIGN

+82,300 SQUARE FEET (or 7,646 SQUARE METERS)

HERE’S WHAT OUR NEW CAMPUS LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE WE ARE SAN FRANCISCO

ART GALLERIES

COMMUNITY SPACES

Sketch or write about some things you love to do now:

MAKE ART THAT MATTERS MAKE ART THAT MATTERS

This is a practical guide to picking an art school without totally freaking yourself out.