[sonic_youth]

Hey, my girlfriend has just completed AS-levels in History, German, Chemistry and Government & Politics and is awaiting results this August, but she hasn't enjoyed studying them as much as she hoped she would have and has realised that she would rather do something related to art or interior design at university and as a career. She doesn't want to "waste" the year she's spent studying these four A-levels but realises she will struggle to get onto any of the courses for subjects like art without more vocational, art/design-based A-levels - what is her best option from here???

[Shelly_x]

She will need to do a foundation course in art and design, this will be a requirement for most art courses anyway. Look at local colleges and universities.

[sonic_youth]

(Original post by Shelly_x)
She will need to do a foundation course in art and design, this will be a requirement for most art courses anyway. Look at local colleges and universities.

Thanks for the reply I thought foundation courses would be the best option, but most of these (having researched on the UCAS site and individual uni/college sites) seem to require A-level or HND in art - is her only option basically to retake Year 12 and delay uni by another year in order to either do different A-levels or do BTEC/HND in art at college?? i.e. is there any way she will be able to do art in some form or other at university next year if she leaves without any post-16 qualification in art, or is there no way this can happen without her "retraining" in a practical art course?

[Shelly_x]

(Original post by sonic_youth)
Thanks for the reply I thought foundation courses would be the best option, but most of these (having researched on the UCAS site and individual uni/college sites) seem to require A-level or HND in art - is her only option basically to retake Year 12 and delay uni by another year in order to either do different A-levels or do BTEC/HND in art at college?? i.e. is there any way she will be able to do art in some form or other at university next year if she leaves without any post-16 qualification in art, or is there no way this can happen without her "retraining" in a practical art course?

The vast majority of art courses will require an art qualification, tell her to look at courses and see if she can find any that don't.
Talk to the colleges, some might take her anyway if she has a good enough portfolio.
Either way, she needs to start building up an amazing portfolio.

[beccafairy]

a lot of foundation courses actually don't require you have an art related A level but simply prefer it. as long as she has a good portfolio and personal statement she should be fine, though if i were her i would definitely ring up local courses and ask about it!

[sonic_youth]

Have been in contact with a few unis, my girlfriend is now planning on picking up AS Art next year alongside her other A-levels, building a portfolio independently and applying to study interior design - according to the unis I e-mailed, this solution should work if her grades and portfolio sufficiently impress. Thanks for the advice