BA Fine art at Chelsea or CSM?

Wow! great review! hehehe it helped a lot!
First of all, I dind´t know first year wasn´t at the new building, kinda disappointing! I like the fact there isn´t a pathway to choose in Chelsea because I work with phtography, drawing and sculpture and I´m freaking out to think of leting any of it go!
I´ve heard that CSM is more of a thinkin and conceptual course, which I relate a lot, but it seems chelsea is more cozy and experimental maybe, or maybe I have the wrong idea, but having less students is a pro definetelly.
Do you knoe the byam shaw campus? how is it? Anyway i´m going to take a look at the degrees shows! thank you so much! And tell, how you ended up at camberwell? what course?

lol, I feel like I could write a book after this agonising process of decision making! I did a whole several months widening participation thing at CSM and though there is lots of emphasis on thinking/theory they put equal emphasis on making and doing. Dont get too phased by the pathways at CSM because people end up doing exactly what they want anyway - its more just a guide and it would also affect the contextual studies element (so if you did the 3D pathway there would be more emphasis on sculptural concepts/theories etc).

Byam Shaw is in Archway, its about 30mins by bus from Kings Cross, but like the other side of the world for me as Im a south londoner. The area is dead as a doornail, nothing interesting about it at all except a really steep hill and suicide bridge! Holloway road is good for shopping though.

Chelsea is definately calmer and cozier but I dont get the impression its more experimental - CSM is well known for producing very experimental and innovative work. I went to the degree shows last year and Chelsea bored me stupid - but that could just be my tatse.

I love camberwell casue its got all the benefits of chelsea in terms of smallness and coziness but its just WAY more down to earth and less pretentious (I really had a bad reaction to Chelsea in that regard). The clinching factor though was their approach to workshops, you can put your name down to do a workshop in anything from aninmation to letterpress and welding, it doesnt depend on your pathway and they actually teach you the skill. Everywhere else you have to track down a technician to help you with a specific project. I love the idea of actually learning new skills and I love Camberwell as an area. CSM gave it a run for its money but that was cause Id got to know the lecturers really well and a bunch of students who will be there in Sept and they were all brilliant - Archway made it impossible though. I'll be doing Sculpture at Camberwell in September - Im so excited

Wow! I think i´m agonizing too!!!haha But you were really helpful!
I thought CSM degree show a little too handcrafty maybe and byam shaw doen´t seem very enthusiastic haha, I don´t know London, so I have no ideia and to hear from someone who knows it is awesome!...the workshop thing in camberwell is really tempting too! Why do you thought chelsea elitist? I kinda don´t like it too! but i´m gonna think about it! thank you so much!

It was a vibe I got when I went round the degree show at Chelsea, one of the students gave us a talk on her work and Ive honestly it was just hot air. At the interview I felt like the vast majority of people in the room were from public schools and there was very little diversity (other than international students). I also know people who did a widening participation thing there and they basically were told not to even bother applying. I dunno, CSM suffers a little for being so big and I think I wouldnt like being surrounded by fashion students! Arrgggggghhhh - who knows, dont envy you the decision, make sure it makes you happy! I knew Id made the right decision when every time I thought of going to Camberwell I got a big grin on my face!