The Student Room Group

Portfolio Help Please! (Urgent)

I've been asked to upload 5 images for Falmouth, and I have an interview at Norwich University on the 31st. I haven't put my portfolio together as I've got a dilemma.

I'm a current Art Foundation student, and my tutor says I CANNOT put A-Level work in my portfolio or else my application will be rejected/ruined. The only issue is I haven't got a huge amount of foundation work and what I have produced is not up to my best standard as I haven't really enjoyed the course (I've been going through some tough times because of it) and due to a terrible tutor and no guidance my work is very muddled and has no development.

Would I be able to apply to Falmouth University and Norwich with A Level work AND Foundation work in my portfolio?
I'm also a foundation student, and my course has been a bit crappy too. I feel like I'm not given enough time for each project and can't produce anything that great or well organised/thought through cus of it. So I'm kind of in the same predicament as you, about half of the stuff I sent to Glasgow was either self initiated or A level. Do you have to mention when you did your work in your portfolio? cus I sure as hell didn't.
Original post by ClockworkPaws
I've been asked to upload 5 images for Falmouth, and I have an interview at Norwich University on the 31st. I haven't put my portfolio together as I've got a dilemma.

I'm a current Art Foundation student, and my tutor says I CANNOT put A-Level work in my portfolio or else my application will be rejected/ruined. The only issue is I haven't got a huge amount of foundation work and what I have produced is not up to my best standard as I haven't really enjoyed the course (I've been going through some tough times because of it) and due to a terrible tutor and no guidance my work is very muddled and has no development.

Would I be able to apply to Falmouth University and Norwich with A Level work AND Foundation work in my portfolio?


wut :curious:

lots of people take their A level work because for courses such a product design you can hardly make a cabinet in your sparetime can you really unless ur house is a workshop so it is unfair to expect students to have extracurricular work like that
i had a mixture, A level art and product design and my own extra stuff
if in doubt check with uni admissions rather than your tutor
yes u can but make sure it's your best work
Original post by casiothree
I'm also a foundation student, and my course has been a bit crappy too. I feel like I'm not given enough time for each project and can't produce anything that great or well organised/thought through cus of it. So I'm kind of in the same predicament as you, about half of the stuff I sent to Glasgow was either self initiated or A level. Do you have to mention when you did your work in your portfolio? cus I sure as hell didn't.




I'm currently at UCA, supposedly the best foundation course in the country... :unimpressed: I hate the atmosphere and the way we are supposed to work - my tutor gives little to no guidance, and any set tasks he does give is just forcing me to produce work I don't enjoy. It's sent me into a deep depression and made producing good work difficult, whilst A Level was much more enjoyable and I was doing projects on things I loved. I felt I actually had more freedom at A Level than I do at foundation.

I've been told A Level work is taught in the wrong way and that it won't help my application at all ;; You don't need to mention it, but you shouldn't use work more than 2 years old.
Original post by Salamandastron
wut :curious:

lots of people take their A level work because for courses such a product design you can hardly make a cabinet in your sparetime can you really unless ur house is a workshop so it is unfair to expect students to have extracurricular work like that
i had a mixture, A level art and product design and my own extra stuff
if in doubt check with uni admissions rather than your tutor


It's not that, it's easily transportable for me, I did visual communication so all of my work is A1 Sheets, but none of it is very good as I hate working in this way.
I'll email admissions though I'm not sure they'll reply in time.

I just feel that it isn't right that there's an unspoken rule of foundation students using A Level work in their portfolio - if it was THAT important surely universities would warn against it openly?
Original post by ClockworkPaws
It's not that, it's easily transportable for me, I did visual communication so all of my work is A1 Sheets, but none of it is very good as I hate working in this way.
I'll email admissions though I'm not sure they'll reply in time.

I just feel that it isn't right that there's an unspoken rule of foundation students using A Level work in their portfolio - if it was THAT important surely universities would warn against it openly?


hmmm idk cos im A2 and not doing foundation, i suppose it would make more sense to take ur more up to date work with you (i.e ur foundation stuff), but if your A level stuff is better then idk why you wouldnt be allowed :s-smilie:
Original post by ClockworkPaws
I'm currently at UCA, supposedly the best foundation course in the country... :unimpressed: I hate the atmosphere and the way we are supposed to work - my tutor gives little to no guidance, and any set tasks he does give is just forcing me to produce work I don't enjoy. It's sent me into a deep depression and made producing good work difficult, whilst A Level was much more enjoyable and I was doing projects on things I loved. I felt I actually had more freedom at A Level than I do at foundation.

I've been told A Level work is taught in the wrong way and that it won't help my application at all ;; You don't need to mention it, but you shouldn't use work more than 2 years old.


I was told that A level is taught in a way that's too constricting and that we're all taught the same things and produce the same work. Which is a lil bit ******** in my case cus my A level teacher was wonderful and not constricting at all. My A level pieces are much more well developed than stuff I've produced this year and I feel like that's entirely to do with the course structure of foundation. I kinda feel like my foundation course tutors really over state how much better than a level their supposed to be, idk might be a similar deal with yours.

I go to HCA , and idk how good their supposed to be (they were just close lol, didn't have the money to move) but I'm guessing not because I am basically having to tutor my damn self :bawling:
Original post by casiothree
I was told that A level is taught in a way that's too constricting and that we're all taught the same things and produce the same work. Which is a lil bit ******** in my case cus my A level teacher was wonderful and not constricting at all. My A level pieces are much more well developed than stuff I've produced this year and I feel like that's entirely to do with the course structure of foundation. I kinda feel like my foundation course tutors really over state how much better than a level their supposed to be, idk might be a similar deal with yours.

I go to HCA , and idk how good their supposed to be (they were just close lol, didn't have the money to move) but I'm guessing not because I am basically having to tutor my damn self :bawling:


Literally same! At A Level I was able to produce an entire project (personal investigation) based on something I loved - I chose Anthropomorphism, and most of my portfolio even at foundation reflects that this subject is one I am really inspired by. For the exam I chose one of the given briefs but I was allowed to twist it to something I enjoyed. Very self-led and personal!
At Foundation we have to do very specific projects, ie. the zine project, where the goal was 'produce a zine based on amsterdam', and my current one, 'campaign', is produce a manifesto based on something you want to protect or ban... extremely restrictive despite the fact we have no guidance in what work we should be producing to do the project.

I can definitely see what they mean - my A Level work reeks of 'A Level' vibes, but at the same time it's much more developed. Whilst my foundation work shows potential, surely it would be best to include a mix of the two? A Level to show I can develop ideas and complete projects, and foundation to show I have changed my working style and have potential to improve.
Does anybody think it would be okay to email/call university admissions and ask about including A Level work in your portfolio? I don't want to do so and then find out they're unhappy with my application because of me doing that or something :/
Reply 10
The general line is to not include work more then a year and a half old, so your latter a level work is 100% fine to use and put in your portfolio. Put a bit of your foundation work in/recent work that you've done in your spare time, as they will Want to see recent work. But if your better work was done during a level then put that in.
The uni will say its fine to put a level work in your portfolio, i'm applying streight from alevels so none of my work was from foundation and they were cool with that. They won't reject you or be unhappy if the work is within the last year and a bit :smile: Good luck!
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by ClockworkPaws
Does anybody think it would be okay to email/call university admissions and ask about including A Level work in your portfolio? I don't want to do so and then find out they're unhappy with my application because of me doing that or something :/


Admissions won't be assessing your portfolio so you can absolutely ask them questions like this without influencing your application. Ring them up and ask for clarification about how recent the work in your portfolio should be.
well my foundation is wonderful and my tutor says I CAN put my A level work in. Don't listen to them and rebel against these vicious animals!
Original post by fashionislife
well my foundation is wonderful and my tutor says I CAN put my A level work in. Don't listen to them and rebel against these vicious animals!


Where are you doing foundation?

We often get applicants asking for recommendations but because foundations are FE and not on a lot of league table/review/data sites it's difficult to know where is good and bad (and the pros/cons of different courses).
Hi I'm Felicia and I'm on the foundation course at Oxford here are my grades just cos
Maths A*
English A*
Biology A*
Art E
As you can see I let myself down with my art grade but it's ok that was because my pony attacked my papa and he died 😢

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