Tag Archives: applying to FIT

Preparing for FIT’s Application

As a new school school year approaches, Class of 2017 is preparing to apply to colleges across the nation. If you are interested in applying to FIT, here are some helpful tips to speed up your admissions process!1. CHOOSE A MAJOR! – The most important step of the process when applying to FIT, since you’ll begin studying what most interests you on day one. Find the program that best fits your talents and dreams. Remember: since FIT has a dual-degree system, you can always switch into another major for your Bachelors degree! For the list of the amazing undergraduate majors at FIT click here!

2. APPLY! – As a SUNY school, FIT requires it’s applicants to first file the SUNY application online. After you apply, you’ll receive confirmation that your application has been received. It can take 7-10 days to receive the first email from FIT after submitting the SUNY application, so don’t freak out if you don’t get it right away!

Then comes the FIT application. Submitting your supplemental admissions materials to FIT is the longest step! The Academic History and Essay form will be made available online after you have received your email from FIT. To submit these forms, you’ll need to access MyFIT using the provided FIT Username and Password. (Seems like alot but it’s a piece of cake, just be sure to not procrastinate.)

The essay is the most important asset of your application – besides letter grades on a transcript, it gives FIT a chance to get to know YOU and YOUR reason to pursue an educational career at FIT. Your essay should answer the following questions: What makes you a perfect candidate for FIT? Why are you interested in the major you are applying to?

BE CONCISE, COMPELLING AND GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT! (3 C’s will never fail you!)

3. SUBMITTING ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS! – Along with the online academic history and the essay, be prepared to have all official secondary and post-secondary transcripts sent directly from your schools to FIT. For more information on sending in transcripts click here and go to STEP TWO – School Transcripts.

4. ART MAJOR = PORTFOLIO! – Art and Design applicants must submit a portfolio. You will be invited to submit your portfolio once your SUNY application has been received and processed by FIT. Please do not submit any artwork with your application. Business and Technology applicants may not submit a portfolio and materials received for these majors will not be reviewed or considered.

5. AP/CLEP & SAT/ACT SCORES – Official AP and/or CLEP scores, if any, are required when available. Official IB (International Baccalaureate) diplomas or certificates, if any, must be provided by the IBO.

SAT and ACT test scores are not required for admissions purposes. They are, however, required for the Honors Program. They are also required for placement into your English and Math classes at FIT. Use FIT school code 2257 when sending SAT scores, and code 2744 when sending ACT scores.

Check out more information about placement tests and sending scores here.

6. ENJOY YOUR SCHOOL YEAR! – Remember, stressing over an application can take a toll on yourself whether you are coming straight from high school, or are looking to transfer to FIT. Enjoy your school year, and be ready to bare the wait until acceptances are sent out in April!

Life in the Concrete Jungle: An Introduction

I know what you’re thinking… it’s New York City – I’ll never make it, I’ll go broke, I’m one in a million who have the same dream of being successful in the fashion industry… These thoughts running rapidly in your mind are holding you back… But let me tell you this –

The Empire State Building

To the prospective students across the world… if FIT is your dream school, go for it. Getting an education in the BEST city in the world is an experience that you cannot get anywhere else.

The Freedom Tower

My name is Mariano, I am an 18-year-old Puerto Rican boy, from a lower-middle class family in California; studying Advertising and Marketing Communications. FIT was just a dream to me and now it is a reality. Never underestimate yourself and the opportunities in front of you. If you are thinking about starting a new chapter of your life in New York City at FIT, find out more information on the application process here.

New York Fashion Week, one of many opportunities at FIT!

In the last month, I’ve learned and experienced so much that I will never forget. Hopefully, you will soon! Please reply with any questions about the application process, I don’t bite!

Until next time… xoxo – M

Pre-College Programs

If you just cannot wait to study at FIT, there are classes available to middle and high school students. The program is called Saturday Live (or Summer Live depending on what time of year it is). One of my friends, who is now at RISD, told me about the classes and I ended up taking five different courses while I was in high school:

Manual Patternmaking and Sewing

Introduction to Fashion Design Industry

Creative Fabric Painting

Fashion Art for Fashion Designers

Fashion Art Portfolio

The classes would run from 9-12 and then 1-4 after lunch. I lived in Westchester so I did the morning Metronorth commute with all the parents who lived in my town. The classes were good for laying down the basics for the courses I would take when I got to college. They were fun and not very stressful, so we could take risks and not worry about failing. You do get graded in these courses, but the grades do not hold any college credit value and are therefore just meant to help you evaluate yourself.

While you certainly could never replace, say, the college level patternmaking couse with the one I took over the summer, the classes were a fantastic place to meet other fashion-focused kids my age, test the waters of various disciplines and evaluate my base skill levels.

I realized that I was set on going into fashion design in college, so I took classes specifically to improve my portfolio. Taking these classes certainly does not guarantee you will get into FIT, but actually working in the classrooms with real teachers from the college helps tremendously. I think it also gives a great sneak peak into what it would actually be like to go to FIT. My Fashion Art Portfolio teacher reviewed my portfolio before I sent it in with my application and then I ended up having her as my Fashion Art & Design professor second semester! She even recognized me on the first day of class. Now, they have even organized the classes into groups so you can see which to take in preparation for certain majors.

–Emily–

The Application Secret

Some of you readers may be going through a very exciting yet intimidating process at the moment. Completing your FIT application process! The SUNY application had to have been filed by January 5th, 2015 – which I’m sure you all know. Supplemental Materials deadline is February 1, 2015, which includes academic documents, Academic History and essay form, portfolios and so on. Let’s pause for a second, take a collective inhale…exhale. You’re almost there!

As a high school senior, this period seems to be all you can think about. You put all your energy into this process – filling out forms upon forms. Writing essays, gathering up anything and everything that represents your aesthetic, your art, your being! It’s a tough thing to do!

Now looking from the other side, someone who has been accepted and attends the Fashion Institute of Technology, I believe I am quite justified to give some advice :). As an applicant, you want to stand out and look special. Focusing on what sets you apart from the application before and after you. I am not a design student, therefor my application process for Advertising and Marketing Communications was different. However, the overarching theme and intention that all prospective students hold is exactly the same. And the “sparkle” the admissions office searches for is the same. And that is this…

Be YOU. Create from your heart. Write from your heart. Photograph from your heart. Design from your heart. Build from your heart. Are you catching my drift?

If you are putting your passion into the work you’re sending over to FIT, it will show through to whomever’s reviewing it. By expressing your individuality and creativity you will successfully get your point across. Trying to create something you “think” people will like, or “think” they’re looking for or “think” others want to see – you’re doing more harm than good in the long run.

FIT is a breeding ground for the unique, the creative, the hard working. A big theme that I wrote about in my application essay was how I looked at FIT as a big puzzle. Each puzzle piece connected with the next, to complete a larger picture – a new generation of creators and pioneers. I finished my essay by saying, “I want to be a piece of that puzzle.” Luckily, I now am.

If you are applying to FIT, I am wishing you the best of luck in this final process!

xx,

Brendan