[dolce.vita]

I'm incoming soph this coming school year, class of 2011.

Interested mainly in:
Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Marketing
Fashion Business

I'm thinking of doing a double major w/ Bachelor's, or an AA degree in one of these and a Bachelor's in something else.

Maybe these..I'm not sure yet but I'm exploring my options and these sound like something I might like..

Advertising
Visual/Store Display
Interior Design
Fashion Design

I know it's too hard to pursue Fash Design because I don't have an extensive background in art/drawing..

College Preferences:
Not too big (like a few thousand tops)
Culturally diverse
Location (In CA)
Offers Bachelor's Degree

I really want to go to FIDM, but I don't know my chances..
Also LIM, FIT, and Woodbury.
Anyone go to these schools?

----

Here are some of my plans
Hm some input please
I might be doing stuff completely wrong or something haha

Frosh

School year
Japanese 1
Honors English
Honors Biology
Geometry Accelerated
World History
Clothing/Fashion Design

GPA: 3.8 (weighted)

Activities
Vacation Bible School Teacher's Aide
Discovery Shop (1 year)
Sacred Heart (Closet & Pantry) (1 year)
Library - Random Events/Projects
Some local "Go Green" Events
Sewing Class
Church Youth Group

----------------------------

Soph
School year
Japanese 2
Honors English
Chemistry in the Community
Algebra 2 (Acc?)
Psychology
Sculpture

-Volunteer at discovery shop weekly
-Continuing sewing classes
-Involve in Japanese Honor Society
-Be more active in go green/fashion club
-Take SAT II for Chinese?
-Apply for school newspaper
- Taking a sketching class? (is it necessary?)

Summer
-Go to FIDM 3 Days of Fashion Program
-Get a job in a retail store
- Shadow/intern somewhere? (My Sunday School teacher said he could hook me up to shadow his friend who's a designer for Old Navy haha )

- Go to LIM Summer Program?
OR
- Go to Taiwan and get a job there and improve my Chinese reading haha?
or even both if I have time

-Take SAT II for Chinese again if the 1st one sucks

Junior

School year
Japanese 3
AP English
US History (AP?)
Physics
Trig

Senior

School year
Japanese 4 AP
AP English
Econ/Gov (AP?)
Statistics? Or no math at all
Cooking

~~~~~~~~~~~

What Electives Should I Take?

These are the ones I am considering but I don't want a really heavy Junior schedule.

Journalism
Photography
Art 1
Clothing/Fashion Design 2

-What are the best art schools in the US w/ these majors?
Like the ones that are good but fly under the radar?
(So no Parson's, Pratt, Otis, RISD, CA College of Arts, etc..)

-What do I need to do to get in to an art school?

-Do I need a portfolio or is that only for majors lke Fashion Design?

-If I do need a portfolio, is it too late to start one or is there still hope? lol

-What classes/programs/volunteering/jobs should I take to be prepared?

Hmm that's all I kind think of so far..
I'll edit later if I think of more.

Thanks for your help in advance!

[viedeluxe]

You need a portfolio regardless what your major is in an art school (obviously). It is not too late to start now, so try to take art classes in school/outside of school to build your portfolio.
I don't know much about fashion merchandising or whatever, but I doubt you can intern or get a job that has to do with fashion merchandising unless you already have a degree.
Since you're a freshman/sophomore, just concentrate on getting good grades, studying for SATs, doing extracurriculars, building your portfolio, and taking some fashion/business classes. Because if your portfolio isn't up to par, your grades and SATs should make up for it.

Isn't art institute in philadelphia? If so, they're not as good as parsons or fit, but you can apply there as a safety. Some other art schools are the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Moore (can be a safety), School of Visual Arts (new york), Syracuse, Savannah College of Art and Design, ... there should be more but I can't think of any more right now.

[dolce.vita]

Yeah I know that all art schools need a portfolio, but like for FIDM, you just need to do a project for admission as far as I know..does that count as a "portfolio"?

And yeah I am going to take art class next year in school and maybe take one later this year to try to improve in drawing/sketching.

I want to take Accounting, Business, etc classes, but our school doesn't offer any
So I'll take a summer class maybe next year?
Or have my parents teach me haha (Mom does accounting/financing, Dad does marketing)

And thanks a lot, that helped a ton!
I added some new questions so anyone else who can help?

[imhyojoo]

my answers are based off of what i know about FIT.
....i go to that school.

-What are the best art schools in the US w/ these majors?
Like the ones that are good but fly under the radar?
(So no Parson's, Pratt, Otis, RISD, CA College of Arts, etc..)

fit!!

-What do I need to do to get in to an art school?

art majors: a good portfolio
business majors: decent - good grades.
you don't really need to take business classes in high school, but i guess it's good if you do.

-Do I need a portfolio or is that only for majors lke Fashion Design?

you don't need a portfolio for the business majors.

-If I do need a portfolio, is it too late to start one or is there still hope? lol

it's never too late. just as long as you work hard, you can do it.

-What classes/programs/volunteering/jobs should I take to be prepared?

i don't think you'll find jobs/internships related to fashion merchandising until you have a degree. you can do desk/computer work though..like excel/word/paper filing/etc.

jobs, it's good to have a lot of job experience. doesn't matter where, but retail clothing stores are probably best since you're interested in the fashion industry.

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if you're going to do FMM(fashion merchandising management), then you def should get a BA. you can't get far with an AA.
and for the double major, getting both degrees at the sametime isn't possible. FIT doesn't let you do that because of all the classes you need to take. unless you want to stay 2-4 more years, you can't get both degrees. focusing on just one major is hard enough...especially art.