One of our Outreach coordinators who attended PAX East, Katrina Anderson, posing with many Magic the Gathering Plainswalkers! It's always exciting running into Washingon-local companies like Wizards of the Coast while traveling to events.
Here's one of our Senior Outreach Coordinators, Rachel Thompson, posing with her all time favorite dragon, Toothless! We've had such a blast at PAX East this weekend! And hope you have too. Keep an eye on this tumblr for more updates on where we're traveling to across the nation!
Have you been at PAX East this weekend? Hopefully you've had a chance to visit us at the DigiPen booth where we've been showcasing student games all weekend! Come check us out if you haven't already!
GDC and personal branding tips from Allen Chou, a DigiPen Alum!
I wrote some tips on meeting people at GDC a while ago. It was the GDC that lead me to my current job at Naughty Dog (more on this here). Recently, I got some friends asking me for advice on breaking into the game industry, how to present yourself, and how to meet people at GDC. So I decided to write another post about it. This will be a collection of what I learned from the Career Service Center and the career workshops at DigiPen, plus my own experience.
5 Things That Go Into Making a Great College Application (plus some extra credit)
What makes a great college application? Here are five ways to make your college applications stand out. Written by an Admissions Director.
Danial Powers here, Director ofAdmissions at DigiPen Institute of Technology. I want to give you a handy listof things to consider when preparing your college application. I’m also going to throw in a little pre-application advice too. Some of the information below relates specifically to DigiPen’s admissions process, but you could certainly apply these tips to any application venture – scholarship applications included!
Once you start thinking about college start these tasks. Your future self will thank you for planning ahead.
1. Take academically challenging courses.Â
I know, sometimes learning an endless list of historic names and dates or doing a lot of repetitive math problems may seem like a waste of time. I promise you, however, it's not. It is so much more. Taking challenging courses can provide you with the foundation you need to succeed in college. Once you have that foundation, you can use it to build more skills that will help you along as you begin to study the subjects you're truly passionate about. You have to walk before you can run.
2. Research colleges.Â
College is one of those places you are going to spend a lot of time, so you want it to be somewhere you can be successful and where you can feel at home.
Visit: Meet students at an event on campus or participate in a student shadow program.
Read: Consider the programs available. Read the curriculum and course offerings.
Talk: Current students are an excellent resource. They will potentially be your peers and teammates while at school. Learn from their knowledge and experience. Do they feel like your community?
Now, let’s get down to business. I promised you five ways to make a great application, and I am going to deliver.
1. Apply early.Â
Procrastination never did anyone any favors. This little piece of advice also works really well for scholarship applications. Watch out for deadlines, read through requirements early and get it done – because once it’s done, you can just sit back and relax.
2. Write a great application essay.Â
The application is a key way for a college to get to know you. Take the task seriously. Writing can be daunting sometimes – especially if what you are writing is especially important to you. This article, for example, I am sure to have several drafts. It is important to me and I want it to rock. How can you take the application essay seriously? Well, read the prompt carefully. DigiPen’s application essay has five distinct questions in the prompt. Consider them carefully and answer honestly. If you have trouble answering them you may need to put more thought and research into your chosen degree program or career goals. Really elaborate on why you want to go into a specific field and how you are preparing for the rigors of college. Most importantly, grammar matters! Be clear and concise. Have someone read over your essay. Read The Elements of Style by Strunk and White for help. There are also many grammar/punctuation sites online that can help you; Grammar Girl is one of my favorites. I also found the book Eats Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss incredibly helpful (and funny).
3. Consider your portfolio pieces carefully.
Art portfolio: Ask a teacher to help you choose your best work. I know that putting together a portfolio for college admission can be scary. Showing your artwork when you know it will be judged can feel like baring your soul. Choose pieces that show your range and skill in mark making. Choose observational drawings where you really focused on drawing what was there. The imagination pieces reflect your artistic voice – as it is developed so far.
Performance portfolio: No need for fancy equipment. Just send us a video that shows you playing your main instrument. As long as we can see it is you playing and there are no major audio distractions to drown out the sound, a regular camera phone should work fine.
4. Choose your references carefully.Â
Recommendation letters are a great way to show colleges what is unique or different about you. Quality of content is always more important than the number of recommendations. Having two recommendation letters from teachers who know your skills or interests in topics related to what you want to study – and who have different things to say about you – are way more valuable than a bunch of letters all saying the exact same thing. Consider these hypothetical examples:
A math or physics instructor explains how you overcame a particularly difficult challenge.
An art teacher describes how you are actively developing your artistic voice.
Your scout leader talks about how you helped younger students earn an academic-based badge by tutoring them in physics (maybe through derby racing).
5. Follow up!Â
There is nothing the DigiPen Admissions team likes more than talking with incoming students and applicants. Contact the Office of Admissions if you have questions or concerns about anything. It is particularly important to follow up for those items that someone else has to send in for you, such as transcripts or test scores.
Extra Credit: Go for it!Â
This is my most important piece of advice. Don’t let procrastination or fear prevent you from trying for your dreams. The number one way to find out if you are going to be accepted to your preferred college is to apply.Â
