Essay Tips (Updated with Formatting Tips 12/29)

************UPDATED 9/5/12  check out my Tip and Tricks for F.I.T.'s new guidelines Click Here

Sorry for posting this so late. But here I am. I wanted to post my essay, spelling errors and all, but I can't find it anywhere, which sucks. If I do come across it I will definitely post it. 


 I'm going to keep my tips simple, I realize not everyone is a writer, and there's nothing wrong with that. But a lot of times it can be confusing about what to leave in and take out, so we are going to talk about that and we are going to talk about some essay pitfalls you need to avoid. Overall this essay, particularly if you aren't doing a face to face interview, is the only time you have to express yourself in words, so that they know who you are, meaning you're essentially pitching yourselves to these people, and keep in mind its always competition.


Do put in

• Extra curricular activities you're involved in that have to do with anything creative, fashion or business.

• If you've been rejected by F.I.T. or another fashion school in the past. This might sound strange, and I did mull over whether I would include it my essay, but I said screw it, and put it in. I actually molded my essay around it, and what I'd learned from being rejected, and the drive I had put into my current portfolio.
• Academic excellence -this wasn't really relevent for me, lol, but you can put in if you have it. Remember this application is mainly about your portfolio.
• Designers that have inspired you, and what about their business/house that inspires you.

Don't Put in, aka Cliche standard

• Don't say you have a 'passion for fashion'. This might be irrelevant advice for most of you, who might even be giggling, but please, leave it out.
• Don't say you're the best designer ever, and litter your essay with grand proclamations about how you will singlehandedly change the world of fashion. We got it, you're the next Chanel, but to them it may say that you're ego is too big to listen to your professors, and future employers.
• I also wouldn't say anything about Project Runway or any fashion related show that might have aired on MTV. That's just personal advice, lol, I really don't have anything to back it up aside from it annoying me if I read something like that. 

Here's a gray area - Talking about hardships in your personal life. Perhaps something personal led you to deciding on a career in design. I think it's okay to mention it, but don't harp, one or two sentences will suffice and then get to the design portion. Remember, they read thousands of these things, and who even knows if they read each word. You may be sincere about your experience, but you don't want to come off as a whiner, or worse an opportunist looking for pity due to poor life circumstances. I hope that doesn't sound harsh, but these guys aren't your friends, and it's all about personal perception.

*Also, aside from reading it to someone (that's a better writer than you) look back over it after about a week, you will be surprised at what you catch, like spelling mistakes you never saw before, or maybe the sentences don't flow correctly. Or it could be possible that you wrote it at 3a.m. and it's all gibberish written in all KANYE CAPS.

When they read your essay, they need to walk away feeling like your going to be a solid, hard working student that has your head on straight. Don't ramble, stick to your point and wrap it up.

Here's a template you might want to use to format your essay
1. Intro: what you're are currently doing i.e. High School Student, former college student coming back, adult etc, also put any design experience, internships, other fashion related classes/experience you have

2. Why you love fashion and or chose to apply to F.I.T. (what inspired you, was your mom a seamstress? Have you admired Alexander McQueen's work, loved fashion since you were a child by natural gravitation)

3. What you've done with you're portfolio (here is where I would put if you've been rejected in the past, or if its your first time applying ) be careful here, just give them an overall idea of how hard you worked and anything special you did like construction on your garments etc

4. What you're plans are if you become an F.I.T. student and where you plan to take your career post graduation ( plans on starting your own line, working for another label, also mention if you want to continue on to get a BA in design) *I think F.I.T. has a program to transfer to Central St. Martins for a Masters, but double check before you mention the other school, and of course only mention it only if you Really plan to do it.

If you have any questions or feel like something wasn't addressed feel free to drop me a line in the comments section, as always good luck ~ RC