Why are you attending Cooper Union?
I will be attending The Cooper Union in the fall because of the amazing architecture program that it offers alongside being the best financial aid package offered to me. But even before this I had applied to Cooper as an early decision applicant creating a binding contract that if admitted I would attend The Cooper Union. I was confident that I wanted to attend Cooper and that its architecture program alongside its intimate class size was the perfect school for me.
What was the process in applying to Cooper Union? What do you think made your application unique?
The process of applying to The Cooper Union was very tedious. Besides submitting the usual college application, Cooper requires the submission of a Studio Test, this essentially replaces the submission of a portfolio. I believe that this was my strongest piece in my application and allowed me to show who I was and how I interpreted the world around me.
Throughout the 6 visual prompts and the written response I tried to display a wide range of drawing techniques and mediums that I was proficient in. But I believe that my actual presentation of my Studio Test was the determining factor in my admission. I had custom made the box in which the Studio Test was submitted and each prompt was presented separately allowing for direct attention to their unique individuality. But this was not achieved without sacrifice. I spent a week without sleep dedicating hours on end to my Studio Test. The dedication and sheer attention to detail allowed me to show my uniqueness.
Describe your feelings when you found out that you had been accepted.
I don’t believe I can describe the feelings I felt at that moment because to me words will never describe that feeling. The feeling of all my years of hard work, late nights, and headache inducing stress just melting away as I read that I was accepted. To want something so badly that you lose sleep for it and to finally achieve it causes a different type of reward. I was beyond excited for the possibilities that had just opened up in my life and I continue to be.
How has your time at WHSAD provided you with the skills, perspective, and habits to help you at Cooper Union?
My time at WHSAD has introduced me to so many different skills and opportunities to thrive in a college setting like Cooper. My involvement in afterschool activities like “The Makerspace” and “R.A.M.S.A Foundation Class” during the summer really introduced me into a work environment that not only fostered work based learning but also the ability for me to develop as an individual in the realms of presentations and art work. I was able to learn and become proficient in a lot of skills that you would begin to learn in college. This gives me confidence that I will be ready for Cooper this fall.
What excites you the most about Cooper Union?
I believe that the most exciting factor of attending Cooper is the opportunity to expand my knowledge in regards to architecture and meet other classmates that share similar passions as myself. The ability to take classes with the same people in such a small setting is also a factor that I look forward to. I tend to be more open and expressive in smaller groups. Overall just being able to have my own desk is exciting enough.
What advice would you give to future students who apply to Cooper Union?
To any student that reads this and is interested in applying to The Cooper Union do it but you have to really want it. The application process is the time where you demonstrate who you are. Do not leave things for the last minute. Dedicate all your time to the prompts given even if it costs sleepless nights. Make sure that your art answers the question asked but don’t be afraid to bend the rules. Strive for perfection in every brush stroke and line drawn. The best advice I can give is that presentation matters. The neatness of your work reflects volumes of who you are. Even if you have to redraw an entire piece because you messed up a line, it will be worth it. Think of the admission officers as looking at your work with a magnifying glass. Every detail matters.