Personal Statement or why I chose digital media. Graduate SOP for RISD Digital + Media
Hi, I am a 2015 RISD applicant. The deadline is tomorrow, so it's kind of urgent. Can anyone offer me some ideas about my essay? Thanks a lot !
Words in total:581.
The sparks of innovation all start with the way we experience and perceive the world surround us.
We are human beings, in the flesh, in the digital. As high-tech tools are becoming more accessible in daily life, I see an urge for me to learn more about and deeply understand the emerging technologies that we live and work with. Graduate program at Rhode Island School of Design will allow me to emerge myself into the convergence of Art, Design and Technology, expand my boundaries of medium, and develop my skills as a computational designer in the future.
Undergraduate studies in design exposed me to an environment where design theories and practice go together. In the design process, technology has played an unrivaled role in providing valuable tools and it opened doors to new experiences. However, in some cases, I found myself handicapped by the mainstream digital design tools. If I only stick to these methods, the conceptual constraints and aesthetics would probably appear. This problem intrigued me and became my initial motivation to pursue further education in graduate study.
Much of who I am as a designer centers around visual communication work. I create my artwork with a vision of finding wonderful connections between daily and ordinary things. Synesthesia, graphic culture study are important topics of my work, and I enjoyed the process of turning original ideas into tangible output. The multi-media courses in UCLA last summer was my introduction to creative coding and it whetted my appetite for more knowledge. I found myself deeply interested in generative design and I started to think about realizing design in a generative way.
In the graduate education , I want to aim at further artistic and interactive exploration of Communication Studies. I desire to explore how technology can enhance the way we experience the world. How can technology create constructive new ways for people to communicate, especially in the realm of typography and motion graphics? How can we guide its continued expansion into our physical and social worlds so that it has a positive impact on the way we conceive and communicate our identity and individuality?
Data visualization will also be a key topic in my future study. We are living in a data-driven world and data can tell us stories about our lives. I want to investigate the ways of using data as a primary medium in creating narrative system and communication system. Is it possible for us designer to reuse these everyday raw data and generate innovative ways for communication? How do we transform the development of technology and society into direct and sensible expressions for our society members? In China, air pollution has become a serious public concern. However, the professional data of PM 2.5 can be an obstacle for the public to deeply understand this environmental issue. As a designer who aims at pursuing multimedia study, It my responsibility to devote myself to working on this problem.
I believe that the Digital + Media Program at RISD would provide me with unrivaled opportunities to investigate these areas of interest and explore in the virtual media area. I am attract to the diverse environment of interdisciplinary exploration in Digital + Media Department, and it seems like a great atmosphere for the sharing of ideas. The opportunity of working and studying with people from different backgrounds will expand my study territories and help me to achieve my ambition of growing into a critical communication thinker and cultural producer in the future.
We can trim away excess words to refine and sharpen this:
The s Sparks of innovation all start wit fly when we are inspired by our experience of the world around us.
we to experience and perceive the world. surround us .
... daily life, I see an urge for me to learn more about and deeply understand the emerging technologies that we live and work with. Graduate program at Rhode Island School of Design will allow enable me to emerge myself into immerse myself in the convergence of...
... I desire I want to explore how ...
Typo here: As a designer who aims at pursuing multimedia study, It it is my responsibility to devote myself to...
...areas of interest and explore in the virtual media area. I am attracted to the diverse environment of interdisciplinary exploration in Digital + Media Department, and it seems ... I think the best way to improve this is to add more substance. If you have some particular interests that you can pursue at RISD you should share them somewhere near the start of the essay.
What I mean is that you can actually tell the reader specific things, and PROVE to the reader that you really have a plan that you're trying to carry out.
For example:
If you have studied the history of Providence, RI, maybe one of your artistic goals is to create new digital versions of old works of art in providence.
Or maybe you narrowed your college search down to 3 schools and RISD is still the best for you because of this particular program.
Or maybe you are a fan of some artists in RI, or maybe you have read some articles by some teachers at RISD.
ALL these are just examples of things that would really show the reader that you are a serious student and that you should absolutely have this opportunity opened to you.
What makes Providence, RI the best place for you to study design? Connect with the reader. ; -)
You have a very strong academic background regarding Digital Media. It seems that the strength of your application lies in your theoretical approach to the work to be done. These are excellent factors that strengthen the perception that you fully understand what the course of study demands and should result in upon completion. However, not all of the theoretical background that you have can enhance your application in the best possible way. An admissions officer will look into your professional background in order to get a better understanding of the actual and practical knowledge that you possess regarding the use of Digital Media. I do not see any professional experience, or even internships mentioned that could give the admissions officer an insight into that area of your expertise. The practical side, the seminars you attended, and the career path that you have set out for yourself in terms of advancement are all integral factors that must be found in your essay. These details carry far more weight in the consideration of your application than the previous college learning that you have completed. As a masters degree candidate, you need to show that you are able to handle work and study, merge theoretical with practical, and develop a new concept regarding the use of Digital Media in the future. You need to show a definite future career path, possibly explaining your own concept of how to use better use Digital Media in the future in order to stir interest in your application. Right now, your application is only full of theoretical knowledge and assumptions. You need solid plans, ideas, and career paths to define the reason, purpose, goal, and final objective of your desire to attend higher studies.
Olivia, I like your essay, it's very obvious that you like what you are studying, I think you can add some information about your researches and projects in which you participated before. Good luck and best wishes
