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Hi everyone !

One of my favourite pastimes is creating comic strips or comic-like drawings. Although I consider myself an amateur, many of my peers seem to genuinely think that I am talented. I should mention that I have not had any sort of formal art training whatsoever.

Two questions:

A) Should I use this to try to boost my application or is it something that won't interest them ?
B) Are comic strips considered 'art' in the sense that you can include some samples in your application (won't take more than 5 minutes to view, that I can guarantee) ?

Thanks for any answers.

By Shaka (Shaka) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 02:51 pm: Edit

personally, i would consider it as art if you had training in making comics...cuz often times, the public opinion shouldn't be trusted...

i think you should bring the works to a comic artist and have him judge it...if it's good, include it

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 03:00 pm: Edit

Yes, comic strips are considered art.
It could boost your application if you get some of your comics published. If your school has a student newspaper, that could be a place that would publish them.

By Shaka (Shaka) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 05:20 pm: Edit

northstarmom, if they are published, do you send the published article with the art? or do you just mention it on a brag sheet?

By Northstarmom (Northstarmom) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 05:25 pm: Edit

I think it would be to your advantage to send it as a published sheet. If you get lots of strips published, however, only send your one or two best ones.

By Monoe (Monoe) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 06:03 pm: Edit

It is art. And congrats - I love comics. You don't need training to get an application boost. And I wholeheartedly disagree with Shaka - your peers are usually your hardest judges. If they like your work, it merits attention.

By Shaka (Shaka) on Tuesday, September 07, 2004 - 09:45 pm: Edit

monoe, it is obvious that you do not study art, as what is perceived as good by your peers (students who may or may not be knowledgeable of arts)isn't always the best judgement.

peers are biased as they are YOUR peers. Unless they don't like you, i doubt they would give a frank opinion.

peers really do not know what is good and what is bad. It is not unusual to see students in the regular (non-portfolio) classes to say, "wow that is so good", when truthfully, the art teacher wouldn't even waste time to critique it.

all of this stuff i just said isnt directed towards goc9000 specifically, since his work may be truly awesome and praise-worthy. But we are not here just to be nice, as college admissions officers will not be nice when they view your work.

so, just take it or leave it, i dun mind, just dont say im an a$$

good luck wit your app, goc9000

By Dadofsam (Dadofsam) on Friday, September 24, 2004 - 05:17 pm: Edit

Goc: Drawing comic strips can be art, and it can also be an activity if you engage in it in some way besides drawing them for your own amusement. For example, if your comics are published in the school paper or some other publication, or if you have taken part in some exhibition or sale, these are all EC-type activities.

Or, you might think abut basing an essay on this hobby or referring to it in some essays.

Should you include them in the application? Almost surely not. If you are applying to state universities they won't be a factor. If you're applying to private colleges, only inlulde one or more of your best if - after discussing with one or more adults - there is good reason to do so. However, I would not include them if the purpise is to show your sense of humor, or in the hope that they will make an admissions officer laugh.

I do agree in general that your peers are the wrong people to ask to rate the humor quality. First of all, they're your friends, and you can't be sure of getting an objective evaluation. More importantly, what may sem funny to you or other teenagers may not seem so humorous to an admissions officer in his or her 30s or 40s.

Comics are a part of the entertainment business, even if you are only doing it as an amateur. It's difficult for professionals to be sure of getting laughs from an audience - that's why they try out material first, for example in open mike sessions, before taking it on stage. For you, similarly, a college application is not the place to try out material to see whether you can make someone else laugh.

Good luck and keep drawing