{"id":9488,"date":"2013-12-04T19:10:40","date_gmt":"2013-12-05T00:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.conservators-converse.org\/?p=9488"},"modified":"2013-12-04T19:10:40","modified_gmt":"2013-12-05T00:10:40","slug":"basic-advice-for-conservation-graduate-school-applications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/2013\/12\/04\/basic-advice-for-conservation-graduate-school-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Advice for Conservation Graduate School Applications from ECPN"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the deadlines for graduate school applications approach, many pre-program conservators have been soliciting information and advice on the application process.\u00a0 Here are some answers to the basic questions received by Emerging Conservation Professional Network (ECPN) officers.\u00a0 These questions are geared towards the Art Conservation programs in North America, but much of the information is basic enough to cover concerns for a variety of graduate programs.
\nWhat information should my personal statement cover?<\/b><\/b>
\nYour personal statement is your chance to introduce yourself to the schools beyond listing your resume, GPA, GRE, etc.\u00a0 It should be autobiographical by highlighting your major experiences that have prepared you for school, and just as importantly, it should explain how that particular program would be a good fit for you. \u00a0Each program is different and requires a tailored personal statement (and application).\u00a0 \u00a0How are you prepared for graduate school and a professional career in art conservation? Ask people to proofread your statement!\u00a0 Remember, this is your opportunity to impress the review committee; you don\u2019t want typos letting you down.
\nIf a writing sample is required, what kind of sample should I choose?<\/b>
\nThe writing sample proves that you can concisely and effectively articulate your point.\u00a0 These are important skills to have when writing condition and treatment reports. There is no minimum or maximum length, since reviewers most likely will skim them to get a feel for your writing style.
\nWho should write my recommendations?<\/b>
\nFor conservation recommendations, choose someone whom you feel witnessed your hand skills and work ethic, and got to know your personality.\u00a0 For academic recommendations, choose someone whom you feel is familiar with your work and knows about your goals of becoming a professional conservator.\u00a0 Choose people that you feel comfortable asking.\u00a0 If you\u2019re unsure about someone, approach her by asking if she thinks that you\u2019re ready to apply. \u00a0**Be sure to give your recommenders plenty of time to write, keeping in mind that the holiday season is right before the applications are due.
\nWhat type of artwork should I submit (through photographs)?<\/b><\/b>
\nYour artwork should reflect your developed dexterity and can range from oil paintings and hand-bound books, to sculpture and cross-stitch.\u00a0 Be sure that drawings and paintings are representational and\/or precise, not gestural abstract designs, so you can demonstrate your hand skills. If you can\u2019t take photographs at your pre-program site, just do your best to take professional-looking photographs at home.\u00a0 Improvise!
\nWhat if I have extra information to send, like treatment reports, recommendations, etc?<\/b><\/b>
\nAlthough tempting to send one more recommendation or some portfolio pages, only submit the required documents and information.\u00a0 There is not enough time for schools to read extras; they won\u2019t, and it will have been a complete waste of your time. Spend that time proofreading your documents or beginning your portfolio.
\nWhat\u2019s in a portfolio?<\/b><\/b>
\nFocus your energy on submitting your application first, however it is good to maintain your portfolio during your pre-program experiences so that assembling one for your interview won\u2019t be a daunting task. Portfolios are just as personal as your personal statements, so they can vary widely.\u00a0 There are basic things that each portfolio should include, but don\u2019t be afraid to find a way to make it your own.\u00a0 Portfolios include: Table of Contents, C.V.\/Resume, Condition and Treatment Reports (treatments that represent your best work, as broad as possible), and Related Information (experiences that relate to conservation, like condition surveys, archaeological digs, curated exhibitions, etc.). \u00a0More and more schools are allowing or demanding digital portfolios, but some do not.\u00a0 When the time comes to prepare for your interview, check which version the school prefers to see.
\nGet in touch with recent or current graduates from the program that you are interested in attending to gain their perspectives on the process.<\/b>\u00a0If your supervisor feels he\/she does not have current information, contact ECPN, regional liaisons, or post on the ECPN Facebook page to find recent graduates.
\nThere are also past blog posts on the AIC blog, conservators-converse.org, that provide good information, especially the series \u201c10 Tips for Becoming a Conservator.\u201d (To find those, type that title in the search bar to the right of this post.)
\nApplication Deadlines:<\/b>
\nNew York University<\/b><\/a>:\u00a0<\/b>December 18, 2013
\nBuffalo State College<\/b><\/a>:\u00a0<\/b>January 7, 2014
\nWinterthur\/University of Delaware<\/b><\/a>:<\/b>\u00a0 January 15, 2014
\nQueen\u2019s University<\/b><\/a>:\u00a0<\/b>\u00a0January 31, 2014
\nGetty\/University of California<\/b><\/a>:<\/b>\u00a0This program accepts students every other year, and 2014 is an \u201coff\u201d year, so no applications will be accepted at this time.
\n*Stay tuned for follow-up blog posts on preparing for your graduate school interview (in late winter), and preparing for your graduate and post-graduate internship and fellowship interviews (in the spring)!
\nECPN would like to thank the Education and Training Committee (ETC) for their valuable input, as well as the conservators at the National Museum of the American Indian.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the deadlines for graduate school applications approach, many pre-program conservators have been soliciting information and advice on the application process.\u00a0 Here are some answers to the basic questions received by Emerging Conservation Professional Network (ECPN) officers.\u00a0 These questions are geared towards the Art Conservation programs in North America, but much of the information is … Continue reading “Basic Advice for Conservation Graduate School Applications from ECPN”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":183,"featured_media":6027,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9488","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecpn"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9488","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/183"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9488"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9488\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}