This is an archived copy of the 2013-14 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.fitnyc.edu/.

Selection of Applicants for Associate Degree Programs

FIT is a public institution that prepares students for a wide range of careers in creative business and design professions. Academic accomplishments, achievements that predict success on the college level, and demonstrated talent are factors that the Admissions Committee considers when evaluating applications. When the committee is evaluating transfer applications, overall grade point average and performance in liberal arts courses are also considered. All applicants—whether intending to study full-time in a matriculated day program, or in an evening/weekend program—must meet the same admissions standards.

FIT believes that a person’s creative and leadership abilities are revealed through participation in activities in any of several fields, such as governing organizations, student clubs, or the visual and performing arts. The Admissions Committee would like to know about all accomplishments in which applicants take pride. All applicants are required to submit a personal essay indicating why they selected their particular major, and highlighting all activities or accomplishments.

All applicants to School of Art and Design programs must offer evidence of artistic and creative ability through the submission of a portfolio. Fashion Design applicants should be versed in both art and garment construction. Successful applicants to Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology programs will have demonstrated the ability to work with others, qualities of leadership, and sound mathematical skills.

Student Categories

FIT offers a variety of study schedules during the fall and spring semesters and summer and winter sessions in order to meet the needs of its students. The following definitions provide clarification of the student categories at FIT. Not all student categories are mutually exclusive—one-year students, for example, are also full-time students.

Matriculated Students

Matriculated students are those who are enrolled in an FIT degree program, whether undergraduate or graduate, full- or part-time. Matriculated students are given preference for on-campus housing.

Matriculated Day  Matriculated day students are enrolled full time, and the majority of their classes take place during the day.

Matriculated Evening/Weekend  FIT offers a number of evening/weekend degree programs (see Curricula ). Courses in these programs are scheduled during the evening and/or weekend.

Full-Time  Full-time undergraduate students are enrolled for 12 or more credits per semester.

Part-Time  Part-time undergraduate students are enrolled for less than 12 credits per semester.

One-Year  One-year students are matriculated undergraduates enrolled in a one-year associate degree program.

Nonmatriculated Students

Nonmatriculated students are those who have not been admitted to a degree program but are enrolled in at least one course. Students who hold a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) may register for courses and complete certificate programs offered at FIT without submitting a formal application to the college. Courses that are open to nonmatriculated students are typically scheduled during the evening and on the weekend; they may or may not carry college credit. Some credit-bearing courses are reserved for matriculated students only. All students must meet prerequisite requirements for any course they plan to take. All students who wish to seek a degree must apply through a formal admissions process before accumulating more than 24 credits (see Matriculation Status Policy , for details on how many credits taken in nonmatriculated status may be applied to a degree).

Admissions Process

  1. Visit the college and attend a group information session, and explore the FIT website.
  2. Choose a major program of study.
  3. Go to fitnyc.edu/admissions and complete the FIT/SUNY application online.
  4. After the online application is completed, high school students should ask their guidance counselor to send their transcripts to FIT’s Admissions Office. Transfer students should request that official transcripts be sent directly from their high school(s) and college(s) registrar’s offices to FIT’s Admissions Office. The mailing address for transcripts is:
       Fashion Institute of Technology
       Admissions Office
       227 West 27th Street, Room C139
       New York, NY 10001-5992
  5. Applicants will submit their academic history and a personal essay online after receiving an email with instructions to access MyFIT (­myfit.fitnyc.edu ).
  6. Applicants to School of Art and Design programs will receive portfolio requirements specific to their major, and submission instructions.
  7. Applicants who have taken either Advanced Placement or College-Level Equivalency Programs exams must contact the College Board and request that official test scores be sent directly to the FIT Admissions Office.

 Application Recommended Filing Dates for Admission to Associate Degree Programs

Application Submission

All applications are processed in the order they are received after the applicant has submitted the online essay and academic history forms. Receipt of these two online items activates the acknowledging process in the Admissions Office. Decisions will only be rendered after completed applications—with transcripts and essays—are on file in the Admissions Office. In addition, all applicants whose native language is not English must provide an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score. This includes applicants who have been living in the United States.

Application Deadlines for Associate Degree Programs

Domestic and international applicants use the same application when seeking admission to FIT. Visit fitnyc.edu/admissions for additional information.

  • No later than January 1 for the fall semester.
  • No later than October 1 for the spring semester.

Students who have not completed applications by February 1 for the fall semester or November 1 for the spring semester risk being closed out of the major of their choice.

Readmission

Students who seek readmission to FIT should notify Admissions in writing or online at fitnyc.edu/readmission prior to the intended semester of reentry.

  • No later than January 1 for the fall semester.
  • No later than October 1 for the spring semester.

Additional Application Materials

Transcripts

Transcripts must be sent directly to FIT. Transfer students who have not yet earned their college degree must submit a high school transcript with proof of high school graduation.

Applicants educated outside the United States should refer to the International Applicant Credentials information at fitnyc.edu/internationalapplicants .

TOEFL/IELTS Scores

Applicants whose native language is not English must provide an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score.

TOEFL: The minimum TOEFL score requirement depends on which test format you are using:

  1. Internet-based test (IBT): Minimum score must be 80.
  2. Computer-based test: Minimum score must be 213.
  3. Paper-based test: Minimum score must be 550.

IELTS: The minimum band score of 6.5 in the academic module is required.

A current TOEFL or IELTS score is required. The score must be no more than 5 years old on the date of anticipated enrollment.

Applicants who have completed an English composition course at a college in the United States are not exempt from taking the TOEFL or IELTS.

Students who have completed less than four years of English (not ESL) at a U.S. high school are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

For information about scheduling the TOEFL exam and obtaining score reports, visit toefl.org . In the United States, you can call 609 771.7100.

For information about scheduling the IELTS and obtaining score reports, visit ielts.org .

Artwork Evaluation

All applicants to School of Art and Design programs must submit a portfolio for evaluation by the faculty. After the application is received by FIT from the SUNY Application Services Center, applicants can enter MyFIT to access specific instructions and options to submit their portfolio. No portfolio is required from applicants to Baker School of Business and Technology or School of Liberal Arts programs.

There are three possible options for submitting a portfolio:

  1. E-portfolio is strongly recommended. Access to e-portfolio will be available through MyFIT.
  2. You may also submit your artwork by mail. Mail-in authorization will be provided through MyFIT. Prospective applicants to FIT should not mail unsolicited portfolios to FIT or the SUNY Application Services Center. Unsolicited portfolios will not be evaluated and will not be returned.
  3. If you live nearby, you may also have the option to present your portfolio in person. In-person scheduling will be available through MyFIT.

Most applicants seeking direct entry into a BFA degree program will first be evaluated at the AAS level to determine eligibility. BFA degree applicants may, according to their major, be contacted directly by the department once academic eligibility has been determined by the Admissions Office.

Departmental portfolio requirements are listed below and current detailed requirements are on the FIT website at fitnyc.edu/portfoliorequirements . The applicant must be the sole creator of all artwork in his or her submitted portfolio.

AAS Portfolio Requirements

Fashion Design (Women's Wear Only) The Fashion Design portfolio requires applicants to complete five specific fashion design sketches, six to ten original fashion artwork sketches, photos of garments, and four essay questions. Portfolio pages should all be 8.5 by 11 inches or 21 by 28 centimeters. All fashion design sketches must include fabric swatches for each design shown. Photographs of garments applicants have constructed that demonstrate sewing and/or creative abilities are required in the portfolio. Evaluators will focus on creativity and design sense, as well as technical skills. A drawing test will be given. Please note: The entire fashion design portfolio, including the design test, fashion artwork sketches, and photographs of garments, will not be returned to the applicant. Applicants should submit only color copies of photographs and artwork. Slides, DVDs, and CDs are not acceptable for submission.

Accessories Design Applicants should submit eight original designs of accessories (handbags, shoes, belts, or small leather goods). The portfolio may also include four interpretations of these designs using Photoshop or Illustrator. All drawings should indicate the applicant’s level of creativity and sense of design. Emphasis should be placed on proportion and three-dimensionality. Photos or slides of original work may be included. Portfolio may also include finished articles, such as a handbag or small leather goods.

Communication Design Foundation Portfolios should include 12 to 15 pieces that reveal imagination, design skills, sense of color, and drawing ability, as well as the use of typography. Artwork in any medium may be presented; it need not relate specifically to advertising or graphic design. The inclusion of a sketchbook is encouraged. Applicants should also include computer design samples if they have them. Organization and neatness are considered as part of the evaluation.

Fine Arts Artwork from direct observation is preferred. Applicants should submit at least ten examples in any medium: drawings, watercolors, pastels, paintings, prints, photos of sculpture, or 3D designs. Students need not have examples in all categories. The portfolio should reflect freehand drawing and sketching ability; sensitivity to color, line, and proportion; and neatness of presentation. Sketchbooks are welcome. Slides are not recommended for in-person evaluation; however, they are welcome for mail-in portfolios; photographs or color copies are acceptable substitutes for large work.

Illustration Portfolios should include a minimum of ten pieces of original art drawn or painted directly from life and up to ten more pieces, which could be created by using photo reference. Applicants should include at least one drawing or painting from the following five categories: portraits; situations (people sleeping, eating, watching TV); environments (a view out a window, a room, a cityscape, a landscape); still life (fruits, flowers, books, shoes, wine bottles and glasses); conceptual (a person as an animal, a businessman the size of a skyscraper, a person of stone). Maximum size is 18 by 24 inches. The inclusion of a sketchbook is strongly encouraged. All work must have been completed within the last two years. Graphic design or photography that is not illustration should not be included. A drawing test will be given at the time of the in-person portfolio evaluation.

Interior Design Artwork of a variety of types may be presented. Measured drawings (floor plans, elevations, or perspectives) may be included; however, any artwork will be considered if it communicates the applicant’s sensitivity to color, line, proportion, etc. Organization and neatness are considered as part of the evaluation. Sketchbooks are welcome. A drawing test will be given at the time of in-person portfolio evaluation. In addition, applicants are required to complete a home test, which must be submitted with the portfolio.

Jewelry Design Artwork in any medium that reflects attention to detail and sense of color and design, particularly in drawing and sculpture, may be submitted. Applicants are encouraged to supply a selection of jewelry, either designs or actual pieces. Beaded items should be limited to no more than five pieces. Photographs or slides of work are also acceptable.

Menswear Design Applicants should submit seven original sketches of their own menswear designs. These should include at least two of any of the following categories: suits, sport coats, knitwear, sportswear, active sportswear, formal wear, and casual wear. The aim is to assess creative design ability, not proficiency in fashion illustration. Applicants should be prepared to explain their interest in entering the menswear industry in essay form.

Photography Portfolios should contain 24 to 30 of the applicant's most creative black-and-white and color photographs. Work in other media may also be submitted. Portfolios should communicate sensitivity to design, imagination, creativity, diverse subject matter, willingness to be experimental, ability to convey complex ideas visually, and organization and neatness of portfolio presentation. Evaluators prefer photos processed and printed by the applicant, but commercially prepared work will be accepted. Applicants should be prepared to explain their interest in commercial and editorial photography. Additionally, applicants are required to complete a home test, which must be submitted with the portfolio.

Textile/Surface Design Portfolios should contain original artwork in any technique or medium that demonstrates drawing and painting ability, creativity, and color and design sense. Applicants may submit up to 15 pieces that might include drawings and paintings from nature (shells, figures, flowers, etc.), samples of weaving, screen-printed or hand-painted fabrics, and fiber art. Slides and/or photographs of large paintings or 3D pieces are welcome, as are sketchbooks. A drawing test will be given at the time of the in-person evaluation. Applicants who submit portfolios by mail will be required to complete a home test.

Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Artwork of any media will be considered as long as it communicates the applicant’s overall artistic ability, creativity, design sense, and sensitivity to color, line, and proportion. Applicants may submit up to 25 pieces that can include (but are not limited to) drawings such as ground plans, perspective drawings, sketches, photographs or slides of display arrangements, paintings, collages, and craft work. Evaluators consider the applicant’s interest in the program, the variety of areas in which the applicant has created work, and the creative potential of the applicant. In addition, applicants are required to complete a home test, which must be submitted with the portfolio.

Requirements for Admission to Two-Year Associate Degree Programs

Candidates for admission to the two-year AAS degree programs are evaluated according to the following criteria:

  1. Candidacy for, or possession of, high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
  2. High school transcript showing grade point average (GPA) and rank in class (except applicants who have received an associate or bachelor’s degree from a college in the United States).
  3. A personal essay describing the applicant’s background and reasons for choosing FIT and the selected major. The Admissions Committee would like to know about all accomplishments in which the applicants take pride, along with career goals and personal interests. Applicants will be emailed submission instructions upon completion of the online application.
  4. SAT/ACT: SAT and ACT test scores are not required for admissions purposes. They are, however, required for the Presidential Scholars Program. They are also required for placement into your English and math classes at FIT. SAT/ACT scores should be sent directly to the following address:
        Fashion Institute of Technology
        Center for Placement, Room B623
        227 West 27th Street
        New York, NY 10001
    Applicants who have not submitted SAT/ACT test scores will have to take the FIT placement exam.
  5. For applicants whose first language is not English, an official TOEFL or IELTS score. Students graduating from U.S. high schools with blocks of coursework completed as English as a Second Language (ESL), or who have completed less than four years of English (not ESL) at a U.S. high school, are also required to take the TOEFL or IELTS to prove English proficiency.
  6. For applicants to School of Art and Design programs, a portfolio containing representative examples of their art and design work.
  7. For transfer students, official transcripts from all colleges attended.
  8. Applicants educated outside the United States should review the International Applicants Credentials information at fitnyc.edu/internationalapplicants .

Requirements for Admission to One-Year Associate Degree Programs

FIT has developed special one-year AAS degree programs (two semesters of study, ranging from 30 to 37.5 credits each) in Accessories Design, Advertising and Marketing Communications, Communication Design Foundation, Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising Management, Jewelry Design, Textile Development and Marketing, and Textile/Surface Design.

The application for one-year AAS programs is the same application used for the two-year programs. Once the application is filed, an official college transcript from each institution should be forwarded to the Admissions Office showing all completed coursework and, if applicable, degree and date granted.

In order to be eligible for any of these programs, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Graduation from a four-year college or completion of at least 30 transferable credits at a college with a minimum of 24 credits equivalent to FIT’s liberal arts requirements: 3 credits in college-level mathematics above basic algebra; 3 credits in English composition; 3 credits in literature or speech; 3 credits in physical science, biology, or life science; 12 credits in the humanities/social sciences; and one course in physical education.
    For Jewelry Design applicants: graduation from a Bachelor of Fine Arts program, or completion of 24 credits equivalent to the liberal arts requirements of the Jewelry Design major , including 6 credits in art history and courses in basic design, general drawing, and sculpture.
  2. For applicants to the Accessories Design, Communication Design Foundation, Fashion Design, Jewelry Design, or Textile/Surface Design program, a strong portfolio containing representative examples of their art and design work.

Requirements for Admission to Evening/Weekend Degree Programs

Applicants to FIT’s evening/weekend degree programs adhere to the same admissions guidelines as matriculated day students.

Academic Credit by Evaluation

Accepted applicants may apply up to 30 credits earned through published subject examinations (examples listed below) and transfer credit toward fulfillment of degree requirements at FIT. Those who have completed college-level liberal arts courses in which a grade of “C” or better has been achieved will receive credit for coursework equivalent to courses at FIT.

Credit for published examinations applies to the following three tests, provided that the specified minimum performance levels are met, and that the subject examination is in an area that would normally be eligible to receive credit during an evaluation of transfer credits.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Mean score must meet or exceed the equivalent of a grade of “C” in a formal course.

Advanced Placement Program

A score of 3 or higher on a scale of 5 points used for this program.

International Baccalaureate Program

A score of 4 or higher on exams for higher-level (HL) courses.

Official test scores must be sent directly to the FIT Admissions Office by the issuing board or awarding authority. Complete information about applying for academic credit by evaluation is available in the Registrar’s Office and at fitnyc.edu/registrar .