How Scandinavian Design School Helped Virginia to get into DAE?

Aug 9 / MICHAEL
Virginia attended the Scandinavian Design School BA in Design Preparation Course and got a study place at her dream University, Design Academy Eindhoven! Read Virginia's experiences of studying on the BA in Design Preparation Course and how Scandinavian Design School helped her prepare her portfolio and get into the school!
When Virginia was preparing to apply to the Design Academy of Eindhoven, she knew she needed guidance to make her application stand out. Her father was instrumental in finding the right course discovering Scandinavian Design School through online research. The SDS  BA in Desiign Preparation Course stood out to her because it aligned perfectly with her busy schedule, allowing her to balance school, sports, and her preparation for DAE. 

Virginia’s experience at Scandinavian Design School was transformative. She learned the intricacies of building a compelling portfolio and how to highlight the essential aspects of her creative process. 

"I learned a lot about how to make a portfolio and show the important parts of my process of making. I enjoyed the lessons a lot as they were interactive and very visual"
Virginia Benedetti
Virginia Benedetti
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One of the key elements of the program was the critique sessions, which were invaluable to Virginia. This feedback allowed her to refine her ideas and incorporate new insights into her final portfolio. 
 
"Critiques coming both from the teacher and students helped me a lot to see different points of view and different ideas that I could add to my work. Most of the time, it was very useful critiques which I used for my final portfolio and works."
In most design universities, applicants are admitted based on their portfolio (illustration)
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Among the various assignments, Virginia's favorite was creating patterns, an exercise that allowed her to explore creativity within a structured framework. However, it was the lessons on ideation, sketching, and portfolio layout that she found most beneficial.
"The lessons in which ideation and sketching were explained, and also about the layout of my portfolio, were useful as I understood better what to consider when creating my process of body of work and also how to display it in a limited number of pages"
Scandinavian design school students also practice ideation and Sketching (Illustration)
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One of the most significant takeaways for Virginia from SDS was the importance of showcasing the entire creative process, not just the final product. This approach not only enriched her portfolio but also changed the way she approached her creative projects.
"Now when I create works, I focus more on ideas that come through the process rather than sticking only to the final idea, as sometimes the process is more interesting"

Scandinavian Design School Head Teacher, Eeva Jokinen, keeps in touch with students via Zoom and email.

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The support Virginia received from the SDS teachers was detailed and practical, providing her with the tools she needed to succeed. 
"Without the help and comments I got, I wouldn’t have been able to do a portfolio that would have gotten me into DAE"
For anyone considering whether to enroll at Scandinavian Design School, Virginia’s advice is clear:
"You should. In my own experience, I learned a lot, and it helped me get into my first-choice university."
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