The pinnacle moment of my life so far, the Interview for BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism (Print, Broadcast) at London College of Fashion.
The Journey To Our Beloved Fashion Capital:
I began this day with a ridiculously long journey. However, despite the lack of comfort during my travel, I gained a new found determination that is only acquired when you truly want something in life.
I put all of my worries, insecurities and doubt to a side because I simply did not have the time for it. Instead, I kept my mind state positive - assuring I was focused and prepared for what was ahead of me.
If at all possible, I was perhaps overly prepared as I was obsessively checking through my portfolio of work, and my written notes that included answers to any possible questions that I could have been given during the assessment session or the interview. As well as this, I was googling for interview advice and stalking the Vogue News iPhone App for any updates, just incase a question came up.
Essentially, I was a woman on a mission, with guns blazing and raring to go!
Arrival At Victoria Station:
With the lack of sleep beginning to surface upon my arrival at Victoria Station, I rallied to the nearest store and purchased a large can of Redbull to give me a surge of energy I would undoubtedly need throughout the day.
When leaving the station I firstly decided to further boost my energy levels with a much needed Starbucks Chai Latte, and to indulge myself with an accompanying Cinnamon Swirl.After satisfying my little hunger pan, I strutted along to the Victoria Tube Station, where I boarded the Hammersmith & City Line to Shephards Bush Market.
The Detour:
Arriving in due time, I went along to the P.A.M Make-Up store with my sister Neelam, a beauty obsessed M.A.C Make-Up Artist that almost made me late for my interview because she was fannying around looking at *quote* The Make-Up Kim Kardashian wore on her wedding day *end quote*
Arriving At My Destination: London College of Fashion (Lime Grove):
After hurryingly rushing her out of the store, only to almost get lost due to my silly iPhone GPRS mishaps, I finally arrived at my destination with less than 10 minutes to spare before the assessment session was due to start. ...Phew!Emotional Overdrive:
This was where the nerves really sank in, as well as an array of mixed emotions that practially had me on the verge of tears. But not bad tears, these were the kind of tears that you get when you're so overwhelmed with the fact of actually making it to the place you've wanted to be since your role model of a big sister attended when you were in primary school. Yes, those kind of tears. Rather intense as you can imagine.
And just when you thought that could be enough emotion for your body to cope with within one day of your existence, the course leader comes and announces that Fashion Journalism students are to follow her upstairs to undergo their assessment session. ...I almost peed my pants, but can you blame me!?
So, my sister then left to go and wonder the streets of London for some retail therapy (At the point where I wrote this she was wandering around Covent Garden mainly), and I took to the stairs along with the rest of the students awaiting their fate. It was without a shadow of a doubt the longest walk I've ever had ...Obviously not in real time, but you know what I mean!
The Assessment:
Once I arrived in the assessment room, I was greeted with a smile by the staff members and followed the queue of students to the front of the room where we were seated in an orderly fashion.
When everyone was placed, the silence became deafening just before being broken by the course leader. She gave a brief talk about the assessment procedure before the assessment sheets were handed out to each of us for completion.
The Assessment - Part 1:
It included two sections, the first being a selection of 6 questions - some of which I was not particularly expecting but non the less prepared to answer due to having prior knowledge on the topics through my current Journalism course / general knowledge.
The questions ranged from topics such as;
- The News of the World scandal and it's relevance to investigative methods used within the fashion industry at present
- "Today I am Wearing" features within major corporations being the industries take on fashion bloggers online look books
- General awareness of different types of media
- Our thoughts on a statement made by Vivienne Westwood during London Fashion Week. (The statement was as I read earlier that morning, ''...People have never looked so ugly as they do today regarding their dress. Nobody is thinking. I'm talking about all of this disposable c**p. So I'm saying buy less, choose well, make it last.'')
I created a detailed plan of what content to include - assuring that it would be structured in a concise manner, with additions of subject terminology and also resonating the fact that I have existing skills as a trainee journalist.
After doing so I was well away with my writing, it flowed so naturally it was as if something inside me had taken control over my body and knew exactly what to write, giving evidence and backing up each statement made. I like to think it was god pushing for me to get the place at LCF as god only knows how much and for how long I have wanted this. ...Well in all fairness most likely it's not, but I'm sticking to that thought anyway because it strengthens my faith in the one above <3
The Assessment - Part 2:
The second part of the assessment was to talk about what source you use for your fashion news. I found this extremely easy as it was only to be a micro blog of 100 words, in comparison to part 1 which was to be 400 words.
With both sections complete I proof read all of my work, essentially looking for any hidden mistakes. I spent approximately 5 minutes out of the overall allocated 55 minutes checking my work to assure it was of the best possible standard. When I reached the point I was happy and knew I had done by best, the course leader announced that we only had a few minutes left until it was time to finish.
Upon completion of the assessment, we were all dismissed and told to arrive back at 1.45pm for the final verdict as to whether we had made it through to the interview stage.
The Waiting Game:
After dismissal, I decided to go back to the reception area and go over my notes and make sure I was confident to answer questions if I was asked to come back for an interview.
Just over an hour later, I felt I was fully prepared and rather than sitting there twiddling my thumbs, I decided to begin writing this blog post so that I was able to refer back to it as it is a milestone event within my life. Also, to act as an insight into the interview process for future hopefuls.
...Time soon came drawing close, with 30 minutes left until decision time I made my way back up the stairs and was the first student back eagerly awaiting the result of my assessment. 15 minutes went by and other students began making their way upstairs, we were then let back into the room and seated yet again.
I sat in silence with the sound of chatter behind me, my body ran back into a sense of emotional overdrive, I began getting hot and cold flushes and also somehow developed a nervous cough that no amount of water could seem to shift, I felt myself breathing heavily and feeling slightly disorientated too. ...This was exactly how almost every other student within that room was feeling no doubt.
During this time I kept second guessing myself, thinking if I was really even good enough to get a place on the course against such tough competition. I was up against people that had worked within London Fashion Week, whose families were prestigious, who were already rather established within the fashion world themselves, who had connections with some of the most affluent people within the industry. ...How could I, a Journalism student in Leeds compete with them? But then I remembered something Oscar Wilde once said "Those who live within their means have a lack of imagination". Come off it, Vivienne Westwood started off with nothing and look at her today!? If you put your mind to it any goal is attainable I kept telling myself.
The Verdict:
The course tutor strolled in fashionably late with a list in her hands that she passed over to another member of staff at the back of the room. She then proceeded to the front of the room where she conducted another brief talk. She basically said how lucky we all were to have gotten this far and reinforced the fact that the course is five times over subscribed this year and is extremely competitive.
After this she told us that the successful candidate names were going to be put on a sheet of paper at the back of the room which stated a room number and interview time.
Everyone was then dismissed one row at a time to see if we were the lucky ones who had gotten through or if our dreams were shattered.
The Interview:
The interview questions require you to demonstrate;
- What particular strengths you can bring to the course
- An awareness of research for journalism
- An awareness of different media and their capacity to influence public opinion
- An awareness of key players in fashion media
- An interest in the work of fashion designers
- Your future ambitions in media
UCAS Track:
Once the interview is complete, you are asked to follow UCAS Track and wait for an offer from LCF if you have been successful during the assessment and interview process.
The Next Step:
After finally arriving home from such an amazing day I began thinking about everything that I had been through during my time in London, it had been a real test of not only my intelligence but also my self worth. It allowed me to see myself in a new light, a person determined to achieve her dreams. I knew I had to start being more focused and work orientated. If I want to be as successful as I hope and dream to be I have to really strive to achieve such ambitions by putting my mind to it and assuring my education remains my main priority.
With that little reality check I said to myself "Everything happens for a reason", so I guess wherever I'm meant to go for university is where I will end up. Here's hoping LCF is where i'm supposed to be though, and now all there is left is praying, lots and lots of praying, hoping, and wishing on stars... xx
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