This made me curious, so I looked into it, too. They really do want a self-portrait for some reason. It’s a rather odd requirement. Only wanting to look at five pieces is interesting, too. Then again, it’s possible to infer a lot from just five pieces.
Other statements in their instructions further convinced me that UCLA’s design program wouldn’t be the one I would choose. For example, they say, “In this category [the five pieces], provide your best work that shows your passion, individuality, and experimentation! ”
That’s all well and good, and it mentions the raw ingredients a beginning design student should probably have, but after graduation, “individuality” and “experimentation” need to be directed toward meeting the real-world need to do what’s best for clients.
I could let that sentence go if it weren’t for the following sentences on their application FAQ page. “This is a program meant for the development of conceptual and aesthetic critical thinking, and many different ways of looking at media. It is not meant for commercial graphic design.”
That last sentence is really telling. This program would probably appeal to a new student primarily concerned with artistic expression and creativity using today’s digital tools, but the statement strongly implies it won’t prepare students for the challenges they’ll face when trying to transition from what worked in school to a design career after graduation.
Since you’re thinking of Southern California, have you considered ArtCenter in Pasadena? Given UCLA’s out-of-state tuition, it and the ArtCenter in Pasadena cost about the same, but if you’re a California resident, UCLA will be much cheaper. The ArtCenter is one of the world’s best design schools and consistently graduates some of the country’s top designers, but it’s not cheap, which is always a major stumbling block.
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EDIT — I’m going to double down on this to @darrest, because it’s one of the most serious and consequential decisions a person will ever make. I’m also speaking from 40 years of experience in art and creative direction in this field, if that matters.
UCLA’s Digital Media Arts program is incredibly hard to get into (a ~5% acceptance rate) because it’s a well-known, world-class academic university. ArtCenter is easier to get into (60-some percent acceptance), but it is infinitely harder to graduate from. If you want a resume that immediately signals to a top creative director that you can do the job on day one, ArtCenter is the industry gold standard that’s an automatic foot in the door. UCLA’s program is not.
Assuming you can squeeze into that narrow UCLA DMA program, you’ll have a great four years creating fun, experimental stuff and exploring your creativity in a big, traditional university environment full of basketball games and fantastic parties. At the end of those four years, you’ll get a nice diploma from a well-known university.
There’s a much better chance of getting into ArtCenter in Pasadena, but the top-notch instructors, most of whom are successful working professionals rather than academic professors, will work your butt off and demand your absolute best, and more. It will be hard and extremely competitive. Most students drop out from the stress and exhaustion before they graduate. You won’t have a traditional university experience because you won’t have time for it.
However, once you graduate from ArtCenter in four years, you’ll have a ticket into a well-paying career. With a UCLA diploma, you’ll be standing in line with everyone else hoping for a junior-level entry position somewhere. I don’t know you or your priorities, but for me, given the two choices, I wouldn’t even waste time on UCLA; I’d focus on maximizing my chances of a successful design career after I graduate.
If you go to UCLA, you’ll get a standard university degree with a fine arts slant. If you go to ArtCenter, they’ll try to turn you into a corporate designer on day one, and it might break you.
If you want a middle-ground school that loves your raw, experimental style but will challenge you to turn it into a legitimate, highly respected career, look at CalArts. They invented the rules for the kind of design you’re trying to do, and they have a focus on the area’s entertainment industry, which you might like.
