Regardless of whether you are a studio artist interested in the Brown-RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) dual-degree program or a musician looking to apply to a music conservatory such as the one at Rice University or even the dual-degree program offered by Columbia University and Juilliard, submission of a portfolio will be necessary. Prospective architects and performing artists, interested in admission to direct-entry programs in architecture or theatre, are also in need of portfolios. In most instances, portfolios are submitted via SlideRoom, a platform which is built into the Common Application and allows for photo, audio, and video submissions. In certain circumstances, students might choose to showcase their talents through a personal website with photos and videos. Naturally written explanations will have to accompany these submissions.
At Select College Admissions, every year we work with students who need to submit a portfolio alongside their applications to universities, conservatories, and art institutes. The deadline for submitting portfolios does not always coincide with the application deadline. Stanford, for example, requires all portfolios to be submitted by mid-October, which is two weeks before the early deadline or by December first, one month before the Regular Decision deadline. We recommend that our students finish their portfolio pieces prior to the start of senior year. The fall of grade 12 is a busy time of year, especially for those taking a rigorous course load who also have leadership roles in their extracurricular activities. Plus, there are applications and essays to take care of. Performing artists will also have auditions to contend with and that generally means long-distance travel to one city where a group of universities congregate at one location to watch students perform.
Don’t underestimate the time it will take to prepare for showcasing your artistic talents to prospective universities. For those of you who are studio artists, we recommend attending events surrounding Portfolio Day, which takes place over a few days in Vancouver usually in early December, when representatives from Canadian and American art institutes come to town and spend one-on-one time with student-artists, critiquing their pieces. Always member that it is the early bird that catches the worm!