The First Steps
Image: "Curated Art Zone in Bedroom", by student Miles H.
It starts with the intake meeting.
Successful portfolios for college art programs feature personal and self-initiated work. This involves creating artwork that reflects students' unique experiences, interests, passions and point of view. The Prep for Art coaching process begins with an initial intake meeting designed to create visibility.
What to expect
During the intake meeting, students are invited to share and discuss their work, regardless of its stage of completion or medium. We're excited to get to know you and learn about your unique creativity!
This can include art from class assignments and self-initiated work, finished or incomplete. This can include rough ideas in a sketchbook, photos, doodles on paper, collages, sewing projects, a curated zone in a bedroom, a mural, a garden, storyboarding, projects using unconventional material, entrepreneurial projects, etc. In short, anything that reflects your art journey and interests.
Students are encouraged to share projects already in progress or planning stages. Work doesn't have to fit a traditional 'art' mold-it can be related to any of your interests, from sports to the environment and everything in between! There is no need for professional images and documentation during this meeting—cell phone pictures will do. If in doubt, include it!
This first meeting establishes an art inventory, creates visibility on current artwork and projects, and sets the foundation for developing new work. Remember, this is a space where all forms of art and creativity are respected and appreciated.
After the intake
We fully support our students as they develop their portfolios and other components of the creative supplement. We provide comprehensive guidance and assistance, encouraging students to tap into their experiences, ideas, and point of view as they create new work and projects. We help students meet the criteria, requirements, and deadlines for each program. This significantly reduces the stress stress and ensures students feel confident in their abilities.
We help with:
Portfolio Curation
Application Guidance
Identifying opportunities
Final application submission
We fully support our students as they develop their portfolios and other components of the creative supplement. We provide comprehensive guidance and assistance, encouraging students to tap into their experiences, ideas, and point of view as they create new work and projects. We help students meet the criteria, requirements, and deadlines for each program. This significantly reduces the stress stress and ensures students feel confident in their abilities.
We help with:
Portfolio Curation
- Organizing past and current artwork, assessing existing artwork, and supporting the development of new work and projects - Documenting artwork (photography, layout design) and brainstorming / strategizing on its presentation
- Building the portfolio, selecting work, determining order, assigning titles and descriptions
- Developing extra art assignments required by specific programs (home test for RISD, Cooper Union, etc.)
Application Guidance
- Developing an arts college list tailored to each student
- Developing an Artist Statement
- Fulfilling criteria and requirements for the creative supplement specific to each program (a statement of interest, a statement on artworks, an influential artist, a "creative" letter of recommendation from an art instructor, etc.)
- Preparing for National Portfolio Day and other portfolio review events
- Planning campus visit events
- Preparing interview events
Identifying opportunities
- Researching internships, pre-college programs, instruction, developing a curriculum of art exhibitions and events, and other resources that could contribute to artistic growth
- Preparing applications and submissions to Young Arts and other competitions
Final application submission
- Submitting the final portfolio and all components of the creative supplement using Slideroom and other application-tracking systems