The First Steps
Image: "Curated Art Zone in Bedroom", by student Miles H.
It starts with the Intake Meeting
The strongest portfolios for college art programs feature artwork that is personal and self-initiated. This means work that reflects a student's unique experiences, passions, and point of view. Prep for Art's coaching process begins with an initial intake meeting designed to create visibility on a student's story; the foundation for fostering experimentaton and discovery.
What to expect
During the first meeting, students are invited to share and discuss their work regardless of its stage of completion or medium. We are excited to get to know you and your interests, your projects, and your endeavors.
This can include art from class assignments and self-initiated work, finished or in progress. This can include rough ideas in a sketchbook, photos, doodles on paper, collages, stop motion animation, sewing projects, a curated zone in a bedroom, a music composition, a mural, a garden, storyboarding, projects using unconventional material, an Etsy shop... In short, we want to know about anything and everything that speaks to what you love doing, your passions and interests.
Work can be completed or in the very beginning planning stages. It doesn't need to fit into a traditional art category - it can be related to any of your interests, ranging from sports to the environment and everything in between.
There is no need for professional images and documentation — cell phone pics will do.
If in doubt, include it!
This first meeting establishes an inventory of art and ideas for each student. It creates visibility on current artwork and projects, and sets the foundation that could lead to the further articualtion of exisiting work and the development of new work. This is a time where all forms of art and creative pursuits have a place.
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 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 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, 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 and opportunities
- 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 competitions (Young Arts, etc.)
Final application submission
- Submitting the final portfolio and all components of the creative supplement using Slideroom and other application-tracking systems