tl;dr I’m a junior in high school applying to art college in under a year and I’m sorely unprepared in terms of portfolio and idk what I’m doin???
A little background: I’ve been drawing my entire life and have always wanted to be an artist, but the problem being that when I entered high school I didn’t know what college I wanted to go to or what to major in. Since I decided that hey, junior year is about over a couple months ago (December-January-ish) I was like ok we gon do some college research. As I continued looking up colleges and watching portfolio reviews I realized I haveNt created any art for myself in forever and I have noTHING to put in a portfolio. In February I decided I was going to do two pieces every month and that’s goin decent or whatever, but my top choices are RISD (dream school) and MICA, which leads to the other problem that I don’t know what other schools to apply to. I’m definitely open to suggestions as I’m planning to go into something like painting or illustration. I’m thinking SCAD as a backup plan and I also have schools such as Pratt, MCAD, and SAIC on my list but idk much about them. But I thought I’d just create this post for juniors who are also goin to be applying next year so we can all discuss??? Idk I just really waNt to go to RISD and I’m not sure of the steps I should take.
Hey, you are looking at some great schools. Good luck with those.
You might also check out VCU Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond (RVA), Virginia. Terrific arts program; the top art student at our large suburban high school is there and loves it. Campus is in downtown Richmond, which is undergoing a real renaissance. You get art school and all that’s available at a large university.
I just finished the process with my daughter who’s a senior, and like you, she felt like she was going into it unprepared, without much portfolio work. The best advice I can give is to go to a summer program, if you can swing it financially. My daughter did two weeks at SCAD the summer after sophomore year, and four weeks at SAIC the summer after junior year, and it really helped her gain skills and develop her portfolio (and she’ll be a freshman at MICA in the fall!). Alternatively, if there’s an art school nearby (or a college with a strong art department), you can probably find a portfolio development class for high school students (we live in NYC and I know SVA offered precollege portfolio development classes throughout the year–just never worked out for my daughter’s schedule).
But the good news is, most of what we needed to learn about the various art schools and the application process, we were able to learn here on these boards!
I too recommend you look into summer programs. They are incredibly invaluable for a few reasons. You get to dabble (in an intense way) in an area you think you might be interested in. Sometimes you end the class learning that subject is NOT for you, and that is important to know. It helps you narrow down what IS right. These programs tend to be taught by working professionals so you get a lot of industry insight. You will see your skills grow exponentially over just those few weeks. You will likely come back with pieces you can use in your portfolio. You get a sense of what it is like to go to an art school/intense art program surrounded by like-minded students. That comes in handy when you have to make the art-school-vs-traditional-college decision. Some college students thrive off of being completely surrounded by other artists at an art school, while others like the academic diversity offered at traditional schools. You make lasting connections with students and teachers. You learn how well you do living away from home. Note: These programs are not cheap, but most offer financial aid for those who need it. Some programs even offer scholarships at the end of the summer program to entice students to attend their school after graduating high school.
Also, build your art fundamental skills (color theory, composition, perspective, figure drawing, etc.) any way you can: local art studios, local art colleges, Academy of Art, online classes, books, etc. Listen to and learn from critiques.
Search the internet for discussion forums and follow blogs or art accounts of students or professionals who are in your area of interest. Learn from what they have to say and don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Also, try to learn what job opportunities are available in the areas you are interested in. Learn what schooling is needed, job descriptions, regions where those jobs are in demand, job outlook (in demand vs declining), payscale, etc. Connect with professionals through Linkedin to get real-world advice. (You will likely have to reach out to several since only a few check their Linkedin messages). You’ll find people in all these avenues are willing to offer advice since they have been in your shoes.
When you get to the point of researching colleges, pay close attention to their portfolio requirements, which differ college by college. You can use the time between now and applying to build your skills to create the pieces necessary. Many admissions reps are willing to preview your work and provide feedback on where you need to improve, well before you actually submit. Look online at accepted student portfolios for the colleges you are interested in to give you an idea of the skill level required. Colleges, and especially art schools, are not cheap. Research your financial aid options and use the online net price calculators to determine your specific costs. Try your best not to go into debt.