<p>My daughter is a Junior in HS and has won 2 National Silver Scholastic Art Awards. Does anyone know how the Ivies will look at these if she has an unweighted 3.9 GPA and just average ACT score of 28 and is Varsity Track for 3 years? I’ve heard that they will boost admission chances significantly…</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>The problem I see is the 28 ACT. (I know nothing about the art awards. The 28 would be iffy even for a recruited athlete in a helmet sport or basketball, I think, and they are usually those who can get in with the weakest stats. Could be wrong, though.)</p>
<p>Probably doesn’t help that much…they’re good and nice to see, I’m sure, but I doubt they will be more than icing on the cake (speaking as someone who has one medal in the Writing side of the Awards)</p>
<p>Agree. They are a nice shine, but the rest has to be there. All this is more complex than one sort of awards or sports level.</p>
<p>I can’t comment on the value of an NSA art award. I do think, however, that it would be a good entry on an overall arts package which would include a resume listing awards, accomplishments, classes; a supplemental recommendation from an instructor or mentor and a digital or slide portfolio as the college requests.</p>
<p>There has been quite a lot of discussion about whether the arts supplement / portfolio – with or without the resume – impacts admissions to highly selective schools. I lean to the side that says it can be strong positive, but . . . it really depends on the school. Some are more visual arts friendly than others.</p>
<p>So if making art is a big part of who your daughter is, she should consider submitting an arts supplement, even if she doesn’t intend to major in art. She might also look at some academically rigorous small liberal arts colleges that put a premium on arts involvement. At some, the trifecta of academics/arts/sports can be a powerful boost.</p>
<p>Admissions might question the disconnect between a 3.9 GPA and 28 ACT. Frankly, I think it’s better to have this imbalance than the reverse, but it does need to be addressed. Some kids are just not good test takers. If that’s the case perhaps her counselor could comment. She should definitely do some prep – either independently on in a class – and re-take. She might also try the SAT.</p>
<p>Thanks! Yes she is submitting an arts supplement with a strong art teacher recommendation along with her AP Bio teacher. And yes there is a disconnect with the GPA and the test. 
She’s retaking in June and again in September if need be and is in a prep class right now and will take practice tests off and on over the next few months to prepare. SAT is not an option - her PSAT wasn’t strong either… She also has leadership in NHS and NAHS and is an academic tutor in sciences and an academic mentor in art, was in class and school government and she took college classes last summer and got A’s and is taking 6 AP classes this year and next. Hopefully her art will act as a hook since its her passion 
</p>
<p>She should have two academic recommendations – bio and one more, preferably humanities or social sciences. I would consider the art teacher’s rec an “extra.” Some colleges will read it; some won’t. </p>
<p>Again, even though most (all?) colleges have art departments, some care more about visual arts than others. In order for art to be a hook, your daughter will need to do some research to find the schools with the strongest departments, regardless of whether she intends to major in art or something else all together. </p>
<p>If she is thinking about visual art as a major she should begin researching the different degrees offered, BA, BFA. And within those there are distinctions among the different media, especially traditional (painting, drawing, photography), new media (digital, performance) and commercial (animation, design). Excellent academics + super selective doesn’t necessarily equal best visual art program, so she needs to do some probing over the next few months. In other words, if she wants “credit” for her art passion, she may need to expand beyond the Ivy League.</p>
<p>I think that your D should add some SAT/ACT-optional schools into the mix. Excellent schools include Smith, Mount Holyoke College, Bates, and Bowdoin, just to name a few.</p>
<p>She would need good course rigor for these schools.</p>
<p>Bard might be a good place to investigate also. Very strong in the visual arts and also test optional.</p>
<p>First question might be, why does she want to apply to Ivies?</p>
<p>That said, her art can be strongly positive factor for admissions to selective schools, yes. But don’t have the art teacher recommendation as one of the regular, two teacher recommendations. Instead, as someone else mentioned, do a full arts supplement with examples of work, resume, list of works, showings, awards, and art-related (probably teacher) recommendations (up to 2 I would say). Programs from gallery showings, letters for awards, local newspaper articles, that kind of thing can also be included.</p>
<p>If she does art outside of school, that is really helpful. What does she do in the summer?</p>
<p>But back to the original question. Is she interested in art schools? Is there a reason she wants an Ivy versus liberal arts college?</p>
<p>Here is a list of test-optional schools, many of which are excellent, top schools:
<a href=“ACT/SAT Optional List - Fairtest”>http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional</a> Also check out the “Colleges that Change Lives” book (by Loren Pope) and website. They also have fairs around the country.</p>
<p>It is true that schools like Harvard are trying to get a variety of talents on campus, and applicants are evaluated holistically in terms of how they add to the mix. In fact, in recent years, Harvard has tried to enhance applied arts offerings in music, visual arts, theater and film. I personally know kids who have gotten in without stellar scores. But once there, you have to do the work, and it is quite difficult, despite what people say about grade inflation. If art is her passion, maybe she would rather be in a place where she can spend more time on it!</p>
<p>In the Northeast, I might suggest Bard, Barnard, Bennington, Vassar, Skidmore, Hobart William-Smith, Clark U., state universities (UMass Dartmouth has an art school), Lesley. In the midwest Oberlin, Kenyon, Grinnell, Macalaster, Carleton. But check out the test optional schools for sure. Her chances at some of those wonderful schools would be very high.</p>