<li><p>For AP awards like National AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, etc.; should we bother mentioning those? They’re just a recognition of having taken x number of exams with y average score, and that’s on our application elsewhere anyway.</p></li>
<li><p>For an art portfolio, is it okay if the pieces are on 8.5x11 inch paper rather than totally 8x10?</p></li>
<li><p>Is it okay to / should I send a short personal statement with my portfolio if there’s some stuff I want to say about my work?</p></li>
<li><p>How many art portfolios does MIT get, anyway, not really being an art school and all? Is the portfolio evaluation less or more competitive than art schools (i.e. RISD)?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>To answer part of your 4th question, Mikey Yang came to our school on Tuesday and said that the art portfolios were graded on a scale of 1,2,3,4, or 5. He said that scores of 3,4, and 5 would be considered with the rest of the application. I really want to know question 3 because I was thinking about putting captions on each piece of my work. And if anyone knows, should the pieces be put in some sort of folder for organizational purposes?</p>
<p>The MIT admissions website states that they prefer 8"x10" reproductions and that they will accept a CD, but that they do not prefer art submitted that way. Nevertheless, my daughter submitted an electronic portfolio two years ago and was accepted EA, so it clearly was not a problem. I wouldn't worry about submitting 8"x11" reproductions, and it's a good idea to organize them in a folder. If you want to add captions, then add captions by all means. If you want to add a personal statement about the artwork, perhaps the better place for that is in the main application as an optional essay, because your portfolio will be evaluated on the basis of the quality of your artwork, not the writing.</p>
<p>To phymm, if you have space to note the AP awards (i.e., you haven't filled that section with other awards), go ahead and note them in the appropriate space on the application.</p>
<p>o.o that sounds like AP grading. and what do they mean "would be considered with the rest of your application"?</p>
<p>i got a 4 on AP studio but my portfolio is much better now than it was then. but i dunno if MIT is more critical than the AP graders or less...</p>
<p>i am writing about my art in my actual application. what i meant about the personal statement is things like that i draw either from obsevation or from my digital photos, that one piece was drawn from observing through a magnifier, etc. - stuff that might lend context to the work.</p>
<p>Mine was only half-hearted, but I printed it all out on 8 x 10 and sent it in a manila envelope. 8.5 x 11 is totally fine. If you could meet the admissions people, you'd know why that wouldn't be a problem at all :) don't stress</p>
<p>My son did list the various AP awards he received as "national" awards; the adcoms know full well what they indicate. Anyone who has taken multiple AP courses and tests has challenged him/herself and that alone is positive information on the application.</p>