<p>My D had a bad sophmore year (emotional stuff) but has pulled up now (end of junior year). Her grades this year are all in the B's and we expect smooth sailing. But her GPA is around 2.7 (without including the last semester of junior year because we don't have it yet). We realize she can't apply ED anywhere because she has to raise the GPA with senior 1st semester grades. We think she can pull up to at least 3.0. She hasn't taken the SATs yet.</p>
<p>She is thinking about the studio art program at UMA. Does anyone know how much the portfolio is weighed in the admissions process? Also, would they consider the upward trajectory of her grades? She would have been a 3.+ student if it were not for the bad year (I know, there are a lot of kids who can say that).</p>
<p>I can’t speak to the art program, but I believe they took into account my S’s first semester grades. He had been a very inconsistent student but then had a really outstanding senior year. Without that upswing I think his chances were iffy. He also had good SAT scores, but that may have been more helpful as an engineering admit.</p>
<p>My D is in the Fine Arts Program there and loves it. She didn’t end up deciding on an art major until she moved in hr Freshman year and had to put together her portfolio by Oct in order to be considered for acceptance into the art program for second semester freshman year.</p>
<p>So I guess I don’t know how much the portfolio is weighted in the admissions process because she was already in when she applied for art. However, I can give you some advice. Take her to UMASS this summer and make an appointment with the art department to look at her portfolio(or at the artwork that she has at this point). They were wonderful with my daughter. She spent an hour with the head of the department and he was very helpful in giving her advice. At that point she was already accepted because it was the summer after senior year but you could go this summer and see if that might be helpful in the admissions process for your daughter. My D was planning on an art minor but the professor that she spoke with encouraged her to major. She hasn’t regretted it. He might also be helpful to your daughter in her planning for her portfolio by telling her what she should have in it. Good luck!</p>