<p>Hi, so some background: I'm a rising senior, and My EC's are a bit random. I haven't taken any art classes at my school, but showed a few completed pieces I did on my own time to the school's art teacher and got into the 2nd highest level of art. </p>
<p>My "portfolio" was only 4 pieces (which is tiny if you consider that most portfolios are between 10 - 15 pieces), and my art teacher stated that it "wasn't enough" to make a conclusion on whether I would succeed at the AP level. Fortunately, I'm being given a chance to complete pieces over the summer and fall, at which time my teacher will review them and decide whether or not to move me up to AP Art. </p>
<p>I believe I stand a good chance of being moved up, but I'm sure that it will look rather bizarre to admissions officers when nothing on my transcript indicates an interest in visual arts, and then suddenly I'm in AP Art my senior year. Since I know most colleges are looking for a smooth progression of accomplishments in concentrated ECs, my ECs are a bit of a sore spot for me. So I decided to look to the CC community for advice.</p>
<p>If I submit an Art Portfolio along with my app to top schools, but do not intend to major in Art, can it still improve my chances? I'm hoping that a quality portfolio will make up for the fact that I didn't take Art all 4 years. I don't mind taking Art at whatever school I go to, especially if it makes me eligible for scholarships, but doing Art professionally is not in my long-term career goals. Also, even if I don't submit a portfolio, will taking AP Art senior year help my app? Or do colleges not care if it's not an EC you've been doing throughout hs?</p>
<p>Taking an AP Art course (or any art course) will not reflect badly on you because colleges understand that some high schools require students to take an art class to be eligible for graduation.</p>
<p>Every school has its own rules when it comes to supplements. For example, at Stanford, submitting an art portfolio does not mean you are applying to the art department. You still apply to Stanford as a whole.</p>
<p>I am not sure if I answered your question. I am really sleepy right now.</p>
<p>You can only edit posts for about 15 minutes after you post them. That gives you enough time to fix typos–or occasionally to say, “Geez, I *already *regret saying that! I better take that down!”–but after that, what you post is basically going to be there as long as College Confidential is there.</p>
<p>I think you’re overthinking the AP Art thing. If you’re in AP Art without any art courses on your transcript in the lower grades, colleges will figure that it came about more or less the way you’ve described.</p>
<p>I am hardly an expert on the matter, but I wouldn’t expect a huge bump from submitting an art portfolio if you’re not you’re planning to be an artist, and you’re not a prodigy.</p>
<p>I would only submit a portfolio is beyond amazing, like national award quality. That being said it won’t hurt you if you take an art class and don’t submit a supplement…</p>
<p>Just know that these people are looking for exceptionally brilliant pieces of art in not just one medium, but multiple. AP Art is THE hardest AP offered because of the fact that art is something that no one can teach out of a textbook, nor can give a “fair” grade for.</p>