Do Photography Programs Require Portfolios for Admission?

<p>This question/comment has come up several times now and was raised today on another thread I did not wish to hijack so here it is:</p>

<p>taxguy posted in another thread: "...most photography programs don't require portfolios."</p>

<p>Every one(about ten schools now) that D has looked at, except for one (SCAD and they still need it for scholarship app) DO require it for admission to their Art Department which includes their BFA with studio emphasis in Photography. </p>

<p>What schools are you refering to that do NOT?</p>

<p>RIT doesn't require a portfolio for photography majors.</p>

<p>That is really a huge surprise to me. In my mind, RIT is "tough to get into" and I would think that they definitely would require a portfolio. I wonder why they don't. Does anyone know, for them, or others who are the same, why they don't require photography majors to do portfolios for admission?</p>

<p>Actually, I had developed the impression that RIT was easy to get into, but a demanding program to complete. Their SAT scores, GPA, GRE scores for grads, all the stats, are lower than their great reputation would lead one to expect, and the quarter system is tough.</p>

<p>Interesting.</p>

<p>The fact that schools like RIT don't require a portfolio for photography doesn't mean that it is easy to get into. Their toughest programs for admission involve the School of Imaging Arts, which includes photography.</p>

<p>I should note that many of the other programs in their school of imaging arts do require portfolios for admission except photography and film. I am not sure why they make exceptions for these programs. Maybe you need to call RIT and ask them.</p>

<p>SCAD also doesn't require a portfolio.</p>

<p>//SCAD also doesn't require a portfolio.//</p>

<p>SCAD strongly recommends a portfolio.
If you do not have one, your academics and scores need to be very strong.</p>

<p>//and I would think that they definitely would require a portfolio. I wonder why they don't. Does anyone know, for them, or others who are the same, why they don't require photography majors to do portfolios for admission?//</p>

<p>Photography skills can easily be taught to a proficiant level of professional competancy. Heck, they taught me.</p>