Does SAT score matter for art Schools?

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

Hello!

I’ve recently joined this site, so please excuse me for this upcoming wall of text and my english/grammar…

I have received my SAT score, CR 480, Math 430, Writing 510… Horrible I know. This was my first SAT, and I didn’t study for it, my goal is to reach 2000 or at least 1900. However, I am torn on if I should spend most of my time on continuing to build my portfolio or spend most of my time studying for SATs. I’ve discussed this with my art teacher, and she has told me to stress about my portfolio. But looking at my SAT score I feel like I can do better, and maybe study for it. But at the same time I feel like it’s unnecessary because all I can do really is just paint and draw pictures. I’ve taken an IQ test before (because of some personal…reasons and issues…) and I’ve scored the highest on perception and visual. In other words, I suck at math, grammar, and everything else, and I don’t think I’ll get better at it.

If I do decide to study and retake the SAT I need help or advice with it. I was wondering if you guys can help?
When it comes to math I struggle in taking information and translating it, so word problems are extremely difficult for me. Equations are fine, but my math vocabulary and math reasoning skills aren’t too great. And sometimes when I read math problems I don’t “absorb” and retain the information. Like you just read the words but goes out in one ear and out the other, or sometimes I’d read and halfway I’d lose focus and forget what I just read. Or sometimes I feel like I’m reading another language. It is extremely embarrassing for me to write all this down, I feel absolutely stupid. (sometimes I wish I can trade my art “talent” for logic and math) My friends try to cheer me up by saying there’s 9 different types of intelligence, but I can’t help it. My english, grammar, and vocabulary is poor. I am not native from USA. I’ll have to work on that as well, but I’m mostly worried about math.

Can you guys help me and give me tips on how to fill these huge missing gaps for math? Or at least tell me what you did in order to improve? I am basically clueless when it comes to standardized tests.

((I am sorry for being a downer, and writing so much.))
[My dream job and goal is to study at an art school, and take classes on video game design, and conceptual art. I’d like to work in a studio with other people and design games, and create cool concepts. I’ve been drawing and creating art ever since I was born haha. I sometimes have the urge to draw, I am constantly creating characters, and art is also very therapeutic for me. It is one of the only things I can do without thinking, and it takes me to another world and I zone out.
Thank you for reading and your help]

2

I can try to help because my kids have struggled with some of the processing issues you mention. And both are creatives. One has really struggled with SAT math this year, and the other used to draw and draw and draw rather than write down the homework in her planner - her art would take her to another world. Do these stories sound at all familiar to you LOL.

The short answer is yes, SAT/ACT scores matter to some degree with art colleges. Obviously the portfolio is going to be the most crucial aspect of your application. But high GPA and/or test scores can help get you merit aid. Let’s face it - artists/designers don’t make accounting/finance salaries - in order for your art education to pay off you need scholarships (assuming you are trying for private art colleges and not state programs). Merit aid is a great thing because it allows you to graduate with less debt.

So you will want to get that SAT score up. Are you signed up for the June exam? Sometimes just familiarity with the exam will increase your score - sometimes significantly.

Buy the SAT blue book and do those practice exams (especially the math sections). there are 10 or so in there - lots of opportunity. Time each section at the very least - and every few sections take a full timed exam including essay so you can gauge how you are doing. Practice and familiarity with the test will be your best allies in improving your score.

Sometimes difficulty with processing - which can possibly be a symptom of ADHD and/or ASD - means that it takes longer to “get it” - to get what exactly they are testing, to get how to take that test, to get how to formulate strategies to do well, etc. This by no means indicates an intellectual deficiency - Once you do “get it” you are probably unstoppable. So give yourself time to figure out this test. That might mean a summer of study and a retake in October (as well as June). That’s ok - each time you retake you probably learn a lot more about what you are missing and why.

Finally, the SAT score report for the May exam is out in a few days - print it out!!! Go over it, learn what types of questions you missed, read your essay and their scoring of it, etc. And do this for each retake as well. This is actually valuable information that will give you insight into what types of questions you are missing (and what types you are getting correct). You can then use that information to focus your prep on the problem areas (which of course is where the biggest opportunity for score improvement is going to be).

Good luck!

3

If you are sure you only want to draw and to paint, and want to become a professional artist, ateliers are the programs for that. An atelier is a 3-4 year program when students are trained in skills-based drawing, then painting, in methods handed down from the masters of Reneaissance style art. There used to only be a few programs in the world, now there are many in the United States as well. A list of these type of schools can be found here:

https://www.artrenewal.org/pages/ateliermap.php

I mention this sometimes on this board, because I know that high school counselors have not heard of them. My daughter studied at the main two ateliers, in Florence italy.

the majority of my daughter’s classmates are full-time professional painters. Some teach more, many not at all. It is not a college degree. You don’t need an SAT score to go to an atelier. However, writing skills are extremely important, as most of the succesful artists write blogs or have some sort of social media presence.

4

I see
I was thinking about buying collegeboard’s blue book to study and review SAT, and at least sharpen up on math and testing skills in general. So I might awell study and retake it during the fall, as June is too late for me now… And I’ll have to apply for extra art classes and draw more while I’m at it! Hopefully I’ll be able to “get it” haha.

5

The SAT is a learnable test. You WILL “get it”. Just so you know, my D2 has some of the same challenges and pretty much is in the same boat as you - ahead on the SAT part, behind on the drawing skills part. Not sure if you mentioned your grade - I’m guessing you are finishing up the junior year? If you are younger you actually have LOTS of time for improvement in both. If you are looking to apply to college in the fall, then yeah, you will have a busy summer. But you will find that it will pay off big time. And as I said, there may be a big jump in scores just through becoming more familiar with the test.

And just to put things into perspective, the portfolio will obviously matter the most, and the stronger is your portfolio the less weight the school will give your other credentials. There have been plenty of talented art students admitted to excellent programs with fair to middling SAT scores! The advantage of a respectable test score is that if gives you more options such as entering a conventional university program and majoring in art, receiving merit aid from a stand-alone art school (or even a university!), etc.

Be sure to get feedback on your portfolio beginning this fall at the national portfolio days. No better way to know where you stand with your schools of interest.

Good luck!

6

Thank you Mamelot!
You are getting me to be optimistic, and I’am extremely pessimistic. I go to an all year round school, and I am a Junior. My GPA is 3.8 (last time I checked… But is probably now 3.5) Quite honestly, I didn’t want to write my life story, but I struggle with social anxiety, ptsd, and psychotic depression. All of this is extremely stressful and taking a huge blow in my already-low self esteem and confidence. You have been very helpful! Thank you very, very much! I will be busy during this year!

7

@peppered you are facing some challenges that quite frankly make me amazed that you scored what you did on your first SAT!!! There are many, many students who scored similarly who are NOT facing those challenges. So rest assured your intellect is top notch.

With a GPA of 3.5 or above, you are going to be fine for most art school applications. Some want to see that kind of a GPA in the academic subjects (math, science, language, social science, etc.), some just look at the unweighted overall GPA. Take a look at the admission profile of the schools you are interested in and see where you stack up on both SAT and GPA - that will help give you more perspective.

And now for something else to consider . . . have you thought about a program where test scores are actually optional? I don’t think all the art schools require test scores (though most do). Some really fine LAC’s don’t require test scores and have strong art departments. Achievement is great but you’ve already shown you can achieve academically if your GPA remains where it is or higher. I was considering this option for D2 because she was really struggling with the SAT and she really hated the time pressure of the ACT so we couldn’t consider that path at all. Her specific diagnosis isn’t the same as yours but some of the symptoms and manifestations are similar.

So one strategy might be to study for the SAT . . . another might be to focus on your artwork (which you love) and organize and build your portfolio while keeping your grades up and researching schools where the standardized tests are optional for admission. I’m guessing your hs counsellor has a list for you or can tell you what website to go to for your research. Scoring high on the SAT is NOT the only path to a successful college career.

8

Hi peppered! I’m a current incoming freshman planning to attend RISD.
It really depends on what schools you are looking at. All my friends that are currently attending art schools (MICA, Ringling, SVA, and Pratt) all received relatively low SAT scores 1500 ~ 1700. Have you tried any practice tests from ACT? I am also not a native english speaker so I struggled a lot with grammar and vocabulary. I scored mediocre on the SATs but did well on the ACTs which I felt like was more suitable for me.

However, as Mamelot mentioned, few art colleges don’t even require SATs or ACTs - such as Ringling. I went to their precollege program last summer and I asked the admissions even if they don’t require it, if I include those scores would I receive better scholarships/raise my chances / etc and they answered no. Check in with the colleges that you are interested in and go over what they require. Many are shifting their focus to the overall GPA.

Another point I want to raise is that many, if not all the art colleges I researched, required TOEFL or IELTS (or other tests they accepted) if your native language is not English. If your ACT/SAT is high, you can ask the admissions if it your score is good enough for you to be excused. (For RISD, ACT had to be over 27)

Aside from all that, I would still suggest that your art portfolio should come first. No matter how high your score, if your portfolio lacks what they are looking for, they won’t accept you. Research the colleges you are interested in and check out their Behance website if they have one or the current student’s artwork. Many of them have their freshman portfolio up that you can check out and see what kind of art they submitted. Read over what the college wants as well, RISD has their hometest, Art Center requires at least 10 figure drawings, Ringling highly encourages sketchbook pages and so on. If your artwork blows the admission away, you’ll have a very likely chance of acceptance!

9

Ok, listen up. There is some misleading information being given here.

  1. It is true that not all art schools require high SATS. However, higher SATS will usually increase your chances for scholarships.
  2. There are some art schools that are very academically oriented. MICA and especially RISD and Carnegie Mellon.. In fact, the RISD representative noted many years ago that most people, who get rejected from RISD, are rejected for academic reasons. Even Pratt is trying tor raise its SAT scores. I would urge you to look at the median SAT/ACT scores of a school before you apply, It will give you an indication of what they look for in admission.
  3. Universities with strong art programs usually are very academically focused regardless of your talent. This is true for schools like UCLA, CMU, University of Cincinnati etc.

Again, investigate the school.

10

I agree with you, @taxguy. This was certainly my D’s experience when she applied to schools this year (both stand-alones and university programs).

It’s best to check out the mid 50% range of your schools of interest - College Navigator is a great resource for this (just click on the Admission button and you’ll get acceptance and matriculation #'s as well as the mid 50% range of SAT/ACT scores. Very useful tool). Here is the website:

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

Another thing to consider is how distinct one’s application is relative to everyone else’s. Art schools - and most competitive universities - claim to admit based on a holistic process and they like to have a diverse student population. First generation, under-represented minority, special personal circumstances which have been overcome, particular leadership or EC’s in an area - all of these make the applicant more “interesting” and distinct to the admissions committee and in some cases may compensate for low stats or GPA. There is going to be a limit to these other factors of course but they do matter as well and I think for art colleges they might matter a bit more (because sometimes those experiences are woven into some fantastic works of art).

Basically, the lesson D has learned is just present your strongest self and choose those colleges that seem to be a good fit for you, taking into account all the factors that might go into an admission decision and understanding that the stronger academic programs are going to require higher school rankings and SAT/ACT scores. I would also advise forming a relationship with these admissions reps because they are there to help you and perhaps to advocate for you when they present your application to the committee. Plus they will give you crucial feedback on your portfolio and you need to have that before you send it off for an admission decision.

Good luck to @peppered and everyone else facing the upcoming application season (including us - D2 will be gearing up once she returns from precollege in August!).

11

GPA is the most important number. Schools want good students – students with the commitment and discipline to complete their 4-year degrees because retention = 4 years of money in the bank for the school. From a financial perspective, a school would rather have an academically disciplined student with mediocre talent than a terrible student with above average talent because the latter is a higher risk to drop out.