Freshmen admissions process and portfolio review for School of Arts

Colleges and Universities A-Z George Mason University
1

My daughter wants to study graphic design and George Mason is one of her top choices. She met some of the faculty and she thinks it is a good match. I’m trying to gather information before she applies so that she is prepared. I’m a little confused about the freshman portfolio review.

The school website strongly advises freshmen applicants to submit a portfolio for review for concurrent consideration with their university application. If it’s optional, I’m curious how it’s used. (It can’t be the basis of admission if it’s optional.) I called the school and they said it was to grant or deny admission to the school of arts but the person on the phone said she was new and not sure. Someone else at the school said it was used to recommend or place students in the BA or BFA Arts program.

Can someone provide informational on how the freshmen portfolio review is used? Any suggestions and information about the graphic design program would also be appreciated.

2

I can’t speak to Graphic Design specifically, but our son is a sophomore in the Computer Game Design program in the school of art at Mason. He had to submit a portfolio and writing samples to be accepted into the program. It was a separate process from admission to the university. There are a limited number of seats in each major in the art school, so students have to be accepted into the art school as well as into the university…two separate processes. Hope this helps!

3

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it helps. We’ll plan on submitting both.

Congrats to your son for getting into the Computer Game Design program. I hear that it’s competitive.