<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm planning on submitting an art portfolio with my photography along with my application. Does anyone know how many pieces should be included?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>MIT doesn’t provide guidelines as to quantity. </p>
<p>My daughter submitted a digital art portfolio a couple of years ago. She whittled down her collection to 15 pieces. But maybe for you, 15 is not enough to really show your depth and breadth as an artist. I suggest that you take your work to a photography teacher or other mentor and ask for input about selecting your best pieces. </p>
<p>Ultimately, this decision is up to you.</p>
<p>My daughters submitted a visual art portfolio with 5 pieces last year and she was admitted EA. The number of pieces doesn’t really matter much as long as the portfolio shows your talent.</p>
<p>jack1232: did your daughter win any state or national level art awards? Did your daughter take any AP Art test?</p>
<p>No. She didn’t participate any art contest. She took AP art class at her HS but didn’t take AP art test. But she loves drawing and spends more than 90% of her spare time on it. At MIT she double-majors in computer science and art.</p>
<p>Instead of sending in complete works, could we just send in a sketchbook?</p>
<p>I love to sketch and mess around with ideas a lot so I don’t have many GOOD complete works. But my sketchbook is full of stuff from my art class( daily warm ups) and sketches I’ve done in my own spare time.</p>
<p>Would it be a good idea to send just the sketchbook in?</p>
<p>Esplin, I think you better send in complete works. Professors who’ll look at your arts are busy and may not have time to read though your sketchbook. MIT wants to see your REALLY GOOD works (at least you believe they are good), not just the sketch.</p>
<p>Thanks jack1232
My child loves art and got a couple of awards, but AP ART test is only 3. So I don’t know if sending art portfolio is helpful.</p>
<p>@User2009 and Esplin,</p>
<p>The art portfolio is evaluated by the Director of Design in MIT’s Department of Architecture, as explained here: [MIT</a> Admissions: The Freshman Application](<a href=“http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_freshman_application/index.shtml#musicart]MIT”>http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_freshman_application/index.shtml#musicart).</p>
<p>The Department of Architecture has evaluated hundreds of art portfolios and will evaluate your artistic potential based on the material you send. The Department will then share that evaluation with the admissions committee. At Wesleyan University, the art department uses a rubric, scores the portfolio, and sends that information back to the admissions committee (this process is discussed in the book, The Gatekeepers). I have no idea what process is used at MIT, but I do know what those evaluating the portfolio are expert in art and design.</p>
<p>I imagine that a sketchbook could reveal alot about a student’s creativity and technical ability. Still, I agree that it would be good to include more finished pieces as well.</p>
<p>As for the AP score of 3 leading a student to withhold a portfolio, I think it depends. Did the high-school art teacher agree with that score? Could the student have assembled a different group of pieces (i.e., is this a “portfolio presentation” issue rather than a lack of real talent?)</p>
<p>My daughter submitted a portfolio of digital art. She had won state and national awards, and she had a 5 on the AP Studio Art portfolio. But I still think that without the awards and the score (which came after she was admitted, in any case), she would still have received a positive evaluation from the Dept. of Architecture. Talk with some other artists about how best to present your work. If you believe in your talent, submit your portfolio. If your sketchbook is amazing, submit it.</p>