<p>Hey! I dont have a portfolio ready as i am hoping to apply for 2013 sept onwards, however i was confused as to the grades required for art school. I am planning to apply to Pratt/ Parsons and RISD,( I know they are competitive but I have insurance choices in UK)</p>
<p>Sat - 1860 (maths - 670) (CR - 630) (Wr - 560)
Sat subject test - Physics - 660, Maths lv2 - 560 (i know)</p>
<p>IB - 34, HL Art - 6, HL Maths - 3, HL Physics - 5, SL Economics - 6, SL Spanish - 7, SL English - 5, TOK - A, EE - D (2 core points)</p>
<p>extracurriculars:
YPI award (youth and Philanthropy)
volunteer in school for disabled students (art classes)
DofE Gold award
Internship architecture Company Shanghai (3 months)
Orientation to Art & Design at CSM
BTEC Award at distinction* level
Concert Band
Jazz Band</p>
<p>as extra information I will also have completed a foundation course at Central saint Martins (UAL) before I apply.</p>
<p>I know that the portfolio is a big part but in term of the general application is everything ok or should I resit SATs? Im not sure as to how picky they are in terms of these things.</p>
<p>Daughter got scholarships to all with slightly higher SATS, by 60 points and lower grades. Your portfolio is all important for these schools. Find examples of accepted portfolios and realize that many of those tend to be the better ones from the crowd. RISD wanted observational drawings, Pratt was more willing to see some illustration and design work in their portfolio. Parsons was pretty liberal in what they wanted, but they are easier to get into, Good luck, work on portfolio, you can find a good site that lists GPA and SAT averages, portfolios are tougher. Most art Schools view SAT and GPA as a sign of ability to learn and meet requirements, sort of like a pass fail hurdle, if you are over the average, you are good. That being said, some schools give scholarships to high achieving art students based on grades and SAT. Alfred, SCAD and Pratt gave additional academic awards. Basically i would stress portfolio, and take the SAT again anyway, but it is good enough. MY D got her scores in junior year and just worked on portfolio and APs that schools might take after that.</p>
<p>I can tell you about Pratt and Parsons but for RISD I would put in: observational work from life (figures, still-lifes, environments), sketchbook pages (show your creative process, include thumbnails and writing (schools go crazy for writing out ideas and stuff for sketchbooks)), and your own personal work (graphic design, illustration, sculpture etc.) I would include in your personal work at least three pieces that tie into each other somehow. You want to show you can explore and develop concepts. And I don’t think I need to say this, but I have seen a lot of people get this wrong–put ONLY your best work. Don’t put the crappy mixed media piece in from sophomore year because it shows breadth. It doesn’t. It just makes you look bad, and one bad piece can ruin the effect your portfolio has. Your portfolio needs to play to your strengths and show that you have potential. And don’t spend ten billions hours on your home tests. When I was over there the admissions counselor recommended 3 to 4 each, not an entire weekend. I would spend some time brianstorming though. They want you to experiment, and push boundaries. There is no right or wrong answer. Nevertheless, I tried to showcase technical ability and design skills on one and creativity on the other. Others might have taken a different approach. They were not masterpieces that I will cherish forever, but they got me in. And I didn’t feel terrible when I didn’t get them back. </p>
<p>And better grades and SATS can only help you application, but your SAT scores seems to fit in well. If you retake it and score higher it can only help. And avoid talking about the first time you held a crayon or starting to spit out your resume or other stories like that. They know you like art. Use your essays to stand out and show why the school will appeal to your lifelong goals.</p>
<p>Where can one find examples of accepted portfolios? My daughter is going to apply for 2013 and will be working on pieces for her portfolio over the summer and fall. We visited Pratt, RISD, VCUarts, SVA…and they all had the similar advice/feedback mentioned here, strong observational and figure drawing. We plan to attend the National Portfolio Days in our area to get feedback from the schools, but it would be nice to see examples of what they accepted recently.</p>
<p>Try the Conceptart.org Accepted Portfolio Thread. It mostly useful for majors like fine arts, painting, illustration, or animation, but it is a good place to look.</p>