International College Counselors

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Brochure
    • Scholarship Essay Contest
    • Why ICC?
  • Services
    • College Counseling
    • Graduate School
    • International Students
    • Transfer Students
    • Learning Differences
    • K-12 Placement Services
    • SSAT Flex Testing
    • A La Carte Services
    • Corporate Benefits
    • Giving Back
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
    • In The News
    • Press Releases
    • Awards & Recognitions
    • Upcoming Free Webinars and Seminars
  • Essays
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Locations
    • Florida Locations
    • Connecticut Location
    • New York City Locations
    • North Carolina Location
  • Resources
    • New Book: To University and Beyond
    • Overall Admission Rates

7 Considerations When Applying to College as a Visual Art or Design Major

April 10, 2020 by Cheree Liebowitz

       

 

For more than 20 years, Hans Evers, International College Counselors’ Director of College Counseling, has worked with students applying to the most prestigious Art and Design programs. His students have been accepted for Art and Architecture at The Cooper Union, for Product Design at Art Center College of Design, Fashion Design at Parsons/The New School, Transportation Design at CCS, Animation at CalArts, and many others. As Director of Admissions at four top art colleges, he has evaluated applications and portfolios for thousands of students. Taking into account his vast experience in the arts, Hans shares with us seven things to consider when applying to college as a visual art or design major: 
 
1. Love what you do
Whether it is photography, sculpture, graphic design, animation, fashion, or multi-media installation, you should LOVE spending time making your work. If anyone asks you what you do when you have free time, the answer should unequivocally be, “Get creative and make my [fill the blank] work.” You should have a sketchbook (aka artist’s diary) that you carry everywhere you go and constantly use for notes, ideas, and sketches. 

2. Make work all the time
You should be making works, large and small, simple and complex, all the time. When your teacher assigns a self-portrait, you make three and submit the best one–or all three! More importantly, you should make work outside of class on projects that are of your own choosing. Similar to the way recruited athletes train, you should be spending hours every week working on your art/design projects. Contrary to popular belief, art is much more about practice and commitment than about talent. 

3. Get passionate about your field
Don’t be afraid to become an “art nerd.” Visit museums and gallery shows, study art history, and read art magazines. Look at lots and lots of art. But don’t just Google everything; flip pages and walk up to/around art works in real time and space. Develop a list of favorite artists, and not just ‘dead’ ones! What is it about their work that resonates with you and how can this inspire your own art praxis? Perhaps they are addressing topics in their work such as identity, race, religion, or the environment, which are close to your heart. Challenge yourself by deep diving into the oeuvre of an artist/designer you don’t like. Discover ‘outsider artists’ such as Henry Darger that your friends and teacher have never heard of before. If you aspire to be a real art nerd, look up all the yellow words.
 

4. Develop & edit your portfolio
For most visual artists and designers, a portfolio is an edited collection of real works AND the photographic documentation of those works. Some art works are ephemeral or in situ and can only be documented in photographs. A portfolio is a collection of works that grows and is edited over an entire career. It is important to get in the habit of documenting your works soon after they are created, since not all works are archival. In the end, when you apply to college, you will submit a highly edited digital portfolio of 15-20 pieces.
 

5. Attend summer pre-college programs
One of the best ways to grow as an aspiring artist/designer is to surround yourself with other like-minded creatives. There are many great summer art programs, from short (2 weeks) to long (8 weeks), local to international, and from general to highly focused. If at all possible, plan to attend two summer programs before your senior year. It is a great way to get to know a favorite college, to demonstrate interest, and to improve your portfolio. There are too many programs to list, but if you’re interested in getting suggestions, contact us at ICC. 

6. Get critical feedback
Getting critical feedback on your work is an essential way to grow as an artist. And although it can be nice to get feedback from your loving friends and family, it is essential to get feedback from experts – your teachers, professional artists, critics, and writers, as well as from art college recruiters. Taking AP, AICE, IB and Dual Enrollment courses in art, and attending summer art programs are a great way to get rigorous feedback on your work. Art college recruiters are happy to review and critique your work when they visit your school or when you are on their campus for a visit/tour, visiting them at a portfolio day, or a summer program.

7. Research art and design college programs
It is never too early to start researching art and design programs. A good place to start is with types of degrees. Not all colleges offer majors in art, fewer in design, and even fewer offer professional degrees such as the BFA, BDes and BArch. If you are serious about a career in art or design, you should favor colleges offering professional degrees. Ideally they offer Masters programs in your chosen field as well. Two excellent places to start your research are the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) and the National Portfolio Day Association (NPDA). Member colleges of both associations are NASAD accredited and the NPDA hosts the National Portfolio Days, which you should plan to attend starting your sophomore year. 
 

Don’t forget that when you are applying as an art or design major, colleges are still looking at all your other application materials, including your transcript and test scores, as well as resume, essay, and recommendation letters. Some are more selective than others, but you can’t slack off on your academics just because you are developing your portfolio.

For more information on art colleges, join us for a free webinar on April 15th at 7pm EST or contact us at 1-954-414-9986. 

________________________________________________________________
About International College Counselors
International College Counselors works with students from all over the world to help them reach their college and graduate school goals. Through a personal, one-on-one approach, the expert college advisors create an individualized plan for each student based on the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and passions. The holistic process helps families of middle school, high school, and college-aged students alleviate stress, avoid confusion, and get results.
________________________________________________________________
Upcoming FREE WEBINARS
FREE WEBINAR: How to Get Accepted to Top Visual Arts/Design Colleges   
April 15, 2020 at 7:00 PM EST 
This detailed discussion of the unique art/design application requirements will help demystify the application portfolio, and will review how to prepare a strong body of work. Join Hans Evers, Director of College Advising, for this free, engaging webinar.  
REGISTER: https://bit.ly/2uYlcjp

FREE WEBINAR: College Admissions in Times of Uncertainty
April 16, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST
Have questions on what the coronavirus means for colleges and student admissions? Join Andy Greenspan, Director of College Advising at International College Counselors for this free, interactive webinar.
REGISTER:  https://bit.ly/3bTXqVv

FREE WEBINAR: Applying to Ivy League and Highly Selective Colleges 
April 29, 2020 at 7:00 PM EST 
Getting accepted to Ivy League schools has become more difficult due to a rapidly growing applicant pool. Aside from getting top grades and testing well, discover ways students can set themselves apart from the pack and how to improve their odds of admission.   
REGISTER:  https://bit.ly/3e1XggF
 

All webinars are recommended for parents and students in grades 8-11.

________________________________________________________________
Apply for the International College Counselors Scholarship
All students in grades 9-11 are encouraged to apply for the ICC scholarship. Write an essay that answers the question: “You have been invited to talk to the future U.S. Secretary of Education. What would you say?” Additional contest rules and submission information can be found here.  The scholarship deadline is April 15, 2020.  
________________________________________________________________

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: International College Counselors blog, Special Students – Athletes, LD, Art Majors Tagged With: art admissions, art college advisor, art colleges, art major, art schools, design admissions, design college advisor, design colleges, design major, design schools

Sign up for free college admissions advice!

Subscribe

Recent Acceptances

M.I.T.
Yale University
Stanford University
Brown University
Caltech
Harvard College
Princeton University
Harvard Business School
University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School
Washington University St. Louis
Cornell University
Columbia University
Dartmouth College
Northwestern University
The Cooper Union
Johns Hopkins University
University of Florida
New York University
University of Michigan
University of Chicago
Brandeis University
University of Texas @ Austin
NYU Dental School
USC Dental School
Duke University
University of Virginia
Barnard College
Amherst College
UNC Chapel Hill
Wesleyan University
Rice University
McGill University
Olin College of Engineering
Tufts University
Emory University
Carnegie Mellon University
George Washington University
University of Notre Dame
Georgia Institute of Technology
Boston University
USC
U.C.L.A.
Vanderbilt University
Syracuse University
UC Berkeley
Rensselaer Polytechnic
University of Maryland
New College of Florida
Loyola Marymount University
American University
Harvey Mudd College
Middlebury College
Boston College
Babson University
Georgetown University
Colgate University
Bard College
Ohio State University
Indiana University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Tulane University
University of Miami
Purdue University
Oxford College @ Emory
Wisconsin @ Madison
Northeastern University
Lehigh University
Goucher College
Pennslyvania State University
Muhlenberg College
University of Connecticut
Loyola University Chicago
University of Colorado Boulder
Colorado State University
University of Alabama
Louisiana State University
Drexel University
Embry-Riddle University
University of Arizona
Florida State University
University of Central Florida
S.U.N.Y @ Binghamton
S.U.N.Y @ Stony Brook
S.U.N.Y @ Albany
S.U.N.Y @ Geneseo
S.U.N.Y. @ Oneonta
S.U.N.Y. @ Oswego
S.U.N.Y @ Purchase
Art Institute of Chicago
University of Illinois
Pratt Institute
Ringling College Art & Design
George Mason University
University of Vermont
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Parsons New School of Design
Emerson College
Auburn University
Michigan State University
UC Santa Cruz
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
Elon University
St. John's University
UMass Amherst
UMass Dartmouth
UMass Lowell
UMass Boston
Suffolk University
Bentley University
Lynn University
Arizona State University
University of North Florida
Florida Atlantic University
Florida International University
Florida Gulf Coast University
University of South Florida
Nova Southeastern University
University of Tampa
Hofstra University
Pace University
University of New England
Western New England College
Bowling Green State University
Rollins College
Eugene Lang College
Baruch College
Hunter College
Santa Fe College
Fordham University
UNC Greensboro
University of Hartford
Lasell College
Shimer College
Hillsdale College
College of Charleston
Bryant University
Clark University
James Madison University
Curry College
Southern Methodist University
Florida Institute of Technology
LIM College
University of British Columbia
College of the Holy Cross
University of Pittsburgh
Purchase College
University of Minnesota
Virginia Commonwealth University
Columbia College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
St. Leo University
Stetson University
Canisius College
LIM College
Case Western Reserve
San Diego State University
Marymount Manhattan College

Blog Categories

  • College Admissions
  • College Applications
  • College Essays
  • College Planning
  • College Visits and Information Sessions
  • Extracurricular & Summer Activities
  • FAQ
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships
  • Giving Back
  • Graduate School
  • In the News
  • International College Counselors blog
  • International Students
  • Other
  • Special Students – Athletes, LD, Art Majors
  • Standardized Tests – SAT/ACT/AP Courses/PSAT
  • Summer Opportunities
  • Tips for High School Freshman and Sophomores
  • Tips for High School Juniors
  • Tips for High School Seniors
  • Transfer Students
  • Uncategorized

Blog Archives

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

International College Counselors

3107 Stirling Road, Suite 208
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 USA
(954) 414-9986
(800) 452-9090

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Books By Our Staff:

To University and Beyond: Launch Your Career in High Gear by Mandee Heller Adler and David Teten. From Public School To The Ivy League by Mandee Heller Adler International Admissions by Mandee Heller Adler and Aimee Heller

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Contact Us
  • Results
  • News & Events
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

  • Personalized Support for Seniors – Get Help with College Admissions, Essays, and Applications!
  • Mark Your Calendars: SAT and ACT Testing Dates for 2022-2023
  • Top Tips for the Common Application
  • Tips to Start the School Year Right
  • Game On: How to be Recruited as a Student-Athlete

Copyright © 2022 International College Counselors • Log in

en English
en Englishes Spanishzh-CN Chinese (Simplified)nl Dutchfr Frenchit Italiande Germanpt Portugueseru Russianar Arabic