Choose Your Own Adventure: The Portfolio
Because portfolio guidelines vary widely in response to different school and program structures, putting together a college portfolio can feel a bit like a choose-your-own adventure experience. Well, grab your walkin' shoes -- we're going on this adventure together!
Question 1: Is a portfolio required for the program you're looking at?
If you answered YES:
If you answered yes, you're likely looking into a studio art program like the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or Combined Degree (BFA+BA/BS) programs at SMFA at Tufts where a visual art portfolio is required with your application. Continue to question 2!
If you answered NO:
If you answered no, you're likely looking into another kind of program, like one of Tufts' School of Engineering or School of Arts & Sciences degrees, where you won't be submitting a portfolio with your application. Your portfolio adventure may be coming to a close, but your journey to Tufts is just beginning! Continue to more blog posts.
If you answered I'M NOT SURE:
If you're not sure, no worries! A great place to start is our Tufts Admissions website, where you can browse all of our academic offerings and see which program might fit your interests. If you're looking into portfolio requirements for other art and design schools, AICAD is a good place to do some searching. Once you've found a program and figured out whether they require a portfolio, circle on back to question 1!
Question 2: What kind of art program are you applying to?
If you're applying to an INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM:
If you're applying to the BFA or Combined Degree program at SMFA at Tufts, you're looking at one of the most interdisciplinary studio art programs out there, with a studio curriculum completely customized to meet your evolving goals and interests. Through this interdisciplinary studio curriculum and access to coursework and resources across the entire University, we encourage students to make work that’s driven by ideas, responsive to research, and bridges the technical and conceptual. And so, of course, that’s the kind of work we love to see emerging in your portfolio. Whatever you love to make work about is what we really want to see. That’s why we don’t have any specific medium or subject-matter requirements for your portfolio and why we advise having a one-on-one portfolio review rather than giving you a pre-set list of portfolio recommendations. Continue to your portfolio review!
If you're applying to a DIRECT ENTRY PROGRAM:
If you're applying to a direct entry program, you're likely ready to commit to a more focused set of courses. Maybe you've had a broad exposure to studio arts already or you're laser-focused on one studio discipline. The curriculum in a direct entry program will be more streamlined and driven by a specific industry skill set. Direct entry programs may have a more standardized list of portfolio guidelines that reflect their interest in finding students prepared to hit the ground running in a specific area or medium. For example, a direct entry animation program may recommend including examples of storyboards, character designs, or walk cycle animations. Continue to the program's website, where you're likely to find portfolio information and opportunities to receive feedback specific to their direct entry requirements.
If you're applying to a FOUNDATION YEAR PROGRAM:
If you're applying to a foundation year program, you'll be spending your first year completing a range of introductory courses in 2D, 3D, and 4D areas, building a broad range of basic skills before declaring a more focused major that builds sequentially. Since foundation year programs are the most common type of art school program here in the U.S., there's no one-size-fits-all portfolio advice. However, foundation year programs may want to see some examples of drawing from observation (since everyone will have to take drawing classes) and may recommend showcasing a variety of mediums to demonstrate your preparedness for the wide-ranging foundation year experience. Continue to the program's website, where you're likely to find portfolio information and opportunities to receive feedback specific to their foundation year requirements.
Question 3: Do you know the portfolio guidelines and submission process for each program you're applying to?
If you answered YES:
If you answered yes... wow! We know it can be a lot to keep track of, so you must have a pretty baller spreadsheet. Continue back to the studio to make more work or, if you're ready: start your application!
If you answered NO:
If you answered no, we recommend attending a National Portfolio Day, a series of free in-person and virtual events where representatives from dozens of top art and design schools are available to provide feedback on your portfolio and information about the application process. As you go booth to booth, you can make a note about requirements, submission process, deadlines, and feedback on the content of the portfolio. You can also register for a virtual portfolio review with SMFA at Tufts Admissions. Continue on to a portfolio review!
Hark! On the horizon! Your portfolio awaits...
Thanks for coming on this adventure with SMFA at Tufts Admissions! Remember that you can always create multiple portfolios from the same work. Curation, sequencing, and captioning can highlight different aspects of your artwork that might appeal to different types of programs. We can cover all this and more at your portfolio review!