Arts News

What Every Junior Should Know About the Arts in the College Application Process

Are you passionate about the arts? Do you wonder how your talent and arts experience will play in the college admissions process? It can play a significant role!

There may be a few of you who are thinking about attending an arts school or majoring in art, music, dance, or theater at a college or university. If so, you should speak with your arts teacher about your options. If you are like most of your artistic peers at Bryn Mawr, you may not be planning on becoming a professional in the arts. Even so, you should be making plans now on how you can best showcase your talent. I offer some tips below:

Recommendations

    • A special talent recommendation written by an arts faculty member who knows your work well can be an important part of your application. A CD, DVD, or slides of your work can certainly be helpful, but a well-written letter from a faculty member who knows you and can write about your passion and achievements will most likely have a greater effect.
    This letter does not need to take the place of one of your academic recommendations; it can be sent to the college as an additional letter.
    • If your arts study took place primarily outside of school (like at Peabody, MICA, etc.) ask that teacher to write for you. You should make sure though, that the Bryn Mawr College Counseling Office knows what you've accomplished in that area so your college advisor can refer to your achievements as well. Ask your arts teacher to contact your college counselor to find out how he or she can support you in the application process.

Portfolios and Photographic Slides

    • A portfolio of good quality artwork can show your talent, individuality, originality, and hard work more visibly than a transcript.
    • If you would like to present your artwork while visiting a college for an interview, be sure to read the portfolio requirements outlined on the application or in the catalogue.
    • To create a portfolio, choose approximately 8-12 pieces of your best artwork. In lieu of presenting original artwork, slides or a disk of photographs of your artwork may be an acceptable option.
    • Your portfolio should include selections from a variety of class assignments to illustrate your breadth of skill. The ideal portfolio will show a particular focus on a style or approach to visual ideas.

CD and DVD Recordings

    • These can be helpful, but only if your work has reached a mature level and the recording is well done. College admission officers and arts departments are often deluged with peripheral materials, and they do not want to spend valuable time hearing CDs or viewing DVDs that do not demonstrate special talent.
    • Make sure your recording is about you and only you. For example, a recording of a Dayseye performance may be impressive, but the person listening to the recording wants to hear you, not the group.
    • Give yourself plenty of time to prepare the materials you submit. The recording process can be difficult, and you may need more than one session to get the result you are seeking. Remember that those listening to your CD or viewing your DVD know that you are a student in the process of developing your talent, so don't stress too much if your performance is not completely perfect. For that reason, I also encourage you to resist editing your recording after the fact - that may make your whole performance suspect.
    • Make sure you are on top of deadlines for the submission of materials. Early action/decision usually means that you may have to have something ready to go out in October. Materials for regular decision are often needed by January 1.
    • Your work this year may turn out to be some of the best you do in high school, so make arrangements to record or document your work this year - don't wait until you are a senior.  Record that piano piece, or videotape that monologue when it is fresh so that you don't have to bring it back up to speed later on.

Scholarships

Lastly, you should know that many colleges and universities offer financial aid and scholarships to students who are not majoring in art, music, dance, or drama, but who will participate in their chosen art form while at the school. Once you've identified the schools to which you wish to apply, contact the admission office and ask them if they offer any scholarships in the arts to non-majors.

Please contact your college counselor or me with any questions. I wish you the best of luck in your college process.

Mr. Bullen

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