How to show applicant's art and music? Online portfolio?

[Anonymous]

This is not for art or music schools, but to show evidence of serious extra-curriculars, when applying to traditional colleges and universities, with the intent of picking a minor in art and/or music. My high schooler has video clips of solo performances with orchestra and a music resume with competition wins, etc. She is also a self-taught digital artist and craftsperson, with a collection of works she could photograph and upload to a website.

Is providing a link to a website how it works these days? If anyone has any experience with such an application, I'd appreciate some pointers. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

It varies. Some schools allow any applicant to submit artistic supplementals, such as portfolios, recordings, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It varies. Some schools allow any applicant to submit artistic supplementals, such as portfolios, recordings, etc.

Thanks. So there's a line where she can just plug in a link to a website? She also wants to talk about her art in one of the essays.

[Anonymous]

The schools who consider such things mention it on their applications - and provide you with a way to share this (eg, Slideroom). You really cannot expect them to go to websites, etc. My daughter submitted a musical thing to her top school, though she did not intend to major in Music, but the school said they would have music faculty review it. She was accepted and the summer before her freshman year she heard from the head of the music department asking her to participate in various programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools who consider such things mention it on their applications - and provide you with a way to share this (eg, Slideroom). You really cannot expect them to go to websites, etc. My daughter submitted a musical thing to her top school, though she did not intend to major in Music, but the school said they would have music faculty review it. She was accepted and the summer before her freshman year she heard from the head of the music department asking her to participate in various programs.

Thanks. OP here. I looked at Slideroom and this does look like an easy way to present music and artworks.

[Anonymous]

I would go into Common App, make a practice account, add any schools your kid is interested in and then look at what portfolios they accept and their directions. Each school is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would go into Common App, make a practice account, add any schools your kid is interested in and then look at what portfolios they accept and their directions. Each school is different.

Or just go to the admissions webpage for each school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools who consider such things mention it on their applications - and provide you with a way to share this (eg, Slideroom). You really cannot expect them to go to websites, etc. My daughter submitted a musical thing to her top school, though she did not intend to major in Music, but the school said they would have music faculty review it. She was accepted and the summer before her freshman year she heard from the head of the music department asking her to participate in various programs.

Thanks. OP here. I looked at Slideroom and this does look like an easy way to present music and artworks.

I think you would do a music supplement and an art supplement separately, but consult the school admission pages. The admissions people sometimes send them to faculty to review.

[Anonymous]

DC is planning to include a URL to their online portfolio in either the activities section or as a bullet point in the more info section. If schools look at it, great, if not, no biggie.

[Anonymous]

This really varies school by school, both whether they are interested in receiving arts supplements and if so, what form they want them to take. Search for "arts supplement" and/or "music supplement" on the website of each school to which your DC is planning to apply, and you will find instructions there. Many schools do use slide room, and it is very much appropriate for music, as it allows you to upload videos and/or URLs, depending on the school's interests. Others ask you to submit letters or forms linking to requested info.

Most schools are very prescriptive in what they want to see (for example, if the interest is in classical music, they might want to see pieces from 3 contrasting periods). Plus they frequently want to see a music resume and sometimes letter of interest. They also can have short essay questions asking about the applicants' interest and experience. Others just ask for excerpts from a couple of pieces. It's can be a pretty time consuming process, but definitely can move the needle if a student presents a supplement that demonstrates that they will add value to the music community at the school

[Anonymous]

Mine is a dancer, and three of the colleges where he applied allowed an arts supplement. They provide the link and directions as to how to submit and what materials they are looking for. Wake, W&M, UVa. Schools will have it listed with their admissions info.

[Anonymous]

As an example, Hamilton specifies this regarding supplemental art submissions:

"Students can link to 8-20 images of drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures or other visual artwork through Flickr. Each image requires a title, description, date, dimensions, and materials used."

And this regarding supplemental music submissions:

"Students can link to 1-5 videos or audio files on YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud."
https://www.hamilton.edu/admission/apply/materials

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really varies school by school, both whether they are interested in receiving arts supplements and if so, what form they want them to take. Search for "arts supplement" and/or "music supplement" on the website of each school to which your DC is planning to apply, and you will find instructions there. Many schools do use slide room, and it is very much appropriate for music, as it allows you to upload videos and/or URLs, depending on the school's interests. Others ask you to submit letters or forms linking to requested info.

Most schools are very prescriptive in what they want to see (for example, if the interest is in classical music, they might want to see pieces from 3 contrasting periods). Plus they frequently want to see a music resume and sometimes letter of interest. They also can have short essay questions asking about the applicants' interest and experience. Others just ask for excerpts from a couple of pieces. It's can be a pretty time consuming process, but definitely can move the needle if a student presents a supplement that demonstrates that they will add value to the music community at the school

This sounds like the process for someone applying for a program that requires an arts supplement, not someone like OP who just wants to support a significant EC with examples of their work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is planning to include a URL to their online portfolio in either the activities section or as a bullet point in the more info section. If schools look at it, great, if not, no biggie.

Admissions readers are likely told not to click URLs, so including them is kind of annoying. Application space is limited for a reason, and it's as if you think the rules are different for you. You'll know that a school is willing to look at the portfolio if they have information about how to submit them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really varies school by school, both whether they are interested in receiving arts supplements and if so, what form they want them to take. Search for "arts supplement" and/or "music supplement" on the website of each school to which your DC is planning to apply, and you will find instructions there. Many schools do use slide room, and it is very much appropriate for music, as it allows you to upload videos and/or URLs, depending on the school's interests. Others ask you to submit letters or forms linking to requested info.

Most schools are very prescriptive in what they want to see (for example, if the interest is in classical music, they might want to see pieces from 3 contrasting periods). Plus they frequently want to see a music resume and sometimes letter of interest. They also can have short essay questions asking about the applicants' interest and experience. Others just ask for excerpts from a couple of pieces. It's can be a pretty time consuming process, but definitely can move the needle if a student presents a supplement that demonstrates that they will add value to the music community at the school

This sounds like the process for someone applying for a program that requires an arts supplement, not someone like OP who just wants to support a significant EC with examples of their work.

Nope -- this is the process for students applying to general colleges/universities but who want the opportunity to show that they will add something artistic to the community. Applying to music-specific programs involves way more than this. To add to the other cites already given, here's U-Va's directions: https://music.virginia.edu/applying. Here's Georgetown's: https://performingarts.georgetown.edu/academics/theater-supplemental-materials/

These are not applications to a program, but instead an opportunity to supplement your general application to the school/university. If the arts reviewers are impressed, they will say so to the admissions office. How much that matters likely varies from school to school.