College Art Portfolio Prep for High School Students

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Art Portfolio Development for High School Students

Our college art portfolio program is customized for each student’s individual needs. Students have access to our dedicated team members and an expert in art school admissions to help them with their art portfolio development. They will work on different projects depending on their major and college goals and finalize with a completely unique set of projects.

Each student will have their 1 on 1 individual, in-person meetings with an experienced art expert throughout the year to keep their goals on track. Students do not need to be art students to participate in this program. We offer two different tracks: one for art majors and the other for non-art majors.

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Art Major Track

Most Art / Design majors require the submission of an art portfolio as part of the application process. We consider the following when working with students who pursue the Art Major Track:

What art and design schools they want to apply to
Portfolio requirements by the art schools
Application deadlines
Consultation on application process

From there, we assist each student in creating a college art portfolio to help them get into the best art schools.

Non-Art Major Track

Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. An art portfolio is a perfect way for a non-art major to showcase their creative side to admissions officers.

Our team of experts will help each student create an art portfolio which highlights their art styles, personality and the college majors they are pursuing. Like the art major track, we take into consideration what colleges the student is interested in and application deadlines.

Meet Our Art Admissions Expert

Francy Caprino is the former Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Pratt Institute’s northern campus of PrattMWP. Her responsibilities were to evaluate applications to decide which students were accepted or rejected, and offer scholarships. She was also the Assistant Director of Graduate and International Admissions at Pratt in Brooklyn, during which time she taught Portfolio Development and Painting.

Francy holds a Master’s Degree in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. She also served as the Assistant Director of Admissions at the San Francisco Art Institute while teaching the Portfolio Development class there.

She teaches both the Portfolio & Scholarships Development Class and the Elements of Design Class. She provides invaluable instruction and knowledge to our students. Francy gives students insight into the art world, which will prepare them for their college admission and future professional development.

Portfolio Classes

Portfolio Class

In our Portfolio Classes, students will learn skills needed to produced the highest qualities pieces as well as produce portfolio pieces. We have many instructors to choose from, depending on the student’s personality, major and college goals and personal schedule.

Art Portfolio & Scholarship Development Class

This is a specialty class created for 11th and 12th graders who are interested in majoring in Art or Design. In this class, Students will get advice and guidance on the finalization of their portfolios. Instructors will guide them through the art college admission process for the schools of their choice.

The syllabus of this class includes college admission essay writing and editing, preparing for interviews and portfolio reviews, and educating art students on what the admission officers are looking for in their portfolios. They will learn how to represent themselves in the best light possible and gain knowledge which is often included in introduction to art courses in college. This class is a MUST HAVE for students who aspire to become an art or design major.

Elements of Design

This class is for students in 10th - 12th grade. They will learn about the elements of design, such as color theory, scale, shape, and texture. These design basics will provide students with a solid foundation of important artistic techniques.

2025 Summer Art Program

Our summer programs and workshops have been developed specifically to enhance areas that admissions officers want to see in students’ art portfolios. The classes offer a highly educational experience, allowing students to showcase their skills and knowledge through art in their portfolios.

Life Model Drawing

Students have the opportunity to draw a variety of professional art models. This is a skill that is highly desired by the portfolio reviewers in art and design schools.

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Urban Sketching Workshop

Our instructors take students to different locations where they can explore and sketch a variety of different atmospheres and environments.

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Large Canvas Painting Workshop

This class will teach students how to paint on canvases no smaller than 3ft by 4ft. This skill is not often taught in high school. Many students usually do not learn this art technique until college. This class will help students stand out during art portfolio reviews.

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What Our Students Are Saying About Our Program

Maggie L.

“I’ve been studying art at the US Arts Center since 7th grade and it has been the pillar of my art education since. US Arts Center provided the educators and materials I needed to grow as an artist, as well as the support and guidance for building an art portfolio for college. I was able to study a wide variety of art mediums such as acrylic paint, colored pencil, charcoal, and much more. They allowed me to explore my artistic passions and experiment with my work. I learned under many amazing artists and skilled teachers who personalized my lessons so I could improve all aspects of my artistic abilities. The teachers and staff even helped me prepare a strong portfolio so I could get into a top art program in college. I am so grateful for US Arts to help me become a better artist!”

Rachel L.

“U.S. Arts is very devoted to helping students create art and continues to support them. There are plenty of materials at the students' availability in order for them to work towards their passion. The teachers are friendly and knowledgeable, and have guided me through the never-ending art process. They have also assisted me in creating a compelling college portfolio. After 10 years of attending U.S. Arts, I can say that I am grateful to have been a part of their community.”

Madison T.

“US Arts played a big role in the improvement of my portfolio. Thanks to the instructors who took time to sit down with me and discuss ways to enhance and elevate my pieces. Not only did they help with the technical side of my pieces but also the conceptual sides. Overall, I’m very happy I got the opportunity to improve my skills and grow my portfolio at US Arts.”

Congratulations to our Class of 2025!

PORTFOLIO PREPARATION PROGRAM