A Quick Resource for Students
Submission Courtesy: Savannah College of Art and Design

Use this guide as a resource for building a portfolio or improving one you’ve already started. Keep in mind that guidelines may vary among different schools and it is important that you tailor your portfolio to each school.

What is a Portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of your strongest artistic work that is presented as professionally as possible and demonstrates your talent.

Tips for Building a Strong Portfolio:

• Create artwork early and often.

•  Keep a sketchbook or journal to build your creative ideas.

• Take art classes.

• Seek portfolio feedback from peers, teachers, professionals and college representatives.

• Use only original work—don’t borrow images.

• Whenever possible, work from direct observation.

• Experiment with different media and techniques.

• Be prolific; this will give you options later and allow you to be selective when compiling the final portfolio.

Things to Consider

When choosing the works that will represent you in your portfolio, you should select pieces that demonstrate a wide range of artistic skills. Portfolio review committees look for portfolios that indicate a familiarity with and mastery of general artistic concepts:

• Composition: Placement or arrangement of elements in a work.

• Drawing: Demonstration of line weights, mark-making, proportion and medium.

• Design: Overall unity achieved by combining elements of art and principles of design.

• Value: Relative darkness or lightness of a color.

• Spatial perception: Understanding of the spatial relationships of objects, as well as foreground, middle and background.

• Technique: Skillfulness in the use of fundamental methods.

• Color perception: General sensitivity to color and sophistication in its application.

• Originality: Capacity to think independently and transform the predictable; the quality of being new and original.

• Conceptual awareness: Expression of a clear idea and effective use of materials and processes to strengthen the concept.

• Aesthetic awareness: Guiding principle in matters of artistic beauty and taste.

Presentation Counts

Think of your portfolio as a visual interview. Your portfolio must speak for itself. Strong presentation shows work in its best light and indicates your ability to communicate in an effective manner. Pay close attention to the content and presentation of your portfolio.

University of Colorado Denver

CHARTING PATHS TO COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESSES

University of Colorado Denver uses MyMajors to help students Just ASK!

For many young people, their journeys from high school to college lack signposts. They often enter college without majors in mind – much less knowing the jobs they want after graduation.

These students have to learn to Just ASK! That’s a clever career counseling activity at the University of Colorado Denver. ASK stands for Assessing career paths, Searching for jobs and Knocking on doors of the best companies.

That’s where Jonne Kraning comes in. Kraning is director of the CU Denver Career Center, which helps students select majors, develop career plans and get those first jobs.

The center has, for years, relied on MyMajors for that key step of assessing what major is best suited to each student.

“It’s quick, it’s direct and to the point and it gives us a real starting point with students,” Kraning said.

“If I could only have one piece of technology in our career center, I would probably pick MyMajors.”

A goal of the CU Denver Career Center, and colleges nationwide, is to keep students in school and on track to graduate – clearly good for all involved: the student, the college and parents.

According to the American Institutes for Research, a group whose work includes educational assessments, 30 percent of college freshmen do not return to the same colleges for their sophomore years. And some never return to college, often because their studies lack focus and they’re not sure which way to go, careerwise.

And, much to the chagrin of parents, students who stay in school without majors are more likely to take extra time to graduate. In fact, only 36 percent of third-year students without declared majors graduate on time.

A NEED FOR DIRECTION

The Career Center at CU Denver aggressively reaches out to students in need of majors and good career options. It publicizes its free services on campus through advertising and career fairs.

When a student comes in for help, Kraning starts with a personal interview of 20 to 25 minutes.
“They talk about their hopes and dreams, about what they are good at and what they have noticed about themselves,” Kraning said.

Then the student completes a MyMajors nine-part survey to assess personality, interests, strengths and potential majors. Students also report their grades in specific subjects so the center can measure students’ proficiency.

Formal assessment testing usually validates what students may have felt was right for them all along.

“I have found that 99 percent of the time the pattern that comes up in MyMajors is the same one that came up in our conversation,” Kraning said.

The MyMajors assessment is perhaps most effective because it measures both interest and achievement. The correlation between these two is extremely important in determining a person’s career, as well as the likelihood of success in a field of study and career. Comparing students’ interests to their grades is the key proprietary method to find real opportunities for future college grads.

For example, a student with an interest in engineering, who also makes good grades in math, is a good fit. Without proficiency in math, that major would be difficult for any student to pursue.

REACH OF MYMAJORS.COM IS GLOBAL

MyMajors.com research covers more than 1,800 majors and 40,000 pages of career information. It has helped more than 525,000 students from the United States and around the world select suitable majors.

In 2011, MyMajors.com had more than 3 million website visits and 173,000 completed Interviews, said Bill Gaier, vice president of business development at MyMajors. And he expects traffic and interest to continue to grow due to a competitive job market and the need to quickly and efficiently find majors that lead to good jobs.

At CU Denver, which has an enrollment of about 16,000, the innovative Just ASK! career counseling campaign doubles as an invitation to succeed.

So, for Kraning and each of her undeclared students, it starts with a simple conversation and the quick and easy MyMajors assessment.

“MyMajors is simple yet powerful, and really helps us, as well as the students, figure out what needs to be done,” she said. “We love to see students with passion and purpose, pursuing things they like, and are really good at as well.”

Article written by Jonne Kraning
University of Colorado Denver

I have read so many articles recently about the Higher Education divide, between those that can afford education and those that cannot, growing larger and larger. Every time I read those articles I become a bit put off at their tones and lack of information. As a current student or a potential student it is important to understand that if getting your college degree is your goal you cannot be deterred by what you are seeing without first investigating all of your options. For example, many new students begin to look around at colleges and the first thing they notice is the price tag; and they immediately add up the cost of that school and feel as if a door is slammed in their face. These students begin to tell themselves that they could never afford ‘that sort of cost’ and that maybe a college degree isn’t right for them.
I have and will always feel as if everyone should have the opportunity to earn a college degree, if they so desire; it may just take bit of creativity and the ability to look at the bigger picture in order to get there. One thing that unsettles me is the lack of knowledge students are given about their options when earning their degree. They automatically think the only road to college is through one University and the cost of that school is their only option. The truth is college credits are college credits no matter where you begin to earn them from (keep in mind to always check accreditations). Yes, there are residency requirements from schools, where you will ultimately earn your degree, but some schools have generous transfer policies that allow students to transfer in a large amount of elective or ‘lower division’ credits. Here are some options for earning college credits that may be a bit more affordable for students out there worried about the overall price:

1.) Local Community Colleges are a great place to begin your college career.  There is nothing wrong with starting off at a small, accredited, Community College within your neighborhood.  I think many new students would be shocked at the amount of graduates who actually began their college career here, and why wouldn’t they? They can earn a large amount of credits for half the price of a private or state school.

2.) Taking classes for college credit in high school. Wait what did you say? Yes, many (not all) but many high schools offer the option of earning college credit while you are still in high school. This is a great way to get started, and again at a much cheaper rate than that of a state school. If your school offers this option I would suggest taking advantage it.

3.) Testing out of credits (and I thought everyone had heard of CLEP or DSST, boy was I wrong). Okay this may not be for everyone but if you could earn 3 credits for around $100 wouldn’t this be something you would take some time to consider? Well if you are worried about the overall price tag of a college education, I think you should. This option allows a student to test out of specific areas and earn college credit for doing it. It does take some studying and will power to make yourself do the work, but the end cost of the credits is well worth the effort.

4.) Scholarships, Scholarships, and more scholarships. The internet is your best friend when searching and applying for college scholarships. Many online schools will not offer scholarships but that does not mean you cannot apply for one through other venues. Students are shocked when they begin searching at how many different opportunities there are to earn college scholarships, and all they had to do to find them was Google it, (okay and apply)! Keep in mind some search services may charge a small fee but there are some that will be free of charge.

5.) Last but not least, tuition reimbursement. Yes, I know this does not typically cover the entire cost of a college degree but some companies out there do offer reimbursement for employees going back to school. Maybe it is less than $1,000 but trust me that $1,000 sure can cover the cost of quite a few books.

A college degree is difficult, and yes it can be expensive but do not let anyone tell you that it isn’t for you. Do not look at Higher Education as a price tag because if you do then you will become discouraged. There are many options out there and some of those options are not the quickest and easiest but they are doable. If you want it bad enough then do your research, and find out how to make a college degree affordable for you.

There have been some interesting developments.

College.
For one, I did hear from Mason Gross School of the Arts. I was rejected once more. Good thing I still have NYU, Fordham, Carnegie, Columbia, Boston U, Northeastern, Harvard, and a bunch of other places to hear from. That’s what helps me to continue on right now.

The United Nations.
Last week I went to the United Nations with my school’s Model UN and Globe Changers’ club (an anti-human trafficking club of which I am President). Benedictine Academy was invited to join the conference because of our efforts in fundraising for trafficking victims and on awareness campaigns (like that time my buddy Dannah and I spoke on WFME radio about it).
I got to meet and speak to actress, author, activist and Harvard graduate Ashley Judd. I asked her what advice she could give our club about educating young people on the dangers and the reality of human trafficking (we’re trying to create a curriculum for schools worldwide). Because I asked that question, she said she was in love with me, and then I proceeded to attempt to act normal. So basically, I want to be exactly like her. How many other women can say they’ve studied and graduated from Harvard, traveled the world to learn about the suffering of victims of Human Trafficking, have written an honest, best-selling book about their experiences, and have a show airing every Thursday night on ABC called ‘Missing’ that brings light to this very kind of issue? Not many, I don’t think….

The Arts.
The very next day my best friend and I got to tag team it at the Union Teen Arts Festival. We submitted drawings or poetry, and both of us sang. We received critiques, which were nice, but the best parts had to be the Salsa workshop and getting to see other schools’ show choir and drama performances. Cin (my best friend) and I actually learned a full salsa routine! It got really warm in that room 0.o But it was well worth it! I felt totally in touch with my roots after that.
There was a school that did this magnificent performance of a scene from The Crucible. Not only did the student directors do an amazing job, but the actors blew us away! They were so committed and believable – what more could you want?
On that note, our production of Nunsense is hitting potholes left and right. Lines are not sticking, actors are breaking body parts (the brain counts as much as the ankle) and tech day only gets closer and closer. I’m wondering when we’ll get it together.

Academics.
Also, the academic load doesn’t appear to be calming down anytime soon. I’m wondering how I will keep up… I’ve tried several suggested time management methods, but it’s been very difficult to find one that works for me….Any advice for the blogger, for a change? =)

Peace and Love,
Ariana

Hello MyMajors Readers! Another month has passed; I’m awfully tired of playing the waiting game… I don’t think I’ve learned from December, for I gave into countless hours of Internet stalking College Confidential forums again. Bad Idea. But the long wait is almost over—2 more weeks ’till “Mid-March” when decisions start to be released.
After a successful first semester, I must say that things have been more relaxed. I wonder how important senior year grades are. First semester grades were by far the best I’ve done in high school. It is to my understanding that bad mid-year reports can hurt—but can good ones help? Is it too late to make a good impression?
People ask me whether I am nervous or not; I tell them no. Lies. I tell myself not to be, but my recent Google searches tell me otherwise. I’ve wasted afternoons researching things like “I’ve been rejected by all my universities. What do I do?” None of the answers provided much comfort except this one page I found that I’ve bookmarked on my Internet browser. For all you anxious wrecks out there like me, this is for you: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/admissions-hindsight-lessons-learned/1034191-life-goes-somehow-magically-becomes-amazing-read-applicants.html
It truly let me know: no matter what happens, I will be alright.
On the plus side, with the whole college application stress being almost over, I have been spending many more weekends with family and friends. Out of the past five weeks since the start of second semester, I’ve hung out with friends four times [not that I'm counting or anything XD]. RECORD HIGH SOCIAL LIFE GUYS! I figured that my goal for second semester would be to catch the whole ideal “high school experience.” I went to my first winter formal, first school basketball game [first school sports game ever], and even hung out with friends from junior high that I rarely see anymore. I realize that I do not have much time left to enjoy my own room, my mother’s cooking, …. basically all the simple pleasures that come with being a child.
In English class, we’ve just finished a unit on Keats’ poetry. Now, I’m not a big fan of Keats. I personally find his writing much to flowery for the simple, repetitive message he includes in all his poems, but I did learn something from “Ode on a Grecian Urn.” When I first read the poem, the tone sounded so happy, it seemed almost sarcastic. Everything was frozen in time, with full potential, but never to reach the end result. After all, they’re pictures on an urn. Time has stood still for those images. When I first read the poem, I imagined that the people in the frozen image must have felt extremely frustrated to be held back by the stagnant time, but now I see it differently. I wish these last few months could last forever: the time before people knew to where they were parting ways. After these last few months, life won’t be the same. I’ll miss it.

Until next time,
Ashley