Complete College Application Checklist for Art Students (PDF)
When you are a visual artist or designer, you GET to shine much brighter than the Common App allows! This requires more effort but it pays off by making you more competitive.
Organization is key. Start early and dedicate consistent time to portfolio prep, essays, supplements, artist statements, image captions, and resume development. Create a detailed spreadsheet to keep track of numerous details such as deadlines, Slideroom links, and each college’s unique priorities and values. This checklist prevents overwhelm, and to helps you get excited about sharing all the ways you are a totally unique amazing applicant.
This college application checklist for art students breaks the process into manageable steps so you can stay organized and confident. And because we know how valuable a single resource can be when things get busy, we’ve created a one-page printable PDF you can download and use as your personal tracker.
Get the free printable checklist to track every step in your application process.
Why a Checklist Matters
Whether you are applying to a traditional Liberal Arts college or an Art/Design school, your creative work will make your application come alive through your portfolio, artist statement, and image captions. These materials will complement your transcripts, essay, and rec letters while telling a much bigger story.
However, these additional pieces require you to get even more organized. When programs have their own platforms and deadlines, a simple oversight can delay or derail an otherwise strong application. A checklist gives you a visual roadmap to follow, making sure you don’t miss anything critical. Why not use your amazing visual talents to make the spreadsheet fun with colors, shapes and fonts!?
An art student presenting a mixed-media portfolio piece at the 2025 All School Art Show.
Portfolio Prep Tips
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Include 10–20 of your strongest, most recent pieces, following each school’s instructions.
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Add process work or sketchbook pages to demonstrate how you think creatively.
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Include only the title, medium, size, and date for each piece.
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Lead with your strongest piece, group thoughtfully, and end with another standout.
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Confirm file sizes, formats, and labeling for each school before uploading.
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Ask a mentor, teacher, or coach to review your portfolio before submission.
Application Roadmap for Visual Artists
The following steps will guide you from the first form to the final submission.
1. Rock Your Dashboard & Folders to Stay Organized
Make a spreadsheet called ‘Dashboard’ that is fun and easy to use for YOU, while making sure it lists each college’s deadlines, and a separate column for each piece they require. Decide how you will mark things ‘done’ - do they get highlighted in a different color? Maybe it includes links to docs in progress such as your essay, resume or artist statement?
Put all your best visual art work in a folder so you can see the thumbnails and their names. Later, copy and paste specially selected images into specific folders named for your colleges like “Harvard,” “Stanford,” or “RISD,” because each college requires a different focus and quantity of images.
2. Writing: Start ASAP, Gather Feedback, Edit, Edit, Edit.
Don’t try to do everything at once, focus on one thing at a time and take it step by step.
At the top of each of these docs, make bullet points for the MOST important information required by each of the prompts, and their required length.
Always begin with your outline, then add content in bullet point form in the right section.
When you feel you have all the information in the right place, sit down and write your first draft. Try to stay relaxed, knowing that you will come back to it numerous times.
After stepping away from it for at least a day, come back to it fresh and edit. Rinse and repeat, over and over. Get feedback from your most helpful advisors. Edit again, etc.
College Essay: Looking for inspiration? Read Common App Essay Examples for Art Students.
Supplements: Check ASAP to see what your colleges require. Learn how we help with portfolio reviews and supplements.
Artist Statement - Need a framework? Read the Ultimate Art Portfolio Guide.
An introspective figure study from a student portfolio — a quiet moment captured in bold reds and soft brushwork.
A portrait built dot by dot — a student artist experiments with pointillism to capture personality beyond the pose.
3. Portfolio Prep:
Your portfolio is a huge opportunity so don’t miss out on this chance to show colleges what makes you unique and how you can inspire their community. The path to creating your best possible portfolio is to:
Get expert advice (such as PCNYC) on your art and guidance on how to take it to the next level technically and conceptually. Continue to make as much work as often as possible while experimenting with as many new materials and ideas as possible. First and most importantly, this will make your creative practice much stronger, more meaningful and fun. Next, it will boost your confidence and help you understand your work and why you do it on a much deeper level. Lastly, you will have so much more to choose from when selecting your best pieces for your portfolio.
Click here for a free consultation to explore how PCNYC can help you, or book a Portfolio Review here.
4. Coordination of Application Form & Other Details:
The sooner you get started, the less scary it will feel!
Sophomore year: take practice SAT or ACT and see how it goes? Do you need extra help? Now’s the time to sign up for test coaching and practice, practice, practice.
Junior year: politely ask your teachers in person to write your recommendation letters. It is likely that you will want one academic teacher and one art teacher.
Summer before Senior year: jump into the application form and fill out as much as possible, while making notes on a separate doc about the pieces that will require extra work or support from others. You can organize those notes according to the person you need that help from such as a parent or your school. This should all be tracked on your color-coded Dashboard.
Fall of Senior Year: Make sure your SAT / ACT scores are submitted if you are doing so. Depending on whether you apply ED / EA or regular, make sure your school uploads your transcripts or provides them so you can do it.
Stay ahead of all key dates with our College Application Deadlines Guide.
5. Financial Aid
Don’t wait until after you’re accepted to think about funding. Submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile, research school-specific scholarships, and explore grants or merit aid. If your financial aid award falls short, you may be able to appeal for additional support.
Start with our Scholarships for Art Students and our Financial Aid Appeal Template.
6. Last Steps!
Ask a few different trusted adults to check everything over for you. Because you are so close to all these materials, it's easy to overlook details, typos etc. and you do not want ANY weak links! Lastly, pay your fees and submit! m
Download the complete checklist (PDF)
Print it, keep it by your workspace, or use it digitally to check off tasks as you go.
Need a Second Pair of Eyes?
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Book a Portfolio Consultation to evaluate your portfolio direction, identify gaps, and create a clear action plan for building a stronger body of work.
Schedule a Portfolio Review for a structured three-phase process: in-depth analysis with historical and contemporary benchmarks, a one-on-one review call, and a follow-up PDF with detailed recommendations and a strategic plan to refine your portfolio before submission.
