Framing their future: WHS art students curate creative portfolios for college applications

Aspiring artists at Washingtonville High School got a masterclass in turning their creativity into a college application strategy during a recent two-part art portfolio workshop. Guided by art teacher and WHS alumnus Kateri Ruebenstahl, students received insider tips on mastering their portfolios for their college applications. 

The goal of these workshops is to prepare students who are interested in studying fine arts for their unique college application process, which often requires applicants to submit a series of their best artwork. Students learned about the best practices for bringing their artistic visions to life for college admissions.

“The college application process is daunting enough but when you also have to show a collection of the very best artwork you've ever created, it becomes incredibly overwhelming,” said Ms. Ruebenstahl. “Giving students the opportunity to hear what career and college opportunities are out there, what colleges are looking for in the portfolio process allows students to develop a better plan for their future.”

The first session discussed what should and shouldn’t be included in students’ portfolios, as well as best practices on how to capture and document artwork for the portfolio. One big tip Ms. Ruebenstahl gave to students was to include original and unique artwork, rather than fan art, anime or copied reference pieces.

“I definitely gained a lot of information, specifically in observation drawings,” said Tru’Nell Wood, a senior at WHS interested in pursuing a career either as an art illustrator for children’s books or an art therapist. ‘I learned to not include basic drawings or what colleges usually see like the fan art or characters. I want to show them what I see in perspective.”

“The importance of this workshop was to learn how to make a good portfolio and what mistakes not to make that could cost you a good college education,” said Addison Geller, a WHS senior who is interested in a career in graphic design or art education. 

During the first session, Ms. Ruebenstahl addressed additional application criteria, such as school specific essays that applicants may need to write. Ms. Ruebenstahl gave examples from various universities to help students understand what institutions are looking for when applying.

The second session went over students’ strongest and weakest pieces, as well as how to go about choosing pieces to include in their portfolio. What made this session extra special for students was receiving feedback on their portfolios from art school administrators. Additionally, visiting admissions counselors answered any questions students had about applying to art schools. 

Ms. Ruebenstahl also provided students with a plethora of resources, including a spreadsheet to help students organize their portfolios and websites showing the various creative career paths for artists. As Washingtonville continues to foster creativity and artistic expression through its various courses and extracurricular activities, opportunities such as this ensure that students are prepared for college and beyond while pursuing their passions.