Paul Ford is hoping a critique of his photography will give him a competitive advantage for a scholarship at the Maryland Institute College of Art.
“I will come back with a much more focused portfolio for decision day,” Ford said Sunday after a meeting with a college reviewer at the Baltimore event.
Ford was among more than 1,000 artists lined up for meetings with art college and university representatives for National Portfolio Day.
At the daylong event hosted by MICA, reviewers from 52 schools from across the country met with prospective students, most from the East Coast, to review their artwork, provide guidance and discuss the schools? programs. The event resembles a massive college fair, but with individual critiques so students can tailor or enhance their work for a stronger application, said Theresa Bedoya, dean of admissions and financial aid for MICA. Ford said his reviewer from MICA suggested ways for him to improve his photography collection, such as taking more shots of the Holocaust Memorial.
“She kind of gave me a project, and a good critique,” said Ford, of Baltimore, who at 55 isn?t the typical participant, most of whom are high school juniors and seniors.
More than 50 colleges around the country host a National Portfolio Day, usually around this time of year, said Celena Siprajim, assistant director of undergraduate admissions.
At Sunday?s event, students crammed into three of MICA?s buildings, waiting in lines that at times stretched down the sidewalk. Each meeting lasts about 20 minutes and students canshowcase their art, from paintings to sculptures to multimedia work, Siprajim said.
“This is just a time for them to get feedback on their work and see if they are competitive for the program,” she said.
Pete Hoffmeister, 17, a senior from Harrisburg, Pa., who wants to be an art teacher, said he also hopes the meetings will give him that edge when applying for colleges.
“I got an interesting perspective, outside of what [I] hear every day,” Hoffmeister said.
