BFA Admission
The School of Art is interested in students who demonstrate:
- an engagement with various materials, ideas and contexts
- cultural awareness and ambition
- technical skills
- a willingness to experiment and engage in personal research
- ability to work on a wide range of artistic concerns, in depth or in a sequence, are desirable
- strong self-motivation
APPLY NOW
University forms, policies and information regarding undergraduate admissions
Undergraduate admissions is conducted through the University Office of Admission in cooperation with School of Art faculty and staff.
How To Apply:
- Choose early decision deadline November 1, or regular decision deadline December 1
- Start your university application with CMU Admissions
- Register and submit your art portfolio to the School of Art (online, or on-campus)
- Applicants are considered for fall semester admission only
- Applicants to the School of Art must submit a portfolio
- Online and on-campus reviews are given the same consideration
- Applicants submitting an on-campus portfolio review do not need to submit a portfolio online.
2013 ADMISSION DEADLINES:
| Early Decision | Application and Supplement * | Nov. 1, 2012 |
| On-Campus Portfolio Review Registration or | Nov. 1, 2012 |
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| Online Portfolio Review Submission | Nov. 1, 2012 |
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| Regular Decision | Application and Supplement * | Dec. 1, 2012 |
| On-Campus Portfolio Review Registration or | Jan. 1, 2013 |
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| Online Portfolio Review Submission | Jan. 15, 2013 |
*Application must be submitted to the Office of Admission by this date in order to register for an On-Campus Portfolio Review.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Students' capabilities and application are evaluated through:- a creative work portfolio review
- high school grades
- standardized test scores
- extracurricular activities
- recommendations
- personal statements
PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION:
All portfolios, online or in person, are given the same consideration, and reviewed by School of Art faculty.
Portfolio Requirements & Tips
* The portfolio should include as much work as possible done independently outside the classroom.
The portfolio should include pieces from as many of the following categories as appropriate:
- Drawings and paintings done from observation and/or imagination
- Photography, printmaking projects, collage, mixed media, etc.
- Sculpture in any medium or size
- Environmental or site-specific installation (work made for a particular location either indoors or outdoors)
- Computer-generated imagery
- Work that changes with time, such as kinetic sculpture, animation, installation, performance and digital media, including live action video and interactive work or other time-based works
In preparing your portfolio review, we encourage you to take the following presentation suggestions into account:
- Work should be photographed so that the image fills the frame
- A neutral background is recommended so that it does not conflict with the work
- If several exposures of each piece are taken with different camera settings, the applicant will be able to select the best one for use in the portfolio
- Matting and mounting of works is not necessary
- Applying fixatives to works that smudge is highly recommended