Crafting strategic portfolios and supplemental research for admission into competitive visual arts educational programs

Acceptance into top architecture, design, and art programs requires an application package that traditional programs do not. We work together with admissions consultants to strategize, shape and sharpen creative students’ unique portfolios, statements, and supplemental research projects. Students have used our services for post-bacc, undergraduate and graduate college admissions, AP portfolios, artists’ residencies, and early career placement.

Services

  • Every engagement begins with counseling to assess student goals and desired outcomes. From this conversation, we will map a tailored and written plan of services that will best support these.

  • In the Portfolio Assessment, we discuss your work, creative ideas, and your intended creative major and direction. The assessment results in a written recap of the current work, and a written roadmap of specific activities and deliverables needed to move the portfolio toward the best outcome in the admissions process.

  • Following the initial assessment plan, we will continue more in-depth discussions of how your process, craft, idea, and medium are enhancing student’s creative voice.

    Development of the portfolio is a longer engagement, typically occurring over 8-10 weeks. We will meet semi-monthly and it is expected that students dedicate 6-9 hours per week on their creative work.

    We provide tailored supplemental information on artists and designers, exhibitions, or opportunities that are relevant to each students’ interests and goals.

    Portfolio development finishes with a tightly packaged and conceptually strong presentation that can be used in creative admissions packages.

  • The written statement comes in a variety of forms and generally supports creative work. It is an opportunity to provide background information about the creative vision, process, ideas, and background. This includes the inventory and organization of ideas and guidance in writing Artist’s Statements, Project Statements and Resumes. The artist statement is distinctly separate from the Common App essay. Guidance in authentic development of story-telling, voice, point of view, and confidence in writing.

  • Increasingly, students are including supplemental research and creative projects into their applications in order to stand out or as an opportunity to study an in-depth a topic or body of work prior to college.

    These engagements can take many forms such as research papers, exhibitions, blogs and websites, or small business. In this 8-10 week engagement, we will help craft your project, provide expert guidance and help package and present the work upon completion.

We help develop visual and written materials that best communicate creative vision and voice

About

Allison Warren is the founder of Warren Portfolio Advisory. With a background in educational consulting, post-secondary teaching, and professional practice, her work focuses on strategic planning and on refining and structuring portfolios and related materials so they communicate a clear and consistent point of view. She works selectively with students and in collaboration with admissions consultants.

  • Allison is a former admissions officer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) from 2015-2023, where she crafted admissions strategies and creative portfolios for applicants in Painting and Drawing, Sculpture, Animation & Film, Photography, Architecture, Textiles and Fashion. As a traveling recruiter, she visited and gained tacit knowledge of many top visual arts programs across the United States.

    Allison also has consulted for Polygence Inc., a San Francisco-based firm that provides students with academic research opportunities. Through Polygence, she works with students on crystalizing research interests which has included material science (weaving), business entrepreneurship, and architectural historical research among others.

    At the core, Allison is a teacher and has mentored students in first-year foundations through grad level courses while at SAIC. Prior, Allison co-wrote the curriculum and managed the foundations Architecture program at the University of Illinois from 2006-2014.

    Her current studio practice involves critical writing, textile curation and product design through PLUM Textiles. Her gallery drawings have received critical notice from curators at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Houston Museum of Art, and the Banff Centre in Ontario, Canada among others.

    Allison started her career in the Arts as an advertising copywriter in New York City after receiving a BA in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley. She went on to receive an MFA from Cranbrook Academy in Detroit.

Results

Students have been admitted to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Pratt/NY, Central St. Martins/UK, Parsons School of Design, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), University of Michigan, Cornell University, UC Berkeley, Washington University, Syracuse University, New York University, Vanderbilt, College of William & Mary, Oxford/UK among others.

“I can't recommend Allison's service enough. Her keen eye and profound understanding of art concepts are invaluable resources. She helped me develop my artist statement, as well as assisting me in selecting and organizing my images, refining my CV, and advising on my overall concept and direction of my work. She is a joy to work with.”

—Vanessa, MFA Candidate