BFA- Freshman and Transfer Students

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Art Academy’s undergraduate program, you must present the following.

• an application
• your portfolio
• a one page personal statement
• a letter of recommendation from an art teacher
• your high-school transcript and test scores

PORTFOLIO
Your portfolio demonstrates your potential to succeed as an artist in our program. For information about the Art Academy’s Portfolio Prep courses, click here.

The portfolio should contain 10 to 12 pieces of your best original artwork. It is suggested that you consider the following criteria when creating your portfolio:

• works that demonstrate your artistic and creative abilities
• works that demonstrate personal ideas and concepts
• works that have been created in classes as well as self-driven works from outside of classes
• works that include a variety of media
• works that demonstrate your commitment as an artist

Oftentimes, a student may feel that their portfolio is not complete or ready to present for a review. We know that this can be a huge step for you as an artist and that you'd like everything to be just right. But as an artist, it's important for you to receive feedback and advice on your work, and to be really open to the suggestions offered. This will ultimately help you to create stronger work and therefore build a stronger portfolio. We encourage you to submit your portfolio as early as possible, especially if you are a senior! Our admissions counselors and faculty reviewers are eager to see your work and offer their support and constructive suggestions

The preferred methods of submitting your portfolio is by upload at aac.slideroom.com or presented in person during an Open House or National Portfolio Day or during an individual campus visit. Please call 513-562-8740 to schedule a visit.

PERSONAL STATEMENT
Your one-page personal statement is a way of introducing yourself. It describes who you are as an artist and your creative processes, the type of art that interests you, your artistic goals, and what you will acheive in your studies at the Art Academy.

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Your letter of recommendation must be mailed directly from your art teacher to the Art Academy or uploaded at aac.slideroom.com with your portfolio submission. It should describe your artistic abilities, your habits as a student, and your ability to succeed at the college level. If you are unable to requset a letter from an art teacher, you may request it from another professional person that can address your abilities.

TRANSCRIPT AND TEST SCORES
Your academic transcript must be mailed directly to the Art Academy by your high school. Test scores must be mailed directly from the testing service. Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 high school grade-point average and score 400 or higher on all three subsections of the SAT, or have a composite score of 20 or higher on the ACT.

Prospective students seeking credit for Advanced Placement (AP) coursework must request scores be sent directly to the Art Academy. An exam score of 3 or higher is accepted and appropriate credit given. Please note that AP courses completed must also have a course equivalency within the Art Academy BFA program to be accepted.

CONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE
Applicants who meet portfolio requirements can be admitted on a conditional basis if they have a grade-point below 2.0, or if they have a score below 400 on any subsection of the SAT or a composite score below 20 on the ACT. Students who earn conditional acceptance spend their first semester at AAC on academic probation. If they earn at least a 2.0 in the first semester, the probation is lifted.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students must follow the full admission procedure and provide an official high school transcript evaluation from an accredited evaluation service (e.g. World Education Service, International Research Foundation, or Educational Credential Evaluators) indicating successful high school completion.

Additionally, a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required if English is not a student's first language. A TOEFL score of at least 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based). or 80 (internet based) must be achieved.

International students living/studying in the United States may have the TOEFL waived after meeting with an Admissions representative.

After being accepted to the Art Academy, an international student must submit the $300 tuition deposit and a $200 fee to cover processing and international postage. The student must provide notarized bank documentation of funds in US Dollars to support one year of study/living expenses at the Art Academy before an I-20 Form will be issued. Please consult the Admissions Office for these amounts- as they change annually.

Additionally, all international students must provide proof of full health insurance coverage for any medical procedures or emergencies that may arise during their course of study at the Art Academy.