Admissions

Undergraduate Program Admissions

The freshman class is recruited through a cooperative effort between the School of Art and the Carnegie Mellon Admissions Office. An Admissions Office representative and the School's Student Affairs Assistant collaborate to schedule and maintain records for recruiting events such as portfolio reviews on and off campus, "Sleeping Bag Weekends," and portfolio reviews by mail. Faculty members participate in National Portfolio Day Reviews held in several states and in on-campus Portfolio Day reviews, as well as in reviews of slide portfolios sent by mail.

After portfolio reviews have been completed, the Admissions Office works with art faculty to evaluate each applicant individually, considering many factors including high school grades, standardized test scores, extracurricular/leadership activities, and, of course, portfolio review ratings. The School of Art seeks a diverse mix of students with a balance of abilities that can be demonstrated in both creative work and academic performance.

Transfer applicants are reviewed by similar criteria with consideration of prior coursework. The School counsels admitted transfer students individually regarding their placement, and works with them to develop individualized strategies for satisfying curriculum requirements.

Applicants who come to campus for Sleeping Bag Weekend Portfolio Day Reviews meet as a group with the Head or Associate Head of the School in an informational session, tour the School's facilities, have their portfolios reviewed by a committee of faculty members and meet individually with a professor. Those who come for Sleeping Bag Weekend also stay overnight with currently enrolled students and attend freshmen classes. Approximately half of the School's applicants submit portfolios by mail.

All admitted students who have submitted portfolios by mail are encouraged to visit the campus during "April Yield" activities. They participate in tours of the campus and School facilities, attend classes and meet with the Assistant Head.

Graduate Program Admissions

MFA Graduate Admissions is conducted solely through the School of Art and is extremely competitive. Ranked among the top ten MFA Programs in the U.S.A. by U.S. News and World Report and #2 in the field of multimedia/visual communications, the program attracts applicants searching for an innovative three-year interdisciplinary program that:

integrates traditional and experimental art research and practice, both individual and collaborative, in 2D, 3D and 4D media,

emphasizes art in context (social, cultural, historical and scientific),

is a vital participant in the Pittsburgh arts community,

offers opportunities for projects or study abroad, and

provides nearly 80% of tuition costs in financial support, through graduate assistantships and tuition remission.

The Graduate Committee in the School of Art selects the semi-finalists applicants with input from enrolled graduate students. The faculty considers each applicant’s creative work, academic record, life experiences, statement and understanding of the program. The entire faculty, with two graduate representatives, selects the finalists. Usually six students are admitted each year.

Image Credit: Detail of Concept Studio IV project by Erin Salzer (BFA '95) Back to Top