my recommenders told me "strongest .... good .... good..... strongest"

thats good axial, i dont know if my recommenders are going to show me what they put down... i hope if someone agrees to write a recommendation letter for you they wouldn't give negative comments!

rationalist, post your portfolio, id like to see it. i would say that you should put your strongest work first, whatever it may be. even though youre applying for graphic design, they will understand a strong project in architecture. go for it!

what if my last one just fits in that order well but doesn't really count as going out with a bang?

robust84...in that case you may want to ask yourself if you really need to even show that last one.

just a thought.

ok, well I'll probably post it towards the end of the weekend, but y'all will have to keep in mind that I haven't had time to really pour over the layouts yet- some I like, some I really don't like yet, and some of the photos I'll have to re-shoot.

Hey, i've been following the thread and thought i'd share.
Just printed my portfolio, and know am struggling with my personal statement. Really struggling. Funny thing is I find writing about other peoples work easy. jeeesh.

let me know what you think

http://members.cox.net/brer2010/MA%20Portfolio%20Application%2011-19.pdf

applying to berkeley, UCLA, GSD, Columbia

Brer - I've very impressed with the lighting of your models. Everything else looks good too.

*I'm

link does not work brer

I think it wont allow alot of people to download at the same time.?

ok, i got it. Nice work!

Joe - i don't think Brer is looking for critique, sounds like he already printed it. Let's not make him second guess himself! There are always details to disagree with. It's a nice looking portfolio.

i agree, lets keep the comments to ourselves. lets see some more portfolios!!

Thanks. I'm past the point of second guesses, but I still like hearing what other people have to say.

:)

I hope others will share what they've done, i'm keen to see.

help....

transcript file to big. I've tried scanning them, saving them as low res as possible in in ps, converting them to pdf's, reducing their file size, merging them together and still to big. I'm still at about 2.5MB.
ugh just read that don't support pdf files created by 6.0 or later. I'm using an 8.0 trial version.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Hey brer
your portfolio looks great. Nice job

what's the file size limit for uploading your transcript? just scan it as a JPEG, it should still be legible if you get it down to 1mb

reduce the image size in photoshop until its small enough and save it as a jpeg. if you are applying to harvard then you should put those jpegs into a word document and post that on the online app.

oh, this reminds me..

I requested my transcripts before I knew about the online submisison Harvard uses, so they were mailed directly to the school.

anyone have any info on whether this will still be alright?
Maybe I should call.

I would call. I called them and they said that this is the first year that they are doing the transcripts this way. who knows. maybe you will be fine. but a call wouldn't hurt.

i thought they wanted it all online and then a paper copy of it all too...am i wrong?

they only need an official paper copy if you are admitted to the program. thats what the graduate admissions lady told me.

How presumptuous of me. eeek.

i love the sketchs and your layout brer m.
best of luck to you!

Well, the portfolio is printing as I type. I screenprinted my covers last night and am going to bind everything this afternoon. Then, I get to study for finals I care nothing about...oh how I love microeconomics.

I still need to finish my statements, but I am a good 85% there.

Here is my final version of my portfolio:
http://www.thepeculiarform.com/unm/GradSchool_Final.pdf

thanks! I've just cracked the first draft of my Statement, should be finished today. I found some nice recycled content brown card envelopes that will do nicely.

I think it looks fantastic.
really cool. The spiritualized design reminded me of the summer.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Brer, yours is very nice too, I dig all the sketch work a lot...lots of energy in your drawings.

sounds like light at the end of the tunnel for a few of us at least...

finished my portfolio, printed it up and somehow got up the nerve to trust kinkos (gasp!) to coil-bind it. despite the horror stories that i've read here, they did a decent job. guess they can at least be trusted to line it up in the machine and press the button.

so everything's done except for one recommender finishing up her letter.

keep at it everyone!

Just a quick question about portfolio content...

I don't seem to have many model photos in my portfollio. I didn't really do that many over my course, instead choosing digital models (and because of poor time management in the earlier years).

I have drawings and renders in place of the usual model photos - so it's not any harder to get a handle on my design - but I was wondering... how important is it to have photos of models?

I have sketches throughout to prevent the portfolio being too 'cold' and digital, but I'm hoping the absence of models won't do me too much harm.

Any ideas?

Chch:

it might be helpful for you to do some research on how the admission process is handled in each school. in Berkeley for example, the applications (including portfolios) are distributed among the people in the committee, and then they'll pick their favorites individually before gathering up to review the chosen ones later. if your portfolio lands on a professor who hates digital models, then you'll be out of luck. so i was advised to have a range of media, and different scales of projects as well.

if building physical model isn't your strength however, then don't force urself to put any since it'll only decrease the quality of your port. you should find opportunities to address this issue on your personal history essay.

to keep it real, today's already the 10th, its too late to produce any decent quality model.

Thanks axial, very sound advice.

If I do get someone who specifically dislikes digital presentation, I'm screwed, but I guess that's all part of the lottery!


Sorry, I should have said - I'm applying to gsd. Any idea if the same applies to them?

My portfolio is not anywhere near ready to post. It won't see the light of day for a while yet, I think. But then my first deadline is Jan. 15th, so I've got a bit more time than some of you.

Jason, I like your posters a lot, and the library out of the architecture work.

good luck!!

Chch,

GSD doesn't use the same system as berkeley. the applicants will get a fair share from everyone in the committee.

i'm applying to GSD also, just wrapping up my essay right now.

good luck.

GSD doesnt want portfolio til the end of the month, correct? even though they want all the online stuff by friday.

axial - cheers. That's a big relief. I should be getting portfolio printed tomorrow. Good luck with yours too!

robust - yeah, Jan 2 for portfolio. Don't worry! :)

yep, i have to send mine out early due to holiday travel.

wait.... I just found out that our own Cameron Sinclair is on the advisory board of a program that I want into very badly. I wonder if his presence will help me out any in the evaluation of a crossover from architecture?

I'm sorry for asking stupid questions, but if they don't specifically ask for it, is it not kosher to include your resume in the application packet? There are only a couple of lines on this one application form for "previous work experience" which I filled out, but I was going to do a "*see also CV attached".

Yes/no?

And yes, I'm a little OCD.

im not sure which applications you're specifically asking about, but i think it's reasonable to include a resume with every one. i mean, you don't want to have to to brag about all your starchitect internships in your personal statement or your portfolio. that's taking up valuable 'me' space. put it in the resume.

Yes, I would sumbit a resume since you've been out of school a while.

In other news, I just finished a draft of my SOP. YAY! Now I just need to tweak it for a couple nights, then re-write it for all the different schools. Does anyone else think that it's a bit ridiculous for every different program to have different requirements? One wants 500-1000 words describing in detail my three biggest influences, another 500-700 outlining my interest in graduate study, another of undefined length describing my long-range goals and interest in their school, the fourth wants answers to SIX different questions, the fifth wants a two page overview of my goals, experience, and commitment to grad study, and the last one wants one page (jesus how will it fit on one page?!) describing my intentions for graduate study. The result is six distinct essays, which just seems silly to me, but I have to do it. I'm really hoping that having one done will make the rest easier, but the shorter ones will be really hard for me- there's so much to say!

Yeah I just discovered that one wants specifics as to what some of my "areas of research" will be and I don't know that I've thought about it in detail that much. Ironically this is the one that I am calling my "back-up" and they are requiring the most work. I am half-tempted to scrap it all together but I shouldn't. I'll just procrastinate some more.

what schools are these? all of mine just want something like 'describe your background as it related to the progam' and 'why do you want to go here'

for me it's CCA, MICA, Pratt, RIT, SCAD, and UW. Maybe this is another difference between the MFA and M.Arch programs?

probably.

what if a rec writer promised to write it 3 weeks ago but has been MIA in response to email reminders over the last week? Will GSD care if it gets sent in a little late?

I hope not, one of mine is MIA too....
We're buddies, ronbust.....

Sorry, robust, spelled yer name wrong....
Must be the staying up too late hashing out a SOP...

Rar. It's official. My "back-up" not only has the most requirements, they just changed their application process. How annoying.

robust84, balagan... the best thing to do would be to contact the admissions office. They will probably give you the same answer they give to everybody though... "everything has to be on time". If its an online submittal... would you be able to submit your application on the deadline with missing recommedation letters?

pwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

My big whine of the day is that Epsons sure are nice, but ARGH they are slow.

pwot.

I am seriously making funny noises right now, NOT in my head.