Portfolio Guidelines

A portfolio must be submitted for your application to be considered. Samples of freehand drawing are required. In addition to drawings, you may include a variety of work for your portfolio choosing from media such as painting, sculpture, graphics, art photography, woodworking, ceramics, or any other visual media that demonstrate your interest, experience, and aptitude in creative and graphic areas. Please do not include original work. Reproductions should be high-quality photographs (minimum 3 x 5 inches) or photocopies; not slides or a CD.

We suggest you include 15–20 items and present your material in a neat, well-organized manner.

Label each portfolio item with:

• Information on the medium used
• Whether the project was done on your own or in a class
• The original size of the work

Please add a one- or two-sentence comment about each piece you submit. The first page of the portfolio must contain the following: “This portfolio contains the design work of [applicant’s name here].” If any project, drawing or model has been produced by several designers or if the design was produced in a professional setting, each drawing must be labeled, clearly stating the number of designers, which drawings were produced by the applicant, and a list of the names of all members of the group project. If the project was produced in an office, an office setting, or as an assistant to an author, then the office name, supervisor, and all members of the team must be identified.

 

Place your work in a flat binder no larger than 10 x 13 inches with your name clearly on the outside of the binder. You will be at a disadvantage in the admissions process if your portfolio does not meet the above specifications. Your portfolio will be returned at the end of the selection process if you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope or mailing packet.

Your portfolio should be mailed directly to:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions

College of Architecture, Art, and Planning

Cornell University

235 Sibley Dome
Ithaca, NY 14853-6701

Your portfolio will be placed in your admissions file for review by the architecture department admissions committee.